Saratoga Springs vs. Coronado Springs Disney World Resort Guide 2023

Planning a trip to Walt Disney World can be complicated — especially when you’re trying to choose between 25 resort hotels. If you’ve narrowed down your choices to these hotels, how do you make your final selection?

Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort

Well, we’re here to walk you through the differences between Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort and Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa.

Whether room size, location, pools, and/or restaurants are most important to you, we share the information that you’ll need to make an informed decision. After all, we want you stay at the hotel that is best for your family!

Let’s get started and look at all the details so that you can plan your Disney trip with confidence.

Gran Destino Tower at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

There’s no doubt that Disney vacations are expensive, and no one wants buyer’s remorse when it comes to what can usually be the most EXPENSIVE part of your Disney trip. We’re approaching this chaos-agent of a decision with as much logic as possible, so we’re breaking it down into five categories:

Common Ground
Theme/Rooms
Pools
Food
Transportation

Welcome Home to Saratoga Springs

Common Ground

Before we mention their differences, let’s take a look at what Coronado Springs and Saratoga Springs have in common. First, because of their immense size, rooms are often available!

What a view from Saratoga Springs!

Each have a large resort layout that consists of a central lobby building with outer buildings housings the actual hotel rooms. The themeing at both locations is subtle when compared to other resorts such as Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Relax and play a game at Coronado Springs!

Both resorts offer bus transportation to the theme parks at Walt Disney World.

Bus transportation from Magic Kingdom

For Coronado Springs, that means that for the cheapest room at the cheapest time to visit, you can expect to pay around $250 per night (not accounting for any tax or current discounts), and it goes up to $3,520 per night (not accounting for any tax or current discounts) for the most expensive rooms at the most expensive time to visit.

For Saratoga Springs, that means that for the cheapest room at the cheapest time to visit, you can expect to pay around $451 per night (not accounting for any tax or current discounts), and it goes up to $3,477 per night (not accounting for any tax or current discounts) for the most expensive rooms at the most expensive time to visit.

Extra Theme Park Hours Benefits for Disney World Resort Hotel Guests

Theme/Rooms

Divided into four sections — Gran Destino Tower, Casitas, Ranchos, and Cabanas — Coronado Springs features an American Southwest theme situated around a pretty lake. With immersive landscaping, the resort seems quiet unless a large convention is in town.

Coronado Springs offers standard hotel rooms with 2 queens or 1 king bed, sleeping 2-4 people. A variety of suites (with a higher price tag!) sleep 4-8 guests.

Room at Coronado Springs Resort

Saratoga Springs both offer villa-type accommodations with studio, 1-bedroom (sleep up to five), 2-bedroom, or 3-bedroom layouts. Furnishings are generally a little bit more on the higher end.

Speaking of spacious accommodations, the 3 Bedroom Grand Villas at various Disney Vacation Club properties can sleep up to 12 people! These rooms typically come with 3 bedrooms, 3 (or more) bathrooms, a (very large) full-sized kitchen, living area, dining area, and a balcony. These rooms are available first for DVC members to book, so they’re pretty difficult to score and pricing is not readily available to the public (unless you call Disney to book for a specific date).

Studios have two beds and a kitchenette. The one-to-three-bedroom villas have a full kitchen, as well as washer and dryer. If you’re looking for convenience, these amenities might make your trip a whole lot easier!

The Murphy bed at Saratoga Springs

Both are large resorts with beautiful landscaping, but they do have some differences!

Coronado Springs

Opened in 1997, Coronado Springs is a moderate resort with convention facilities. In 2019, the opening of the 15-story Gran Destino Tower added 545 rooms to this sprawling resort. Gran Destino Tower is sleek and swanky! The standard rooms here are the largest of all the moderate resorts at Disney World!

Gran Destino Tower Room

This moderate resort is the only one on Disney property offering Club level rooms with Disney signature service. So, if you are looking for a club level room at Walt Disney World, this resort will be your least expensive option. And you’ll love access to the Chronos Club. The Club Access experience is all about comfort — snacks when you need ’em, a relaxing spot to kick back, and — in this case — terrific views to drink in any time of day.

Gran Destino Tower has four categories of Club Access rooms: Standard View – Club Access, Deluxe Suite – Club Access, One Bedroom Suite – Club Access, and Presidential Suite – Club Access.

DFB Video: Should You REALLY Stay at Disney World’s Coronado Springs Resort?

Saratoga Springs

First, this is a Deluxe Villa Resorts offering many of these perks. This hotel can be booked by Disney Vacation Club members or cash-paying guests. Here, you’ll escape to a 19th century equestrian resort, although there aren’t any horses! Opened in May 2004, the quaint gardens add to the peaceful atmosphere.

Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort Studio

Studios at this resort are smaller providing a queen bed and pull-down bed. Two bedrooms sleep up to 8 people.

Treehouse Villa

However, the unique but very remote treehouse villas can accommodate up to nine guests.

Results

What type of accommodations do you prefer? Both offer a relaxing atmosphere in large, spread-out resorts. If you need space, Saratoga Springs wins out. If you want the most updated rooms, try Gran Destino Tower at Coronado Springs.

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Pools

When the weather is HOT or you just need a break from park queues, head to your resort pool! After all, the pools have their own unique features and special theming. Feature pools at Walt Disney World hotels usually have at least one slide and also offer poolside activities. Look at the hotel’s recreation schedule for more information. Some Disney resorts are so spread out that they also offer leisure pools. These swimming spots are family-friendly with at least one whirlpool spa. Leisure pools are quieter than the more crowded and active feature pools.

Pool at Coronado

Note that poolside towels are always complimentary.