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My family has stayed at Disney’s Coronado Springs numerous times throughout the years. We love staying at Coronado Springs; it’s a great on-site Disney World hotel. So today, I want to help you know what to expect and how to make your visit to Coronado Springs by sharing tips and advice from my family to yours. These tips range from making your visit more fun to more relaxing to more affordable!
1. Book Your Room at a Savings
This may seem obvious. Of course, you’d want to get a good deal for your stay, right?
But you may not know of a trick I discovered a few years ago. If you book your room here, you can save a lot of money versus booking your stay through Disney’s website. That has been true for me even with my Disney passholder rate. I’ve stayed there at great rates the last two times I’ve stayed at Coronado Springs.
2. Slide Down the Jaguar Slide at the Dig Site Pool
One of the most enjoyable things I did during my last stay at Coronado Springs was taking a slide down the Jaguar Slide at the Dig Site Pool.
The Dig Site Pool, by the way, is the main pool at Coronado Springs. It is a really wonderful pool complex. I think it’s one of the best ones at Disney World hotels.
And the slide is a big reason why. It is really fun to slide down this slide. I did it over and over. And I had myself a blast!
3. Eat Meals at El Mercado de Coronado
One thing I love about staying at Coronado Springs is their food court, El Mercado de Coronado.
There is plenty of seating, and it has a great overall atmosphere.
They participate in Disney’s refillable mug system, which I really like. Drinks can get really expensive at Disney World. But once you buy the mug, you can keep refilling it every time you eat at the food court for free. This saves money, especially on a long trip. And then you can take it home with you and have a wonderful souvenir!
You can eat all three meals here. But here is one tip I will give you about eating here: there are times in the afternoon it is not open. My family was going to eat lunch here and we got there a bit late and it was not serving hot food anymore. You can get a grab-and-go meal then and refill your mug. But it is something to keep in mind if you are planning on having meals here. Sometimes you do run late when coming back from the parks in the afternoon (more on that later).
4. Try the Other Dining Options
Coronado Springs has some of the best dining options of Disney World hotels. There are multiple onsite restaurants. I just mentioned its main quick service restaurant, but there are a lot of other dining options, including sit-down restaurants. And they cater to a lot of different needs.
Want to catch a game and a meal at the same time? Check out Rix Sports Bar and Grill (you can see our Rix review here). Want an upscale restaurant? Then try the steak, seafood, and tapas at Toledo, a rooftop dining experience. Want a relaxing dining experience with lake views? Then check out Three Bridges Bar and Grill at Villa del Lago. The list goes on and on.
5. Check In At The Front Desk When Booking a Standard Room
Now, this tip comes with an abundance of caution. I can’t guarantee anything.
But if you book a standard, non-tower room at Coronado Springs and want to make sure you are either close to the main pool or the main building for your meals, then consider checking in in person rather than on the app. Sometimes, you are able to get a better room that way.
Now, this probably won’t work if you are booking a room at a busy time (such as if you visit on Christmas or New Year’s Eve). But if you are coming at an off-peak time, they may have multiple rooms available. And sometimes, the cast members at the hotel will ask you about your preferences there and get you in a good room.
And the place you check in is the lobby in the Grand Destinos Tower, and it’s quite nice.
There is plenty of seating to relax. And you could even see a character! We saw Donald Duck when we were checking, and he was great!
6. Plan to Take Awhile to Get to (and from) Magic Kingdom
I really like staying at Coronado Springs, but one negative of staying at this hotel is how far away it is from the Magic Kingdom. So if you get a Lightning Lane, keep in mind that it might take a while for you to get to Magic Kingdom. Same with making an advanced dining reservation.
Also keep in mind this goes both ways. One Saturday night in particular, it took a very long for my family to get back from Magic Kingdom at the end of the night. So just keep that in mind.
7. Shop Before You Go
There are a number of items that are more expensive if you buy it at Coronado Springs or in the parks versus if you buy them before you go. Some of these items can be essential for your trip, and you may not have even thought of all of them. For example, have you thought about getting a poncho in case it rains? Or sunscreen if it’s hot?
We come up with a list of things to buy before your trip here. By purchasing the items ahead of time, you’ll save lots of money during your Coronado Springs trip.
8. Purchase Your Disney World Tickets Ahead of Time
If you’re visiting Coronado Springs, chances are you’ll head to the Disney parks during your trip. You’ll need tickets. And you can buy them at the gate when you arrive. But you’ll be paying a lot more than if you bought your tickets ahead of time online.
Especially since there are discounted Disney World tickets out there. We tell you how to find these cheaper Disney World tickets here.
9. Take a Walk Around The Resort & Relax
It’s often hard to find time to stop and smell the roses during a Disney World vacation. But if you can, take a walk around the resort. It is really a beautiful resort.
And it is very peaceful. I’ve found walking around the resort can really calm me down when I am stressed out. So I highly recommend taking a walk around the resort.
And if you like running, consider making a run around the resort.
The views are beautiful.
Oh, and speaking of relaxing, if you get tired from running or walking, you could relax on a hammock with great views!
10. Get A Magic Bands
I really love having a Magic Band. It can get you in your room as well as the parks. You can even put charges on the Magic Band.
Now, I am old enough to remember when Disney hotel guests all got a free Magic Band. But sadly, that perk does not exist anymore. If you have a Magic Band from an old trip, you can just bring that Magic Band on your trip.
But if you don’t have a Magic Band yet, you can purchase Magic Bands ahead of time here. A number of them are even on sale!
Just remember to purchase it with enough time so that you get it before your trip.