Disney Riviera Never Available?

[Saad]

Is the Disney Riviera accepting reservations? We’ve tried every month from Jan to October. Nothing comes. Is there a trick?

 

[JodyK]

Your dates / room type may just not be available. I just did a quick search for some September dates and was able to find rooms.

 

[Saad]

Your dates / room type may just not be available. I just did a quick search for some September dates and was able to find rooms.

No way! We’ve tried every which way on multiple browsers too.
Let me try again

 

[Marionnette]

Is the Disney Riviera accepting reservations? We’ve tried every month from Jan to October. Nothing comes. Is there a trick?

Yes. Almost half of the rooms belong to DVC owners. The remainder still belong to the developer who sells them to Disney to use for cash reservations.

 

[Saad]

No way! We’ve tried every which way on multiple browsers too.
Let me try again

Yes. Almost half of the rooms belong to DVC owners. The remainder still belong to the developer who sells them to Disney to use for cash reservations.

So there’s little inventory to begin with Vs other hotels? Hence why we’ve had issues with our dates. We’re looking at 5-7 day stay

 

[JodyK]

I was able to find studio and 1BR availability from 9/12 - 9/18 not sure if that is doable for you?

 

[Jrapp12]

Very Nice resort...smaller and doesn't seem Disney. There are better places fore the money.

 

[Marionnette]

So there’s little inventory to begin with Vs other hotels? Hence why we’ve had issues with our dates. We’re looking at 5-7 day stay

There are 341 rooms at Riviera. That's about the size of Boardwalk Inn (not including Boardwalk Villas). 168 of Riviera's rooms have "declared" into DVC inventory and 173 belong to the developer.

When the developer sells close to all 168 units, they will declare more rooms into DVC inventory and the developer's share will decrease accordingly. The last declaration was September of last year. More rooms may be declared soon, meaning that even fewer rooms will be available to book with cash.

 

[Best Aunt]

OP, make sure you are not in a tab for some type of discount.

 

[Marthasor]

Just keep checking. I am going in early April and still check daily to, possibly, make adjustments to my resort reservation - I see RIV available for my week, so there is still a chance you will find something for your timeframe.

 

[RNRMOM]

Is the Disney Riviera accepting reservations? We’ve tried every month from Jan to October. Nothing comes. Is there a trick?

I see rooms in September and December for at least five nights. Riviera is one of the DVC resorts I usually see with availability (probably because of the price and maybe the theme). I rarely see DVC availability for Poly, Grand and Bay Lake.

 

[nw6675]

OP, make sure you are not in a tab for some type of discount.

This.

 

[Marionnette]

I see rooms in September and December for at least five nights. Riviera is one of the DVC resorts I usually see with availability (probably because of the price and maybe the theme). I rarely see DVC availability for Poly, Grand and Bay Lake.

RIV is available for cash reservations a lot because it is only about 50% owned by DVC members at this point. The rest is owned by the developer -Disney Vacation Development. DVD makes those rooms available to the Walt Disney Travel Company to sell for cash. The other resorts that you mentioned are owned by DVC members with only a small percentage made available for cash bookings via breakage and trades into other Disney-owned companies.

 

[RNRMOM]

RIV is available for cash reservations a lot because it is only about 50% owned by DVC members at this point. The rest is owned by the developer -Disney Vacation Development. DVD makes those rooms available to the Walt Disney Travel Company to sell for cash. The other resorts that you mentioned are owned by DVC members with only a small percentage made available for cash bookings via breakage and trades into other Disney-owned companies.

Thank you, that makes sense.

 

[Mynamewastaken]

I just booked it two days ago for 5 nights in June- studio. I had to do a room only because when I tried the discounts they were offering it showed not available. When I took that option off and did room only it popped up as available and I snagged it.

 

[k5xs]

RIV is available for cash reservations a lot because it is only about 50% owned by DVC members at this point. The rest is owned by the developer -Disney Vacation Development. DVD makes those rooms available to the Walt Disney Travel Company to sell for cash. The other resorts that you mentioned are owned by DVC members with only a small percentage made available for cash bookings via breakage and trades into other Disney-owned companies.

What is "breakage and trades"?

 

[kanerf]

You can also see if you can rent Riviera points from someone. They are often posted in the forums here.

 

[Marionnette]

What is "breakage and trades"?

Breakage is when owners do not use all of their allotted points. This leaves rooms unreserved and allows DVC to sell them to TWDTC for cash reservations. This typically occurs no sooner than 7 months out but more likely to be closer to 60 days out.

There is also "anticipated breakage" whereby DVC uses a formula to determine which rooms typically go unreserved and then takes them ahead of 7 months. Those rooms are mostly 1BR villas at SSR, OKW and occasionally AKV.

Money from breakage helps to offset DVC dues for owners, up to a set amount. Anything over that threshold is profit for DVC.

Trades occur when a DVC member decides to use their points at another Disney-owned facility. For instance ABD, DCL or a Disney resort hotel room. When that happens, DVC takes the points used, converts them to the equivalent of a DVC villa and then offers the villa to TWDTC to sell for cash. DVC then uses the cash to pay for the cruise, hotel room or tour package.

 

[k5xs]

Breakage is when owners do not use all of their allotted points. This leaves rooms unreserved and allows DVC to sell them to TWDTC for cash reservations. This typically occurs no sooner than 7 months out but more likely to be closer to 60 days out.

There is also "anticipated breakage" whereby DVC uses a formula to determine which rooms typically go unreserved and then takes them ahead of 7 months. Those rooms are mostly 1BR villas at SSR, OKW and occasionally AKV.

Money from breakage helps to offset DVC dues for owners, up to a set amount. Anything over that threshold is profit for DVC.

Trades occur when a DVC member decides to use their points at another Disney-owned facility. For instance ABD, DCL or a Disney resort hotel room. When that happens, DVC takes the points used, converts them to the equivalent of a DVC villa and then offers the villa to TWDTC to sell for cash. DVC then uses the cash to pay for the cruise, hotel room or tour package.

Thanks.