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Did you know it’s possible to receive deluxe resort accommodations at a moderate resort? Let’s take a look at what makes the Gran Destino Tower a unique option for your Disney World vacation.
Coronado Springs
Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort opened in August of 1997. It is a sprawling moderate resort and is split into three different villages inspired by cities and neighborhoods of Mexico and the American Southwest:
- Casitas – inspired by cities and villages all over Mexico
- Ranchos – ranch houses of regions of Northern Mexico and American Southwest
- Cabanas – small fishing villages on the Mexican coast
Coronado Springs is quite expansive while immersing guests in Spanish architecture and lush landscape. Rooms located in Coronado Springs offer pops of our favorite Three Caballeros, Donald Duck, Panchito, and Jose. You can read our full guide to Coronado Springs Resort HERE. However, for the purposes of this article we are focusing just on the Gran Destino Tower.
Gran Destino Tower
Next to these three villages, guests can find Gran Destino Tower which opened to Guests in 2019. Gran Destino is named after Disney’s animated film Destino and surrealist artist Salvador Dali. The relationship between the two historical figures is interesting and is definitely worth checking out!
Walt Disney clearly admired the artist and influences of his artwork can be seen throughout the resort. The giant painting and massive white columns in the lobby are stunning and definitely the defining features of the tower.
The Rooms
The tower provides a few different room types, although they are not as many as Coronado Springs Resort as a whole or other resorts. The standard rooms sleep 4 (plus a child under 3) with either a standard OR water view. You can choose between 2 queen beds or 1 king bed.
Club Access (which we will get to next) has the following room configurations:
- Deluxe Suite (1 king bed and 1 queen-size sleeper sofa)
- One Bedroom Suite (1 king bed and 1 queen-size sleeper sofa)
- Presidential Suite (1 king bed and 2 queen beds)
- Standard View
Donna has a great review of the standard room in her post.
Club Level
Almost all deluxe resorts have Club Level accommodations. What exactly is Club Level? It’s a special room category that you book that gives you access to extra amenities. These include a dedicated lounge with a concierge staff as well as free food and beverages in that lounge.
Gran Destino Tower is the only moderate category that has a Club Level. Chronos Club is located on the 9th flower of the tower. You may think this floor would be exclusively used for Club Level rooms, but that’s not the case. You don’t need special access to this floor, just the lounge itself. So, your room may be on a different floor. This will make your trek to the lounge a little longer if your room is not on the 9th floor.
This is by far the cheapest Club Level on Disney property. However, this is the only Club Level lounge that doesn’t give guests 24 hour access. If you return from the theme parks after fireworks, it will be closed. This lounge offers the following:
- 6:30-7:00am Coffee
- 7:00-11:00am Continental Breakfast
- 12:00-4:00pm Light Snacks
- 5:00-7:00pm Hors d’oeuvres
- 8:00-10:00pm Desserts and Cordials
Be sure to check out our full review of the lounge in this post.
Dining
Besides the club level lounge, the only dining locations you can find inside Gran Destino Tower are the Dahlia Lounge and Barcelona Lounge. Dahlia Lounge is rooftop lounge that offers stunning views of Disney World property and a place to unwind with some food and drinks. Barcelona Lounge is located on the lower level.
Of course, you will be able to take advantage of the other restaurants at Coronado Springs! There are several table-service and quick-service locations as well as lounges and pool bars.
- Toledo – Tapas, Steak & Seafood
- Three Bridges Bar & Grill at Villa del Lago
- Rix Sports Bar & Grill
- Barcelona Lounge
- Siestas Cantina
- Maya Grill
- Cafe Rix
- El Mercado de Coronado
- Laguna Bar
Recreation and Amenities
Guests staying in the tower can also take advantage of the recreation and amenities of the entire resort. Guests of the Resort can workout or unwind at La Vida Health Club—offering fitness equipment, spa services and a salon. The state-of-the-art Fitness Center at Gran Destino is also open around the clock, with a variety of workout options available.
Other activities at Coronado Springs (and thus available to Guests of the Gran Destino tower) include:
- Campfire activities
- Movies Under the Stars
- Colors of Coronado Painting Experience
- Spanish mosaic art
- Volleyball
- Jogging trail
- Playground
- Arcade
One activity that is a “hidden gem” is Sangria University. If you are interested in Sangria University, check out Susan’s review of this activity HERE.
One very important thing to note is that there is not a dedicated swimming pool at the tower. Guests will have to head to the resort’s main feature pool which is a short walk over the bridge. Or, make your way to one of the quiet leisure pools (the closest one being the Cabanas leisure pool). This can be a make-it-or-break-it decision for families who want to utilize the pool often.
Gran Destino Tower has a large conference space which makes the tower an inviting option for those traveling for work purposes. Along with a new 24-seat boardroom, Gran Destino Tower offers 3,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space—in addition to the 220,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space already available.
Lantana, the new dynamic meeting room is equipped with monitors, a foyer space for networking and semi-private patio just a few steps away. Additionally, you will find a lot of flexible working space in the lobby of the tower plus a full business center inside the main Coronado Springs Convention Center.
Final Thoughts
Because Coronado Springs is a Moderate Resort, you will find accommodations in the tower are quite reasonably priced. When you consider the upscale architecture and atmosphere combined with the Club Level Access, it’s easy to see why Gran Destino Tower is more like a Deluxe Resort rather than a Moderate Resort.
There are a few downsides. As mentioned throughout this article, you will need to leave the tower to access many of the resort’s dining options and pools. Also, Gran Destino may not be the best option for families as there is not a lot of Disney theming and it caters more to adults with the lounges and conference space.
However, if you plan to eat meals at the hotel, it would certainly save you some money to book Club Level. Just be aware that there are not a lot of lunch or dinner options. Crunch some numbers to see if it would save you money to upgrade your stay to Club Level.
Do you love Gran Destino Tower? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below. Do you know someone who is considering a stay here? Feel free to pass this article along to them.
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