Tis the Season (Coronado Springs Resort)

 I'm a big fan of the Moderate resorts at Disney. Maybe it's their shear size that they can carry off their theme so completely. Coronado Springs is big. College campus big.  Coronado was made specifically for the convention crowds with a Southwest theme broken into three Categories: Casitas, Ranchos, and Cabanas.

Here's what the Disney website says is the theme "Disney's Coronado Springs Resort is a Southwest-themed Disney Moderate Resort hotel encircling Lago Dorado—a glimmering 22-acre lake—that evokes the spirit and romance of Spanish-colonial Mexico. Follow in the footsteps of explorer Don Francisco de Coronado as he searched for the legendary Seven Cities of Gold while you discover the beauty and fantasy of a unique Resort."

Lobby

The Casitas mimic a Mexican style urban environment with breezeways and fountains and courtyards. I love this part of the resort because of the cozy courtyards. 

Casitas Pool

The Ranchos (I don't think I've stayed in this part of the resort) has a very desert feel to it with it's dry river bed rocks and cacti. 

And the Cabanas offers a Baja oasis complete with a white sand beach and hammocks nestled under palm trees. 

I think the highlight of the resort is "The Dig Site" or the feature pool area which has a Maya Temple in it's center as well as hot tubs, a bar, a kiddie pool, an arcade, a way cool playground and sand volleyball court.

The main building offers the Pepper Market (a buffet), Francisco's lounge, Mayan Grill , and a quick service counter. 

front entrance

Pepper market

After so many years of Disney, each resort beings back such interesting (and perhaps uninteresting) memories. Coronado Springs Resort is one of those resorts that brings up an interesting memory -- Hurricane Frances in 2004.  Back in during Labor Day weekend, a Cat 4 Hurricane blew through and sat on Central Florida for about 48 hours.  During that time, I was working "Hurricane Rideout Crew" or part of a group of people that are continuously working before, during, and after a Hurricane to control and clean up. Lucky for us (not for Disney) a major convention canceled all their rooms at Coronado Springs that weekend and all of us who were working solid for 36 hours we able to get a room and rest a few hours.  Sadly, I spent a few more sleeping hours at the Feature Animation Building in the Studios sleeping behind the front desk than in the bed. But the time I did spend at the resort was awesome!