Is Riviera an upgrade from Beach Club?

[MomOTwins]

We're booked at a standard room at the Beach Club, which we've stayed at before and liked. A standard studio opened up at the Riviera resort for the same dates at $50 more per night, which is in our budget (unlike the garden view, which would be $120 more per night). I'm thinking of trying it out, but before paying extra, would welcome thoughts here on whether Riviera is actually an upgrade from what we currently have. My thinking is:

1. Room: We are 2 adults 3 kids, so worried the studio might be a tighter fit once the sofa bed and pulldown bed are in use. Would Riviera feel cramped compared to Beach Club? If not, it does seem like the Riviera rooms are fresher and better appointed.
2. Dining: seems better at Riviera (especially due to lack of counter service at Beach Club), and has the added fun of being "new"--although we did score a rezzie at the newly remodeled Beaches and Cream that I'd likely give up if we moved. We don't have hoppers so would not be taking advantage of proximity to epcot for dining.
3. Pool: Stormalong is obviously hard to beat--but is the Riviera pool nice? How about the slides (my kids love slides)? We'll be there in summer so will likely use the pool a lot, and from the pictures the Riviera pool seems small, but hard to get a sense of scale from pictures alone.
4. Transportation: This seems like a bit of a wash between the two resorts. Would be nice to walk to Epcot and HS, but the skyliner seems just as convenient, and DHS is scheduled to open at 9 during our stay so seems like we could use the skyliner and still be there in time for boarding passes. Bus transportation seems like it would be better at Riviera since Beach Club sometimes shares with the crescent lake resorts.

 

[han22735]

I'd pick Riviera. The room will better accommodate 5 and have 2 showers. It will be easier to put the pull down Murphy bed back into a couch configuration than the pull out at BC. Also depending on the ages of your kids the pool slide is outside the pool area. We did not like that when our DD was 7 the time we stayed there.

 

[brockash]

We're booked at a standard room at the Beach Club, which we've stayed at before and liked. A standard studio opened up at the Riviera resort for the same dates at $50 more per night, which is in our budget (unlike the garden view, which would be $120 more per night). I'm thinking of trying it out, but before paying extra, would welcome thoughts here on whether Riviera is actually an upgrade from what we currently have. My thinking is:

1. Room: We are 2 adults 3 kids, so worried the studio might be a tighter fit once the sofa bed and pulldown bed are in use. Would Riviera feel cramped compared to Beach Club? If not, it does seem like the Riviera rooms are fresher and better appointed.
2. Dining: seems better at Riviera (especially due to lack of counter service at Beach Club), and has the added fun of being "new"--although we did score a rezzie at the newly remodeled Beaches and Cream that I'd likely give up if we moved. We don't have hoppers so would not be taking advantage of proximity to epcot for dining.
3. Pool: Stormalong is obviously hard to beat--but is the Riviera pool nice? How about the slides (my kids love slides)? We'll be there in summer so will likely use the pool a lot, and from the pictures the Riviera pool seems small, but hard to get a sense of scale from pictures alone.
4. Transportation: This seems like a bit of a wash between the two resorts. Would be nice to walk to Epcot and HS, but the skyliner seems just as convenient, and DHS is scheduled to open at 9 during our stay so seems like we could use the skyliner and still be there in time for boarding passes. Bus transportation seems like it would be better at Riviera since Beach Club sometimes shares with the crescent lake resorts.

Def. wouldn't be an upgrade to us.

 

[Punkrockbebop]

Riviera has nicer, more well appointed rooms with a split bathroom with two showers. The pools are big, and the bigger one has a slide. The food is really good in all the restaurants, even the quick serve. We found the transportation to be great. There are dedicated busses and the skyliner is efficient and fun to ride.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

Not an upgrade IMO. Equal at best depending on your preferences.

I would choose BC over Riviera unless Riviera was significantly cheaper.

 

[snappy]

You can’t beat walking to Epcot from Beach club. Also good to walk over to ride ROTR at rope drop if that’s in your plan. Stormalong bay at BC is very nice.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Not an upgrade if you're talking Standard room at BC and not a villa.

