GF direct over Riviera direct is a no brainer

[Nursemanit]

Are there any deluxe resorts that share buses with a moderate or value? I don't think so.

I suppose they could always start that, but AFAIK, they haven't so far.

Wilderness lodge has shared with the campground in the past.

 

[havoc315]

In a way they already do. I belong to a CBR Facebook group and many people post that they request Aruba and use the Riviera busses. CBR busses are a nightmare.

And if you exit the front of the park at Epcot, you will be directed to a bus that will add a stop for Riviera.
But requested added stops isn't really the same thing as dedicated service.

 

[Yankee626]

My goodness! You really don't like Riviera lol!

My wife and I were trying to decide on GF or the Riv and Riviera won for us. #1 - GF is too fancy for us. #2 tower studio points are more economical for us (it's just us two). #3 it's quieter than the GF. #4 it's on the skyliner lmao I don't care I love it!

I am not sure why resale restrictions are a factor when you love the resort you bought in at. I don't look at the resale value. I look at it based on where I wanna stay for the next 50 years. And it's the Riv. I don't like the GF.

Basically it's to each their own. Glad you didn't buy there because you don't want to. It won't stop others from doing what is best for them!

Thats not true. I do like the Riviera but I feel The GFV are much better without the resale restrictions. Hey Im staying at the Riviera in May in a Tower room with my GFV points. I probably wouldn't buy GFV resale points if they had the same restrictions that Riviera has either.

 

[crazycatlady]

This thread is selling me on Riviera direct. LOL

I'm with you. Yesterday we were 99% sure we were going to buy 150 direct GF points in the next week, but I started reading this thread this morning and now we are going to wait until May when we can go and tour both. We always walk over to RR when we stay at CBR (usually for food) so I am familiar with the resort itself, but now I want to see the rooms and the resort through possible "owner's eyes".

 

[NVDISFamily]

I'm with you. Yesterday we were 99% sure we were going to buy 150 direct GF points in the next week, but I started reading this thread this morning and now we are going to wait until May when we can go and tour both. We always walk over to RR when we stay at CBR (usually for food) so I am familiar with the resort itself, but now I want to see the rooms and the resort through possible "owner's eyes".

If you don't want to buy RVA make sure YOU DO NOT take the Skyliner to RVA at night and walk up to see those beautiful mosaics all light up. For some silly reason our guide didn't show us the mosaics at all during our tour (likely because it was already going to be a 8 hour day for him) and we still bought RVA over GFV. Your story sounds similar to us. We were going to buy GFV but our family fell in love with RVA during our visit. So glad we made the trip to tour it in person.

 

[crazycatlady]

Did you have to call ahead to request a guide to take you to different resorts? There are a few resorts where I would like to take a look at the rooms; do the guides do this? I have wandered around all of the deluxes numerous times and watched countless youtubes vids on the rooms I am interested in, but I would like to see the rooms in person because I am having a hard time choosing.

 

[DVCjj]

I'm with you. Yesterday we were 99% sure we were going to buy 150 direct GF points in the next week, but I started reading this thread this morning and now we are going to wait until May when we can go and tour both. We always walk over to RR when we stay at CBR (usually for food) so I am familiar with the resort itself, but now I want to see the rooms and the resort through possible "owner's eyes".

Just a suggestion. It would be extra prudent to literally spend a night at a resort you are thinking about buying. I made a mistake by buying my 2 resorts (one direct, one resale) before I had ever stayed at any DVC resort. I knew nothing other than some friends owned OKW and loved DVC.

I bought BCV (had stayed at the Swan & Dolphin couple times with American Express points) and thought BCV looked 'cool'l. I also bought Poly for nostalgia because we stayed there the year WDW opened. Thankfully we do love both resorts but had I bought OKW, I would not have been happy. Stayed one night in a studio and didn't like it for several reasons. I'm just saying "Do what I didn't Do" and research exactly where you think you'd be happy. It's a lot of money to spend and have regrets.
GOOD LUCK. Wish I had bought DVC far earlier than 2014. Big regret.

 

[NVDISFamily]

Did you have to call ahead to request a guide to take you to different resorts? There are a few resorts where I would like to take a look at the rooms; do the guides do this? I have wandered around all of the deluxes numerous times and watched countless youtubes vids on the rooms I am interested in, but I would like to see the rooms in person because I am having a hard time choosing.

