The Gran Destino Tower at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort is one of the most recent additions to the Walt Disney World resort family. I had the chance to spend the weekend there recently and thoroughly enjoyed my stay. It’s a beautiful resort with great amenities, making it a great choice for couples and families.
The Gran Destino Tower was my first experience staying at the Coronado Springs Resort and I am afraid that it may have left me a little spoiled! Everything is gorgeous and brand new. It felt rather luxurious for a “moderate” resort.
The Gran Destino Lobby
The lobby of the resort is beautiful. The elegant lighting is striking and the open floor plan makes you feel welcome immediately. My favorite aspect of the lobby was the smell. You will often hear Disney fans talk about the smell of the lobby at Polynesian or the Grand Floridian. Well, this hotel has a smell all its own and it is delightful!
We checked in ahead of time on the My Disney Experience app and our room was ready when we arrived. If you check in on the app, you can use your MagicBand or the app to open the door of your room, so there is no need to visit the front desk. I love this feature. It’s so convenient!
Since we were all checked in, we headed straight to the elevator with our luggage. The elevator was…interesting. Instead of just pushing a button, you have to select your floor on a touch screen. The screen then indicates which elevator you should to proceed to. If you hop in any old elevator, you may not make it to the floor you need to reach! This took a little getting used to, but after doing it once or twice, we were pros!
The Resort Rooms
Our room was very clean and comfortable. Disney seems to be moving to hardwood-type flooring and clean, white bedding in many of their hotels and this one was no exception. Some think this lacks theming, but I thought it looked great!
The bathroom was very modern. I loved the look of the shower and it was a nice size. I preferred having glass doors instead of the usual shower curtain. The only issue is that with glass doors, you have to close off the entire bathroom if you want privacy. The sink area was nice and open which made it easy for two people to get ready at the same time, but if someone was in the shower, this could get awkward (depending on who you are staying with).
Dining Options at Gran Destino
As much as we loved the room, we were excited to venture out and see all of the other things the hotel had to offer. There is a bar downstairs and some comfortable seating if you are looking for a place to grab a drink and relax. Your other option is to go all the way to the top floor to visit the Dahlia Lounge. This is where we ended up and we were not disappointed!
The view from the patio seating of the lounge is simply spectacular. You can see the entire Disney property from up there! I loved being able to see the glow of Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and the top of Summit Plummet at Blizzard Beach at night. Gorgeous!
The menu consists of tapas and small plates, as well as a variety of drinks. We settled on the Artisanal Manchego Cheese Vertical, which I discovered is a really fancy way of saying, “incredibly delicious cheese.” We also really enjoyed sipping drinks in the relaxed atmosphere. It was the perfect way to end the night. Even if you don’t stay at the Gran Destino Tower, I would recommend a visit.
The only thing the Tower seems to be lacking is a quick service restaurant. A quick serve option does exist within the overall resort, but guests will have to visit another building to access it. On the morning of our departure, we were looking for a quick breakfast and didn’t want to have to go to another part of the property to find one. Instead, we opted for some simple pastries and coffee at the Barcelona Lounge. The pastries were good, but we weren’t overly impressed with our nitro cold brew coffee. I would certainly go back, but would try a different drink next time.
I absolutely loved my stay at The Gran Destino Tower. The hotel lobby and rooms are elegant, clean, and inviting. I can’t wait to go back and I think it’s safe to say that I have found a new favorite Disney resort.
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Recently, stayed at the “Tower.” My first stay at the Coronado was about 20 years ago. The QS and the gift shop have been upgraded since then. But the Tower is wonderful. It can definitely be considered not just a moderate. Previously, my fave was the French Quarter–not any more. Staying at the Gran Destino Tower is fantastic. The colors, the lights, the influences of Spain’s art (Dali and Gaudi) are beautiful. My room was not ready on arrival so I had the opportunity to take in the atmosphere and to check out not only the bar in the lobby but distances from the tower to the “older part” and so much more. Yes, the elevators are the latest technology. Rooms are comfortable and my room overlooked the lake. Did not spend any time at the Dahlia bar and the restaurant and the Dahlia bar are on the top floor. The restaurant is definitely worth a visit. Wait staff at the restaurant are exceptional. There is also a bar and grill in the middle of the lake and can be reached by a walk way that is over the lake either from the Tower or the ” old part” of the Coronado resort. The QS that is located in the “older part” is not a long walk and the menus are definitely more than what is offered at FQ and also what was offered at my first stay at the Coronado. Please don’t forget that the Maya restaurant My only criticism is their check-in process. Everyone checks in at the Tower whether you are staying in the tower or the casitas, or whatever. This results in very long lines and wait times. You need to wait in the line whether you are looking to see the concierge or to check in. There are a lot of pluses for staying here and I debated long and hard about seconding and adding my thoughts to the person who reviewed the resort. Really don’t want the word to get out or share how great this place is.