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

[lovethattink]

Anyone use the blowdryer in the room? Is it powerful? I am debating on if I need to pack mine or not.

The blow dryer worked great for me. It was a Conair with 1875 power. It's not located at the sink area where you would think it should be. Instead you will find it in a white bag, hanging on a hanger.

 

[hoffman1]

KEPE, I think it would depend on your room location within the Casitas as to whether or not it is really a good location.

 

[Cafeen]

KEPE, I think it would depend on your room location within the Casitas as to whether or not it is really a good location.

Certainly agree with this. I'm in room 2456 right now and there's no way that this should be considered preferred.

There are no elevators in Casitas 2. At all. We have to either use the "Tower Elevator" over by Casitas one, go up to the 3rd floor (as high as it goes), and then walk around, past the room, to go up the stairs and back over to the room. The other option is to walk all the way to the lake side of Casitas 3, ride the elevator ("Plaza Elevator") up to the 4th floor, and then walk all the way back to the lot side of Casitas 2.

As you may guess, I'm a little annoyed at having paid the "preferred" charge for a location that's further away from everything than I had last year (Casitas 4). First floor Casitas 2 wouldn't be bad at all, and really nice, but the lack of elevators in the building degrades the upper floors quite a bit.

There are also some other issues I'm having here, with how they handled my check-in. When I checked in, they deleted my package reservation, so they rebooked it. Unfortunately, they didn't apply the fact that I had already paid for it, so I had ~$2,700 charged to the room! They left a message Friday night while I was at the party, I went down Saturday evening before dinner at Kona. Then got another call around 9:45pm Saturday... checked today and my whopping $26 of charges were all that was there. I'm hoping it's just an old report as if they call me again I'm going to be pretty annoyed at them. (Since it's still under my name, I'd still be technically responsible for it...)

At any rate, that's the long answer

 

[aubriee]

Certainly agree with this. I'm in room 2456 right now and there's no way that this should be considered preferred.

There are no elevators in Casitas 2. At all. We have to either use the "Tower Elevator" over by Casitas one, go up to the 3rd floor (as high as it goes), and then walk around, past the room, to go up the stairs and back over to the room. The other option is to walk all the way to the lake side of Casitas 3, ride the elevator ("Plaza Elevator") up to the 4th floor, and then walk all the way back to the lot side of Casitas 2.

As you may guess, I'm a little annoyed at having paid the "preferred" charge for a location that's further away from everything than I had last year (Casitas 4). First floor Casitas 2 wouldn't be bad at all, and really nice, but the lack of elevators in the building degrades the upper floors quite a bit.

Wow it sounds like you are in the same no man's area I was in a couple of years ago (top floor, far end of Casitas 2, facing the parking lot). I had paid for a king room and was not happy with the location at all. For me it was easier to just climb the four flights of stairs over there by the quiet pool, then cut across the end of the building, then turn left to go to my room. The elevator in building 3 felt like it was a mile away, then after using it, you still had to walk across the bridge walkway then all the way around the building to get to the far end of the back side. When you looked out of the room I had, I was facing the parking lot, but if you looked downward you could see those two arches. I couldn't believe they'd put a king room way up there. When I was there that building was not preferred. The first afternoon I was coming back from DTD and had to get ready to go to California Grill and was running late. I cut through the parking lot (in the pouring down rain), and tried to use the stairs on the corner closest to the parking lot, not realizing they do not go all the way up to the fourth floor. I walked most of the way around that third floor trying to find a way up to the fourth floor. I could see my room but couldn't figure out how to get up there to it. Finally I ran into a CM that was coming out of a room. I pointed to my room and asked him how in the world to get up there as there was no elevator and no stairs. He laughed and said, "Oh, you are in what we call 'no man's land'. He said said they had no idea why the architect designed that end of the fourth floor that way, but it was a bugger bear to get to. He then walked me around and showed me the bridge that connects that building to building 3 and said I could use that elevator, cross the bridge walkway, and then walk all the way around building, but the easiest way to get to it, if you didn't mind stairs, was just to take the stairs at the end of the building over toward the Casitas quiet pool, climb the four flights, turn right and walk down that hallway at the end of the building, then turn left and go down to my room. After that I just cut across the parking from the bus stop, cut in alongside the health club/ beauty salon and then cut across the Casitas pool area to get to those stairs. You still had to climb four flights of stairs, but it was faster and easier than using the stairs on the parking lot side of the building that only go up to the third floor or to try to walk all the way around the building, use building 3's elevator, walk across the bridge, then walk back around building 2 to the back side again.

