PHOTO TOUR and Details: Coronado Springs’ Gran Destino Tower and ROOMS! at Walt Disney World Resort!
It’s finally time to step inside Gran Destino Tower, the newest addition to Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort! We’ve been anticipating the opening of this massive tower since the project was announced over two years ago!
Gran Destino Tower
In this post, we’ll take you on a photo tour through the lobby and main public areas as well as through the tower resort rooms! Note that we’ll be doing full photo tours and reviews of all the restaurants and other public spaces as well, so stay tuned! You can always return to our “LIVE” post to see more photos and get links to the other full photo tours! OK, here we go!
Gran Destino Tower Exterior
When barricades came down recently, guests and visitors strolling the resort got a look at the exterior of the new Tower. This includes landscaping that makes use of palm trees and grasses, driving home the tropical feel of the Resort.
Gran Destino Tower
The Tower’s exterior design elements merge natural colors with metal accents. Shades of brown and ochre are in keeping with the look of buildings throughout the Resort, so while the Tower certainly stands out for its sheer size, it does blend in terms of colors and tone.
Gran Destino Tower
But we’ve been looking at the exterior of the 545-room Tower for years (really!), so let’s go INSIDE Gran Destino Tower for the very first time!
Gran Destino Tower Lobby
The Gran Destino Tower lobby will, starting tomorrow, be the main check-in area for all of Coronado Springs Resort.
Gran Destino Lobby
The lobby area is truly exquisite, with rich rood and metal accents playing on a largely light and airy, marble-feel foundation.
Lantern Details
The front desk area and concierge are anchored with marble desks studded with down-lit wood-style decorative tile. The backdrops are bright and sophisticated.
Gran Destino Tower Front Desk
Front Desk and Concierge Details
Backlit Screens
The main lobby is on a higher floor than the Barcelona Lobby Bar and Lounge. You’ll check in on this floor, then descend down to the lobby bar and lounge area. This separation is nice for the families checking in so they’re not wading through a lively bar crowd during their first experience at the resort.
Upper Level Lobby Balcony Overlooks Barcelona Lounge and Lago Dorado
Barcelona Lounge and an exit to Lago Dorado are on the ground floor below.
Looking over Barcelona Lounge
Gran Destino Tower Lobby Area
Grand Staircase
The elevator area is clean and smartly decorated with Spanish accents and strong carpet colors and designs.
Elevator Banks
Note that this elevator system is a lot like the one you’ll encounter at Disneyland’s Paradise Pier Resort!
Elevator Design
You select your floor, and then the elevator tells you where to board.
Elevator Touch Pad
Gran Destino Tower Rooms & Suites
Gran Destino Tower boasts 545 rooms, 50 of which are suites. And while Coronado Springs Resort as a whole is known for catering to convention guests, Gran Destino Tower’s rooms and suites are absolutely kitted out for the business traveler.
Gran Destino Tower Room
When entering the room, a sliding barn door conceals the entrance to the bathroom. It’s wood and metal details are in keeping with the Spanish modern design. This is the basic layout for Disney’s Contemporary Resort rooms, and don’t mimic Coronado Springs’ original rooms with a vanity area outside of the actual bathroom. This gives the rooms a more deluxe feel already.
Bathroom Barn Door
Bathroom
Note that we’re not seeing a LOT of hidden Mickey touches in these rooms, but your sliding door may have a friendly face…
Hidden Mickey on Bathroom Door
The large stand-up shower is on your right as you step into the bathroom, where tile is used on floors and walls.
Gran Destino Shower
Note that there is no bathtub in these rooms. This is a direction Disney World has been going recently with its room renovations. It’s a little upsetting for families with small children who really do depend on those bathtubs to wash the little ones. But for business travelers, this is preferable most of the time.
Showerhead
Disney’s committed to reducing plastic waste across its resorts and parks, and these refillable amenities are one of the main outcomes of that commitment. While you won’t see these used yet in most deluxe resorts, you do see them here in Gran Destino Tower and in other moderate and value resort hotels in Disney World.
Refillable Toiletries
There are two sets of these hooks in the main bathroom — one next to the shower and the other near the water closet.
Two sets of hooks in the main bathroom
Note, too, that there are four outlets — two on either side of the double vanity.
Outlets
The double vanity consists of two separate sinks, granite countertops, Moorish-style tile backsplash, and a large mirror. As is the case at Contemporary Resort as well, there is PRECIOUS little counter space here. So families who are used to taking up plenty of space with their toiletries will need to downsize.
Vanity
But storage beneath the sinks is generous. This is also where you’ll find the Conair hair dryer.
Storage
Hair Dryer
Lighting in the bathroom isn’t great for pics, but it’s good for getting ready to conquer the World! Lighting is embedded in the frame around the mirror.
Lighting
And an adjustable magnifying make-up mirror is also lighted.
Vanity Mirror
H20+ products are available (not pictured: Sea Salt bar soap).
H20+ Products
The water closet is accessible to the left of the entrance via a space-saving pocket door.
Pocket Door for Water Closet
Water Closet
There are two towel racks inside the WC, loaded with towels for your stay.
Two towel racks
And in case you were wondering, Coronado is an over-the-roll establishment. 
Toilet Paper
Artwork over the commode classes things up.
Artwork in water closet
Back in the bedroom and living space, the name of the game is warm wood tones. A large armoire stands to the right, adjacent to a desk space.
