Chronos Membership is the concierge lounge atop Gran Destino Tower at Coronado Springs Resort. It’s the most cost effective Membership Degree at Walt Disney World, and the one one at a Average lodge. This evaluation shares lounge meals images, cowl how Chronos stacks as much as the competitors, and extra. (Up to date April 11, 2024.)
For starters, this focuses solely on the Chronos Membership lounge. Should you’re searching for our ideas on the brand new tower as an entire, take a look at our Gran Destino Tower at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort Overview. For extra common ideas on concierge degree at WDW, take a look at our Is Membership Degree at Walt Disney World Price It? information.
The most important query about Chronos Membership Degree is whether or not it’s worthy of comparability to the opposite concierge lounges at Walt Disney World. There’s truthful concern about this, because it’s the one Membership Degree that’s in a Average Resort, and it’s actually a whole lot of {dollars} cheaper than the opposite Membership Ranges at Walt Disney World. So, how does it stack up? Let’s have a look…
Upon arrival at Gran Destino Tower, try to be welcomed on the door by a Solid Member with an iPad, who greet you by title earlier than you say something. (Isn’t monitoring expertise, uh, swell?) From there, you’ll be launched to Gran Destino Tower’s sensible elevator system, and brought on to the Chronos Membership check-in desk.
This alone is a pleasant perk, as Gran Destino Tower’s entrance desk serves because the check-in location for the whole thing of Coronado Springs, which is a completely large resort. Throughout busier occasions–corresponding to a cheer/dance occasion or conference–there might be lengthy strains for the entrance desk. Bypassing that and being taken on to Chronos Membership is a pleasant contact.
Sitting in chairs and receiving personalised service is far more comfy course of than standing in line on the entrance desk. You’ll obtain a welcome packet with a Coronado Springs Resort map, and greeting & information from Chronos Membership. We have been additionally supplied mimosas whereas checking in, which was a pleasant contact.
Whereas checking in, you’ll additionally learn of the perks accessible to Chronos Membership Degree company. At present, that is just about simply Early Entry. We’re large followers of Early Entry, because it primarily supply a few trip headstart for on-site company, which might be fairly important. (Be taught extra technique in our Information to Early Entry at Walt Disney World.)
Since Coronado Springs is a Average Resort, company staying within the Chronos Membership Degree are not eligible for Prolonged Night Hours. This can be a pretty important disadvantage, particularly in the event you’re staying Monday via Wednesday when Prolonged Night Hours are supplied. Moreover, there may be at the moment no particular line-skipping choice for Membership Degree company, however we count on that to return in late 2024 or 2025 after pre-arrival Lightning Lanes debut.
In contrast to different lounges, this one is just not 24/7; the Chronos Membership lounge is open from 6:30 a.m. till 10:00 p.m. each day. These hours may appear cheap, however remember that the pyro at Disney’s Hollywood Studios generally ends after that. (There at the moment is not any fireworks present at DHS, however each Fantasmic and the projections present have pyro. It’s not value searching for out, however is neat to see from Chronos Membership.)
Clearing the lounge so early feels a bit abrupt, particularly for the reason that lounge was nonetheless pretty hoppin’ at 10 p.m. every night time. Hopefully this closing time is adjusted, particularly at a tower lodge that skews in the direction of a extra grownup viewers.
All through the day, the Chronos Membership lounge serves the next:
- Espresso: 6:30-7 a.m.
- Continental Breakfast: 7-11 a.m.
- Mild Snacks: 12-4 p.m.
- Hors d’oeuvres & Choose Drinks: 5-7 p.m.
- Desserts & Cordials: 8-10 p.m.
As with all different Membership Degree lounges at Walt Disney World, the hors d’oeuvres/dinner choices are the very best high quality and most substantive, adopted by dessert and breakfast providers.
In truth, breakfast at Chronos Membership was an enormous standout. Not as a result of something right here was significantly revolutionary, however as a result of there have been scorching objects!
We’ve harped on this when reviewing different lounges, however how troublesome is it to have bacon, eggs, and sausage?
Fortunately, Chronos Membership delivers on that entrance, and likewise serves some distinctive pastries, cheeses, and meats.
It’s nonetheless not an incredible unfold, nevertheless it’s the perfect Membership Degree breakfast we’ve had at any Walt Disney World lodge. On condition that breakfast is the meal most company can make the most of within the lounge, it is a large deal.
The sunshine snacks/lunch unfold is predictably weak with not a lot that’s substantial.
After all, my ‘hack’ of utilizing bread and meat from breakfast and placing that within the room’s fridge for lunch holds up at Gran Destino.
