Riviera Resort

[BWV Dreamin]

The DVC model is slowly changing. I don’t know for how long getting any lengthy reservation at 7 months will be possible. It’s stressful enough booking your own home resort at 11 months for popular weeks. Now at 7 months? Buy where you want to stay.

 

[Dean]

I think Riviera could actually help a bit.....right now the only options for the Epcot/HS area for DVC are BC and BW so adding a resort with as many rooms as Riviera should help to eat up a bit of the demand. I think that a lot of renters will end up going to Riviera rather than deal with the struggle of getting into BC or BW.

High demand resorts don't make any real difference in 7 month availability because if they're high demand they tend not to be available at the 7 month window. For example, one or two 2 BR for the year at SSR likely has as much impact on the 7 month window as the entire VGF resort does.

 

[DSLRuser]

I am pleased......our peak travel time is mid early to mid march.....looking at availability right now for early march is pretty wide open.

we booked at our home resort at 11 months, but will be switching next week to one of the other options.

 

[AdamsMum]

I guess part of my feelings about this is that the Riviera (from the only artist rendering I've seen) just doesn't appeal to me. I had thoughts that a lot of Boardwalk/Beach Club owners might be renting points out and so booking in the home resort window. I know people are saying it will be a high end resort, but the image leaves me unimpressed. I've been excited about all of the new DVC resorts that have come on line since I bought in 2007, but this one doesn't excite me at all. It just looks like a big hotel to me. Hopefully the folks that buy there will want to stay there. Thanks for the lively discussion. You guys are awesome!

 

[Phatscott25]

Hopefully the folks that buy there will want to stay there.

I think I'm in the minority around here as I'm very interested and excited about this resort. Even more so if the rumors about it being a modern GF are true (although if true the potential point chart is scary).

What I like most is the rooftop bar and gondolas, but to me the style is fine too. Sure the theming doesn't appear heavy but it still looks different than anything else at WDW.

Long story short, I'm probably going to buy there. And if so, I definitely plan on staying there with those points. Especially since they'll be expensive.

 

[Dean]

I think I'm in the minority around here as I'm very interested and excited about this resort. Even more so if the rumors about it being a modern GF are true (although if true the potential point chart is scary).

What I like most is the rooftop bar and gondolas, but to me the style is fine too. Sure the theming doesn't appear heavy but it still looks different than anything else at WDW.

Long story short, I'm probably going to buy there. And if so, I definitely plan on staying there with those points. Especially since they'll be expensive.

I'm sure it'll be a fine resort but DVC does not have a history of 5 star resorts including VGF. IMO no matter how nice or opulent it is, there's no way to make it a VGF level resort due to location. IMO about the best they can hope for is the level of BLT and that's a stretch. And DVD has a recent history of being overly optimistic when it comes to sales and points charts, see the cabins/bungalows and Poly in general.

 

[jarestel]

DVC discovered some time ago that they can use view categories to drive demand for rooms. No view rooms are cheaper in points so the members looking to stretch their points snap them up. On the other hand, fireworks views from the Riviera will no doubt command some premium points prices for those who love to see fireworks from their balconies. I think the fireworks factor and the skyliner will probably combine to create enough interest in Riviera to make it relatively successful.

 

[Phatscott25]

..best they can hope for is the level of BLT and that's a stretch. And DVD has a recent history of being overly optimistic when it comes to sales and points charts, see the cabins/bungalows and Poly in general.

I think you hit the nail on the head here as I agree that the renderings make it look more like BLT than any other resort at WDW. Perhaps that's part of the reason it appeals to me. My wife and I absolutely love BLT. Another minority consensus for sure as I know most consider the theme there lacking.

To your other thought, the potential Riveria point chart is scary but I'm hoping to be surprised. It doesn't appear to have cabins/bungalows so that's a plus. I'm inclined to agree with your points about location too so I'm optimistic (or perhaps hoping) that the point chart is more in line with BCV or CCV (or at the worst BLT) vs Poly or VGF.

Time will tell but I really am hoping. Because a high cost point chart coupled with the potential for $200 pp buy-in would cause me to pass.

 

[Bing Showei]

I guess part of my feelings about this is that the Riviera (from the only artist rendering I've seen) just doesn't appeal to me.

Short of something like a Death Star shaped hotel, I'm hard pressed to imagine a single (as in one), exterior, artist rendering of any existing property that would get me truly "excited" about any DVC.

BLT is awesome because of the walk to MK (I actually like the modern interior, option of TP views, and extra bathroom), VGF has some really nice details in the interior that aren't really reflected on the exterior, and VWL is amazing for Christmas theming (not sure that was ever conveyed in initial artist renderings).

