Coronado Springs Resort -- New Unofficial FAQ Thread -- October 2010

[KatMark]

Just got back from our trip to Coronado this afternoon. We stayed 7 nights with my husband, myself and our two kids in one room and my parents in another. We arrived last Sunday around 1 pm on Magical Express with my parents arriving by car around 4 pm. Check-in was quick and easy (we did online check-in before we left) and our room was ready when we got there. I had requested Casitas 4 or 5 1st floor so we could be close to first bus stop to accommodate the ECV we had rented for Dad. We were assigned Casitas 5 while my parents had 4. They were great about moving us to bldg 4 but we were on the 3rd floor and my parents on the 2nd floor but it was fine with us. Magical Express was easy and worked well for us and our luggage was there within a few hours of our arrival. Buses to the park were smooth all week and not very crowded with the exception of the bus back from Epcot yesterday afternoon. Bussing at Epcot for some reason seemed to be the only place that could get problematic. It was nice to be in a short line of folks waiting for the Coronado bus while watching the hordes of people waiting for some of the other resorts.

We didn't find the size of the resort to be a problem at all and it was not nearly as large as I expected. Of course it wasn't super hot either so that made the walk pretty pleasant. It did seem long at 5 am this morning as we headed to catch Magical Express home, but anything seem like a long walk at 5 am after a week of Disney parks! LOL They were painting the outside of building 4 all week but the only problem we had with that was reminding my 10 year old son not to run his hand or shoulder along the walls that said wet paint. Why do little boys do that anyway?

Mousekeeping was great the entire time we were there for both rooms. The mousekeeper must have really liked us as we were covered up in towels and toiletries every day! It became our daily joke to return to our room and see just how many more towels she left for us! LOL The fridge in our room would not seem to get cold but they replaced it the first night for us with one that worked correctly. Mom and Dad's worked just fine from the beginning. The beds were really comfy (and I am like the princess and the pea so they must have been good if I was comfy!). All the staff we dealt with was very friendly and helpful and all but one seemed to know the answer to any question I asked. The one who checked us in was convinced that she could not print out our Hoop De Doo tickets even though Hoop De Doo had called my cell the night before we left and asked us to have them printed at Coronado beforehand b/c the computers would be down the day of our ressie. I just came back later and found another employee at the desk who knew how to print them.

The grounds were lovely and we had perfect weather for strolling around the lake in the evenings and eating outside. No alligator sightings but did see lots of turtles in the lake. Did not get a chance to use the quiet pool but did swim at the dig site one night with the kids and used the hot tub. Putting tired feet in front of the jets in the hot tub was great!! Margaritas from the dig site bar were also wonderful after a day at the park. Kids liked the playground and the theme of the playground was really neat. Arcade was expensive and we only went there b/c we had two 100 point coupons from AAA but most games were 50 pts each! The kids blew through that in 5 minutes (or less!) and we headed to the playground after that.

The area we were in seemed nice and quiet. We only had noise one night with a group of folks standing outside our room which was near the stairs talking/laughing very loudly. Thankfully it did not wake the kids and I was about to pop my head out the door and say something but they moved on first. There seemed to be two small conventions/meetings during our time (one seemed like some sort of tech conference and the other was Make A Wish). The conventioneers did not bother me at all. They were all polite and nice when you ran into them in the restaurants and the only problem I could see with them was them clogging up the bar area in Pepper Market which made it take longer to get to-go drinks.

Food - we ate at Pepper Market several times and pretty much had the hang of it after our first meal. We all liked all the food we tried but our favorites seemed to be the steak, pasta alfredo with shrimp, market nachos and the chicken fajitas. I think the only thing I had that was so-so to me was the tuna melt I had for lunch one day but maybe I just wasn't in a tuna melt kind of mood! We took our meals to go each time and ate outside which was really nice. They had people playing steel drums in the evenings and they let the kids try them out. We also tried several items from Cafe Rix and I was thrilled to find they had a kids pick meal with grilled cheese for my picky daughter. It's actually grilled ham and cheese but she's not a meat eater so they made it with just cheese.

My only complaint about Pepper Market would be that I found the system a little more complicated when there with small kids. If everyone wants something from a different counter, it's hard to keep track of who had the to go ticket, have the food be ready near the same time and make sure you knew where your kids were at all times and it's hard to wait for the food to be made with a tired, whiney 4 year old hanging from your leg - but that's a whole other story! I would also like to see them change the way you get your to go drinks. If there are bar patrons at the bar it could take a while to get your drinks which was just a little irritating. It would be nice if you could request a to go cup and then just fill it at a pop fountain. I would think it would make the bartenders job easier too.

