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Old 15 Jul 19, 10:32 PM  
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lorr05
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Mobile Coronado springs - a bit disappointed...

I’m just back from 2 weeks staying at Disney in the Coronado Springs and I was a bit disappointed. Don’t get me wrong the hotel was lovely. The newly refurbished rooms are very nicely decorated with USB ports for charging, huge tv’s, comfy beds. The Gran Destino tower is beautiful inside and the views from the top are truly spectacular. However despite all of that I felt a bit disappointed in the hotel to the point where I don’t think I would go back.
There wasn’t anything major, just little things that added up.
Firstly the convention centre and the number of conventions is a bit of an issue. In the two weeks we were there, there were 2 big conventions lasting 2 days each, a martial arts tournament for kids and something to do with kids football. On these days the food court became incredible busy. The last day in particular with the football kids was so busy to the point you could barely move or find a table at breakfast time. Not to mention when people from conventions are all around on laptops, talking business, wearing suits, etc when you are dressed for a pool day with shiny sun tan cream, bikinis and hair piled up just makes you feel a little self conscious. Almost like you are the one out of place. Then on buses from Disney springs people from the convention are moaning loudly about the buses, having to stand, having to wear the magic band and all the tourists takes some of the holiday and Disney magic away too.
The tower opening meant the hotel pretty much doubled in capacity (and although of course not full it definitely felt busier after it opened) with the same number of buses and quick service eating places so just not enough facilities for the number of people (I know it’s summer and busy but waiting 35 minutes for a bus from Disney springs and still not get in cause it’s full or waiting 25 minutes for the 8am magic kingdom bus for it to be full after the first two stops and then drive past the last 2 because it’s full isn’t good enough)
Finally we had issues with house keeping. In the first week they came at 5pm when we were back in the room and trying to get ready to go out so we just took fresh towels. Later in the week the room wasn’t cleaned at all, but we figured maybe they missed us, maybe they came before we left in the morning so let it go. In the second week by 6pm they still hadn’t came and we had to phone for them to send more towels over and the housekeeping manager was very apologetic ensuring that it wouldn’t happen again. On the final day we left the room at 7:30am and came back at 7pm for the room once again to have not been touched. Phoned reception again really not happy as this was 4 times across the two weeks. Yes we could have used the same towels twice but the bin was over flowing and after full days in the park you just want to feel clean with a fresh towel. Also when some people turn down housekeeping and get $10 a day back and yet we wanted it and weren’t getting it. The housekeeping manager was great and once again very apologetic and refunded us the cost of a night which was $200 which was very generous of them. Wasn’t really expecting anything or at the most the $40 for the four days.
Like I said it’s all little things that add up, but for me they are pushing Coronado springs towards conventions with the new bars and restaurants to appeal to couples or business people at conventions rather than families looking for Disney magic. Despite it being a beautiful hotel I think I would definitely look into staying elsewhere next time.
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Old 15 Jul 19, 10:44 PM  
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Moorlandman
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Thanks for your review. I certainly understand your comments about the conventions and all the business people. Sounds like the Hilton I stay at in Southampton. I’m dressed in a suite and everyone else is dressed for Peppa Pig Land

I guess it’s a way of Disney filling the hotels. The value resorts and CBR are similar too
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Old 15 Jul 19, 11:15 PM  
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duchy
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Originally Posted by Moorlandman View Post
Thanks for your review. I certainly understand your comments about the conventions and all the business people. Sounds like the Hilton I stay at in Southampton. I’m dressed in a suite and everyone else is dressed for Peppa Pig Land

I guess it’s a way of Disney filling the hotels. The value resorts and CBR are similar too
Not just he moderates and values. My ex husband works for an international company that takes over the Swan and Dolphin for aweek every year for a Symposium and overflows into the Y and B and Boardwalk too. All those IT types definitely change the hotel vibe.
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Old 15 Jul 19, 11:29 PM  
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lorr05
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Originally Posted by duchy View Post
Not just he moderates and values. My ex husband works for an international company that takes over the Swan and Dolphin for aweek every year for a Symposium and overflows into the Y and B and Boardwalk too. All those IT types definitely change the hotel vibe.
Definitely. Felt on some days there were more people for the convention than Disney guests/ park goers. There’s something nice about everyone being on holiday and relaxing, enjoying Disney, not most people running around, working on laptops, speaking on phones.
The new bars and restaurants say it all for me. That huge new tower but no new quick service eating place. A lovely bar/ restaurant in the middle of lake with definitely a couples vibe, the top floor restaurant which looked very fancy and a bar that was advertised as having a wide range of gins. Doesn’t scream family holiday at Disney.
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Old 16 Jul 19, 09:22 AM  
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disney332
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Originally Posted by lorr05 View Post
Definitely. Felt on some days there were more people for the convention than Disney guests/ park goers. There’s something nice about everyone being on holiday and relaxing, enjoying Disney, not most people running around, working on laptops, speaking on phones.
The new bars and restaurants say it all for me. That huge new tower but no new quick service eating place. A lovely bar/ restaurant in the middle of lake with definitely a couples vibe, the top floor restaurant which looked very fancy and a bar that was advertised as having a wide range of gins. Doesn’t scream family holiday at Disney.
Totally get all your points and you have my empathy...but...

The Gran Destino Tower screams, adult holiday at Disney and that IS the target market.

Im booked, as it floats all my boats.

