I can’t say enough wonderful things about how Disney (and Nancy right here at the Affordable Mouse) went above and beyond last September when we had to reschedule our trip due to Hurricane Irma. We were scheduled to land at MCO the same day Hurricane Irma decided to make landfall.
We had been so excited to stay at Port Orleans Riverside in the months leading up to our trip, as we had only ever stayed at Value Resorts and this moderate was on my husband’s Disney bucket list. Unfortunately, when we decided 2 days before Irma hit to push our trip back by just one week, there was no availability at Port Orleans Riverside. I told Nancy we would be happy with any room at any Moderate resort as long as the price was about the same.
We ended up with a reservation at Coronado Springs. I was a little disappointed initially, as I had mainly heard that this was a ‘business’ resort and that it wouldn’t appeal to kids and families as much as some of the others. I was also equally curious and eager to learn more about the accommodations.
Our room was located near the back of the property, in “the Ranchos.” The disappointment in being far from the main area immediately faded away when we realized how close we were to the Dig Site, which includes the resort’s main pool, “The Lost City of Cibola Pool,” a playground, beach volleyball, and the delicious quick-service food and drink location, Siestas Cantinas. We also quickly discovered that the section we were in had recently undergone renovations and the finishes and accommodations in our room were modern, clean, and beautiful. We loved the theming, big comfortable beds, simple yet tasteful décor, and proximity to the Dig Site.
The walk to the resort’s main building and larger quick-service restaurant was less than 10 minutes and included walking around the lake, where we saw lots of fish and turtles. The pool is HUGE and always bustling with fun activities for the kids. The winding, 123-foot long Jaguar Slide was an added bonus! I was worried about the bus situation since we were a good hike away from the front of the resort, but there were 3 additional bus stops and we were within 50 feet of ours from our building, which made mornings super easy and convenient.
The resort does have several well-reviewed table service restaurants but we did not take advantage of any of those experiences. The gift shop, Panchito’s Gifts and Sundries, had exclusive resort items, fun activities for kids, and lots of cool pin-trading opportunities.
We loved Coronado Springs so much that we are looking forward to booking another trip there – on purpose!
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Candice was raised in east Tennessee. While in college, her best friend dragged her to a Walt Disney World College Program recruiting session at the University of Tennessee and the rest is Disney history. In the Fall of 1999, Candice became a quick service food hostess for Sunset Ranch Market and Fantasmic at Disney-MGM Studios – or what is now known as Disney’s Hollywood Studios. While soaking up her time as a cast member, she met Ryan, a neighbor and a fellow college programmer who worked as a custodial host at Epcot. Four years later, Candice moved to the Midwest and married that boy from across the hall. They now live in Greenwood, Indiana with their two little boys. The Disney-loving foursome took their first family trip to The Happiest Place on Earth in 2013 and Candice is eagerly planning their return. Candice also works full-time at a community mental health center and enjoys taking photographs and blogging at Mommy in the Midwest.
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