I had been working with a guide that I had happened to come in contact with when I called. He was great and our kids loved the tour more than their time in the parks. They pick you up at your resort and take you around. We also visited a few resorts on our own that our guide setup for us to have the people at those resorts show us around.

 

[sethschroeder]

Wilderness lodge has shared with the campground in the past.

We had to take a bus one night stop at the campground then go over to MK because the boats were closed. No different than RIV where they only share with the moderates when the skyliner is down.

 

[🍀TwinsMom]

So just as an addendum to this long debate -- and just our opinion -- but we did a split stay GF/RR 12/10-12/17, and while GF is gorgeous, we definitely prefer RR. We'd like to do GF another time of year as a resort-only stay and rent a boat and loaf poolside more, but Christmas season is one and done.

The GF DVC villas are a little out of the way -- not terrible, but we're spoiled having so many dining options right in the building at RR.

The GF kitchen is superior to RR and very cozy, but the Murphy/living room storage is lacking. The GF main bedroom closet was massive, but it seemed to be a bit of wasted space given the lack of storage for the living room folks.

The GF laundry/foyer hallway is much narrower than RR. We had to navigate around my husband's ECV and shoes to use the bathroom or laundry in the room and it was a PITB.
I'd say the bathrooms are more detailed at GF than RR, but I certainly still like the RR bathrooms.

The GF lobby is gorgeous, but OMG, it's packed 20 hours a day with holiday looky-loos and people in line for pics and to buy gingerbread shingles. Hard to maneuver to get into the restaurants and lounges and shops.

There's weddings there every few hours, so they were in the vestibules waiting to go to the wedding pavilion, which is lovely to see, but it adds to the crowds in the lobby and stairs.

Going outside to inside to go up the stairs or trying to catch the birdcage elevator to reach the monorail is a bit of a hassle working through yet more crowds.

The monorail is cool for MK and Poly, but it broke down and stranded one half of our party at Contemporary. I hear so much *****ing and moaning about the Skyliner from monorail devotees, but the convenience of the monorail is greatly overrated, IMO. It's smelly, and my husband uses and ECV. It's a major PITA to try to find a spot on the monorail since they always seemed full with other ECVs and strollers.

The buses at GF were AWFUL. We waited forever for an AK bus. There were a zillion Disney Springs and Hollywood Studios buses, but bupkiss for AK. They ended up calling one over special for us after seeing us waiting so long.

Riviera's footprint for amenities we prefer for the room itself and the dining/pools/bus stop/Skyliner. The rooms are more user friendly, to us, and especially with the ECV.

I did miss the decorative flourish details of GF after being there, but I found RR to be soothing and restful after the crowds and madness of GF. I wish RR would bump up their holiday decor a bit more on the grounds and the covered hallway by the mosaics leading to the Skyliner.

For us, we moved to RR after four days at GFV and all let out an audible sigh that we were home. We hopped on the Skyliner every day, mulitiple times a day to explore BC/BW, shop, walk Epcot, and let the kids go back to RR to relax when they were burnt out.

We bought DVC/RR to pass it down to the kids and enjoy our favorite parks. MK is too crazy for us to spend tons of time at during the daytime. I know HS can get nutty, too, but maybe it's the lack of strollers ramming into our ankles, LOL, but we only want to do MK during the DVC extended hours on Wednesdays or else off season in September to deal with the crowds.

Riviera has our hearts, and we love it more and more each trip. It's just so freaking easy to do everything; eat, drink, shop, park hop, relax, whatever. We bought to stay where we want to be, not to sell our points, so resale restrictions or not, we prefer it to GFV.

In no way are we knocking GFV and folks who love it. We totally get the bonuses of the resort and why it's worth a premium, but this original post knocked RR as you must be insane to buy there . . . so call me crazy.

 

[RoseGold]

If you don't want to buy RVA make sure YOU DO NOT take the Skyliner to RVA at night and walk up to see those beautiful mosaics all light up.

Or do take it in your wheelchair, struggle to find the lobby, then discover there's a giant staircase and wander the hallways until you find an elevator. Then when you get to the lobby it's way undersized and looks like any airport Hyatt, and you have to pull your wheelchair over for a double stroller in the narrow hallway.

The mosaics are nice, but you need to make this decision based on what works for you.

