My thoughts on visiting Riviera

[i<3riviera]

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[Sandisw]

yes, with Epcot opening later it's unfortunately not possible; when I arrived back at RVA (~9:50am) they still hadn't opened the gate for the RVA to Epcot station leg (I believe it officially opens at 10:30am so maybe they board people shortly after 10am?)

Uber / Lyft to BWV is a good idea; probably less congestion then competing with other folks going directly to Hollywood Studios

Thanks for confirming time difference for one to Epcot.

 

[havoc315]

here is the scoop on the Skyliner from RVA to HS (caveat on Monday 26 Oct 2020 so other days will vary) ...

should you walk to the Caribbean Beach station?

• if you get up early and don't mind waiting in line at the RVA station take the Skyliner from the RVA station; otherwise, probably worthwhile walking to the Caribbean Beach transfer station
• first seven parties in line in the morning at RVA have priority, the go straight to the HS line (ahead of anyone else at the Caribbean Beach transfer station)
• I walked up at just after 8am and there were already four parties in line
• eighth+ parties wait in line behind anyone already at the Caribbean Beach transfer station (mostly Caribbean Beach guests but possibly some Pop Century folks that may beat you there on their Skyliner)
• ~10-15 minute walk from RVA station to Caribbean Beach transfer station depending on your pace

time to get to Hollywood Studios

• 8:30am RVA station starts boarding to Caribbean Beach station (9am official opening, 10am Hollywood Studios opening)
• 8:35am I stayed outside until I saw everyone boarding, then joined the line once most folks had boarded
• 8:37am boarded at RVA station
• 8:40am line empty behind me at RVA station (so now just walk-up folks)
• the good news ends here ...
• 8:43am entered long line at Caribbean Beach transfer station
• 8:50am all cars coming from RVA are empty (so very few people still coming in, occasionally the odd car will come with folks but few and far between)
• 9:21am board from Caribbean Beach transfer station to Hollywood Studios
• 9:28am exit Hollywood Studios station
• I didn't do temperature scan, security, or park entry but it seemed doable in the ~30 minutes left until you needed to be in for 10am Rise of the Resistance passes but it would be tight
• trip from Hollywood Studios to RVA was ~15 minutes
• if you're going early in the morning back to RVA (not sure why you would unless you were doing this testing) you can talk to a cast member and they'll let you on the Caribbean Beach transfer station to RVA section ahead of the Epcot portion opening; you actually end up going in the accessible section to bypass the people waiting to go to Epcot from the Caribbean Beach transfer station; this is pretty useless information to most people but I found it interesting

if you're dedicated rope droppers you probably don't mind waking up early enough to be one of the priority parties from RVA so you'll probably be fine; if you're semi-dedicated rope droppers, you might consider walking to the Caribbean Beach transfer station to join the line you're going to join anyway

personally, I think we're going to drive to Hollywood Studios when we go; I like being in control of my own destiny (I don't like leaving things to the Force)

I have no idea what the bus situation was from RVA (or any other resort for that matter) so I can't say if the Skyliner was better or worse than buses; whole research effort (RVA to HS to RVA) was ~two hours but the rest of my team was asleep and it was a pleasant morning so it was a good excuse for some exercise!

here's a few pictures for you to judge for yourself

line at Caribbean Beach transfer station ~8:15am before anyone was let in (I walked there and back to survey)
View attachment 534740

Hollywood Studios temperature scan, security, and park entry at 9:28am (doable in 30 mins maybe?)
View attachment 534739

line for Hollywood Studios from Caribbean Beach station when I was on my way back to RVA (~9:45am); when I joined the line from RVA on my way to Hollywood Studios, I was under the Skyliner (bottom left of the photo) so it was considerably longer when I passed back through
View attachment 534737

edit: typos

Super helpful, thank you. Couple questions for clarification.
- If I’m reading correctly, Riviera to CBR starts at 8:30.. but what time does CBR to DHS start running?
- the earliest arriving RIV parties skip the CBR line? How early would you estimate you need to be at the RIV station to be 1 of the early parties?
-How early would you estimate would have to get on line at CBR to get a skyliner by about 9? Sounds like need to get on line by about 8:20 to avoid the long line? Or even earlier?

.... if it’s really taking an hour via skyliner, Uber does sound much better.
For those suggesting Uber to BWV... why wouldn’t you just take the Uber straight to DHS?

 

[CarolynFH]

Or, I’d Uber to BWV and walk from there if going first thing in the AM.

Uber / Lyft to BWV is a good idea; probably less congestion then competing with other folks going directly to Hollywood Studios

Actually, the hack there is Uber/Lyft to the Speedway station across from BW and walk to DHS from there. Getting past the BW guard without an ADR, even just for drop off, hasn’t always been successful.

 

[Sandisw]

Actually, the hack there is Uber/Lyft to the Speedway station across from BW and walk to DHS from there. Getting past the BW guard without an ADR, even just for drop off, hasn’t always been successful.

Never had an issue there or at BLT/VGF to get to MK This was before Covid, but not sure why drop offs would be an issue.

 

[Sandisw]

Super helpful, thank you. Couple questions for clarification.
- If I’m reading correctly, Riviera to CBR starts at 8:30.. but what time does CBR to DHS start running?
- the earliest arriving RIV parties skip the CBR line? How early would you estimate you need to be at the RIV station to be 1 of the early parties?
-How early would you estimate would have to get on line at CBR to get a skyliner by about 9? Sounds like need to get on line by about 8:20 to avoid the long line? Or even earlier?

.... if it’s really taking an hour via skyliner, Uber does sound much better.
For those suggesting Uber to BWV... why wouldn’t you just take the Uber straight to DHS?

Ubers have to wait in the same lines to get in as those parking and heard those lines are long.

 

[CarolynFH]

Never had an issue there or at BLT/VGF to get to MK This was before Covid, but not sure why drop offs would be an issue.

I agree, but apparently some people have had trouble getting in, to the point that many recommend placing a mobile order at BW Bakery. OTOH, the walk from Speedway is a little shorter, so drop off there is becoming more popular here on the DIS.

 

[i<3riviera]

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[havoc315]

sure thing!

1. I'm not totally sure on Caribbean Beach transfer station to Hollywood Studios start time but it was going when I flew in at ~8:40am so probably close to when RVA to Caribbean Beach transfer station was running (~8:30am)
2. it seemed like between 8-8:10am to be one of the first seven at RVA but that's hugely dependent on how aggressive your fellow roomies at RVA (or Caribbean Beach resort north) are on your particular morning; more aggressive people may mean earlier start time
3. good question, I'm not entirely sure because I left the Caribbean Beach transfer station at about 8:15am and the line-up was already decently long (from the closed gate at the coffee stand to the internal bus stop, maybe 30 parties?); but, I'd say if you walk by the RVA station at 8-8:15am and you're not going to be a RVA priority party, you might as well take the ~10 minute walk to the Caribbean Beach transfer station because you'll be ahead of the RVA non-priority Skyliners (if that makes sense)

Makes perfect sense.

Wonder how it will change as things normalize eventually. (More resorts open, longer DHS hours, less social distancing).
As of now, sounds like 30 minutes pre-unofficial opening at either station puts you in good shape to be at the front of the DHS crowd.

Thanks for the help.