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

[KatMark]

Maybe I shouldn't of lumped the Disney bus service in with my review of CSR but it was frustrating waiting for a bus on a hot day. I know luck does come into play with the timing of the buses but it just seemed like we waited every day to and from each park.

I understand that the Pepper Market and the Maya are not run by Disney. I do feel that they should correct the lack of service at each restaurant or bring in a place that has acceptable service.

I remember as our trip was coming up that I would hate reading any bad reviews of CSR knowing I would be there in a couple of weeks. I want everyone to know that we did have a good time there but just thought certain services could improve.

Absolutely NO need to explain what you did about the bus service. It is good to know both the good and the bad that was experienced for future CSR visitors, etc. The important thing is you didn't let it ruin your trip and you still had a good time.

 

[allaboutaprincess]

Ok, I booked this resort for our trip forever ago! We are so excited about it but after looking at all the pics online, I just don't want to stay in the ranchos section. It is just not my taste. We arrive next week so I called directly to the hotel this morning and requested a room in the cabana section. The lady was super nice and told me they would make every effort to fill my request. What do you guys think? What are my chances that they will really honor my request?

 

[KatMark]

Ok, I booked this resort for our trip forever ago! We are so excited about it but after looking at all the pics online, I just don't want to stay in the ranchos section. It is just not my taste. We arrive next week so I called directly to the hotel this morning and requested a room in the cabana section. The lady was super nice and told me they would make every effort to fill my request. What do you guys think? What are my chances that they will really honor my request?

First, you did NOT get the resort directly. You may have called the "CSR" phone number, but it goes to a "central reservation office" and they see that the call is coming into the CSR and answer that way. What probably happened is that they noted it on your reservation. In nine stays, we have only had one time when our request was not met (but we were upgraded to a suite for our 25th anniversary so I was not complaining).

 

[ilmomof2]

If you want to be near the main pool, then you do not want preferred. The preferred rooms are in Casitas 1, 2 and 3 only (these are closest to El Centro).

I would put in a request for Cabanas 8A, 8B or 9A.

We signed up for a preferred room, but this was when the "preferred" status was unknown. We've since requested to be in Cabanas 8b to be closer to the Dig site and bus stop (#2?). Should I have asked to be removed from preferred??

Getting excited as planning is ramping up! .

 

[KatMark]

We signed up for a preferred room, but this was when the "preferred" status was unknown. We've since requested to be in Cabanas 8b to be closer to the Dig site and bus stop (#2?). Should I have asked to be removed from preferred??

Getting excited as planning is ramping up! .

You will have to call and see if you can switch your booked category from "preferred" to regular. Bus Stop 2 is NOT by Cabanas 8B...that would be Bus Stop 4.

 

[ilmomof2]

Thanks Katmark. I would like to be close to the first stop to be loaded to the parks, but also to the Dig site. Is it possible to be near both?

 

[KatMark]

Thanks Katmark. I would like to be close to the first stop to be loaded to the parks, but also to the Dig site. Is it possible to be near both?

Not really. Our favorite buildings are Casitas 4 and 5...relatively close to the first Bus Stop (Bus Stop 2), but about an eight minute walk to the main pool. The buildings closest to the main pool are the Ranchos (7A and 7B, I believe) and Cabanas 8A and 8B.

 

[Ms. Heimlich]

Does anyone have detailed driving directions from MCO to CSR?

TIA!


29 days to go!

 

[gumbo1009]

I know there are DVD players in 9b, is that still the only place?

Also, does anyone know whether 9b costs more $ when there is NOT a conference happening? (We'll be staying at CSR the last week of Aug, and there are no conferences scheduled that week.)

Thanks!

 

[KatMark]

I know there are DVD players in 9b, is that still the only place?

Also, does anyone know whether 9b costs more $ when there is NOT a conference happening? (We'll be staying at CSR the last week of Aug, and there are no conferences scheduled that week.)

Thanks!

Yes, DVD players are only in 9B and possibly suites. Rooms in 9B do not cost more for resort guests. However, just because there is not a convention listed on the schedule, does not mean there isn't one. We got that list from research and people alerting us if they knew about a specific convention.

 

[ilmomof2]

Thanks Katmark. I would like to be close to the first stop to be loaded to the parks, but also to the Dig site. Is it possible to be near both?

 

[KatMark]

Thanks Katmark. I would like to be close to the first stop to be loaded to the parks, but also to the Dig site. Is it possible to be near both?

As explained above, no, it is not. The Casitas are closest to the first Bus Stop picked up (Bus Stop #2); the main pool is closest to the Ranchos and the Cabanas.

 

[ilmomof2]

sorry for the duplicate postings. It gave me an error when I initially posted, and then it showed up twice.

 

[saskdw]

Absolutely NO need to explain what you did about the bus service. It is good to know both the good and the bad that was experienced for future CSR visitors, etc. The important thing is you didn't let it ruin your trip and you still had a good time.

Yep, wasn't meaning to jump on anyone if that's the way it came across. I was just clarifing for any 1st time DW planners that might be reading this that 15 min wait times are considered normal and that the bus service is controlled by Disney not by the resort.

We were joking around in another thread about how people exaggerate the bus wait times or aren't actually aware of the exact amount of time they have been waiting. It's quite common to over hear someone at a busstop claim to have been waiting over 1/2 hour and they've actually only been standing there for 10 mins.

