Future of Riveria

[Sunnyore]

Yeah, I don't get the appeal either. People claim it's directly connected to two theme parks, uhhh, no. You could say all the resorts are "directly connected" because you still have to take some transportation. To me, it's directly connected if you can walk there and not have to rely on Disney transportation that at times is unreliable. The long lines for the skyliner are horrendous at times. I've been on the receiving end of waiting to take busses because the thing went down for some reason.

Also, it's modeled after Walt's European travels. Been to Europe many times, lived there even, and the Riviera is a bit of a cheaper knockoff of the European vibe. For the casual American, that doesn't matter, but to me it does. The lobby is extremely underwhelming. When compared to the grand lobbies of Wilderness Lodge, AKL, it just doesn't compare. Even the OG VGF is better.

And ultimately, the resale restrictions dissuaded me from buying here.

I guess I'm a Riviera hater, but that's ok.

I 100% agree about the location. Every time I get stranded I look at how close I am yet sooo far to get back to the resort. The IG entrance Epcot entrance isn’t close at all and having to trek back and forth (skyliner was down on a sunny morning one day, and then was told no more buses cuz it was up running a bit later) was enough to make me buy in at BWV and BCV because those were true Epcot resorts. Every time I walk past that insane Skyliner line at closing or when I see that ferry/monorail crowd on my walk back to BLT it makes me happy I bought where I want to stay. I also get the same feeling when I see the long line of cars trying to get to DS on my walk over from SSR. I quickly learn location and convenience is super important to me. Riviera gives me anxiety. I can drive to the park but then it’s no better thank SSR and OKW in terms of location for me then.

 

[Bearval]

Do you think with the restrictions of Riveria resales, they may open resale Riveria to be able to stay at future DVC resorts like the new poly tower and future DVC resorts just not the originals?

The restrictions will never go away. DVD wanted to differentiate direct purchases from resale and the restrictions do that otherwise there would be no reason to buy direct and pay a premium of 50% just to get membership extras.

 

[Nabas]

I did the RIV tour twice as the first time I was distracted because it was our departure day so I decided to go again to see what I was missing. The CM did a wonderful job but I just couldn’t for the life of me grasp the value proposition of RIV. The location stinks, the rooms are just ok, the property reminds me of a souped up Moderate, and the price per point made me laugh out loud. Add in the resale restrictions and I didn’t even bother to follow up for my information.

I totally understand those that wonder about the future of RIV. It seems to have a cult following but otherwise most are underwhelmed.

RIV has the best Grand Villas but they are pricey!

 

[Sandisw]

RIV has the best Grand Villas but they are pricey!

You are not kidding, I stayed in one last week and have to say, it was sooooo worth the 108 points!! I wasn't going to book them for our trip next January, but after doing the one night, I had no choice!

Instead of a 2 bedroom and a studio with a split stay with RIV/ VGF, we are now doing 2 nights RIV GV and 2 night GV at SSR!!

 

[dvc lover 1970]

We toured the GV at RIV and VGF both grand villas are beautiful.

 

[EYL]

I 100% agree about the location. Every time I get stranded I look at how close I am yet sooo far to get back to the resort. The IG entrance Epcot entrance isn’t close at all and having to trek back and forth (skyliner was down on a sunny morning one day, and then was told no more buses cuz it was up running a bit later) was enough to make me buy in at BWV and BCV because those were true Epcot resorts. Every time I walk past that insane Skyliner line at closing or when I see that ferry/monorail crowd on my walk back to BLT it makes me happy I bought where I want to stay. I also get the same feeling when I see the long line of cars trying to get to DS on my walk over from SSR. I quickly learn location and convenience is super important to me. Riviera gives me anxiety. I can drive to the park but then it’s no better thank SSR and OKW in terms of location for me then.

All Riviera needs is a walking path with an overpass to go to Epcot with a new entrance between Germany and China. Caribbean Beach prices would soar as well. One can dream...

 

[Nabas]

All Riviera needs is a walking path with an overpass to go to Epcot with a new entrance between Germany and China. Caribbean Beach prices would soar as well. One can dream...

It’s a long walk, perhaps about 2 miles.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

All Riviera needs is a walking path with an overpass to go to Epcot with a new entrance between Germany and China. Caribbean Beach prices would soar as well. One can dream...

What if they built another park over that way? They need another one.

 

[Nursemanit]

All Riviera needs is a walking path with an overpass to go to Epcot with a new entrance between Germany and China. Caribbean Beach prices would soar as well. One can dream...

Or better yet cut a canal - and have a boat + walking path .

It’s a long walk, perhaps about 2 miles.

it is 1,900 feet from Epcot Germany to Riveria - way less than 1/2 mile and it's about 2,200 feet from IG to Swan something I walk frequently. It is 3,300 from VGF to WDW - and many people walk from Poly (1.3 miles) . The walk from Contemporary to MK would only be slightly shorter than the walk from Germany to RR.

