Post-COVID Room Availability

[Scholarma]

Hello All,
I am a former Riviera owner. We bought during the pandemic and sold our contract in under a year due to room availability at Riviera. A standard studio was always difficult to get, even at the 11th month mark We want to re-buy, but are curious if the inventory is any better a few years later?

 

[UrsulaWantsYourSoul]

You might consider a guaranteed week if you tend to go the same time of the year. Can always cancel it any given year and use the points however you want.

 

[intamin]

Are you sure you want to get back into this? Sounds like you took quite a hit the first time since you bought direct and then sold it in under a year. Room inventory will likely get worse over time, particularly at resale restricted resorts because more points will only be able to be used there; however, thats probably also offset by the fact that resale members who don't own there won't be able to book RIV. Are you open to buying resale at another resort? If you decide you don't like the 11 month availability there you could sell it without much of a loss besides broker fees and closing costs.

I personally haven't had much difficulty booking what I want but I also don't think I typically go during the most popular times? But also if I really wanted a reservation that was not negotiable I'd do whatever I needed to do to lock it in lol. As above you could consider doing a fixed week if all that seems like too much trouble to you.

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

Could the availability issue be due to a combo of rooms declared/rooms being held back due to staff shortages? I know non-DVC resorts opened in stages with certain blocks being held back to limit onsite staff.

 

[CastAStone]

Riviera standard studios are still difficult at 11 months and always will be. There’s zero benefit to a preferred room at Riviera (it is neither a guaranteed better view nor a better location) so no one wants to waste the points on them.

7 month availability has improved meaningfully since the post Covid point glut eased, and rooms that temporarily became difficult to book like Poly studios and off season Boardwalk 1 bedrooms are now available again.

If you don’t want to deal with fighting people for rooms at 11 months, buy a resort where that isn’t an issue like Saratoga Springs, Polynesian, or Beach Club.

 

[Royal Consort]

Standard view at any DVC resort is generally the most difficult to book because it's cheaper. No, availability for Riviera or any WDW Dvc resort Standard room hasn't improved.

There's two ways to approach this: buy a few more points than you think you need to book a different category view if you cannot book a standard; or if you visit the same time annually, a fixed week.

Based on you selling Riviera within a year of purchase, taking a loss on that, I am not sure DVC would be a good or wise fit. Renting points may be a better financial alternative with more control and less disappointment.

 

[Sandisw]

It really depends on when you were trying but we have had luck getting the SV studios…though we usually do 1 bedrooms.

You definitely need to own if you want a chance at SV so it’s really comes down to how important it is to be at RIV

It’s our top resort and there have been times where we did have to settle for PV, but have had success with waitlists too!

 

[Kooks and Bay Bay]

I don't own nor am I likely to own but dang if you got out in under a year then it sounds to me like its not for you.
I wonder if you'd just be better off renting points.

 

[cep101]

Since you already most likely took a financial hit from buying and selling in under a year, I would not recommend buying in again due to the reason you sold. Some rooms are just hard to get, and it can be a big old game of cat and mouse. That is just the way it is.

Getting rooms is harder now than during COVID because more DVCers are going to Disney now. If you want DVC rooms for decent prices then I would recommend buying points from an owner and having them play the room game for you.

 

[jodifla]

The advantage to DVC is to know what you want, be flexible, and don't sell.

-- OKW owner for 28 years

 

[SL6827]

I hadn't realized Disney had made Preferred view rooms at Rivera doesn't seem to align with Preferred, just to make a buck. And thus creating even more demand for Standard view rooms. Have they done such at any other DVC?

 

[lowlight]

Just rent your points from an owner and let them deal with the headache.

 

[tjkraz]

There’s zero benefit to a preferred room at Riviera (it is neither a guaranteed better view nor a better location)...

I'll argue until my dying breath that this (preferred) is a better view...


Than this (standard)...



Problem is many people seem to think that a glimpse of Spaceship Earth and 20 minutes of fireworks supersedes 23.5 hours of parking lot / Buena Vista Drive view. Or they're like me and don't really care about the view and just book the cheapest option available.

All of the preferred views are the lake / pool / pond / beach side of the resort. Some are better than others. Don't know that I'd call any of them poor. If you want to sit on the balcony with a book, they're all more serene than 24/7 traffic noise.

 

[SL6827]

It's a wonder they didn't take those Spaceship Earth views and classify them as TPV. But that water view is nice!!!

