When it originally opened on August 1, 1997, Disney Coronado Springs was the largest Disney convention resort and featured one of the largest single-level convention centers on the East Coast. The opening of the new Gran Destino Tower earlier this week, July 9, 2019, signified the entire resort’s grand re-imagining. Located in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Resort area, the resort features 2,385 guest rooms, including suites in lakeside casitas, the new Gran Destino Tower, and more than 220,000 square feet of meeting and event space. The 22-acre Lago Dorado lake at the center of the resort provides a perfect walking/jogging trail along with state of the art fitness center, four swimming pools, a volleyball court, recently remodeled lounges, a food court, and grab-and-go offerings. “Destino.”

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The new tower serves as the new arrival and reception area for Coronado Springs, featuring a dramatic two-story lobby. The lower lobby bar, Barcelona Lounge, offers coffee and pastries in the morning, transforming to a full bar during the evening. The 16th-floor rooftop restaurant, Tolédo – Tapas, Steaks, and Seafood, is inspired by the renowned Spanish city that was home to avant-garde writers and artists in

the 1920s and ’30s, you will also find the Dahlia Lounge on the 16th floor, named after the “Destino” heroine, a mortal woman who enchants the Greek god Chronos; dandelion chandeliers, metal bell accents, and ceiling coffers with swirling patterns all draw inspiration from the restaurant’s namesake. Speaking of Chronos, that’s the name of the 15th-floor concierge club. The Gran Destino Tower serves as the main access point for the three lodging districts adjacent to the tower, each inspired by the elegant cities, neighborhood dwellings, and diverse natural landscapes of Mexico and the American Southwest: The Casitas emphasizes the residential areas of colonial cities found all over Mexico. The Ranchos represent ranch houses of the dry southwestern chaparral regions of northern Mexico and the American Southwest. The Cabanas evoke the look and feel of a small tropical coastal fishing village on the Mexican coast. The Dig Site feature pool complex features a massive gray stone Mayan temple that recalls many of the ceremonial centers created by the ancient Mayans; according to Disney legend, the temple sits five stories above the Coronado Springs, and the water cascades down the temple’s steps into the Lost City of Cibola Feature Pool.

Check out my coverage of the event over at www.thedisneynerdspodcast.com, including:

• Gran Destino Tower Opening Day Photo Report
• Gran Destino Tower Opening Ceremony
• 170 Picture Coronado Springs Photo Report
• New Dining Locations