Armoire Closet Space
Guests will find the Coronado Springs dry cleaning service order form as well as a plastic, standard-issue laundry bag inside the closet.
Hangers, Dry Cleaning
An ironing board and safe are located inside the closet as well.
Ironing Board
You’ll find the iron has its own little house!
Iron
And extra pillows and blankets are available if needed.
Extra Pillow and Blanket
A small bench or luggage rest fills the space between the closet and the desk.
Bench or Luggage Rack
And here’s another area where we find the rooms focused on the business traveler: instead of a standard bureau, you’ll find this long desk console.
A mini-fridge is concealed behind one cabinet door, and above that a Keurig coffee maker with pods, an ice bucket, and glasses (mugs, paper cups with lids, and drinking glasses) are available. There are a couple of drawers for clothing in the console.
Desk area with Mini Fridge, Coffee Maker, Shelving, and more
Mini Fridge Concealment
Mini Fridge
Coffee Maker and Pods
Porcelain Mugs, disposable cups, and small glasses
The desk space beyond those conveniences is generous. A tiny (like seriously tiny) table lamp provides some task lighting. The lamp has two plugs and two USB ports.
Desk Space
Desk lamp
The desk chair features lovely upholstery, but it’s not designed for comfort… .
Desk Chair
Above the desk, a personalized smart TV plays background music (elevator music, basically, but curiously not Disney music). Note that the TV is personalized with your family’s name on it.
Personalized Smart Television
You can also connect your devices and magic bands so that you can view photopass pictures on your room TV.
Room Remote
By the end of the year, the interactive screens will be in all Coronado Springs Resort rooms, but for now they’re exclusive to the tower. When you connect your device, you can stream from ipods and use Hulu for streaming.
Smart TV Connection at Gran Destino Tower
Smart TV at Gran Destino Tower
Note that Elsa can even read you a bedtime story!
Disney Movie Choices at Gran Destino Tower
Just past the desk is a small sitting area with a lovely burnt orange armchair and a small side table with a lamp.
Seating area
Seating Area
Side Table
A large picture window with sheer and opaque curtains covers the exterior wall. But if you’ve got 11th floor views, throw those curtains open!
Window Treatments and VIEWS!
In this view, you can see Three Bridges lounge and restaurant there in the middle of the lake. To your immediate left is El Centro, where the resort’s former lobby was located, and where you’ll find the counter service location. (You can also see Expedition Everest!)
View from Gran Destino Tower Room
To the right, you’ll see the resort’s main Dig Site pool and the Cabanas room village.
Room View to the Right
The curtains feature this pattern, a mix of neutrals and burnt orange. These are prettier from afar.
Curtains
The queen size platform beds in Gran Destino feature a patterned white covering and four pillows.
Queen Beds with Platform
Platform Bed and Laminate Floor
Interestingly, I’ve seen some duvet covers with Mickeys on them in other resort rooms, so it really does look like Gran Destino is de-disneyfying these rooms considerably.
Bedding Pattern
The headboards are truly works of art, with carved wood and padded orange accents.
Headboard Design
Ambient lighting is embedded in the top of the wooden headboard (controlled by a switch near the side table).
Lighting in Headboard
A surprising feature: the beds have built-in reading lamps! No more waking everyone else up when you just. can’t. sleep. because DISNEY!
Built-In Reading Light
Built-In Reading Light
The shared side table features a large lamp, a phone, and other typical room essentials. Note that this lamp has two plugs AND two USB ports for nighttime (or naptime) charging.
Side Table between the beds
Lamp, phone, remote, and more!
Tower Room Phone
Don’t forget the room’s best feature, though. In this shot out the window, you can see the resort’s main Dig Site pool area.
Looking back at the view!
Also note that there’s a full-length mirror… sort of. It’s on this wall and blocked a bit by the bed, so you’ll have to get creative for that outfit check.
Full-Length Mirror
And in case you were wondering, it’s 72 degrees fahrenheit. But you have full control of your room’s temperature through this device.
FYI: It’s 72 degrees
Gran Destino Tower Dining
Dining at Gran Destino Tower brings three new establishments for eating and drinking: Toledo — Tapas, Steak, & Seafood is the Tower’s rooftop restaurant, Dahlia Lounge sits adjacent to Toledo on the rooftop, and Barcelona Lounge serves a dual purpose in the Tower’s lobby.
Gran Destino Tower Barcelona Lounge
We’re bringing you inside each of these dining locations today! Click on over to our We’re LIVE from Gran Destino Tower post where we’ll link up all of our posts — including food and first looks at each dining locale!
Follow along as we go LIVE to explore everything Gran Destino Tower has to offer!
What are you most excited to explore at Gran Destino Tower? Let us know in the comments!
Disclosure: In nearly all circumstances, Disney Food Blog writers and photographers pay full price for their own travel, hotel, food, beverage, and event tickets. We do this because it’s important to us as journalists to ensure not only that we give you unbiased opinions, but also that you can trust us to do so since we’re paying our own way. On rare occasions, when we are invited by a company to attend a preview as media, and when we choose to accept that invitation, we will always make you, our readers, aware of that situation. Today, we were invited to a media preview of Gran Destino Tower. Note that when we attend events as media we are 1) Not required to review that event/food on any of our channels, and 2) Not required to review that event/food favorably. You can always count on DFB to give you a 100% unbiased and honest review of any event that we attend, food that we eat, or beverage that we drink. You can see more in our Disclosure Policy. Thank you for reading. — AJ
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