 

[intamin]

I'll argue until my dying breath that this (preferred) is a better view...
View attachment 874725

Than this (standard)...

View attachment 874726

Problem is many people seem to think that a glimpse of Spaceship Earth and 20 minutes of fireworks supersedes 23.5 hours of parking lot / Buena Vista Drive view. Or they're like me and don't really care about the view and just book the cheapest option available.

All of the preferred views are the lake / pool / pond / beach side of the resort. Some are better than others. Don't know that I'd call any of them poor. If you want to sit on the balcony with a book, they're all more serene than 24/7 traffic noise.

I think the view of the lake and skyliner in general is the better view most of the time. Instead of basing the room views on which side you're facing they should've done it based on which floor level you're on with the exception being the east wing facing outward which should be all standard as it currently is but the upper floors of the west wing facing Epcot should be preferred.

 

[tjkraz]

I think the view of the lake and skyliner in general is the better view most of the time. Instead of basing the room views on which side you're facing they should've done it based on which floor level you're on with the exception being the east wing facing outward which should be all standard as it currently is but the upper floors of the west wing facing Epcot should be preferred.

That's fair. Very similar to the configuration at Bay Lake Tower.

It's interesting that Riviera and BLT are so similar in that sense, yet went in totally different directions. Both have rooms that overlook a parking lot, facing in the direction of the theme park. Yet one is classified as the premium Theme Park View and the other is Standard.

 

[Sandisw]

That's fair. Very similar to the configuration at Bay Lake Tower.

It's interesting that Riviera and BLT are so similar in that sense, yet went in totally different directions. Both have rooms that overlook a parking lot, facing in the direction of the theme park. Yet one is classified as the premium Theme Park View and the other is Standard.

Except BLT does have rooms on that side that are SV…and it’s the proximity to MK that allowed them to class them as TPV.

At RIV, Epcot is in the distance with public roads and such in between the property and the park. Much different situation.

 

[tjkraz]

Except BLT does have rooms on that side that are SV…and it’s the proximity to MK that allowed them to class them as TPV.

At RIV, Epcot is in the distance with public roads and such in between the property and the park. Much different situation.

All of these things are true about both BLT Theme Park view and Riviera Standard View:

• Overlook parking lot
• Main road nearby (World Drive / Buena Vista Drive)
• View of theme park icons (Castle / Spaceship Earth) and nighttime fireworks

BLT is better on the second and third points; the road is a little further away and the view a little better. But the classifications are dramatically different--most expensive rooms at BLT vs. cheapest at RIV.

Given a blank slate, I could argue for 3 categories at Riviera:

- Standard: lower floors on Epcot side plus some of the more mediocre views currently in Preferred
- Theme Park: upper floors on Epcot side plus preferred rooms facing Skyliner station
- Lake: rest of the current Preferred, overlooking pools and courtyard

I honestly don't know how I'd price them. Whether Lake or Theme Park should be more expensive. Today, if you asked 100 people whether they'd prefer Standard or Preferred, I bet upward of 90 would say Standard. I don't know if that's more about the lower point costs or the fireworks view.

 

[Sandisw]

All of these things are true about both BLT Theme Park view and Riviera Standard View:

• Overlook parking lot
• Main road nearby (World Drive / Buena Vista Drive)
• View of theme park icons (Castle / Spaceship Earth) and nighttime fireworks

BLT is better on the second and third points; the road is a little further away and the view a little better. But the classifications are dramatically different--most expensive rooms at BLT vs. cheapest at RIV.

Given a blank slate, I could argue for 3 categories at Riviera:

- Standard: lower floors on Epcot side plus some of the more mediocre views currently in Preferred
- Theme Park: upper floors on Epcot side plus preferred rooms facing Skyliner station
- Lake: rest of the current Preferred, overlooking pools and courtyard

I honestly don't know how I'd price them. Whether Lake or Theme Park should be more expensive. Today, if you asked 100 people whether they'd prefer Standard or Preferred, I bet upward of 90 would say Standard. I don't know if that's more about the lower point costs or the fireworks view.

For us, it’s the cheaper points, that’s for sure.

 

[davidhr]

The only reason I look for the Standrad View at riviera is the lower points. There’s no way I’d pay more for a parking lot view. I prefer the view of the preferred but they’re a bit expensive.

I also feel the same way about BLT. I prefer Lake View. I’m not interested in paying more points for a parking lot view with a park in the background.