A long Labor Day weekend at changed my mind about Riviera in a good way.

[DSLRuser]

I was always very skeptical about Riviera, and I didn't think it fit, or was needed. After just spending 4 nights there over Labor Day has changed my mind.

It is a splendid DVC addition, and Disney is correct in the way they are protecting it from resale contract use. We can't wait to go back after the covid erra and experience the resort at 100% .

The sky-liner doesn't make sense right now with only 1 party per cabin. Had to wait way to long to get to EPCOT because cars would arrive already full (of 2-4 people) and we had to wait for an open car every 4-5 cars. Will be awesome when they fill them up with 8-10 people as designed.

Going to the Studios was worse. 1 hour before rope drop the transfer station was a FUBAR mess. crazy long lines, and they even had busses to try and help. It should be much better when working with full cars. But right now, it is unusable.

We really enjoyed the pools, the piato quick service (even with limited menu) and the pool side bar was good.

Topolinos was good, but it in no way compares to California Grill. Food, service and atmosphere is all just a notch below the standard set by CG.

The grounds, the art, the building itself was spectacular and we can't wait to try it again in the future. It is good enough to warrant buying direct.

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

It is a splendid DVC addition, and Disney is correct in the way they are protecting it from resale contract use.

Can you expand on what you mean by this? Do you mean from a sales perspective? Availability? Keeping the "riff raff" away?

 

[DSLRuser]

Can you expand on what you mean by this? Do you mean from a sales perspective? Availability? Keeping the "riff raff" away?

Can't stay at Riviera with resale contracts. Providing incentive to buy direct. I think the place is nice enough of a carrot to make a lot of people buy direct so they can stay there.

 

[bbn1122]

I will be there for 3 nights in November, with a spilt stay at SSR. The resort looks beautiful in all the videos and photos I have seen.

Interesting about the Skyliner. Our visit will be mostly a resort stay, but we are planning to go to Epcot from the Rivera.

Thanks for Sharing your experiences.

 

[Pirate Granny]

Nor sure why they can’t keep every third car empty when it leaves Caribbean beach to allow for Riviera guests.

 

[Shellyred8]

I will be there for 3 nights in November, with a spilt stay at SSR. The resort looks beautiful in all the videos and photos I have seen.

Interesting about the Skyliner. Our visit will be mostly a resort stay, but we are planning to go to Epcot from the Rivera.

Thanks for Sharing your experiences.

I think it's mostly an issue at park open. The rest of the day should be fine. We went to the Riviera for Dinner one evening and we didn't have any issues getting on to go to Epcot.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

I will be in WDW from tomorrow to the 19th. Should I tour it? What makes it stand out from the rest of the DVC properties? (why are the points so high)

 

[The Jackal]

The resale restrictions are going to hurt RIV resale more than the Legacy 14 resale. They have as choice of 14 resorts to visit. RIV resale can go to one. In reality there is only a fraction of the Legacy 14 points restricted from RIV at this time.

 

[cvjw]

When they fill the skyliner up with 8-10 people per car, will it be any better if all the skyliner hotels are also at 100%? Right now, neither the hotels nor the skyliner cars are at capacity and it sounds like getting on at certain times can be problematic.

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

Even pre-Covid, they weren't really filling the cars with 8-10. Or at least from what I saw. Still love the Skyliner and think its probably THE most convenient use of it at a resort since it's easier to get to than any of the others.

I do have to say that the rooms are my absolute favorite that I've stayed in (1-bedroom villa). Love the artwork around the resort. Lobby is meh. Grounds are meh. Public spaces are compact and slightly claustrophobic. Hate to say it again... meh. I thought the resort was a mixed bag as a whole but I still liked it. Just not hurrying to stay there again when there's so many great options.

 

[kboo]

We stayed over New Year's and only shared a skyliner cabin once (we are a family of 4). Admittedly we weren't using it for rope drop but even at park close and on New Year's Eve, they didn't pack the cabins.