At Riviera, you would have one real bed that looks and acts like a bed, and two murphy-type beds. While they're nicer than the old sofabeds, a BC room with the two queens and the daybed has two real queens and the daybeds are fine.

 

[VAfamily1998]

To me, it would not be an upgrade.

I ADORE the whole "Boardwalk area" and all the options it opens up for dining (including counter service at all the Epcot pavilions.)

 

[rkstocke5609]

So, since you said you weren’t getting hoppers and thus won’t take advantage of the Epcot dining options daily....I vote try Riviera just because it’s new alone.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I've stayed at both and I would pick BC. If you were looking at a 1-bedroom at RIV, I would probably have a different opinion, but you are giving up close proximity to a park, tons of dining options, entertainment and recreation in the Boardwalk area for an, albeit, nice, new resort that only has one restaurant, a QS and pool bar with worse transportation options (the Skyliner is nice, but walking into EP can't be beat). The RIV pool is ok, but doesn't hold a candle to SAB. I would pick a RIV studio if it were substantially cheaper than BC. Definitely not for more.

 

[MomOTwins]

I'd pick Riviera. The room will better accommodate 5 and have 2 showers. It will be easier to put the pull down Murphy bed back into a couch configuration than the pull out at BC. Also depending on the ages of your kids the pool slide is outside the pool area. We did not like that when our DD was 7 the time we stayed there.

Riviera has nicer, more well appointed rooms with a split bathroom with two showers. The pools are big, and the bigger one has a slide. The food is really good in all the restaurants, even the quick serve. We found the transportation to be great. There are dedicated busses and the skyliner is efficient and fun to ride.

Oh wow, I didn't realize it had two showers. That is a definite perk. But then the poll so far seems heavily in favor of Beach Club, so I'm still torn.

I've stayed at both and I would pick BC. If you were looking at a 1-bedroom at RIV, I would probably have a different opinion, but you are giving up close proximity to a park, tons of dining options, entertainment and recreation in the Boardwalk area for an, albeit, nice, new resort that only has one restaurant, a QS and pool bar with worse transportation options (the Skyliner is nice, but walking into EP can't be beat). The RIV pool is ok, but doesn't hold a candle to SAB. I would pick a RIV studio if it were substantially cheaper than BC. Definitely not for more.

If it was 1-bedroom, it would be a no-brainer for me to try out Riviera, but the price different is nuts--nearly $300 more per night than what I am paying at BC.

 

[HeightRequirement]

We're booked at a standard room at the Beach Club, which we've stayed at before and liked. A standard studio opened up at the Riviera resort for the same dates at $50 more per night, which is in our budget (unlike the garden view, which would be $120 more per night). I'm thinking of trying it out, but before paying extra, would welcome thoughts here on whether Riviera is actually an upgrade from what we currently have. My thinking is:

1. Room: We are 2 adults 3 kids, so worried the studio might be a tighter fit once the sofa bed and pulldown bed are in use. Would Riviera feel cramped compared to Beach Club? If not, it does seem like the Riviera rooms are fresher and better appointed.
2. Dining: seems better at Riviera (especially due to lack of counter service at Beach Club), and has the added fun of being "new"--although we did score a rezzie at the newly remodeled Beaches and Cream that I'd likely give up if we moved. We don't have hoppers so would not be taking advantage of proximity to epcot for dining.
3. Pool: Stormalong is obviously hard to beat--but is the Riviera pool nice? How about the slides (my kids love slides)? We'll be there in summer so will likely use the pool a lot, and from the pictures the Riviera pool seems small, but hard to get a sense of scale from pictures alone.
4. Transportation: This seems like a bit of a wash between the two resorts. Would be nice to walk to Epcot and HS, but the skyliner seems just as convenient, and DHS is scheduled to open at 9 during our stay so seems like we could use the skyliner and still be there in time for boarding passes. Bus transportation seems like it would be better at Riviera since Beach Club sometimes shares with the crescent lake resorts.

