Help me decide! BW or Riviera

[jpmom]

We are DVC owners and have been renting points for years. This will be the first time in about 5 years I've been back. Planning a girls trip for 3 nights next June. We own BCV and VWL. Was thinking about trying something new. I need to make a decision by tomorrow as I'm hoping to get either of these on the 7th month window.

I LOVE the boardwalk area and all the options around the lake and walkability to Epcot and HS. However, never having stayed at Riviera, I'm curious. I read some reviews on TA and criticisms about the food at Riviera come up a lot.

Just wanted some opinions. Thanks so much!

 

[Kimberly Conroy]

I agree with the BW area- much more to see and do at night!

 

[Marthasor]

We are DVC owners and have been renting points for years. This will be the first time in about 5 years I've been back. Planning a girls trip for 3 nights next June. We own BCV and VWL. Was thinking about trying something new. I need to make a decision by tomorrow as I'm hoping to get either of these on the 7th month window.

I LOVE the boardwalk area and all the options around the lake and walkability to Epcot and HS. However, never having stayed at Riviera, I'm curious. I read some reviews on TA and criticisms about the food at Riviera come up a lot.

Just wanted some opinions. Thanks so much!

The RIV rooms are gorgeous, but there are few food options and if the Skyliner goes down, the one transportation perk at the resort is non-existent. While I enjoyed our one stay there, we won't be back. I just really enjoy the ease of staying directly on the Boardwalk at the EP resorts. Walking to a multitude of restaurants and having a variety of transportation options just can't be beat, IMHO. I would book BWV.

 

[jpmom]

Thanks for the help/advice. I will do BW. I know we will be happy there .

 

[Mommb]

Good choice. You can take a ride over to Riviera to look around (and grab a snack and drink at Le Petit Cafe) but there will be more options at Boardwalk.

 

[kc51570]

We stayed at Boardwalk for a few nights this summer after I had originally booked Riviera and changed it. I regretted it. Our 1BR villa was in dire need of renovations. There had to have been a mold issue on top of the room being very worn down-visible patches/mismatched paint on the walls and ceiling. It smelled musty and I was sick with cold symptoms/sneezing the entire time I was there, was fine before we checked in and was better by the time I boarded our flight home. Housekeeping supposedly brought in a machine to freshen it up and maintenance changed the air filter but neither workEd and maintenance was banging on our door and opening up the panel in the wall right at check out time. They had to have known something was wrong. It was also the first weekend the hotel side had opened back up and the pool area was insane, not a chair to be found one day, line for drinks/food crazy. We ate at the Riviera twice for QS and TS and were jealous at how quiet the pool area was along with actual decent quick service. The skyliner was better than I thought. I do like the location of BW better but will never stay there again due to that bad experience.

 

[RoseGold]

RIV is just so many more points. Maybe I would do it just to try it, but it would hard for me to justify the extra cost, especially compared to that BW chart. BW is a better location with better transportation.

RIV does have a better pool, if that is a priority for your group.

 

[Michelewith1L]

I think Riviera would be nicer for a girls trip, looks so beautiful! BW would be better if you had little kids because the pools are nicely themed.

 

[sethschroeder]

You didn't clarify your room type you are getting?

hard for me to justify the extra cost

I will just say:

• Larger rooms
• Pull down murphy bed (more comfortable that couch by a wide margin)
• Newer resort in general so much more polished as of now

 

[vinmar4]

We own at RIV but prior to staying there, we always used to stay at the BW. We just love how big and beautiful the rooms are at RIV and using the skyliner. Of the multiple.time that we had already stayed there, only one time we took the bus. We also love the counter service and the bar by the pool and the one at the roof top.
We also love to have other restaurants options at CB, only 10 minutes away walking , or get on the Skyliner and go to the other ones.
For an only girl trip, I would definitely choose RIV. Just MHO.
Good luck with your decision.

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

Agree with those saying Riviera. The rooms at BWV are getting pretty worn. The rooms at Riviera are just so nice. We took the Skyliner to crescent lake last June several times with no issues.

 

[tjkraz]

Owned at BoardWalk many years and have stayed dozens of times. Riviera is a beautiful resort and the Skyliner is the most efficient transportation in all of WDW. There's a chance of it going down at some point, but (IMO) not enough to have it influence plans.

Right now at the BW the food options are Bakery, Trattoria and Big River Grill. Flying Fish and ESPN club are still closed. Riviera has Le Petit Cafe and Topolino's on site. Sebastian's Bistro and Centertown Market at Caribbean Beach provide two more nearby options, and honestly the walk from RIV is no further than walking from the BWV DVC villas to ESPN Club.

Also, it's a 10 minute trip on the Skyliner from Riviera to Epcot world showcase, which provides access to the entire BW area for dining. If you want to eat at Beaches & Cream, the walk from BW is no shorter than Skyliner ride from Riviera.

 

[paults]

I would say BWV, much more to do in that area. Also walk to 2 parks.

 

[TexasChick123]

I’ve owned at both. We sold BWV for RIV. There’s no competition IMO. BWV has the better location, but that’s it. The food, rooms, grounds, etc are much better at RIV. I don’t know who complained about the food at RIV because I’ve always thought it was good. For a girls’ trip, I’d definitely go with RIV. No question.

 

[Dancer84xoxo]

I am fully in the RIV camp as well!! The resort grounds there are just gorgeous. It is amazing being out by the pools in the evening watching the skyline zoom by eating some gelato. Nothing can compare in my mind the location is great at BW, but like TexasChick said that’s all BW has on RIV!

 

[Aussie RJ]

If RIV can include Sebastian's Bistro and Centertown Market, then BWV can include anything in the Swan / Dolphin.

 

[tjkraz]

If RIV can include Sebastian's Bistro and Centertown Market, then BWV can include anything in the Swan / Dolphin.

When I brought up those two locations, the intent was to give OP other nearby locations to look into. It comes down to personal preference. If someone has no intentions of eating at Shula's or BlueZoo, then they don't factor into the equation. Same is true of Sebastian's and Centertown. Counting locations on a map isn't particularly meaningful when everyone has different tastes, budget and dining intentions.

 

[NYgent845]

I am fully in the RIV camp as well!! The resort grounds there are just gorgeous. It is amazing being out by the pools in the evening watching the skyline zoom by eating some gelato. Nothing can compare in my mind the location is great at BW, but like TexasChick said that’s all BW has on RIV!

Probably going to be the Riviera now after reading the comments,thanks for all your wonderful posts Amanda

 

[Rob Huff]

We stayed at BCV and RIV in April. With multiple younger kids, we don't frequent the nicer restaurants. We found Primo Piatto to be delightful, and I'm a huge sucker for fish tacos so proximity to Centertown was a plus. I didn't love the feel of RIV, but for a few days, it worked nicely.

I haven't stayed at BWV in 20+ years, but I adore the Crescent Lake area. Were I in your shoes and had stayed at BCV multiple times, I'd give RIV a shot. Wouldn't buy there, but for a quick stay, it was nice.

 

[DSLRuser]

now that they are actually loading more the single families in the gondolas for the skyline.....I would do Riviera. Especially if you have never stayed there.

You are still right there at the Epcot resorts area.