Kind of hard to judge based on one early rendering. Below is an exterior rendering of what looks to be a giant retirement community.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I'm sure it'll be a fine resort but DVC does not have a history of 5 star resorts including VGF. IMO no matter how nice or opulent it is, there's no way to make it a VGF level resort due to location. IMO about the best they can hope for is the level of BLT and that's a stretch. And DVD has a recent history of being overly optimistic when it comes to sales and points charts, see the cabins/bungalows and Poly in general.

I agree. The fact that the location is not the same as VGF's is what will not make it comparable.

 

[CraigInPA]

And DVD has a recent history of being overly optimistic when it comes to sales and points charts, see the cabins/bungalows and Poly in general.

Who says that this wasn't by design? They sell a ton of points to people thinking they'll get a studio, and relatively few contracts that have enough points for a week stay in the bungalows and cabins. This leaves the bungalows and cabins open for other DVC members with other home resorts to book them. And, it also potentially leaves these open for cash reservations. I wouldn't consider the bungalows and cabins to be a failure, since they are ALWAYS booked in some way.

 

[kboo]

Kind of hard to judge based on one early rendering. Below is an exterior rendering of what looks to be a giant retirement community.

LOL. Was this Beach Club?

I'm already wondering if we will ever stay at Poly or whether, for the same # of points, we'd just stay at VGF without the stress of trying to book at 8am at 7mo. I look at the trips we have planned (and we have planned a lot!!), and it just doesn't seem like it will happen any time before 2021.

 

[Bing Showei]

LOL. Was this Beach Club?

 

[Jelly563]

If it is made into a high end resort, the SSR army will have that thing booked solid at the 7m window !!

 

[Dean]

Who says that this wasn't by design? They sell a ton of points to people thinking they'll get a studio, and relatively few contracts that have enough points for a week stay in the bungalows and cabins. This leaves the bungalows and cabins open for other DVC members with other home resorts to book them. And, it also potentially leaves these open for cash reservations. I wouldn't consider the bungalows and cabins to be a failure, since they are ALWAYS booked in some way.

To a degree I'm sure it is. It's far more expensive to create a 5 star location than a slightly lower level. My point was more that they couldn't make it high enough to compete with VGF as an example and it's unlikely they'll get creative in any way to create that level of demand like lower points i.e. OKW, AKV value or some similar options. But the very reason resort systems have gone to the points sales model is that every point sold is with the idea of getting the very top options in that person's mind consistently. Under the traditional weeks system where it was a fixed week/fixed unit you knew exactly what you were getting and thus what you were not for the off season weeks or poor units. Some systems still carve out the very top weeks/units in some cases.

If it is made into a high end resort, the SSR army will have that thing booked solid at the 7m window !!

That's true with the 7 month window in general just because there are far more points in play at 7 months out for SSR than for others. But it's not just SSR it's VB, HHI, OKW, AKV etc. The difference for the higher demand properties is they book at 11 months and tend to only book other high end options or keep what they have.

 

[southerngirl528]

IMO about the best they can hope for is the level of BLT and that's a stretch.

JMHO, but I do not see BLT as high "level", other than it's very prime location with proximity to MK and with monorail access. It's nice enough, but the theming has no appeal for me personally and a lot of others I know, and the worst horror stories I have ever heard about DVC housekeeping in more than 25 years as a member (and a lot of years working for the mouse), were at BLT.

From all the DVC resorts I have stayed at over the years, I find the highest levels of service (and 5 star locations MUST have stellar service, no pun intended ) at Aulani and VGF.

 

[Dean]

JMHO, but I do not see BLT as high "level", other than it's very prime location with proximity to MK and with monorail access. It's nice enough, but the theming has no appeal for me personally and a lot of others I know, and the worst horror stories I have ever heard about DVC housekeeping in more than 25 years as a member (and a lot of years working for the mouse), were at BLT.

From all the DVC resorts I have stayed at over the years, I find the highest levels of service (and 5 star locations MUST have stellar service, no pun intended ) at Aulani and VGF.

Exactly, that's still about the best they can hope for IMO. I don't think one can make the case that any Disney resorts are 5 start, 4 star at best.

 

[southerngirl528]

I don't think one can make the case that any Disney resorts are 5 start, 4 star at best.

We certainly agree on this. Getting to be a 5 star resort requires an awful lot more than just a nice building in a "nice" place, doesn't it?

 

[Dean]

We certainly agree on this. Getting to be a 5 star resort requires an awful lot more than just a nice building in a "nice" place, doesn't it?

Just looking at the physical attributes of the villas and buildings themselves, I Disney still doesn't have 5 star resorts IMO.

 

[paults]

nice picture of the BCV