We currently own at BLT as it was a perfect fit when our kids were young and were comfortable in a 1BR. We now find ourselves spending more and more time in the Epcot / HS area and wanting a 2BR, and thus more points. We just returned from a trip where we stayed at BWV thinking we would love it there (using our BLT points). We spent some time over at BCV as well to see if we could settle on one of those resorts (buying resale), thinking their walking distance to 2 parks set them aside. In short, we were underwhelmed. To say these resorts are tired is an understatement. The bathrooms need full gutting. The soft goods do their best to cover what is inevitable. I guess you can only paint so many times before you need to redo the trim, walls, etc. I guess this is the life of a timeshare and eventually BLT will end up in the same spot. Perhaps our expectations for timeshares are too high? I can see us selling BLT when the condition deteriorates to this level and will buy into a newer MK DVC when the time comes…
Then we toured Rivera, which for sure I went in thinking I would hate given what I’ve read on this board (my trusted source for all things DVC). Bottom line, this board loves BWV and BCV far more than Riviera, and I made my opinion (and reservations) based on that.
I was wrong.
We took the tour and 2 other visits to the Riviera resort during the week for meals. We were blown away.
Lets start with the lobby, its impressive. For Disney – It’s a high end feel, from the furniture to the flooring and general design/layout. I didn’t like the small staircase from the ground level to the lobby, and the carpet appears worn already. This concerned us as the first thing we saw coming in from the skyliner (which we liked, more on that later). Not a reason to turn around and head back to BWV, but something that we looked at each other and just said “why?”
Restaurants – we ate at the quick service (Primo Piatto) and found it much better than Contempo Cafe at BLT. We wanted to hit Topolino’s but it didn’t fit within our schedule. We liked that you can access everything from within the resort and not needing to go outside to get food, coffee, etc.
Transportation – We rode back to Riviera on the Dedicated bus from MK just to give it a shot (after taking a Minnie van to MK from BWV). Everyone had a seat on the bus (this is the week between Xmas and New years as a reminder). We wondered if it had something to do with the resort size and having a dedicated bus or if the resort was only half filled? Not sure. We loved the skyliner. Rode it 10X or more. While any new transportation system will have its kinks in the early days, we trust that the reliability will go up. This is a gamble, but I believe its going to pay off as they learn how to optimize. Whenever you rent/buy in a new area, you always take a chance that the value will increase over time as things improve around you. This is no different, except the risk is lower at Disney. We trust that Disney will not leave the Skyliner as a mess, and if you wait for it to be running 100%, you will pay a lot more for those points, just like if you wait for an area to improve before buying in. We never waited more than 5 – 10 mins for a gondola, in its current condition which, as per the disboards, is nearly a disaster. Its way more comfortable than the monorail. With a family of 4 we rode by ourselves most of the time. The other times we had a couple join us, and of course, conversation starts which is nice. Its fast, and wind passes through it. Your comfortable. I can see it being comfortable during a hot day as well. The wind passes through similar to what you would feel on a ride/attraction on a hot day. I suppose if you had a fear of heights, its an issue, but for our family, it more than works - it’s a ride.
The villas – This is where the resort absolutely sets itself apart. Spectacular is the word. The pictures and the online tours do not do it justice. We walked through during the tour and were blown away. Our guide gave us more time to spend alone as we walked through each room really imagining how we would utilize the space. It was very well thought out. The only negative we could find was the lack of a 2nd toilet in a 1BR and a 3rd toilet in a 2BR. I guess this is something we grew fond of at BLT. With that said, they do have the 2nd shower in a 1BR and a 3rd shower in a 2BR. The kitchen is perfect and is designed consistent with how we use a kitchen on Disney property (breakfast and snacking). It has the dining room / bench area which we use quite often to just sit and relax at night with a glass of wine and the kids use for breakfast. The Murphy bed is spot on, as the pull-out couch not a good solution for a highly active Disney vacation. The bathrooms are high end for Disney, from the materials to the hardware.
In the end, it came down to villa quality, trading Skyliner for walking to Epcot & HS, and additional years on the contract. BCV and BWC had no chance. If you can afford the price per point, looking for a HS/EP DVC, it’s a slam dunk. Disney finally got it right. We added on 250pts. Just wanted to post something positive about RIV for those lurking and trusting all that you hear on disboards. Everyone is in a different financial position, and that is OK. For me, its difficult to read on here whether someone hates it because it doesn’t fit for them financially or if they are criticizing it for its own stand-alone issues. I get it and again, that’s OK.
Our 2 cents. YMMV.
We’ve never stayed there, so I’m actually looking forward to it. FTR, the tower studio hasn’t shown up as available in the last few weeks that I’ve been watching.
