Trip Report: Christmas Tree Stroll (Day 5, Part 3 | December 2022)

 We saw some more puppets and then decided to leave since we were all tired. This meant we were missing our Na’Vi River Journey Lightning Lane, but that’s fine. We had a dinner reservation at Disney Springs so we went to my parents room at Saratoga Springs. They had a one-bedroom, so I took a nap on the pull down in their living room. I ended up sleeping for about an hour and a half. 

After I woke up from my much-needed nap, we walked to Disney Springs. Our dinner was at Enzo’s Hideaway. It was a well-themed restaurant. The food was good but a bit overpriced. For Italian food in Disney World I would prefer Via Napoli or Mama Melrose’s.

We spent the rest of the night doing the Christmas Tree Stroll. I love this new version that’s like a scavenger hunt. And they had more trees this year.

My mom sent me a picture of Murphy, my cat, while I was walking around. It’s always nice to see him.

With the trail finished, I went to the bus stop. A bus pulled away just as I got there so I had to wait about 20 minutes. Sometimes you’re just unlucky. Back in the room, I was happy to go to sleep.

Today’s Highlight: Kite Tails

Steps Walked: 22,918

Trip Report: An Easy Morning (Day 4, Part 1 | December 2021)

 Tuesday, December 7th

Today was going to be a slower day with no real park plans. We did have a park reservation at Magic Kingdom. So, I at least wanted to scan-in just in case I wanted to go to a different park later. I did think about going to see the morning show, but decided it was too early.

I left the room around 9:30 and took a bus to Magic Kingdom. I did bring a notebook with me because I was behind on my notes. The bus line was pretty long but moved fast.

The Dapper Dans were out on the train station so I sat by the Christmas tree and watched them. I waited a bit to see if characters came out, but they didn’t so I headed out. Our plan was to meet at Hoop-Dee-Doo at 11:30. We would be doing horseback riding at Fort Wilderness later. 

I had a boat to myself so I sat in the front. The horn honking was pretty loud and the captain apologized. But I didn’t mind.

My parents texted me to say they saw characters at the train station. I guess I should’ve waited a little longer.

I wandered around the Fort and a little bit while waiting for my parents. There was a sign that they were starting a Wine and Woodworking event tomorrow. I don’t really drink but that sounds like fun. I also ate a protein bar and updated my notes a little.

When my parents arrived, we checked out the newly-renovated Tri-Circle D barn. The ponies were getting ready for a wedding. A family was there to do a pony ride so we watched them for a bit.

After spending time with the horses, we went to look at campsites. My parents recently bought a trailer so they wanted to research the different loops. Then we took a bus to the front of the resort. There are maps but I’m still very confused by how the internal bus system works. 

Coronado Springs Resort

 I stayed at Coronado Springs for the first time in March 2022. I’ve never been to this resort even to visit or eat in the past. We stayed in a regular room, not in the newer Gran Destino Tower. I wanted to share my thoughts and experiences.

The Resort

Honestly, I didn’t know much about Coronado Springs before going. I knew it was American Southwest/Mexico-inspired. And I always heard it was spread out and full of business people since it's a convention resort.

The original parts of the resort do have that Mexico and American Southwest feel. The Tower is more of a European Spanish theme. Entering the Tower was very impressive and it’s beautiful.

The other three sections of rooms are only two floors and feel a bit more casual. And they are spread out. It would take you about 20 minutes to do a lap around the resort. There’s a lake in the center of the resort which increases the distance. With the addition of the Tower they added bridges across the water. Depending on where you’re going, they could cut some time off your walk.

The Rooms

The rooms are standard Disney moderate hotel rooms. They have two beds and a decent sized bathroom area. There is a bigger desk since Coronado Springs sees business travelers. There’s also a comfy chair which is nice.

The theming is more subtle as Disney has been trending towards lately. It’s mostly bright and white with touches of browns and oranges. There’s artwork featuring the Three Caballeros. 

The beds are comfy and the pillows are very squishy. Those pillows aren’t my favorites, but I know they are popular. I always sleep well on a Disney bed.

The Food

Coronado Springs has no shortage of food options. There’s two lounges, 5 sit-down restaurants, and a food court. Oh, and a pool bar. 

Gran Destino Tower has some more fancy options like Toledo. They also have more Spanish-inspired food options.

The Maya Grill has been around for years. It’s Mexican food and there’s a guitar player performing live music. 

The food court (El Mercado) is a decent size with more variety than most Disney food courts. The food is mostly pre-made so you just pull it off a hotplate.

Transportation

Like most of its fellow moderate resorts, Coronado Springs has one transportation option-a bus. There are multiple bus stops. Each area of the resort-Casitas, Ranchos, Cabanas, and Gran Destino Tower-has its own stop. Typically, the Tower seems to be the final stop.

Final Thoughts

So, how do I feel about Coronado Springs?

I enjoyed my stay there, but I’m not sure I’ll ever stay there again. If I do go back, it’ll be to try Gran Destino Tower.

We ate at Maya Grill which I really enjoyed. The food was great-especially the empanadas. More people should check this one out.

I did enjoy relaxing here. There's no balcony, but there are other places to go. One night, we just sat on the sand next to the water. That was one of my favorite nights. I also really enjoyed the main pool. It's huge so I never felt crowded. And the Jaguar slide was fun. It was more thrilling than I thought it would be for a pool slide. There were always a bunch of kids in line excited to go on it so I think it was a crowd favorite.

If you are interested in Coronado Springs, I would recommend it. But I’m not sure you get much more for the price increase from a Value resort. It would probably come down to what type of Disney Vacation you’re trying to have.

Thanks for reading!

Holly