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Old 16 Jul 19, 10:25 AM  
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lorr05
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Originally Posted by disney332 View Post
Totally get all your points and you have my empathy...but...

The Gran Destino Tower screams, adult holiday at Disney and that IS the target market.

Im booked, as it floats all my boats.

Disney332
Yes it was lovely and it does ‘scream’ adult holiday. However when we booked a year ago, there was no details on what the tower would look like on the inside or even when it would be finished. The first image you tend to see in advertising of Coronado springs is of the pool area with a family by the pool and kids going down the slide which doesn’t ‘scream’ that this hotel is marketed to adults and the hotel certainly never used to be this way. Some people who use forums may be aware it’s a convention centre but for the average family going I would say they would be completely unaware, thinking a Disney hotel marketed to families would have Disney guests and families as it’s primary focus.

For couples going it would be a lovely hotel to stay in, but currently the large mix of families doesn’t mix well with the convention centre guests who are all working away on laptops in the eating area and the families with kids who are on summer holidays. That’s just my personal opinion on it. I’ve also stayed at the Swan and Dolphin and was not aware of any conventions during my day, although I’m sure they were happening they were just kept more discreet/ separate.

As to your other comment. The convention guests are entitled to be there and there was nothing wrong with what they were doing, apart from a few obnoxious woman on the bus one night and I wouldn’t be so petty as to complain to a manager about the behaviour of a few guests. As I said 2 out of 4 conventions were kids competitions so not business types. My issue was the sheer volume of people that this brought to an already busy hotel, specifically the one quick service dining area which became very busy during those days.
If you actually look at my original post I said that there was nothing specifically wrong with the hotel so I wouldn’t be quite so dramatic as to to request to move hotels entirely.
As I stated originally there were just a few little things that added up would make me think twice about going back. I’m well aware that the hotel and convention centre won’t be changing which was the purpose of my review to quite clearly say that this hotel is no longer being marketed as a family hotel, shifting towards couples and as a result I wouldn’t be going back. I enjoyed my holiday and our room was lovely, just a different vibe from usual. I’m sure many people will still love this hotel but personally for me and my family, Disney has lots of hotels to choose from so I’d rather stay elsewhere.

Edited at 10:56 AM.
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Old 16 Jul 19, 07:35 AM  
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I realise I may not be making a popular point, but I'll put the flame-proof jacket on anyway...

If I stay at a convention hotel I would expect to see people attending conventions. It would change the vibe from a non-convention resort.

I would say, however, that reading Disney's website, they barely make a mention of CSR being a convention resort so they could be setting an incorrect expectation.
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Old 16 Jul 19, 10:09 AM  
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lorr05
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Originally Posted by blusteryday View Post
I realise I may not be making a popular point, but I'll put the flame-proof jacket on anyway...

If I stay at a convention hotel I would expect to see people attending conventions. It would change the vibe from a non-convention resort.

I would say, however, that reading Disney's website, they barely make a mention of CSR being a convention resort so they could be setting an incorrect expectation.
When booking Coronado springs through travel agents there is no mention of it being a convention centre. The pictures are of the rooms and pool area which with the pyramid and kids slide definitely makes it look like it is marketed at families. Perhaps this will change with time and they will market more towards couples however this did not help for our family this year.

Also as someone else said the tower may have been their way of separating convention guests and holiday guests, yet they still only have one main quick service dining area which is outside the convention area in the old building so inevitably the two groups of convention goers and Disney guests will mix. This one dining area is also in no way enough for the volume of people that the convention guests bring along with the regular tourists. You expect it to be busy in summer but it was ridiculous.

This is my fourth time staying at a Disney hotel and like I said before there was nothing actually wrong with the hotel, there were just lots of little things that would make me stay elsewhere before going back to Coronado springs.
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Old 16 Jul 19, 10:19 AM  
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disney332
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Originally Posted by lorr05 View Post
When booking Coronado springs through travel agents there is no mention of it being a convention centre. The pictures are of the rooms and pool area which with the pyramid and kids slide definitely makes it look like it is marketed at families. Perhaps this will change with time and they will market more towards couples however this did not help for our family this year.

Also as someone else said the tower may have been their way of separating convention guests and holiday guests, yet they still only have one main quick service dining area which is outside the convention area in the old building so inevitably the two groups of convention goers and Disney guests will mix. This one dining area is also in no way enough for the volume of people that the convention guests bring along with the regular tourists. You expect it to be busy in summer but it was ridiculous.

This is my fourth time staying at a Disney hotel and like I said before there was nothing actually wrong with the hotel, there were just lots of little things that would make me stay elsewhere before going back to Coronado springs.
I agree with you in respect of the marketing, almost all on here will be aware its a convention hotel. I suppose you could argue the same for the Swan and Dolphin which are also convention, nothing to do with Disney, and not marketed as such?

At the end of the day its all about filling rooms and making a profit., nothing more, nothing less.

As I said in my earlier post, if you are not happy talk to the Manager and if your issues were so great, I have no doubt you would be moved to another resort entirely.

A pain yes, but that is the only way t change your holiday experience because the convention or the Hotel is not going to change.

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Old 16 Jul 19, 07:50 AM  
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Re the buses, it's v early days for the tower being open. I would hope and expect they will be monitoring and adjusting accordingly. I'm booked for next year and am looking forward to the less Disney vibe but still being onsite perks.
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