Coronado Springs Resort at Walt Disney World falls into the moderate category, and while we all know that my favorite moderate is Port Orleans Riverside, this resort is a very very very close second. Coronado Springs is themed to the American Southwest and Northern Mexico. El Centro (the lobby/main building) along with the three room categories surround a lovely lake called Lago Dorado. This resort is also home to a large convention center and a good majority of the guests staying there are involved in some type of convention. Some people think this is a drawback but I actually find it to be a bonus. The resort itself seems very quiet most of the time and almost empty. You don't get the amount of crowds during the day on the bus system due to the fact that a good chunk of the resort guests are involved in meetings or presentations throughout the day. The only time I might say the resort would seem busy would be in the evening at the couple of bar options and in the dining locations for dinner.
El Centro:
Maya Grill: This is the resort's main sit down restaurant and is open for dinner from 5pm to 11pm. Unfortunately I have yet to eat here as oddly enough I really don't like Mexican food. The restaurant seems to get mixed reviews on most of the popular WDW fan forums. Hopefully if you enjoy Mexican food you will give it a try on your next vacation and let me know what you thought.
The Pepper Market: This is the resort's food court although it is set up a bit differently then the food courts you may be used to at other resorts. It has been changed to a buffet style food court where you pay for the buffet during breakfast, lunch, and dinner rather then choosing separate items and varying prices for your meal. We did eat breakfast here and found it to be a great value for the price. They had offerings with a Mexican flair as well as normal breakfast items you would find anywhere so it really appealed to all members of my party.
Cafe Rix: This is the go to spot for snack items, refillable mugs, etc and is located right off the main lobby. We stopped at the cafe on several mornings when we wanted to grab a quick breakfast sandwich or pastry but didn't necessarily want to take the time for a full out sit down meal. It's tiny but gets the job done for a quick in and out snack.
Rix Lounge: This bar is open from 5 pm to 2 am daily and is a great place to grab a drink. We found ourselves here a couple of nights when the weather was cooler and we were too cold to sit at the outside bar.
Laguna Bar: Last but not least, this was one of our favorite parts of El Centro! As previously mentioned, we were vacationing in December so it was a cooler time of year. When it was bearable to be outside in the evening, we spent quite a bit of time at this lovely bar near the water. Definitely a favorite of the whole trip! And your trip to Northern Mexico just wouldn't be complete without having a margarita outside near the peaceful Lago Dorado!
A huge bonus to this resort is their beautifully themed main pool, The Dig Site. Featuring a 46 foot tall Mayan Pyramid (quite reminiscent of Chichen Itza in Mexico) with flowing water, the pool area is pretty expansive. It has a large water slide, a sand volleyball court, the largest outdoor hot tub on WDW property, and also children's pool area. The pool is open until midnight and in the evening hours it has some gorgeous night time lighting. The large pyramid can be seen from all over the resort as well. Don't forget to visit the amazing pool bar Siesta's which offers some small bites as well as several lunch items. Don't forget to order a Coronado Crush in honor of your stay at Coronado Springs resort!
Part two of the review will cover the rooms and each of the three themed sections: The Casitas, The Ranchos, and the Cabanas.
I can't recommend this resort enough and hopefully this review will sway your decision to Coronado Springs Resort in the future.
Stay tuned for part two...
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