Dinner is essentially the most substantial providing, and by far our favourite. As with different Membership Degree lounges, the choices rotate on a nightly foundation.
Normally, we discovered this to be very seafood and vegan heavy. Arguably to a fault.
Don’t get me incorrect–I get pleasure from a number of Walt Disney World’s vegan choices and assume they’ve improved exponentially within the final couple years, however I’d nonetheless relatively have common crab muffins or meatballs to meatless ones.
Normally, we discovered the dinner-time choices to be on the extra adventurous facet, with fewer crowd-pleasing, consolation meals choices. We typically loved what was served (Sarah particularly) nevertheless it received’t be for everybody.
One night time, rooster and mushrooms have been served, which have been undoubtedly the spotlight for me.
There have been additionally sustainable lion fish nuggets (in the event you’re searching for one thing extra approachable) however I discovered these to be fairly bland.
One other spotlight for us was the Shrimp Paella. That is in all probability the closest Chronos Membership bought to “consolation meals” throughout our keep.
We had heard studies of the identical lamb chops as the wonderful ones we ordered at Three Bridges Bar & Grill however, alas, these weren’t served throughout our keep. The “studies” we heard revolved across the lamb chops being in excessive demand and quick provide, so maybe they’re gone for good. Or possibly we simply missed them.
Talking of quick provide, these macarons put out for the dessert service went shortly. When dessert service first began, I used to be exterior researching bus crowds and wait occasions (as one does), so Sarah grabbed this plate.
By the point I arrived on the lounge (lower than 45 minutes into the dessert service) the macarons have been gone. Regardless of, because the macarons have been simply wonderful, whereas the tarts and truffles have been improbable.
From the attitude of delicacies, Chronos Membership is just not a cut-rate model of Membership Degree. It is probably not as broadly interesting as what’s supplied at Wilderness Lodge, however the high quality and choice is there. (If something, the superior breakfast places Chronos Membership a notch above another lounges by way of meals.)
Since that’s principally what issues when evaluating Membership Degree lounges, that ought to reply the query of whether or not Chronos Membership is worthy of comparability to Membership Degree at Deluxe Resorts.
The subsequent query is whether or not the lounge itself stacks as much as different Membership Ranges at Walt Disney World.
That actually depends upon what you need out of Membership Degree. For me, this doesn’t maintain a candle to Outdated Devoted Membership Degree in Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, which affords views down into that attractive foyer and is oozing themed design. However I notice not everyone seems to be me.
Chronos Membership feels clear and trendy, extra like a real-world enterprise lodge than one at Walt Disney World. That’s arguably a draw back for followers of themed design, however a number of Membership Degree lounges are dated and drained with out being significantly well-themed, anyway.
In addition to, you’re not going to be spending a ton of time trying across the lounge. The spotlight right here, just like the visitor rooms at Gran Destino Tower, is the large views of Walt Disney World. From right here, you may see Disney’s Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and past.
On a private degree, this isn’t as cool as overlooking the foyer of Wilderness Lodge or Animal Kingdom Lodge, nevertheless it’s nonetheless fairly superior to take a seat down within the air-conditioning, eat dessert, and revel in an ‘aerial’ view of Walt Disney World.
Maybe I’m straightforward to please, however I spent most of my time right here gazing out the window. You may simply see Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Tower of Terror, Spaceship Earth, and extra from this lounge.
Even when the underlying design is boring and generic, the views are ample for me. I feel loads of others will likewise recognize these views. (In equity, the identical “boring and generic” design criticism might be levied at Stone Harbor Membership at Seaside Membership.)
In any other case, my largest criticism concerning the lounge can be that it’s one giant and steady area.
Capability-wise, I’m unsure the way it stacks as much as different lounges at Walt Disney World, however most of these do a superior job of breaking apart the area with partitions or a number of seating areas. Chronos Membership is one large room. That is very noticeable when the lounge is at or close to capability; it will get loud and chaotic.
On a unique notice, a part of me wonders if Gran Destino is deliberately hostile in the direction of households in delicate methods. Clearly, this being Walt Disney World, there’s no method they will make a complete lodge tower adults solely.
At Gran Destino, it’s with little issues just like the bathe and sink state of affairs, the lounge tv set to enterprise information, and a collection of extra adventurous and vegan delicacies. Cumulatively, all of this is likely to be off-putting for fogeys with babies.
As a lot as Walt Disney World’s coveted household demographic could dislike that, it makes a point of sense at Gran Destino. Right here, the actually coveted demographic is conventioneers.