 

[lovethattink]

That does sound like no man's land!

 

[thumperjr9]

Wow it sounds like you are in the same no man's area I was in a couple of years ago (top floor, far end of Casitas 2, facing the parking lot). I had paid for a king room and was not happy with the location at all. For me it was easier to just climb the four flights of stairs over there by the quiet pool, then cut across the end of the building, then turn left to go to my room. The elevator in building 3 felt like it was a mile away, then after using it, you still had to walk all the way around to get to the far end of the back side. When you looked out of the room I had, I was facing the parking lot, but if you looked downward you could see those two arches. I couldn't believe they'd put a king room way up there. When I was there that building was not preferred. The first afternoon I was coming back from DTD and had to get ready to go to California Grill and was running late. I cut through the parking lot (in the pouring down rain), and tried to use the stairs on the corner closest to the parking lot, not realizing they do not go all the way up to the fourth floor. I walked most of the way around that third floor trying to find a way up to the fourth floor. I could see my room but couldn't figure out how to get up there to it. Finally I ran into a CM that was coming out of a room. I pointed to my room and asked him how in the world to get up there as there was no elevator and no stairs. He laughed and said, "Oh, you are in what we call 'no man's land'. He said said they had no idea why the architect designed that end of the fourth floor that way, but it was a bugger bear to get to. He then walked me around and showed me the bridge that connects that building to building 3 and said I could use that elevator, cross the bridge walkway, and then walk all the way around building, but the easiest way to get to it, if you didn't mind stairs, was just to take the stairs at the end of the building over toward the Casitas quiet pool, climb the four flights, turn right and walk down that hallway at the end of the building, then turn left and go down to my room. After that I just cut across the parking from the bus stop, cut in alongside the health club/ beauty salon and then cut across the Casitas pool area to get to those stairs. You still had to climb four flights of stairs, but it was faster and easier than using the stairs on the parking lot side of the building that only go up to the third floor or to try to walk all the way around the building, use building 3's elevator, walk across the bridge, then walk back around building 2 to the back side again.

The Casitas area is pretty but....I will keep requesting the Cabanas. We love it there. I hope I don't get stuck in "No Man's Lands".

BTW....doing the single digit dance today!!!

 

[Haileys Nana]

LOCATION,LOCATION,LOCATION!

I've read about no man's land before. What a nightmare! I'm generally pretty east going and think as long as I'm at Disney I'll be happy,but if I ended up here I'm afraid I'd be inclined to throw a Major Hissy Fit!!! We southern girls are pretty good at those you know.

 

[crostorfer]

Here at the CSR now. I have to say, the pool us the major selling point here. It's absolutely outstanding. Our room location leaves much to be desired though, Ranchos 6b. The buildings need to be marked better, finding the building was hard, finding our room was even harder.

We ate lunch at Siestas and it was very good. I am enjoying a drink called a Tropical Storm from there as I type this. They made my daughter a great Shirley Temple as well.

We just won Disney Trivia a little bit ago and the pool party is about to begin. Any questiOns, let me know!

 

[lovethattink]

Here at the CSR now. I have to say, the pool us the major selling point here. It's absolutely outstanding. Our room location leaves much to be desired though, Ranchos 6b. The buildings need to be marked better, finding the building was hard, finding our room was even harder.