Anyway, I had bus service on the brain when I read that post.

 

[saskdw]

First, you did NOT get the resort directly. You may have called the "CSR" phone number, but it goes to a "central reservation office" and they see that the call is coming into the CSR and answer that way. What probably happened is that they noted it on your reservation. In nine stays, we have only had one time when our request was not met (but we were upgraded to a suite for our 25th anniversary so I was not complaining).

One of the numerous DW trip planning books we bought a few years back when we were planning our first trip had a chart with all of the actual resort phone numbers. These were supposed to be the actual numbers that ring at the front desk of the resort. When we planned our CBR trip back in 2008 we used this number and I'm pretty sure we were talking to someone at the front desk. They were very helpful and all of our request were granted. Last time around we forgot about these list of numbers and tried faxing our room request and got nothing.

I wonder if these numbers still ring at the desk or if they forward them to the call center now? You would think there has to be a number that actually calls the resort. I've never seen a list of numbers like this anywhere else. I'll have to try it when we book our next trip in a couple months.

 

[KatMark]

One of the numerous DW trip planning books we bought a few years back when we were planning our first trip had a chart with all of the actual resort phone numbers. These were supposed to be the actual numbers that ring at the front desk of the resort. When we planned our CBR trip back in 2008 we used this number and I'm pretty sure we were talking to someone at the front desk. They were very helpful and all of our request were granted. Last time around we forgot about these list of numbers and tried faxing our room request and got nothing.

I wonder if these numbers still ring at the desk or if they forward them to the call center now? You would think there has to be a number that actually calls the resort. I've never seen a list of numbers like this anywhere else. I'll have to try it when we book our next trip in a couple months.

I think they all go to a "call center" now. In our over 20 stays at Disney, we've never seen a front desk person answer a phone; if they have a question, they've always walked in to the back room.

 

[tperkins71]

I am sure more experienced will jump in, but we just got back and we were in waterview and they had us in Cabana 8a. Not sure if 8b is considered waterview as well?

We signed up for a preferred room, but this was when the "preferred" status was unknown. We've since requested to be in Cabanas 8b to be closer to the Dig site and bus stop (#2?). Should I have asked to be removed from preferred??

Getting excited as planning is ramping up! .

 

[dtstampz]

Just back from the Coronado, and it was as lovely as ever! I had requested the Cabanas for our standard view room, but was assigned a room in Casitas 5--nothing available in the Cabanas. I asked for Ranchos 7B, and that location turned out to be very nice. It was quiet and fairly close to bus stop #4. No towel animals this time, but that was ok. Very pleased with the bus service, and I got gelato from Cafe Rix every night, LOL! Can't wait to return in September.

 

[KatMark]

Just back from the Coronado, and it was as lovely as ever! I had requested the Cabanas for our standard view room, but was assigned a room in Casitas 5--nothing available in the Cabanas. I asked for Ranchos 7B, and that location turned out to be very nice. It was quiet and fairly close to bus stop #4. No towel animals this time, but that was ok. Very pleased with the bus service, and I got gelato from Cafe Rix every night, LOL! Can't wait to return in September.

Welcome back. Glad you had another good stay at CSR.

Have we talked about this before? When in September will you be there?

 

[cagirlatheart]

Just returned from CSR today & we had a lovely time. Thanks to all the information on this board I felt really prepared for my stay.

We arrived at 11:00 am on 5/10 & our room wasn't ready so we headed to the pool. It was beyond awesome. By 3:30 we still hadn't received a call for our room & my little kids were very tired. We had a not so nice CM, but then my DH walked to El Centro & got a super CM who immediately gave us a room in Cabanas 8B. It was lovely. We didn't get any fancy towel creations .

We experienced wonderful bus service every day except on our last morning when we waited 35 min. for a MK bus (I timed it). We got to bus stop #4 at 8:05 a.m. & the bus showed up at 8:40'ish. It was a bit frustrating, but overall not too bad considering every other bus we waited for came within 5-10 min. of our arrival (we visited bus stops #4 & #1 depending on the morning).

There was A LOT of confusion over where our package of water was. I ordered it from Staples.com & it didn't come via UPS or Fed Ex. This really seemed to confuse a fair amount of people b/c there was no tracking number & it took upwards of 4 hours to find it, but it was eventually found & all was well.

We found the Pepper market to be pretty good. We had 2 wonderful dinners there (chicken fajitas & quesadillas), and the service was terrific. The meals at Siesta's by the pool were abysmal. I had the nachos & had to throw them away as they were reminiscent of something from taco bell. Just horrible!

We didn't find the walk to PM far at all & we were with a 5 & 7 year old. I wish there were more choices regarding food, but I knew what to expect so I wasn't disappointed. I honestly thought the coffee was putrid.

As a few others have pointed out we would return to our room around 4:00 p.m. & it still wasn't cleaned up. By the 3rd day & with our tipping we got our room serviced by 1:00 p.m. which was much better . I did find the toilets to be very loud overall. We even had a noise machine for the kids & we stopped flushing the toilet after they fell asleep b/c it was too loud.

The Dig Site was just incredible . My kids never wanted to leave. The pool never felt crowded to us at all. We even visited the Contemporary & Poly. & found those pools to be packed with people.

A week before our visit I called & put in a request for Cabanas & luckily that's what we got.

This was our 1st ever Disney trip & we loved CSR.