 

[Nabas]

Or better yet cut a canal - and have a boat + walking path .


it is 1,900 feet from Epcot Germany to Riveria - way less than 1/2 mile and it's about 2,200 feet from IG to Swan something I walk frequently. It is 3,300 from VGF to WDW - and many people walk from Poly (1.3 miles) . The walk from Contemporary to MK would only be slightly shorter than the walk from Germany to RR.

I measured from the existing International Gateway, along existing paths through the Boardwalk, and along Buena Vista Blvd.

You seem to be suggesting creating an entirely new third entrance into Epcot, an entrance that has to be staffed 14 hours a day for a resort(s) that already is serviced by the Skyliner. The Skyliner is supposed to be the selling point for RIV and also is funded by much higher prices at CBR, POP, and AOA.

CBR went from the least expensive to most expensive Moderate Resort in one year, justified by the Skyliner. Pop and AOA saw their rates increase by about 20% in 2 years because of the Skyliner. Plus the Skyliner reduced the number of buses (and their costs) at 4 resorts.

What is Disney’s financial incentive for creating a new entrance and all the costs associated with it?

 

[dvc lover 1970]

All Riviera needs is a walking path with an overpass to go to Epcot with a new entrance between Germany and China. Caribbean Beach prices would soar as well. One can dream...

Completely agree. If they started a new entrance between Germany and China, with a walking path to RIV, it would have been a home run. I wonder if they ever will do that.

 

[dvc lover 1970]

What is Disney’s financial incentive for creating a new entrance and all the costs associated with it?

True zero financial incentive - but it makes it more enjoyable for guests. The financial incentive would be charging top dollar for CBR - and there are a lot of rooms there. A walking path in conjunction with the skyliner, makes it a true deluxe. Part of the reason, WL was traditionally the lower price of the MK resorts was because it only had the boat launch to and from MK, whereas CR had boat, monorail, and walkpath, while GF and Poly had monorail, and boat, and most recently the walking path. And all had backup of buses. RIV only has the skyline and bus - so really one deluxe form of transportation. (I didn't include AKV because that is a separate entity all together)

 

[Nursemanit]

Completely agree. If they started a new entrance between Germany and China, with a walking path to RIV, it would have been a home run. I wonder if they ever will do that.

It took them like 25 years to do the VGF one - so we may have to wait

 

[Nursemanit]

I measured from the existing International Gateway, along existing paths through the Boardwalk, and along Buena Vista Blvd.

You seem to be suggesting creating an entirely new third entrance into Epcot, an entrance that has to be staffed 14 hours a day for a resort(s) that already is serviced by the Monorail. The Monorail is supposed to be the selling point for RIV and also is funded by much higher prices at CBR, POP, and AOA.

CBR went from the least expensive to most expensive Moderate Resort in one year, justified by the Skyliner. Pop and AOA saw their rates increase by about 20% in 2 years because of the Skyliner. Plus the Skyliner reduced the number of buses (and their costs) at 4 resorts.

What is Disney’s financial incentive for creating a new entrance and all the costs associated with it?

True - for a walking path - but a boat could connect by the maintenance inlet and then drop you at IG - they could make them Italian gondolas and keep the Riveria theme.

 

[Cfabar1]

I don’t see the walking path happen….

 

[mz-s]

I don't see Epcot having three entrances under any circumstances. The advantage of the IG and the Skyliner coming in where it does is it also links Boardwalk to Riviera and beyond.

 

[Einstein509]

I 100% agree about the location. Every time I get stranded I look at how close I am yet sooo far to get back to the resort. The IG entrance Epcot entrance isn’t close at all and having to trek back and forth (skyliner was down on a sunny morning one day, and then was told no more buses cuz it was up running a bit later) was enough to make me buy in at BWV and BCV because those were true Epcot resorts. Every time I walk past that insane Skyliner line at closing or when I see that ferry/monorail crowd on my walk back to BLT it makes me happy I bought where I want to stay. I also get the same feeling when I see the long line of cars trying to get to DS on my walk over from SSR. I quickly learn location and convenience is super important to me. Riviera gives me anxiety. I can drive to the park but then it’s no better thank SSR and OKW in terms of location for me then.

Yup! Exactly why we own at BLT, BCV, and VGF. Location and easy way to get to 3 out of 4 parks.

I don't see Epcot having three entrances under any circumstances. The advantage of the IG and the Skyliner coming in where it does is it also links Boardwalk to Riviera and beyond.

Agree, no way a 3rd entrance to Epcot is happening any time soon.

However, what they really need to do is build Skyliner between AKL and AK or at least a boat option. Why they only have busses to that resort boggles my mind.