So that is our experience - if I think of anything else I will be sure to add. I've been up since 3:30 this morning so I'm sure I've forgotten something!

Thank you all so much for this board as it made me feel that I knew the place inside and out before I even got there and that helped make for a great trip! I would stay here again for sure but it will be several years before we head to Disney again.

Welcome home and thank you for your detailed review. I'm so glad that you all enjoyed your stay. Good to know they switched you so that you and your parents could at least be in the same building. Overall, it sounds as if everything went really well for you.

Oh, and that long walk at 5 a.m. to the ME bus; it could be not because it was 5 a.m. and all the walking you did at the parks...but the fact that it meant going home.

 

[Pooh&OurHunny]

Thanks for the people that have recently returned and posted their stay.

Never done laundry during vacation but traveling in December and packing for all types of weather. If I decide to do laundry at CSR, can I buy the detergent at the resort?

 

[KatMark]

Thanks for the people that have recently returned and posted their stay.

Never done laundry during vacation but traveling in December and packing for all types of weather. If I decide to do laundry at CSR, can I buy the detergent at the resort?

I don't know what it costs, but I know they have those little "individual" boxes in the laundry room.

 

[Ash&Wes07]

Thank you, everyone, for posting your trip reports here! It is a huge help for us waiting in the wings to get to CSR!

 

[momcloud]

Thank you, everyone, for posting your trip reports here! It is a huge help for us waiting in the wings to get to CSR!

Ditto!!!

 

[Pumba's Truth]

Thank you, everyone, for posting your trip reports here! It is a huge help for us waiting in the wings to get to CSR!

Ditto x 2!

 

[Pooh&OurHunny]

I don't know what it costs, but I know they have those little "individual" boxes in the laundry room.

thank you

 

[snykymom]

Also, if I leave our bags with the bell hop will they be "magically" brought to our room so that when we return we won't have to pick them up from the bell hop?

Sorry, no. Only Magical Express delivers to your room if you're not there. You can, however, call bell services once you're in your room and ask that your bags be brought up. That could take a while, though.

 

[Anna_Marie]

b Hello all! I am so glad I found this thread! In the planning stages of a couples only trip with DH in May. I cannot walk far, or stand for long periods of time, so based on what I have read, Casitas 4 would be our best bet, is that correct?

Thanks for all the reports and pictures! I hope this works out that we can go! Its a beautiful resort.

 

[KatMark]

b Hello all! I am so glad I found this thread! In the planning stages of a couples only trip with DH in May. I cannot walk far, or stand for long periods of time, so based on what I have read, Casitas 4 would be our best bet, is that correct?

Thanks for all the reports and pictures! I hope this works out that we can go! Its a beautiful resort.

When are you going? Would you be willing to pay for a "preferred" room? Casitas 4 is a great location and close to Bus Stop 2, but it is a slightly longer walk to the main building -- maybe five minutes (and at least eight minutes to the main pool). I'm not sure which buildings will be preferred yet as they have not announced it, but it might be something you want to consider.

 

[KBoopaloo]

I just want to thank you all for all the info and pictures in this thread. I am a WDW veteran but am staying at CSR at the end of this week for the very first time. Other than Old Key West, it is the only resort I have never set foot in. I am SO excited after reading everyone's experiences.


We check in late Saturday night and stay through Thursday. I can't wait!

 

[Anna_Marie]

When are you going? Would you be willing to pay for a "preferred" room? Casitas 4 is a great location and close to Bus Stop 2, but it is a slightly longer walk to the main building -- maybe five minutes (and at least eight minutes to the main pool). I'm not sure which buildings will be preferred yet as they have not announced it, but it might be something you want to consider.

Looking at May 13th. Yes, I would pay for a preferred room. Is there a shuttle that takes you around the resort?

 

[KatMark]

I just want to thank you all for all the info and pictures in this thread. I am a WDW veteran but am staying at CSR at the end of this week for the very first time. Other than Old Key West, it is the only resort I have never set foot in. I am SO excited after reading everyone's experiences.


We check in late Saturday night and stay through Thursday. I can't wait!

Hope you have a most magical time.

 

[stevea20]

OK, we're in the final stretch. 6 days to go!
I'm going to try online check-in tomorrow, hopefully the problems with upgrading the system, or whatever they are doing, will be cleared up.
I had to call Disney the other day because 3 of our ADR's had vanished, but they were located.
Any last suggestions or advice anyone has will be appreciated.

