Poly or Riv - best resort for hanging with day guests?

[Maine_Belle]

My in-laws live in Florida and when we come down in September for our trip, we'd love to have them come over from Tampa to spend some time with us and the kids at our resort for a day. (I don't think they'd want to do a park, though if they did, I'd love to hang in Epcot for a day!)

We have a split stay booked for the Polynesian (regular cash reservation room) and the Riviera (1 BR). I understand that we can't sit by the pool with them (total bummer), so we're restricted to our room or the resort grounds.

Of those 2, which do you think would be a better place to chill out for a bunch of hours?

 

[iheartglaciers]

Both have nice outdoor ares to hang out apart from the pool area, and good dining options. If your parents will still be there at night, the beach at Poly is a nice spot to watch the fireworks and Electrical Water Paegent.

At Riviera, you could ride on the Skyliner and take it over the Boardwalk where you can rent surrey bikes and play mini golf (near the Swan and Dolphin). At Poly you could take the monorail or walk to Grand Floridian for more dining options.

 

[Marthasor]

If you think you will spend more time in the room, I would do RIV. If you think you will spend more time outside, I would do Poly - you can sit on the beach, walk to GF, ride the monorail and even rent a pontoon boat.

 

[jennyq87]

I would vote for Riviera as well. There are places you can sit down by the water, you can walk to Caribbean, you can Skyliner to AoA/Pop and explore, Skyliner to Crescent Lake resorts and walk around the Boardwalk -- so many great options! Poly is beautiful as well, but it always seems to be busy. And you're limited to the other Monorail resorts without taking other transportation.

 

[RamblingMad]

Riv has tiny rooms.

 

[iheartglaciers]

Riv has tiny rooms.

The Riviera tower studios are super small, but their 1-BRs are among the largest of the DVC 1-BRs.

 

[Maine_Belle]

Oooh, good point about inside v outside... It's gonna be hoooooooot and humid. They may not be interested in baking in the sun. I wonder if they'd be into the Skyliner or freaked out. I love the idea of going to the Boardwalk and doing the surrey! And yeah, the 1 BR rooms look pretty darn spacious and we've got the full kitchen.

But if they come later in the day (will they drive home in the dark? My parents are weird about it, but maybe in laws aren't?) the Poly fireworks is another great idea.

Excellent suggestions- gives me a better perspective on how to frame the conversation with them (benefits, etc) when we get closer to actually scheduling something!

 

[Minniemoo15]

A resort day at the Poly is the perfect day for me. Morning coffee on the beach watching the castle and boats go by.... afternoon by the pool with dole whips. Ride the monorail around and stop to check out the other resorts. Cap it off with Fireworks on the beach...it doesn't get any better than that for me!

 

[FSU Girl]

Are you maxed out on guests on your reservation? For the one bedroom you don’t get charged extra for more adults because it’s DVC. If you have the space add your parents to your reservation and then they can use the pool

 

[Anthony1971]

Personally Riviera has no appeal to me everything was so small from the lobby to the store and no grounds however if you plan on spending time in the room and making a meal or serving snacks being you have a full kitchen this would be the better option. Poly hands down is the best themed resort at Disney. You have a Beach walking trails that are shaded in a lot of places a dedicated building for the lobby and shopping with good food options, a view of the Castle and access to monorail to easily explore other resorts with similar. For parents my go to resorts were always the Poly or AKL as there is a lot to see and do at both without going to the parks.

 

[redboat45]

Riviera is more relaxing to me with less people milling about. I think I'd have them go there. And if you're inside it will have more room than the Poly for relaxing plus the full kitchen with the full refrigerator for drinks!

 

[k5xs]

Both are nice, but Riviera is new and fresher in my opinion.

Agree with access to Skyliner for getting to Boardwalk and to Pop/AoA if you think they'd enjoy that.

 

[sdk1231]

My in-laws came to visit us for an afternoon/evening while we were staying at the Grand Floridian. Here's what we did. All of this could be done at the Poly. We rented a pontoon and rode around Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake ($45/half hour). That was surprisingly fun. We played some lawn games, shopped and hung out in the lobby talking, listening to the piano and playing checkers. Had drinks at Enchanted Rose. Ate dinner at the Grand Floridian Cafe. Strolled outside to watch fireworks from the patio at Gasparilla Grill. I had been concerned about having "enough to do" and had planned to do a monorail sightseeing tour to visit the Contemporary and the Polynesian, but that just never happened. We were having a good time at the resort and didn't want to leave it. We were never bored or at loose ends.