 

[RoseGold]

However, what they really need to do is build Skyliner between AKL and AK or at least a boat option. Why they only have busses to that resort boggles my mind.

IMO, the next Skyliner is HS to Coronado to TTC. There's empty spot between Coronado and TTC for building.

This would eliminate buses at a massive cash resort (Coronado) and connect MK to Epcot and HS.

This would make Poly the best location in DVC and maybe Disney.

 

[Anthony Vito]

There’s more going on than a hedge against reallocation. My advice is a hedge on resale value anyway.

A fixed week is supposed to cost 10% more to use so that, among other things, DVC could re-allocate their charts and not have to cough up points (like they would now for me with my Poly fixed week), but also, so using the fixed week would be a premium.

But.

IF the week is cheaper - and available - at the 11 month window, you can always cancel and rebook at the cheaper cost.

In that case, you’d only need the premium if the room wasn’t available at 11 months.

I believe that one of the drawbacks of Riviera-only owners is they will NEED to book at 11 months to get what they want, and so, somewhere down the line after sellout, getting a standard studio at 11 months is always going to be a competition, every booking day. This is what I’ve always believed the real drawback of the resale restrictions will be, and it won’t become apparent until sometime after sellout, when resale owners reach a critical mass. This will hamper all owners at the 11 month window, because direct owners will also have to compete with the 11-month booking behaviors of resale owners.

In that case, having a fixed week will be a bargain, because that 10% will also cover the savings of not having to book a premium room to get anything,

Also. If you don’t ever use the fixed week, you get the points, so it costs you nothing to buy one if you’re buying 150 pts anyway - which most new Riviera owners are.

There is no downside. If the room is avail at 11 months, cancel and rebook. If you want something else, cancel and use the points elsewhere. The guarantee only has value if it’s needed to secure the room, and IN that case, it will be an immense value. I believe that as there are more resale Riviera-only users booking at 11 months to ensure they get what they want, this will almost certainly be the case for standard studios at 11 months once resale owners hit a critical mass, and that’s why it’s a great hedge for Riviera.

We thought similarly and bought a Standard Studio Week 43 at 130 points before they revised the Guaranteed Week point charts. While we have no plans to use the Guaranteed Week just yet, we figured that week of/before Halloween would be a week that we would like to go for the Halloween parties and for Food & Wine. We have no plans to sell, but we hope that it would be a good exit strategy in the event that we have to. The week itself is worth 139 points now, and if it stays that way, it would be a savings for anyone okay with it.

We used very similar thinking (at least for Riviera). Our first purchase was a GW at CCV, Week 48, because we knew that's difficult to get and actually do want to travel that week (usually the week after Thanksgiving). We actually have yet to use it because when we finally did get to stay that week, we had the points to get a 2-BR and my brother joined us.

When we added on at Riviera, we did the same thing as Ziravan - we bought 200 points but split it into a GW contract for 130 points (Week 40 - first week of October) and a 70-point contract. We're not sure if we'll ever use the GW either, although we'd likely consider it when the kids are older and out of school - taking a week off 4 weeks into the school year is not practical. Although, once we can travel then, I think we might look more at September. Of course, this was all thinking before my wife's work schedule/role changed a bit, and late September through October is now her busiest time of the year, by far.

We got the Riviera points in August 2020, so we were able to get the old point chart and also have the advantage that it's now cheaper for our GW than it is to book it normally. (We also got it with incentives for only $160/pt). We had the conversation though that, with the restrictions hurting resale value, if we ever did have to sell - which we also don't intend to do - hopefully having the GW would put a bit of a premium on it.

I have been in those long Skyliner lines but they move pretty fast. I have waited longer at close for buses back to resorts Last time we did it we were near the bridge and was on the Skyliner back to RIV in less than 15 minutes.

We have been fortunate because in all our times ar RIV Skyliner was down only once mid afternoon….but they had buses coming every 10 minutes so it wasn’t too bad at all.

We love the Skyliner, but this is my big fear - getting back to IG only to find it's closed and have to walk all the way to the front for a bus - that's a haul. I just imagine doing that only to find out it started back up just as we're getting to the front of the park. I also think Disney really needs to have the Skyliner status in MDE app so at least people can check before heading towards the exit and can plan the walk accordingly. Ideally, it would give notifications for those in the Skyliner parks too (DHS and Epcot), but I'd at least take the ability to open the app and check.

 

[Robbie Cottam]

Do you think with the restrictions of Riveria resales, they may open resale Riveria to be able to stay at future DVC resorts like the new poly tower and future DVC resorts just not the originals?

Nope,
Disney wants to control the sand box moving forward.
i would be almost willing to bet poly 2 is a new association just they they can apply the new restriction…