Consider Port Orleans (either FQ or Riverside) -- especially since you go to Disney Springs (boat transport from PO is very convenient).

Personally I value transportation to the parks more than the room and amenities because I spend no time in the room. But there’s at least a bus that goes from Coronado to the parks right? If what you really want is a hot tub and care less about transit why not look at much cheaper options offsite, like around Disney Springs?

I’d be willing to pay the difference but is there another moderate resort that might be little less expensive?

Which value resort? I'd do the value if if it's AoA in a suite or Pop Century.

We love the Art of Animation. The theme and photo ops are over the top there. Take a long hot shower instead of sitting in dirty water of a shared hot tub. Also, we love the sky journey to the parks.

We've done both. Value are fine. I usually choose value but sometimes the price difference is minimal so I will move up. There isn't a huge difference with the room. We always rented a car so transportation was not a problem. I would not pay $1K more. I'd stay an extra day or two instead.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, will you have a car? You might want to watch some of the planning videos on channels like All Ears.

I have no personal experience, but from what I've seen, people love the tower at Coronado Springs for the beautiful lobby and dining offerings. However, I seem to recall seeing some complaints about bus transportation for the tower. Because Coronado Springs is a huge resort that uses an internal bus loop, guests staying in the tower can encounter buses that are already full.

Good luck, and enjoy your tip.

I'm not the OP, but I stayed at the tower last summer. The Tower bus stop is the first stop on the loop. Also, if you are walking out to the bus stop and find that the bus you wanted is just pulling away, if you are fast you can head over to the 4th stop (at the Cabanas section) and catch it there before it leaves the resort.

Interesting. Maybe they change it from time to time? I've seen many reports that Casitas were first and the tower was last. OP, if this matters to you, I recommend calling to ask about the schedule when you will be there.

https://plandisney.disney.go.com/question/current-order-buses-stop-coronado-springs-please-several-537846/

Anonymous wrote:OP, will you have a car? You might want to watch some of the planning videos on channels like All Ears.

I have no personal experience, but from what I've seen, people love the tower at Coronado Springs for the beautiful lobby and dining offerings. However, I seem to recall seeing some complaints about bus transportation for the tower. Because Coronado Springs is a huge resort that uses an internal bus loop, guests staying in the tower can encounter buses that are already full.

Good luck, and enjoy your tip.

I'm not the OP, but I stayed at the tower last summer. The Tower bus stop is the first stop on the loop. Also, if you are walking out to the bus stop and find that the bus you wanted is just pulling away, if you are fast you can head over to the 4th stop (at the Cabanas section) and catch it there before it leaves the resort.

OP, will you have a car? You might want to watch some of the planning videos on channels like All Ears.

I have no personal experience, but from what I've seen, people love the tower at Coronado Springs for the beautiful lobby and dining offerings. However, I seem to recall seeing some complaints about bus transportation for the tower. Because Coronado Springs is a huge resort that uses an internal bus loop, guests staying in the tower can encounter buses that are already full.

Good luck, and enjoy your tip.

I disagree that the non-tower rooms at Coronado are "essentially the exact same thing" as a value resort.
As you noted, the value resorts do not have a hot tub, but also they do not have a slide at the pool. My kids loved the slide when they were about your son's age.
Depending on if you spring for "preferred" rooms at the value resort, the distance from your room to the lobby/food court/bus stop can be much further at the value resorts than at Coronado Springs. I don't know when you last visited Coronado Springs, but since they built those bridges over the lake the distance from even the furthest rooms (like the Ranchos area) isn't too far now.
Even if you will have all of your meals in the parks or at Disney springs, it can be really nice to have a snack/drink in the evening at the Dahlia lounge-the view is very nice and you don't have to be staying in the tower to go there.

I'd stay at a value resort on the sky liner.

For me the hot tub is actually worth it. When I have really walked all day and been in charge of managing genie etc, the end of the day is my time to completely check out. I love to bounce around in the pools and then chill in the hot tub. At the resorts with a water slide, I do those too. I’m nearly 50 and having those things is a big value add for me. I love art of animation so much but I do want my hot tub.

Anonymous wrote:Is the price difference per night or for the trip? Coronado is likely to be closer to everything. You can take the sky gondola.

It’s the whole trip. You actually can’t take the Skyliner from there, but you can from one of the value resorts.

Is the price difference per night or for the trip? Coronado is likely to be closer to everything. You can take the sky gondola.

We will be there for a week with our 13yo. The price difference is between $700-$1025 more for a Grand Destino Tower room at Coronado Springs vs a room at a value resort.

We have stayed at Coronado before and said if we returned it would be in the tower or we would just save money by staying at a value resort, which is essentially the exact same thing as far as we are concerned.

The caveat is that we LOVE a hot tub after a long day at the parks, and the value resorts don’t have them. The restaurant selection at Coronado is also nice, but not sure if it matters since we likely will eat at the parks or Disney Springs most nights.

The rooms are larger and laid out more typically in the Coronado tower rooms. It’s a “resort” and has all of those amenities, plus our coveted hot tub. But is it worth $1000?

Help me decide it one way or the other!