We ate lunch at Siestas and it was very good. I am enjoying a drink called a Tropical Storm from there as I type this. They made my daughter a great Shirley Temple as well.

We just won Disney Trivia a little bit ago and the pool party is about to begin. Any questiOns, let me know!

Sounds great! I think it's difficult to find the room for the first time in all buildings, regardless of resort. Sinage (is that how it's spelled) is a problem at all of them.

We missed the pool parties. What do they do during this time?

 

[aubriee]

The Casitas area is pretty but....I will keep requesting the Cabanas. We love it there. I hope I don't get stuck in "No Man's Lands".

BTW....doing the single digit dance today!!!

Have a great trip! Just FYI: I have always requested first floor Cabanas. Twice though I've been placed in the Casitas (building 1 the first trip and building 2 a couple of years ago). I just got back from CSR last Sunday night (Sept 18th) and had a fantastic first floor room in Cabanas 8A. I think it was 8120. Anyway as you are walking from bus stop 4, if you go up that walkway that separates building 8B and 8A, it was the very first room on the left in 8A. It was less than a minute to bus stop 4, maybe two minutes to either the Cabanas quiet pool or to the main pool, and less than five minutes to the main building. It's one of the best rooms I've ever had. We had booked a standard room, but got upgraded to a water view. We absolutely loved the room. I'll be back Nov 26th-Dec 4th and am hoping for the same area.

LOCATION,LOCATION,LOCATION!

I've read about no man's land before. What a nightmare! I'm generally pretty east going and think as long as I'm at Disney I'll be happy,but if I ended up here I'm afraid I'd be inclined to throw a Major Hissy Fit!!! We southern girls are pretty good at those you know.

A fellow southern gal here and I know what you mean. However, as any southerner knows you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar. You'd have a better chance of getting a nicer room, by being super sweet. When I got stuck in 'No Man's Land', I asked very nicely for a different location (preferably in the Cabanas). There was none available for that night, but she told to check back in, in the morning. The next morning I was moved to a wonderful room on the back side of Cabanas 8A, in a first floor room, like I originally requested.

When I booked my Sept 10th-18th trip, I had the CM add a request for a first floor room somewhere in the Cabanas with a preference for 8A. When I checked in they had placed us in a top floor room in Ranchos 7. I guess the CM saw the look of horror on my face, because she asked if anything was wrong and when I told her I really, really disliked the Ranchos and had requested the Cabanas, she looked, said she saw the request, and to let her see what she could do. She got us that perfect first floor Cabanas 8A room, I mentioned in my previous post, and even gave us a free upgrade to water view. I have a feeling that if I had thrown a 'hissy fit' she probably would have just told me nothing else was available and I would have been stuck in that Rancho room. Instead I was very nice, didn't demand anything, and got a free upgrade to a perfect room.

 

[rhonda_2003]

Dancing here! I got my gift card in the mail from Thirty-One today for the Dream Rewards that I had earned. That card plus dropping my preferred room option has now left me with a little money owed back to me We are about 80 or 81 days away from the day we leave!!!! I am so excited, more so than my kids, I think, and I know I am more excited than DH. He tolerates Disney, and sometimes not well!

I am working on a pretrip report and I have most of our ADRs finished. DH is wanting to change a couple. I forgot to make DDs reservation at BBB, so I do hope one opens up for the day that she and I are dining with Cinderella.

 

[Celidh]

