Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort vs. Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort

Comparing the Rooms

For our comparison, we’ll preview a standard room in the villages at Coronado Springs versus a standard room at Caribbean Beach. Here is a photo of the room from our last stay. Rooms at Coronado Springs sleep up to four guests.

Next, we have a photo of a standard Under the Sea-themed room at Disney’s Caribbean Beach. The biggest difference here is that Caribbean Beach has room options with a fifth sleeper. So you can reserve a room for five guests (up to four adults and one small child). Not all rooms, however, at Caribbean Beach will have this special “Little Mermaid” theming. While the resort’s other rooms are sufficient, they are pretty bland.

So, which resort is best when it comes to rooms? If you have a party of five, Caribbean Beach is the winner. If you’re considering updates, the rooms at Coronado Springs have nicer finishes. If you would like to compare each resort’s rooms in detail, we have the following room tours:

🛏️ Tour an Under the Sea Room at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort

🛏️ Tour a Standard Room at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

Comparing Room Locations

One thing these resorts have in common is their size. They are both tremendous resorts spread out over large grounds. Depending on your room’s location and what you want to utilize, you will have to do some extra walking or use the resort’s bus stops to get around.

Each resort sits around a large body of water. The lake at Coronado Springs has three bridges that cross it, which makes it convenient to travel back and forth to El Centro from each village. Before the bridges were added, you had to walk around the entirety of the lake to get anywhere.

Barefoot Bay, the lake at Caribbean Beach, has a bridge between Jamaica and Aruba that helps connect it to Old Port Royale, the resort’s central hub.

Overall, the villages at Coronado Springs are in a more confined circle with four bus stops, whereas the rooms at Caribbean Beach are laid out in more of an oval shape with six bus stops. So we’ll give Coronado Springs the win when it comes to room locations, only because it’s marginally smaller.

If you would like to deep-dive, I’ve personally tracked the distances of the room locations from the lobby at Coronado Springs here and the distances of the room locations at Caribbean Beach here.

Need a Lift?

While we’re on the subject of rooms, there is one major factor to consider. Both resorts, as you’ve likely gathered, are spread out into villages. Each village is comprised of individual buildings. These buildings do not have interior hallways. At Coronado Springs, you will find an elevator in the center of each building. The buildings range from two to four floors.

In contrast, the villages at Caribbean Beach all have two floors. You will not, however, find any elevators at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. So if you receive a second-floor assignment, you’ll have to take the stairs. This can be challenging when dealing with luggage on your arrival or checkout day. It can also be an ordeal if you have a stroller, especially with a sleeping child at the end of a long day. Of course, you can always make a special request, but that doesn’t mean it’s guaranteed

So, Coronado Springs is the best choice in our comparison if you need or prefer an elevator. For more details, we have a list of resorts that don’t have elevators. Some might surprise you.

Take to the Skies or Stick with a Bus

Transportation is a big difference when comparing Disney’s Coronado Springs at Caribbean Beach. Off the bat, Coronado Springs only offers one form of transportation: Disney’s bus service. As we mentioned earlier, the resort has multiple bus stops, four to be exact. No matter where you’re headed, you’ll need to take the bus if you’re taking advantage of complimentary transportation options.

Caribbean Beach has two forms of transportation: the Disney Skyliner and bus service. Unless the Skyliner is down, you will be required to take it to Hollywood Studios and Epcot. (Bus service is only provided to those locations if and when the Skyliner isn’t operating.) Bus service is provided to the other theme parks, water parks, and Disney Springs. Caribbean Beach also has a slight edge because you can walk next door to Disney’s Riviera Resort or hop on the Skyliner to surrounding resorts for dining.

The Skyliner is a clear winner for Disney’s Caribbean Beach. Of course, those who might have a fear of heights might prefer to stick with the bus system at Coronado Springs. Remember, Caribbean Beach does not provide bus service to the Skyliner destinations.

Dining

Quick service dining at these resorts can be hit or miss. Both have tremendous food courts with fairly generic offerings like chicken nuggets and fries, and slices of cheese or pepperoni pizza. On our last stay at Caribbean Beach, we had a great meal at the quick-service restaurant. But, in all honesty, we always walk or take the bus around and get dropped off close to Disney’s Riviera Resort, where we dine at Primo Piatto.

Overall, Caribbean Beach also offers quick access via the Skyliner to the Epcot Resorts Area for dining. Coronado Springs has some quality offerings at Siestas, the pool bar. We also enjoy Toledo, the tower’s rooftop restaurant. But neither resort stands out for dining, other than Caribbean Beach being “so close” to other options.

Theming

The best thing about Disney Resorts, in general, is the theming. If you’ve made it this far and still haven’t come to a clear choice, this is where you’ll want to go with your gut. Both resorts are stunning and vastly unique. If you enjoy a desert landscape with a Southwest flair, Coronado Springs is your resort.

On the flip side, Caribbean Beach is so cute with its vibrant colors, tropical plantings, and island feel. The sunset gives the resort an “extra” oomph in the evenings. You might enjoy our photo tour of Old Port Royale to see what I mean.

Another thing I’ve noticed is that Coronado Springs has more of a “town” vibe. Each village has a unique landscape, and you’ll find pretty fountains in the Casitas and the resort’s lobby area. Coronado Springs stands out a little more because it’s a resort that’s pretty at night.

As far as pools go, both resorts have incredibly themed pool areas. The feature pool at Coronado Springs, the Dig Site, is themed to a faux Mayan pyramid that serves as a backdrop for the pool. The Fuentes del Morro Pool at Caribbean Beach is themed to a Spanish fortress. Both resorts have quiet pools in each village.

Final Thoughts

Before I share my personal choice, there is one final thing that some might consider a deal breaker. Disney’s Coronado Springs is a convention resort that hosts a variety of gatherings each year, ranging from high-school competitions to business-class retreats. We’ve stayed at this resort during cheerleading, dance, and martial arts competitions and have never found it an issue.

Rest assured, if you’re visiting Disney during major dance or cheerleading competitions, it will be obvious because you’ll see many groups in the parks and on transportation. I have always found these groups to be well-chaperoned and well-behaved. The only thing that’s ever stood out to me is that the food court gets pretty crowded when practice or a meeting lets out. You would not run into convention guests at Disney’s Caribbean Beach.

Now, if I had to choose, and it’s a tough choice, I would likely go with Disney’s Coronado Springs. To me, the rooms are much nicer. But that’s also coming from someone who spends much more time walking around Caribbean Beach for leisure. Both resorts have dazzling landscapes.

If you would like to learn more about either, I invite you to explore our resort guides:

📝 Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

📝 Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort

In the Comments

Now it’s your turn. Which resort would you pick? Coronado Springs or Caribbean Beach. Let us know in the comments below or on our social media.