Stay dates : June 14 – 19, 2026
For our June 2026 trip to Walt Disney World, we chose to stay at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, one of Disney’s Moderate Resorts. This hotel had been on our list for quite some time : We will give you all the details of our stay.
💡 Summary of all our tips is available at the bottom of the page
While officially categorized as a Moderate Resort, many Disney fans consider it one of the best value for money hotels at Walt Disney World thanks to its beautiful architecture, extensive facilities and the spectacular Gran Destino Tower.
Over six days, this resort became our home while exploring Walt Disney World, and by the end of our stay, we understood why so many guests return here.
Booking our stay ( HOTEL + FLIGHTS )
We booked our stay directly through the official Walt Disney World website. A little tip that allowed us to save quite a bit of money :
👉 By using an Irish VPN during the booking process, the exact same reservation was around €250 cheaper than the French pricing available on the same dates. Our online reservation cost € 1,668.
However, although this hotel wasn’t eligible during our travel dates on this website, we generally recommend checking prices through Be Our Guest Vacations using our affiliate link. They regularly offer discounts on Disney Resort hotels and can often beat Disney’s official prices.
✈️ We had several airline options, including Aer Lingus, Air France, Discover Airlines, Iberia or Virgin Atlantic… but the cheapest one for that period was Aer Lingus, with a layover in Dublin.
A major advantage was also the US Preclearance at Dublin Airport, which saves a lot of time upon arrival in Orlando! We paid (for 2 people) €1211 for a one way trip, checked-in bags included (only €600 / pers ).
Arrival at Orlando International Airport (MCO)
After landing at Orlando International Airport (MCO), we headed directly towards the rideshare pickup area, which is located right by the baggage carousels (you need to walk for approximately 10 minutes after leaving the aircraft in Terminal D).
💡 Rather than booking an Uber, we decided to use Lyft. The process couldn’t have been easier.
Within minutes, our driver had accepted the ride, the pickup location was clearly signposted, and the total fare was noticeably cheaper than Uber for the exact same journey ($35 on Lyft, €55 on Uber).
👉 For anyone travelling to Walt Disney World without renting a car, this is absolutely the solution we recommend.
Roughly thirty minutes later, we passed under the famous Walt Disney World entrance arches before arriving at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. The vacation had officially begun.
First impressions
One thing immediately stands out when arriving at Coronado Springs. The resort feels enormous.
Unlike many Disney hotels built around a single building, Coronado Springs is organised around several beautifully themed villages surrounding a large central lake.
Palm trees, fountains, colourful buildings inspired by Spanish, Mexican and Southwestern architecture…
Before even reaching our room, we already knew we’d chosen the right hotel.
A Cast Member who made the difference
💡 Although Disney offers Online Check-In through the My Disney Experience app, we deliberately chose not to use it. Our goal was simple : We wanted to speak with a Cast Member in the hope of obtaining an upgrade to the Gran Destino Tower. That decision completely changed our stay.
We were welcomed by Elizabeth, whose kindness & professionalism immediately stood out.
She took the time to explain every available option, answered all of our questions and searched for possible upgrades.
After a few moments, she smiled and offered us something we hadn’t expected.
👉 For only $185 extra for the entire stay, we could move from a standard room to the prestigious Gran Destino Tower. Needless to say… We accepted immediately.
Including the upgrade, our accommodation came to approximately €1,830, which, considering the quality of the room and the overall experience, proved to be excellent value. Sometimes, speaking directly with a Cast Member rather than checking in online really pays off.
Don’t miss this arrival day benefit
One benefit many guests don’t know about is Disney’s complimentary Water Park admission on check-in day. Every Disney Resort hotel guest can currently enjoy free entry to one Disney Water Park on their arrival day.
Unfortunately, because our flight landed fairly late in the afternoon (6:30pm), we simply didn’t have enough time to take advantage of it. If your flight arrives earlier, we highly recommend planning your arrival around this benefit. It’s essentially an extra Disney park day included with your stay.
the resort
Everything feels premium in this resort. It’s difficult to describe, but the signature fragrance throughout the tower is simply incredible. Every time we returned after a long day in the parks, that smell instantly gave us the feeling of coming home. It genuinely became one of our favourite memories of the hotel.
Our room was located on the 14th floor. Large windows offered wonderful views across the west side of Walt Disney World, while the premium atmosphere made it difficult to believe this wasn’t officially a Deluxe Resort. After overnight flights or long park days, having such a comfortable room made an enormous difference.
Although many guests simply sleep here before returning to the parks, Coronado Springs deserves much more than that. Take some time to walk around. You’ll discover multiple themed villages, beautifully landscaped gardens, bridges crossing the lake, several swimming pools, quiet walking paths, relaxing waterfront views.