 

[J-Dog]

Or do take it in your wheelchair, struggle to find the lobby, then discover there's a giant staircase and wander the hallways until you find an elevator. Then when you get to the lobby it's way undersized and looks like any airport Hyatt, and you have to pull your wheelchair over for a double stroller in the narrow hallway.

The mosaics are nice, but you need to make this decision based on what works for you.

So, I don't use a wheelchair, and I don't travel with anyone who does, so I have not taken you comments into account - but since RIV is the newest DVC building, it would make sense that it is the most compliant with the newest ADA requirements.

So, is the wheelchair thing you mentioned really an issue at RIV, and not an issue at other resorts? Are RIV's elvators harder to find? And are RIV's hallways really narrower than other resorts' hallways? Or is this just you making up more fake reasons because you hate RIV?

 

[buzzrelly]

So, I don't use a wheelchair, and I don't travel with anyone who does, so I have not taken you comments into account - but since RIV is the newest DVC building, it would make sense that it is the most compliant with the newest ADA requirements.

So, is the wheelchair thing you mentioned really an issue at RIV, and not an issue at other resorts? Are RIV's elvators harder to find? And are RIV's hallways really narrower than other resorts' hallways? Or is this just you making up more fake reasons because you hate RIV?

We went to Topolino's this past December with my mom who was in an ECV. We took the skyliner from DHS and had no trouble finding the lobby and/or elevators.

 

[Sandisw]

We went to Topolino's this past December with my mom who was in an ECV. We took the skyliner from DHS and had no trouble finding the lobby and/or elevators.

I travel with a few different people who are in an ECV and we have not experienced any situations at RIV that we have not experienced at any of the other resorts we have stayed.

 

[RoseGold]

So, I don't use a wheelchair, and I don't travel with anyone who does, so I have not taken you comments into account - but since RIV is the newest DVC building, it would make sense that it is the most compliant with the newest ADA requirements.

So, is the wheelchair thing you mentioned really an issue at RIV, and not an issue at other resorts? Are RIV's elvators harder to find? And are RIV's hallways really narrower than other resorts' hallways? Or is this just you making up more fake reasons because you hate RIV?

Yes, you would think that, especially given RIV's age and the scooters everywhere. I have a permanently disabled relative with a zero turn radius Whill. It's not a big chair. And we backed up to pull over twice, once for someone with a bunch of luggage, once for a double stroller. Compare to, say Kidani, where you could fit a scooter, a housekeeping cart and a double stroller side by side.

IMO, the elevator situation was worse than, say Kidani, where the elevators are also kind of far from the lobby. But you can't really come from the back side from Kidani, and there's no stairs to stare at, so it never really comes into play. And there was no accessible signage, so we just wandered until we found an elevator down the hall. The entrance to Topolino's, to compare to the lobby, is clearly marked and opens straight to an elevator.

I think WDW in general is one of the most accessible places in the world, way WAY above the ADA stuff you are throwing around. That's why RIV was surprising to me. If you got dropped off in a car, the correct entrance I guess, maybe the big staircase would feel different.

But if you don't use a wheelchair (or double stroller), maybe this doesn't matter to you.

 

[Sandisw]

Yes, you would think that, especially given RIV's age and the scooters everywhere. I have a permanently disabled relative with a zero turn radius Whill. It's not a big chair. And we backed up to pull over twice, once for someone with a bunch of luggage, once for a double stroller.

IMO, the elevator situation was worse than, say Kidani, where the elevators are also kind of far from the lobby. But you can't really come from the back side from Kidani, and there's no stairs to stare at, so it never really comes into play. And there was no accessible signage, so we just wandered until we found an elevator down the hall. The entrance to Topolino's, to compare to the lobby, is clearly marked and opens straight to an elevator.

I think WDW in general is one of the most accessible places in the world, way WAY above the ADA stuff you are throwing around. That's why RIV was surprising to me. If you got dropped off in a car, the correct entrance I guess, maybe the big staircase would feel different.

But if you don't use a wheelchair (or double stroller), maybe this doesn't matter to you.

For my own reference, where have you stayed that the hallways are wide enough to allow for a double stroller and wheelchair or ECV to pass without issue?

We have never encountered a double stroller anywhere so I can’t comment on that but we have been able to pass people with luggage with an ECV at RIV and other resorts without issue.

In terms of the elevator? When you enter from the Skyliner and get to the little entrance at the back of the stairs, it’s not too far..a few minutes to find them..but I do agree that maybe it would help if there was a sign saying which way they are, assuming it’s not there.. I’ll have to look next week because if it’s not, it’d a great suggestion for them.