Wow it sounds like you are in the same no man's area I was in a couple of years ago (top floor, far end of Casitas 2, facing the parking lot). I had paid for a king room and was not happy with the location at all. For me it was easier to just climb the four flights of stairs over there by the quiet pool, then cut across the end of the building, then turn left to go to my room. The elevator in building 3 felt like it was a mile away, then after using it, you still had to walk across the bridge walkway then all the way around the building to get to the far end of the back side. When you looked out of the room I had, I was facing the parking lot, but if you looked downward you could see those two arches. I couldn't believe they'd put a king room way up there. When I was there that building was not preferred. The first afternoon I was coming back from DTD and had to get ready to go to California Grill and was running late. I cut through the parking lot (in the pouring down rain), and tried to use the stairs on the corner closest to the parking lot, not realizing they do not go all the way up to the fourth floor. I walked most of the way around that third floor trying to find a way up to the fourth floor. I could see my room but couldn't figure out how to get up there to it. Finally I ran into a CM that was coming out of a room. I pointed to my room and asked him how in the world to get up there as there was no elevator and no stairs. He laughed and said, "Oh, you are in what we call 'no man's land'. He said said they had no idea why the architect designed that end of the fourth floor that way, but it was a bugger bear to get to. He then walked me around and showed me the bridge that connects that building to building 3 and said I could use that elevator, cross the bridge walkway, and then walk all the way around building, but the easiest way to get to it, if you didn't mind stairs, was just to take the stairs at the end of the building over toward the Casitas quiet pool, climb the four flights, turn right and walk down that hallway at the end of the building, then turn left and go down to my room. After that I just cut across the parking from the bus stop, cut in alongside the health club/ beauty salon and then cut across the Casitas pool area to get to those stairs. You still had to climb four flights of stairs, but it was faster and easier than using the stairs on the parking lot side of the building that only go up to the third floor or to try to walk all the way around the building, use building 3's elevator, walk across the bridge, then walk back around building 2 to the back side again.

Not only does that sound confusing, but a pain in the butt. And they charge preferred for this did someone say?? I understand that building 1, 2 and 3 of this section is preferred now.

I think I'd rather walk from Ranchos to the El Centro than to climb 4 flights of stairs every time I wanted to get to my room.

That said, I'd take this spot if someone were to give me a trip instead of having to wait at least a year, most likely two before I can go.

 

[KEPE]

cafeen/Aubrie, making me a little nervous, I can see how that could really kill my mood

Cafeen, I hope the charge situation works itself out and that your trip gets better.

I've requested Casista's 4 and if we don't get that I'll ask for a 1st floor room anywhere in Casista's or cabana's and HOPE the are in a good mood. Actually, I'll have DH ask for some reason people love him and he always gets what he wants. I guess he just has a likeable face

Lovethattink, THANKS!! I think I'll leave the blower home, one less thing to pack.

So my next question....... if you get an adult drink from the pool bar or the one in elcentro (can't remember names), can you walk around with them? So if I wanted to try one of those tropical storms or have a nice glass of wine to wind down with after DD is in bed could I have DH run down and get me one to bring back to the room for me?

 

[lovethattink]

So my next question....... if you get an adult drink from the pool bar or the one in elcentro (can't remember names), can you walk around with them? So if I wanted to try one of those tropical storms or have a nice glass of wine to wind down with after DD is in bed could I have DH run down and get me one to bring back to the room for me?

I don't see why not. Obviously no glass containers are allowed in the pool areas, if you plan to walk around there ask for a plastic cup.

Just FYI, I tried the pina colado smoothie (no alcohol) with whip cream on top and love it!! Originally, it wasn't very smooth, the texture was more like a snow cone than an Icee/slushie. But the flavor was great and once it melted more it was amazing!!

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

I've requested Casista's 4 and if we don't get that I'll ask for a 1st floor room anywhere in Casista's or cabana's and HOPE the are in a good mood. Actually, I'll have DH ask for some reason people love him and he always gets what he wants. I guess he just has a likeable face

So my next question....... if you get an adult drink from the pool bar or the one in elcentro (can't remember names), can you walk around with them? So if I wanted to try one of those tropical storms or have a nice glass of wine to wind down with after DD is in bed could I have DH run down and get me one to bring back to the room for me?

Works for my DH too - he is just so darn likeable.

I think there is no problem with walking around the resort with a drink, but no glass around the pool as lovethattink said. I know the margaritas by the pool are served in plastic.

 

[Cafeen]

Forgot to quote aubrie, but it sounds like the same place.