This tower exists primarily due to Disney Conferences & Occasions, and the profitable conference enterprise at Coronado Springs. Gran Destino is accessible for anybody to e book, however Disney is catering to conventioneers with the fashion and substance of the tower.
These enterprise vacationers usually tend to have expertise with swanky concierge ranges at actual world inns, and thus maintain Disney to a better normal. Should you’re used to Hyatt or Marriott’s nicer concierge lounges, Gran Destino nonetheless feels pretty middling. As in comparison with different Walt Disney World choices, it’s a standout.
As famous above, Chronos Membership is the most cost effective Membership Degree at Walt Disney World. Truly, least costly might be extra apt of a time period, because it’s nonetheless pricier than, say, staying on the All Stars or common rooms within the outlying buildings at Coronado Springs. The beginning rack fee for Chronos Membership rooms is roughly $450 per night time. That will look like loads, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a number of hundred {dollars} cheaper than the subsequent most cost-effective choice!
About the one method you would, theoretically, do Membership Degree at a decrease value is by renting Disney Trip Membership factors and staying at Kilimanjaro Membership at Animal Kingdom Lodge. Even that’s more likely to value you extra–and that’s if you will discover availability (an enormous if as there are solely a handful of these rooms).
So actually, the one practical various is shopping for DVC at Animal Kingdom Lodge and utilizing that to remain at Kilimanjaro Membership yearly. That’s a $15,000+ upfront expense and multi-decade dedication, so in all probability not what many first-timers or rare Walt Disney World guests take into account.
Anyway, Chronos Membership rooms begin at $450 per night time through the low season (see When’s Least expensive to Go to Walt Disney World in 2024?) and might value $600+ throughout peak dates. That quantities to a surcharge of about $125 to $200 over a regular room in Gran Destino Tower, which can also be the bottom ‘improve’ value of any Membership Degree.
With that stated, these costs are all pre-discount. Coronado Springs incessantly affords 20% to 30% off, and normally has the perfect availability throughout offers. The most important asterisk on that, naturally, is Chronos Membership. Walt Disney World diehards acknowledge what an excellent worth Chronos Membership is, and it’s usually robust to e book consequently and thus unavailable by way of reductions. Moreover, Membership Degree is usually flat-out excluded from particular affords.
If doing Chronos Membership during your journey is cost-prohibitive however you need to splurge on an evening or two, that may be an incredible choice by way of break up stays, with the Chronos Membership Degree portion for 1-2 nights on the finish of a visit. Should you’re unfamiliar with the idea of a break up keep, see our Do Break up Stays at Walt Disney World Lodges. As you may see there, we’re big advocates of break up stays for a lot of causes.
Break up stays additionally work rather well with Chronos Membership as a result of there’s an excellent likelihood you received’t need to be “caught” out at Coronado Springs during your journey. This has two strikes towards it by way of transportation: it has each an inside bus loop and doesn’t have any novel types of transportation to the parks, that means it’s all buses.
As such, a break up keep between (for instance) Pop Century or Caribbean Seaside (two Skyliner resorts) earlier than shifting to Chronos Membership might be a extremely savvy transfer. You additionally received’t have as pronounced of a distinction in high quality, making the transition a bit much less jarring.
With that stated, there are a ton of various methods to leverage break up stays and Membership Degree. If you need extra thorough steering or help navigating the ‘break up keep’ planning waters, we’d extremely advocate contacting an Licensed Disney Trip Planner. These journey brokers are free-to-use as long as they deal with your reserving, and so they can supply personalised planning that takes into consideration your priorities and preferences. No Disney planning recommendation is one-size-fits-all, and that features our methods for break up stays!
Finally, we view Chronos Membership as among the best Membership Ranges in all of Walt Disney World. Like Gran Destino Tower as an entire, it punches far above its weight, and affords large bang for buck. In truth, if you wish to do Membership Degree and your solely consideration is worth for cash, you may cease proper right here: Chronos Membership is the clear winner, and the competitors isn’t even shut.
The lounge is big and affords loads of seating, together with a near-aerial perspective of Walt Disney World and funky views. The meals is improbable, particularly breakfast, nevertheless it’s additionally very taste-specific. We benefit from the delicacies right here loads, however in the event you’re a household with choosy eaters it is probably not an excellent match for you. That is unquestionably the perfect Membership Degree by way of worth for cash, and although Chronos Membership isn’t as memorable as some others, it’s in the identical league.
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Your Ideas
What do you consider Chronos Membership? Does this lounge or its meals look interesting or unappealing to you? Should you’ve already stayed at Membership Degree at Gran Destino, what do you consider it? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions we will help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even whenever you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