 

[RoseGold]

For my own reference, where have you stayed that the hallways are wide enough to allow for a double stroller and wheelchair or ECV to pass without issue?

We have never encountered a double stroller anywhere so I can’t comment on that but we have been able to pass people with luggage with an ECV at RIV and other resorts without issue.

In terms of the elevator? When you enter from the Skyliner and get to the little entrance at the back of the stairs, it’s not too far..a few minutes to find them..but I do agree that maybe it would help if there was a sign saying which way they are, assuming it’s not there.. I’ll have to look next week because if it’s not, it’d a great suggestion for them.

Most of the DVC hallways are plenty wide. Even old ones, like Poly. Jambo, VGF1. Maybe BW is narrow, especially around corners. BR also seemed a little narrow, but didn't have a chair that trip. Kidani could fit a housekeeping cart, a rental scooter, and a double stroller. VGF2 is right in the middle for me. Just wide enough to probably not cause issues, but that's a flipped building, not one built from ground up.

A modern, built from scratch hotel, especially in Orlando, where everyone is on a rental scooter, should have more clearance than RIV, IMO. It's a design choice that makes zero sense to me, and it was my first impression of RIV. To be fair, I notice this kind of thing more than most people.

Edit to add: here a pic of the RIV hallway: https://www.wdwforgrownups.com/sites/default/files/images/riviera-1bd-hall-carpet.png

 

[pianomanzano]

Most of the DVC hallways are plenty wide. Even old ones, like Poly. Jambo, VGF1. Maybe BW is narrow, especially around corners. BR also seemed a little narrow, but didn't have a chair that trip. Kidani could fit a housekeeping cart, a rental scooter, and a double stroller. VGF2 is right in the middle for me. Just wide enough to probably not cause issues, but that's a flipped building, not one built from ground up.

A modern, built from scratch hotel, especially in Orlando, where everyone is on a rental scooter, should have more clearance than RIV, IMO. It's a design choice that makes zero sense to me, and it was my first impression of RIV. To be fair, I notice this kind of thing more than most people.

Copper Creek's were very narrow (at least on the first floor where we were staying). It was hard navigating a single stroller around the housekeeping cart. We ended just exiting out the back and walking outside on the path between CCV and the pool by boulder ridge to get to the lobby, luckily it never rained during our stay.

 

[Sandisw]

Most of the DVC hallways are plenty wide. Even old ones, like Poly. Jambo, VGF1. Maybe BW is narrow, especially around corners. BR also seemed a little narrow, but didn't have a chair that trip. Kidani could fit a housekeeping cart, a rental scooter, and a double stroller. VGF2 is right in the middle for me. Just wide enough to probably not cause issues, but that's a flipped building, not one built from ground up.

A modern, built from scratch hotel, especially in Orlando, where everyone is on a rental scooter, should have more clearance than RIV, IMO. It's a design choice that makes zero sense to me, and it was my first impression of RIV. To be fair, I notice this kind of thing more than most people.

Edit to add: here a pic of the RIV hallway: https://www.wdwforgrownups.com/sites/default/files/images/riviera-1bd-hall-carpet.png

Thank you. I have don’t stay at AKV so sounds like that is one that is wide.

Ar VGF, BLT, BRV, BCV and Poly, there was not room to get by a housekeeping with an ECV and someone else coming the other way, no different than at RIV.

So, in our experience, what we have encountered at RIV has been no different than what we have encountered at other resorts when others have been in the hallway with luggage or the housekeeping cart is there.

 

[RoseGold]

Ar VGF, BLT, BRV, BCV and Poly, there was not room to get by a housekeeping with an ECV and someone else coming the other way, no different than at RIV.

If you can't fit by the cart in a giant Poly hallway, not sure what is going to fit. Those hallways are pretty big. Here's a pic of the Poly hallway: https://www.wdwmagic.com/resorts/th...-resort-deluxe-studio/23769.htm#&gid=1&pid=12

VGF1 has a lot more clearance on the "wide" parts. The rest are decades older. We travel a lot with a chair, and this isn't a problem in newer stuff, generally speaking, even where accessibility isn't really a huge deal. That's why RIV was surprising, as a brand new build, in a place where everyone is on a scooter.

I find it unlikely that this wasn't an active choice. I guess we will see in Poly2.