The Riviera studio has 2 showers which we preferred. The bed under the TV was perfect for a child. The newness of Riviera is hard to pass up. I would choose Riviera or do a split stay.
Beachclub access to the boardwalk is better.
Pool at Beachclub is bigger. Riviera's pool is quite small.
The walk from Beachclub to HS and Epcot is a plus. Riviera has the Skyliner and buses that serve only Riviera (not sure if that changed).

 

[disneydreamer1980]

I’d pick BC over Riviera any day. Super close to 2 parks, better pool, better theming and easy access to the boardwalk area. All Riviera has going for it imo is the skyline and we’ll decorated rooms. It’s otherwise very underwhelming

 

[Wood Nymph]

A standard studio opened up at the Riviera resort for the same dates at $50 more per night,

I would not pay an additional $50 per night for a studio over the BC with two queens and a daybed. You can't beat walking to Epcot and DHS.

 

[NotTheBatesMotel]

I wouldn't change even if the change was free. Nothing beats walking to Epcot from Beach Club. I also haven't been wowed at all by the walkthroughs and room tours of Riviera that I've seen on YouTube, but maybe it's one of those "have to see in person" kind of things?

 

[Traveling on cc points]

Rivera would have to be $50 less per night for us to consider switching.
the only upside IMO is the second partial bathroom which With your families size could be a big deal.

 

[Punkrockbebop]

Oh wow, I didn't realize it had two showers. That is a definite perk. But then the poll so far seems heavily in favor of Beach Club, so I'm still torn.

Well, this forum is heavily biased against the Riviera due to the controversy over the resale restrictions, so take that with a grain of salt.

There are great perks to both. You just have to decide which perks are more useful to your family.

On the Beach Club standard room side, Walking to Epcot and Hollywood Studios from Beach Club is definitely a huge perk. However, that will be walking rain or shine. Easy to get to HS early for Boarding Groups, great for quick, easy trips into Epcot (though you said you weren’t getting park hopper, so that’s not of much use to you). The Pool area looks amazing. The Boardwalk is fun and Ample Hills and Flying Fish are amazing. Flying Fish is one of the best signature restaurants on property.

On the Riviera Deluxe Studio side, the room is extremely smart and well appointed with drawers and storage and data ports everywhere. The room is larger at 423 sq ft versus 380 sq ft in the Beach Club standard, plus the balcony is larger and the views are better. We found the murphy beds to be very comfortable.....just as comfortable as regular beds, actually, and closing them up when not in use creates more space for hanging out. We found the skyliner to be fun to ride and extremely efficient, and the resort has dedicated busses to the other parks. Also, the split bathroom with two showers is very handy. The pools are really good and large. The food options are all amazing, including the quick serve. Toppolinos is top quality, one of the best signature restaurants in WDW.

 

[MomOTwins]

On the Riviera Deluxe Studio side, the room is extremely smart and well appointed with drawers and storage and data ports everywhere. The room is larger at 423 sq ft versus 380 sq ft in the Beach Club standard, plus the balcony is larger and the views are better. We found the murphy beds to be very comfortable.....just as comfortable as regular beds, actually, and closing them up when not in use creates more space for hanging out. We found the skyliner to be fun to ride and extremely efficient, and the resort has dedicated busses to the other parks. Also, the split bathroom with two showers is very handy. The pools are really good and large. The food options are all amazing, including the quick serve. Toppolinos is top quality, one of the best signature restaurants in WDW.

Thank you so much--it was really helpful to know about the increased square footage, that the beds were comfy, and the pools were nice. Those were really the concerns that were holding me back, but we decided to make the switch! It will be nice to try something new.

 

[Punkrockbebop]

Thank you so much--it was really helpful to know about the increased square footage, that the beds were comfy, and the pools were nice. Those were really the concerns that were holding me back, but we decided to make the switch! It will be nice to try something new.

I really don’t think you can go wrong with either resort. I hope you have a great trip.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I don't see how pointing out that BC has two real beds, SAB and can walk is bias against Riviera.

We were not talking about buying DVC.