The Dig Site's Mayan pyramid waterslide at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort, rising above the pool with the lake and resort grounds behind itPhoto by Jennifer Wendell / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Moderate · Animal Kingdom Resort Area

Disney's Coronado Springs Resort

The Resort Overview

Coronado Springs opened in 1997 with Southwestern United States and Mexican theming spread around a central lake. In 2019, the resort was transformed by the addition of the 15-story Gran Destino Tower, whose design draws on Spanish Modernist architecture and the artistic collaboration between Walt Disney and Salvador Dali.

That tower gives Coronado Springs a split personality: sprawling lodge buildings around the lake feel like a classic Moderate resort, while Gran Destino's dramatic lobby and rooftop dining push the experience toward Deluxe-level polish.

Dining & Amenities

Gran Destino Tower houses Toledo – Tapas, Steak & Seafood on its top floor. Back at the resort's main hub, Pepper Market serves quick-service Latin- and Southwestern-inspired fare in a lively market-stall format.

The centerpiece is the Dig Site, a Mayan-ruins-themed feature pool complex fronted by a five-story pyramid waterslide — routinely cited by fans as one of the best pools at any Walt Disney World resort.

Booking Strategy

  • Because Coronado Springs also functions as Disney's primary convention resort, expect a business-traveler crowd at times.
  • Gran Destino Tower rooms cost more than the standard lakeside buildings and are a longer walk from the Dig Site pool.
  • Compared to Caribbean Beach, Coronado Springs generally wins on pool spectacle but has bus-only transportation, while Caribbean Beach offers Skyliner access to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios.
  • The walk from the far lodge buildings to the main pool and dining can be substantial — request a room closer to the Dig Site at check-in if that matters.