 

[mac_tlc]

We toured Riviera in January and liked it a lot. We were thinking of booking a stay, but the point chart keeps scaring us away. I get close and then I say “I can’t justify spending more than double the points of OKW for less space”. Maybe someday.

mac_tlc

 

[Sandisw]

We toured Riviera in January and liked it a lot. We were thinking of booking a stay, but the point chart keeps scaring us away. I get close and then I say “I can’t justify spending more than double the points of OKW for less space”. Maybe someday.

mac_tlc

This made me laugh because I am just the opposite. I can never pull the trigger and book OKW to save points because I just haven’t yet gotten the courage to stay there when I know parks are part of the trip.

Someday since I will be doing more solo trips with much less, if any park time!

 

[skeeter31]

This made me laugh because I am just the opposite. I can never pull the trigger and book OKW to save points because I just haven’t yet gotten the courage to stay there when I know parks are part of the trip.

Someday since I will be doing more solo trips with much less, if any park time!

OKW is just beautiful. Absolute favorite resort hands down. But I’m skewed as I’ve been staying there regularly since ’94 and we go so often we’re not rope drop-close park people. We’re parks for an hour or so in the morning and then after dinner people (with our own car). So OKW is just the best. Will be there in 2 weeks for a few nights of just a resort trip.

Now, Riviera doesn’t interest me at all. Way too many points and not walkable to any park. The only time we splurge with our points and stay away from OKW is when we can walk to a park (either BLT, BWV, or BCV).

 

[SL6827]

8-10 people in a skyliner unit? Really? Maybe they are bigger than they look.

 

[rspencer38]

I'm always surprised when people choose to stay at other resorts due to the size of the units, yet Riviera is often near the very top of every room category size.

Deluxe Studios - 2nd largest behind PVB
1 Bed - 3rd largest behind OKW and VGF
2 Bed - 2nd largest behind OKW
GV - 2nd largest behind VGF

The size of Riviera units rarely gets mentioned.

 

[i<3riviera]

͏

 

[Sandisw]

I'm always surprised when people choose to stay at other resorts due to the size of the units, yet Riviera is often near the very top of every room category size.

Deluxe Studios - 2nd largest behind PVB
1 Bed - 3rd largest behind OKW and VGF
2 Bed - 2nd largest behind OKW
GV - 2nd largest behind VGF

The size of Riviera units rarely gets mentioned.

I think the point charts cause people to not consider it worthy.

However, when you are getting a split bath and larger space it does give you more for costing more.

View aside, a SV studio is not so much more than say BCV so if walking to Epcot isn’t a big deal it does make it somewhat comparable.

 

[kboo]

I'm always surprised when people choose to stay at other resorts due to the size of the units, yet Riviera is often near the very top of every room category size.

Deluxe Studios - 2nd largest behind PVB
1 Bed - 3rd largest behind OKW and VGF
2 Bed - 2nd largest behind OKW
GV - 2nd largest behind VGF

The size of Riviera units rarely gets mentioned.

Our last trip in the Before Times was VGF - RIV in a 1br - the RIV 1br felt larger in the living room because it was more open. Both are home resorts for us, so I'm not knocking VGF - it's a slightly different feel in the kitchen, especially.

View aside, a SV studio is not so much more than say BCV so if walking to Epcot isn’t a big deal it does make it somewhat comparable.

I still think the RIV standard view (high floor) is a great view.

 

[RoseGold]

and Disney is correct in the way they are protecting it from resale contract use.

LOL, "protect" from what? Us dirty resale humans putting our dirty paws and our churro crumbs on your pristine 95% capacity booked Murphy bed?

Make no mistake, Disney is protecting shareholders and selling a product that will sting many.

Can't stay at Riviera with resale contracts.

But see, you can stay at RIV with 35 years worth of resale. But they got that last one year in there!