Great episode, Morgan. I’ve always been curious about Coronado Springs. I’ve heard elsewhere that it is the Disneys preferred resort for hosting corporate events and conventions. That would explain the increase in bars and restaurants, which Disney would rather business travelers spend on site rather than try and seek those amenities off-property. Is there any convention space on-site? On the WDW map, Coronado springs is in its own little corner of WDW property. Kind of like the sports facilities, I think Disney wanted to create these little islands of specific use away from the generalized tourist traffic that swarms Walt Disney World.
I love Destino Tower BUT if I can get a good rate at Swan/Dolphin, that is my first choice almost every single time. You can walk to Epcot and Hollywood studios, you have skyliner access from International Gateway and you are walking distance from not only the Swan Dolphin resort restaurants, you also have very easy access to the Boardwalk and Yacht/Beach lounges/restaurants. You can get around the less frequent shuttle by walking to one of the official on-property resorts and catch a bus from there.
We're also big fans of this resort! We've stayed a few times, pre-tower though, and love the place. And from what I've seen since the tower was built it only got better.
I loved swan and dolphin! It was cheaper than the moderate Disney resorts, but came with the extra hours benefit of the deluxe resorts. I loved the location near the boardwalk, made getting around between Epcot and Hollywood studios super convenient. I also loved that the distance from my room to the buses was super short. If you ever go back and decide on staying on property I highly recommend.