We've found that using the elevator along the parking lot in Casitas 1, then going up that one flight of stairs to the 4th floor works ok. Still annoying though.

Not only does that sound confusing, but a pain in the butt. And they charge preferred for this did someone say?? I understand that building 1, 2 and 3 of this section is preferred now.

I think I'd rather walk from Ranchos to the El Centro than to climb 4 flights of stairs every time I wanted to get to my room.

That said, I'd take this spot if someone were to give me a trip instead of having to wait at least a year, most likely two before I can go.

Yeah that's the annoying part. I paid for preferred, and I'm further away here than I was in Cabana's 9a or Casitas 4.

Totally not worth the upcharge.

cafeen/Aubrie, making me a little nervous, I can see how that could really kill my mood

Cafeen, I hope the charge situation works itself out and that your trip gets better.

I've requested Casista's 4 and if we don't get that I'll ask for a 1st floor room anywhere in Casista's or cabana's and HOPE the are in a good mood. Actually, I'll have DH ask for some reason people love him and he always gets what he wants. I guess he just has a likeable face

Lovethattink, THANKS!! I think I'll leave the blower home, one less thing to pack.

So my next question....... if you get an adult drink from the pool bar or the one in elcentro (can't remember names), can you walk around with them? So if I wanted to try one of those tropical storms or have a nice glass of wine to wind down with after DD is in bed could I have DH run down and get me one to bring back to the room for me?

The no man's land seems worse in Casitas 2, so unless you paid for preferred, I wouldn't worry too much.

Did get message #3 last night, and more apologies and assurances that it'll be gone. We'll see.

 

[mom2princesses2]

So, you may have to walk up 4 flights to get to room in the Casitas?

I put a request in for Casita 5...is there an elevator for it? I have a bad inflammation in my foot and I'm already worried about 10 days of walking at WDW. I love the looks of the Casitas and I was trying to get us as 1/2 between the Dig Site and El Centro as possible. Now I'm wondering if my request if granted would be a good thing....

 

[snykymom]

So, you may have to walk up 4 flights to get to room in the Casitas?

I put a request in for Casita 5...is there an elevator for it? I have a bad inflammation in my foot and I'm already worried about 10 days of walking at WDW. I love the looks of the Casitas and I was trying to get us as 1/2 between the Dig Site and El Centro as possible. Now I'm wondering if my request if granted would be a good thing....

Casitas 5 has an elevator to all floors. The only one that doesn't is Casitas 2, and if you didn't pay for preferred (5 is not), you won't be put there. You should be fine.

 

[Haileys Nana]

I hope I did'nt give you all the wrong impression of me by talking about a "hissy fit" if I were put in no man's land. I'm really not one of Disneys witches! As Aubriee stated, we southern belles know that it's easier to get what we want by pouring on the sugar than by throwing a fit. I would nicely request a room change and pray they had one. If they did'nt I'd only grumble to myself. (and possibly my poor hubby)

 

[E&As Mom]

Just wanted to let any first timers @ CSR know that the Ranchos really aren't a bad location. We actually requested Ranchos 7B and got our request. We knew we weren't going to be relying on El Centro, Cafe Rix, or the Pepper Market much and wanted to be close to a bus stop and on the 1st floor. We ended up with a beautiful corner room (Rm 7523) that was right by the laundry facililty and the Ranchos quiet pool. Honestly, I would have been happy to have been anywhere, but was glad we received our request.

I understand that many folks do rely on their meals at the resorts and if that's the case, then you are probably better off requesting Cabanas or Casitas. It was about an 8-10 minute walk to El Centro when we did need to go there, but the dig site was close (our girls, ages 9 and 6 LOVED the pool, the nightly campfires with marshmellow roasting, and the nightly movies by the pool), and we had 2 bus stops within a 3-5 minute walk. The Ranchos in general seemed very quiet, which was a major plus when we were all dead tired from so much fun at the parks.

When we go back in 2013, I hope to get in the same building as we did this year.

Happy vacationing!
~Kelly