The entire resort is peaceful and incredibly well maintained. Even after spending all day inside the Disney Parks, evening walks around the lake quickly became part of our daily routine.
👉 Our very first evening, we decided to celebrate the beginning of our vacation with dinner at Toledo – Tapas, Steak & Seafood, located at the very top of Gran Destino Tower. From the restaurant and especially from its outdoor terrace, you enjoy panoramic views across Walt Disney World.
💡 At the exact time EPCOT presents Luminous, the restaurant begins playing the show’s soundtrack, guests can then step outside onto the terrace and watch the fireworks in the distance while listening to the synchronized music.
Even more surprisingly, because Disney’s Hollywood Studios presents Fantasmic! around the same time, you can also spot the nighttime spectacular from the terrace. Watching two Disney nighttime spectaculars from your hotel after dinner is a pretty unique experience.
💥 If you’re staying at Coronado Springs, we consider Toledo an absolute must (for the view, not the price $$$).
👉 Breakfast is not included, unless your reservation includes a Disney Dining Plan.
Fortunately, at the foot of Gran Destino Tower you’ll find a charming central area featuring, coffee shops, quick-service dining, Disney merchandise or convenience items. It’s the perfect place to grab breakfast before catching the bus to the parks without spending too much.
👉 Housekeeping is done every 2 days.
During our stay, we were truly spoiled by the Cast Members, especially when we came back from the parks, it’s simply the Disney magic!
OTHER INFORMATIONS
🎟️ To save even more money, we didn’t buy our theme park tickets on the official website, but on the website UNLOCKED MAGIC, which offers a 10% discount on all tickets (WDW or Universal).
💡 Use this DLP Works affiliate link to get discounts on your tickets :
🥤 Another feature we always enjoy at Walt Disney World is the Resort Refillable Mug.
For $25, guests can purchase a refillable mug that provides unlimited refills of fountain drinks, coffee and tea throughout their stay. Several beverage stations are available across the resort, making it a worthwhile purchase if you’re spending multiple days at Disney.
🚌 Coronado Springs has five different bus stops, meaning no matter where your room is located, a stop is always nearby. Buses are available every 15mins to any destinations.
THEME PARKS VISITS
We visited Disney’s Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, Universal Studios Park, Island of Adventure and Universal Epic Universe. Coronado Springs proved to be an excellent base for exploring Orlando parks.
👉 Read our other Trip Reports:
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios (coming soon) ➡️ WATCH THE VIDEO
- EPCOT (coming soon)
- Island of Adventure (coming soon)
- Universal Studios Orlando (coming soon)
- Universal Epic Universe (coming soon)
📹 Spend a full day with us at Disney’s Hollywood Studios during our first park visit of this 2026 Florida trip :
➡️ Most of our TIPS are available on our dedicated page : ⭐️ USA PARKS TIPS ⭐️
Trip report tips summary :
💡 Use Skyscanner to compare prices & flight options for your trip to Orlando.
💡 Don’t miss your complimentary Water Park admission on arrival day. Plan your flights accordingly if possible.
💡 Save money on your WDW or Universal tickets by booking through our trusted affiliate partner.
💡 Always compare hotel prices before booking.
If no offers are available, consider comparing prices on Disney’s official website using different regional versions (for example via an Irish VPN), as prices can occasionally vary significantly.
👇 Check our “Be Our Guest” Vacations affiliate link, where exclusive Disney Resort discounts are available with FREE vacation planning!
💡 If you want to stay at a Disney Deluxe Resort, we recommend checking out DVC Rental Store! Enjoy the same Disney benefits while saving up to 65% compared to booking directly with Disney.
💡 Use Lyft instead of Uber when travelling outside of Walt Disney World (lower fares while providing the exact same level of service).
💡 Skip Online Check-In if you’re hoping for an upgrade. Speaking with a Cast Member upon arriving can sometimes unlock options unavailable in the app.
💡 Ask about paid upgrades at check-in. Availability changes every day, and for us, $185 completely transformed the experience.
💡 Reserve Toledo restaurant before your trip. Request a table around the time of EPCOT’s nighttime spectacular for one of the most unique dining experiences at Walt Disney World.
💡 Take time to explore the resort. Don’t treat Coronado Springs as just a place to sleep, walking around the lake and discovering the different villages is part of the experience.
Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort completely exceeded our expectations. Originally booked simply because it offered excellent value, it ultimately became one of the highlights of the entire vacation.
The only regret we have ? Not having planned a little more free time to simply enjoy the resort itself. Sometimes Walt Disney World hotels are more than just somewhere to sleep. Coronado Springs is definitely one of them. If we return to Walt Disney World in the future, this hotel will be among our very first choices.