Final triple stay thoughts - BR RIV and VGF

[nw6675]

Just finishing our triple split between BR, RIV, and VG (2, 3, 4). First time at any of these resorts. It was a good trip, even ending with covid. Forgive me for my discombobulated thoughts:

BR: had the first villa by the 3rd floor elevators. 5314 maybe? We loved the location and it was still quiet. 1 br is small, but a decent choice. Yes, the lodge is beautiful, but is a bit too far off the beaten track for us. Parking a million miles away.

RIV: like others say, the small footprint is a plus. 8330 was perfectly located to the lobby, skyliner, etc. This was deluxe preferred. Nice room, but missed the 1 br laundry. Room ready by 1 pm! Close parking. DD12 loved it here. I would have if it was truly an Epcot resort (you get the joke...). Seriously, I don't love the Skyliner.

VGF: 1 br standard ready at 11 am!! Score! Villa was/is beautiful. Gorgeous view of the monorail, fountain, and pool. Valet parked so parking not an issue. Kitchen has some snags (dishwasher issue, missing items), but otherwise great. Everything is a million miles away.

Random
Best villa: VGF
Best location: none lol
Best CMs: RIV and VGF tie. Just outstanding. Bell services and front desk great.
Best parking: RIV

Final: we've stayed BLT, BCV, BC CL, YC CL, SSR, and Poly in the past. Going forward we would likely choose as our top three choices to stay and/or try: YC CL (reigning top choice), GF main building, and RIV 1 bedroom.

Eta: we rent DVC points from board members

 

[fla4fun]

Just finishing our triple split between BR, RIV, and VG (2, 3, 4). First time at any of these resorts. It was a good trip, even ending with covid. Forgive me for my discombobulated thoughts:

BR: had the first villa by the 3rd floor elevators. 5314 maybe? We loved the location and it was still quiet. 1 br is small, but a decent choice. Yes, the lodge is beautiful, but is a bit too far off the beaten track for us. Parking a million miles away.

RIV: like others say, the small footprint is a plus. 8330 was perfectly located to the lobby, skyliner, etc. This was deluxe preferred. Nice room, but missed the 1 br laundry. Room ready by 1 pm! Close parking. DD12 loved it here. I would have if it was truly an Epcot resort (you get the joke...). Seriously, I don't love the Skyliner.

VGF: 1 br standard ready at 11 am!! Score! Villa was/is beautiful. Gorgeous view of the monorail, fountain, and pool. Valet parked so parking not an issue. Kitchen has some snags (dishwasher issue, missing items), but otherwise great. Everything is a million miles away.

Random
Best villa: VGF
Best location: none lol
Best CMs: RIV and VGF tie. Just outstanding. Bell services and fr9nt desk great.
Best parking: RIV

Final: we've stayed BLT, BCV, BC CL, YC CL, and Poly in the past. Going forward we would likely choose as our top three choices to stay and/or try: YC CL (reigning top choice), GF main building, and RIV 1 bedroom.

Eta: we rent DVC points from board members

I hope you’re starting to feel better, and I am glad you had a good trip in spite of getting sick.

I would agree with your assessments. I like the fact that BR is off the beaten track a bit. I like to stay there when I want my trip to be more about the resort and less about the parks. Even with an AP I sometimes like to stay in a resort for the weekend and just relax without hitting the parks.

We loved Riviera, but we also love the Skyliner. If you don’t like the Skyliner, you lose one of the best benefits of staying there. I know the Skyliner isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. It’s really too bad that there isn’t a dedicated walkway to connect CBR/RIV to the Epcot/Studios area. Did you go out on the rooftop deck outside Topolino’s and take in the view? It’s wonderful!

We haven’t stayed in the Villas at GF yet, but just from staying at the GF itself I would agree that everything is so far away unless you are staying in the lobby building itself. I imagine that is magnified by staying in the villas. Did you sometimes feel like you were closer to Poly than to GF? One of these days we will give it a try, probably not until the construction on the Poly villas is complete.

