Riviera's most overlooked benefit...

[brightmango]

I just settled on a resale contract at the Riviera. During my months long education about DVC and trying to decide on a resort I saw just about every pro/con in the book. However, one thing stuck out to me that I thought was a pretty big deal (at least for my preferences). Riviera only has 300 rooms and dedicated bus routes. So here are the main selling points I never heard talked about during my research at the smallest standalone DVC resort:

-Less people on the buses
-Empty buses when they show up
-No shared routes
-Less crowded pool

This turned out to be true after my latest visit in April renting points before I became an owner. Anyone else have a similar experience or did I get lucky? On the contrary, does this seem to be a pain point for other resorts?

 

[byurick]

We just stayed here in June and my wife and I fell in love with it in large part due to the points you made. Hoping it wasn't just a fluke.

 

[Fullchaos]

I'll admit we didn't consider the dedicated bus route angle, but in a fact finding trip we recently took down we saw the pain of sharing a bus route at both PIT and POFQ. Having the bus route with no sharing and the skyliner to 2 resorts in the crescent lake area are part of the reason we plan to purchase there in the next month - it's such an underrated transportation location.

 

[jennypenny]

Ten bucks says the RR and CB bus routes will be combined after the resort sells out. I hope I’m wrong but I assume it will happen.

Still a nice perk while it lasts.

 

[brightmango]

Ten bucks says the RR and CB bus routes will be combined after the resort sells out. I hope I’m wrong but I assume it will happen.

Still a nice perk while it lasts.

Great point I never considered. However, any resorts that do share bus routes usually only have one designated pickup/drop off, no? CB has an internal loop which would make this less likely. Are there any other multi stop hotels that share with another resort?

 

[byurick]

If they end up sharing with CB then they better make the dues for RIV lower because the cost of running them are already baked into what owners are paying.

 

[VGCgroupie]

But its still a bus...

I would say the biggest benefit for RIV for me is Skyliner and so many coffee options in the lobby and not a 1 mile walk to get.

 

[AstroBlasters]

I just settled on a resale contract at the Riviera. During my months long education about DVC and trying to decide on a resort I saw just about every pro/con in the book. However, one thing stuck out to me that I thought was a pretty big deal (at least for my preferences). Riviera only has 300 rooms and dedicated bus routes. So here are the main selling points I never heard talked about during my research at the smallest standalone DVC resort:

-Less people on the buses
-Empty buses when they show up
-No shared routes
-Less crowded pool

This turned out to be true after my latest visit in April renting points before I became an owner. Anyone else have a similar experience or did I get lucky? On the contrary, does this seem to be a pain point for other resorts?

Let’s see what happens when it goes out of active sales….

If Grand Floridian has to share busses with Poly….

 

[atthebeachclub]

I suspect the chance of Riviera forever having its own buses is very low. They eventually combine with Caribbean Beach, or they build Riviera 2.0 and make them share buses.

I haven’t really minded the buses anywhere I’ve stayed, except if they run late.

 

[davidhr]

With the owners covering the full cost of transportation when it sells out, I don’t see the benefit for Disney to combine it with CBR. Not saying that it won’t happen, just not the same as other resorts.

There’s a benefit for them with Poly/VGF/WL/Contemporary because they cover the costs of the hotel side and they are very incentivized to reduce that cost.

 

[lowlight]

Has a deluxe ever shared a bus route with a moderate, outside of rare circumstances?

 

[Tatebeck]

Has a deluxe ever shared a bus route with a moderate, outside of rare circumstances?

BLT shared with fort wilderness before the cabins were made DVC-deluxe(adjacent?). And they still do sometimes I believe

 

[Flash_Sloth]

I love owning and staying at RIV, including the dedicated buses. Here's another tip.

Sometimes when going from DS to RIV, if the RIV bus isn't there but CBR bus is, I'll hop on the CBR bus, get off at the first bus stop (Martinique), and walk to RIV from there.

Or similary when going from DAK to RIV, I might hop the CBR bus and get off at the second bus stop (Aruba), and walk to RIV from there.

I've seen some CBR guests do the reverse if they're staying in a CBR room close to RIV.

 

[Mle8308]

Has a deluxe ever shared a bus route with a moderate, outside of rare circumstances?

WL shares with FW at times. And this was before the CFW.

 

[MarkNC2Disney]

Everything is right-sized at Riv.

 

[tx911]

Has a deluxe ever shared a bus route with a moderate, outside of rare circumstances?

I'd really be shocked if that happens with RIV.

 

[Flash_Sloth]

Has a deluxe ever shared a bus route with a moderate, outside of rare circumstances?

I did experience one rare circumstance at RIV. A couple of years ago, DW and I were going to MNSSHP or MVMCP mid/late afternoon. There was a big crowd at RIV's MK bus stop; more than could fit on one bus. They still had some dedicated RIV/MK buses, but they also sent a RIV->CBR->MK bus. We hopped on that one, and obviously it took some extra time with all the CBR stops, but it helped relieve some of the congestion on the dedicated RIV/MK buses.

 

[Carouselofplanning]

I honestly think this is the most luxurious WDW hotel simply because of its exclusivity. The other deluxe resorts high on the typical Disney guest’s list are mob scenes with all of the non hotel guests on premises (see: Polynesian, GF, Contemporary) and the endless wing extensions (see GF - # of rooms is insane) that take away much of the charm. I haven’t looked at a map in a while but what are the odds another Riviera building goes up after this one sells out? I heard they have land towards CB that can be built on.

 

[Carouselofplanning]

Also - if I only have 1 contract at WDW and it’s via resale, I can’t commit to Riviera. I love steak. But every once in a while I’d like a burger, or a lobster or maybe some ribs.
You know what I mean?

 

[MarkNC2Disney]

Everything is right-sized at Riv.

Also the fit and finish at Riv is muuuch better than most places. I just stayed in a refurbed BLT 2Br TPV, right after staying at Riv, and it was no comparison at all …