Are you wanting the luxury of a deluxe resort without the price tag?
A great solution maybe staying Business Class at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort.
My family stayed in this hidden gem in June of 2015. First of all, I love the location of Coronado Springs. You can see the Tower of Terror from the property along with the statues that decorate the peaks of the Swan and Dolphin Resort. It is considered to be in the Animal Kingdom Resort Area. Therefore, it is a fairly short bus ride to Hollywood Studios, Epcot and Animal Kingdom. It can be a bit of a haul to get to the Magic Kingdom.
Disney’s Coronado Springs itself is themed in Mexican/American Southwest. There is a great swimming area with a Mezo-American pyramid, water slide, baby pool, bar and fire pit. The resort itself is visually stunning! The staff may have been the best service I have ever received at Disney.
The only issue we had during our stay was with the Pepper Market. This is the onsite quick-service/cafeteria. While we were there, it seemed to be consistently understaffed with slow service. We were visiting at the beginning of the summer season, so I am hoping we were staying during a transitional stage, and more staff were on their way.
Disney’s Coronado Springs is a very large resort, because it also houses conventions. It is split into different areas and four bus stops serve the areas so you don’t have to kill yourself walking. I was worried it would be a little less Disney, because of the convention center, but I was pleasantly surprised and my family loved this resort.
So what is the purpose of “Business Class” in the middle of all of this and why is it worth the extra money?
First of all, the Business Class building is located in Cabanas 9B. This is directly next to the main lobby and bus station 1, and a very short bridge walk to the main pool. The only downside to the location is that it is a bit of a walk to the quiet pool and laundry facilities.
The very best thing about Business Class is the complimentary Coconino Lounge. The lounge has tables, comfy chairs, sofa, television and some computers, fax machines, etc. It is a bit hidden to keep everyone from finding it and we had to have someone show us, because we could not locate it the first time. The staff said Disney did this on purpose, so that people who were not staying business class were not drawn to it. You had to use your MagicBand to enter the lounge, but you did not have to show any additional ID.
In the mornings a light breakfast was served: pastries, fresh fruit, yogurt, milk, juice, cereal, etc. There also was an automatic espresso machine. Before we left breakfast we always asked for a soda or canned tea and took these into the parks with us. The staff was always kind and did everything they could for us. We would chat with the Cast Members and get the latest tips, etc. Many of the Cast Members knew us by name before we left.
At 5:00 PM they would lay out what I call an antipasto buffet: olives, prosciutto, salami, cheese, chips, dip, etc. Beer, Wine, sangria and soda was served during this time as well. At 7:00 PM the buffet was converted to serving just large soft cookies, with a few chips and dip, and it was a wonderful way to end the day.
Coconino Cove is open from 7:00 A.M.–10 A.M.[Serving light Breakfast] and 5 P.M.–10 P.M. [Serving light snacks, beer and wine] 7 days a week.
Overall, my family loved this hidden gem and we can’t wait for our next visit!