Have a safe trip home!

 

[nw6675]

I hope you’re starting to feel better, and I am glad you had a good trip in spite of getting sick.

I would agree with your assessments. I like the fact that BR is off the beaten track a bit. I like to stay there when I want my trip to be more about the resort and less about the parks. Even with an AP I sometimes like to stay in a resort for the weekend and just relax without hitting the parks.

We loved Riviera, but we also love the Skyliner. If you don’t like the Skyliner, you lose one of the best benefits of staying there. I know the Skyliner isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. It’s really too bad that there isn’t a dedicated walkway to connect CBR/RIV to the Epcot/Studios area. Did you go out on the rooftop deck outside Topolino’s and take in the view? It’s wonderful!

We haven’t stayed in the Villas at GF yet, but just from staying at the GF itself I would agree that everything is so far away unless you are staying in the lobby building itself. I imagine that is magnified by staying in the villas. Did you sometimes feel like you were closer to Poly than to GF? One of these days we will give it a try, probably not until the construction on the Poly villas is complete.

Have a safe trip home!

EK wants to stay til Mon so I think we will just veg some more instead of going tomorrow. We have the booked villa til Wed, so we will see. I just have to be back for work Tues.

I hope you had a good trip, too. I guess it was good we had to cancel our plans so we didn't get anyone sick.

 

[Micca]

Appreciate the report but really sorry to hear about covid. I have a friend who is a CM who gets sick like once a month, and they're young and (otherwise) healthy.

 

[fla4fun]

EK wants to stay til Mon so I think we will just veg some more instead of going tomorrow. We have the booked villa til Wed, so we will see. I just have to be back for work Tues.

I hope you had a good trip, too. I guess it was good we had to cancel our plans so we didn't get anyone sick.

Our trip was short, but fun. It was short enough that we are playing the Covid waiting game at home now. So far, so good (knocking on wood). We had a couple of hiccups with incorrect billing for meals, to the point where it became a running joke to check the receipts. I am hoping to get back for a few days for the Arts Festival next year.

 

[nw6675]

I tested positive twice. Her rapid tests were negative so waiting on the the PCR covid and flu now. I never had a fever, but she does now.

 

[Mle8308]

I tested positive twice. Her rapid tests were negative so waiting on the the PCR covid and flu now. I never had a fever, but she does now.

Hope you are feeling better! And yeah, not sure why anyone would ever consider RIV an Epcot resort!

 

[CoachBeard]

I'll be doing a split stay between BR 2 nights, SSR 5, and RIV 2 nights. How were the buses at RIV? I'll be there during the skyliner downtime so I know that changes it a little but the bus to say, AK or MK, how was that?


I stayed at WL years ago and enjoyed the boat service. It wasn't quick but I like boat rides. Even last year when I stayed at BWV I always took the boats instead of walking.

 

[fla4fun]

I'll be doing a split stay between BR 2 nights, SSR 5, and RIV 2 nights. How were the buses at RIV? I'll be there during the skyliner downtime so I know that changes it a little but the bus to say, AK or MK, how was that?


I stayed at WL years ago and enjoyed the boat service. It wasn't quick but I like boat rides. Even last year when I stayed at BWV I always took the boats instead of walking.

I stayed at Riviera in late September, and the buses to MK were fine (we did not go to AK). It’s a little bit of a walk to the bus depot, and it’s an uphill walk at the end of a day in the parks, but it’s no worse than the bus service at any deluxe/DVC resort. There appeared to be bus stops that were not actively in use, so I assume they are the back up stops for when the Skyliner is down.

 

[Eastern]

What is BR?

 

[CoachBeard]

What is BR?

Boulder Ridge https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/boulder-ridge-villas-at-wilderness-lodge/

 

[Eastern]

Boulder Ridge https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/boulder-ridge-villas-at-wilderness-lodge/

They should add it to the Disboards abbreviations. I looked there first and couldn't find anything.