 

[princess o's mom]

b Hello all! I am so glad I found this thread! In the planning stages of a couples only trip with DH in May. I cannot walk far, or stand for long periods of time, so based on what I have read, Casitas 4 would be our best bet, is that correct?

Thanks for all the reports and pictures! I hope this works out that we can go! Its a beautiful resort.

I don't know what your plans are but my father also cannot walk or stand for long periods and we rented a scooter for him for the week from Apple Scooters (I can highly recommend them) and it made the trip great! He said that he could not have done even one whole day at the parks without the scooter. He used it at the parks and around the resort. He loved taking an early morning ride around the lake! It's cheaper to rent by the week from an outside company than to get one each day at the parks and you would have it to use at Coronado. Plus the number available at the parks are limited and first come, first served. Something to consider to make your trip more comfortable and enjoyable.

 

[KatMark]

Looking at May 13th. Yes, I would pay for a preferred room. Is there a shuttle that takes you around the resort?

There used to be a shuttle, but now it is "only used for convention guests" when the company pays for it. However, we have had the golf cart drivers stop on occasion and ask if we wanted a ride. But it is not something I would count on.

 

[sparklynails23]

Just back. Having stayed here many times before, I was very disappointed with our visit. The resort is beautiful, which has not changed. There are more of those cushy outside loungers which add to the atmosphere, but we had problem after problem, it seemed.

We had booked adjoining waterview rooms ages ago, only to be given rooms in Ranchos 6B, which were third floor, across the way from the pool, behind a tree, and right next to a huge HVAC system that sounded like a jet taking off. This was an awful, dark location that I would not recommend to anyone. I complained and complained, even asked to be sent to a different resort. Initially, the male desk manager said the resort was full (a lie according to the bell man) and we would have to stay one night in this room. A female manger moved us to a small suite, 3121-- excellent room, and said we would only be charged for one room. We were very happy about that resolution. When we checked out, they had charged us for two rooms each night. In all, we probably spent four hours getting a decent room. They did eventually fix our bill after trying to talk us into a different rate than the one they had given us.

With the exception of the morning cereal, the food at the Pepper Market was awful. Friends joined us for dinner one night, and no one came close to finishing their meal. From the pasta to the Mexican steak to the hot dogs to the burrito, it was all bad, and we are not picky eaters. We heard many people complaining about the food while staying there. On the last night of our stay, I heard one of the girls from the Pepper Market tell the bartender that the whole resort was out of salsa. How is that possible at a Southwestern themed resort?

The place was pretty clean, except for the sidewalks, which were littered with gum.

I enjoy walking the resort but noticed the golf cart guys actively avoided giving rides to guests, except for our nice bellman. He knew we were good tippers.

We didn't spend a ton of time at the resort, and it was beautiful at night and when the wind brushed across the lake, but it is disappointing to see such a lovely place in decline.

For all going soon, hope your experiences are different. For the best vacation, I would recommend that you request a specific room or rooms and not plan on eating at the resort.

 

[DisneyLover83]

I booked a preferred room for next May and I called tonight to add the dining plan to our reservation. The CM on the phone said I was booked in a waterview room , I went back and looked at my confirmation email and next to Coronado Springs it doesn't say anything other than VH9. I did not book with a discount code or anything but I have been charged for a preferred room and not waterview. The CM said there was no preferred at CSR... I am confused.... I know I booked a preferred room. Has anyone else book a preferred room for 2011?

Edit to add: I just looked and a waterview is the same price as preferred, I guess I will call back for peace of mind and talk with someone else.

 

[100AcreWood]

Thank you so much for coming back and giving us your review. It sounds as if the trip was a huge success with the exception of location and one poor meal at thee Pepper Market. Something you said is new to me. I have never heard that you could call for a golf cart and they would take you to the pool???

I love what mousekeeping did with the kids stuffed animals.

We passed a housekeeper on the way to the pool and asked her to make sure we were heading the right direction. She said there was no need to walk, they had golf carts to take guests to the pool. She called and 10 mins later a golf cart showed up. The CM was very nice and told us to use the phones by the pool bar when we were ready to return. He was there within 5 minutes for our pick up. We thought that was really awesome!

 

[Vivianne]

We just got back and stayed at Casitas Blg 5 preferred room 5412. It's a beautiful view of the lagoon and very quiet (king sized bed).

We ate at the Pepper Market once for a late lunch and breakfast. We enjoyed the chicken fajitas and my husband had the eggs with sausage which he liked and I had the veggie frittata which I do not recommend.

All in all, it's a beautiful resort.