Riviera's most overlooked benefit...

[brightmango]

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?

Funny you say that. I have a trip booked this December at AKV and BRV (booked before I bought my contract) and I have to say I’m very excited as this will be my first time staying at both. Variety is the spice of life!

 

[Carouselofplanning]

Funny you say that. I have a trip booked this December at AKV and BRV (booked before I bought my contract) and I have to say I’m very excited as this will be my first time staying at both. Variety is the spice of life!

Indeed - but congrats on your purchase. I agree is an incredible property with tons of upside.

 

[eticketplease]

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.

If you are taking the CBR bus back is there a reason that you are getting off from Animal Kingdom that you use the 2nd stop but use the 1st stop if leaving from Disney Springs?

 

[eticketplease]

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?

That's why if you own a mercedes or lexus you can rent a ford or chevy from Hertz on the off chance you want to try something else.

The other cars may get better mpg but I'll take my massage seats

 

[Flash_Sloth]

If you are taking the CBR bus back is there a reason that you are getting off from Animal Kingdom that you use the 2nd stop but use the 1st stop if leaving from Disney Springs?

Yes. When coming from DAK, the CBR bus starts on the southwest side; 2nd bus stop is very close to the Skyliner.

When coming from Disney Springs, the CBR bus starts on the northeast side; 1st bus stop is closer to Riviera.

And I think that if coming from Magic Kingdom, CBR bus starts on the northeast side like Disney Springs.

 

[eticketplease]

Yes. When coming from DAK, the CBR bus starts on the southwest side; 2nd bus stop is very close to the Skyliner.

When coming from Disney Springs, the CBR bus starts on the northeast side; 1st bus stop is closer to Riviera.

And I think that if coming from Magic Kingdom, CBR bus starts on the northeast side like Disney Springs.

Thanks I have never stayed at CBR so I had no clue!!

 

[MerlinandtheMouse]

I just don’t see Disney combining buses for CBR and RIV. CBR has over 2000 rooms and multiple bus stops. Grand Floridian and Poly combined is still less than that 1 resort. Beach club, Boardwalk and Yacht club combined also don’t add up to that. RIV owners already pay for their own buses, why would they change anything to make things harder/worse for bus drivers and guests?

And if they have a RIV 2.0 on the docket, I think that’s even more reason to keep the bus routes separated since the population and need for higher bus capacity at RIV goes up.

I’m also not sure I buy that this will change once RIV is no longer in active sales since all we do on here is complain how much we dislike the Poly/ Grand Floridian bus sharing and genuinely thought they would separate the bus routes once the tower came into play but they didn’t. And Poly is in active sales. CCV was in active sales when it shared with Contemporary and CFW. They could’ve combined them at any time, even in the last year or so, as it’s no longer the main sales pitch resort, but they haven’t. The bus system is more of a IYKYK situation anyway, the skyliner is the main transportation sell so they really could have if they wanted to.

I wonder who makes the decision of combing bus routes? DVC? Disney? The management team at that specific resort? Maybe @sandisws would know

 

[Carouselofplanning]

That's why if you own a mercedes or lexus you can rent a ford or chevy from Hertz on the off chance you want to try something else.

The other cars may get better mpg but I'll take my massage seats

Totally - but now you’re outside of your membership. Many resorts offer the choice while remaining inside. It’s a tough choice because I don’t deny the quality. Not one bit.

 

[muppets3d]

I guess I'm just not convinced that Riviera will always have it's own bus loop so I've not allowed myself to get too excited over it. If the monorail resorts share bus loops, it's a matter of time for Riviera I'd say.

 

[tx911]

I guess I'm just not convinced that Riviera will always have it's own bus loop so I've not allowed myself to get too excited over it. If the monorail resorts share bus loops, it's a matter of time for Riviera I'd say.

Perhaps they will just expand Riviera and it will share with itself, so to speak.

 

[hardcorestitch]

Perhaps they will just expand Riviera and it will share with itself, so to speak.

Don’t give Disney any ideas or else they’ll pull a Pixar Place and make you ride Caribbean Beach’s buses…

 

[muppets3d]

Perhaps they will just expand Riviera and it will share with itself, so to speak.

I wouldn't be surprised to see that happen but I also don't expect it to happen either. It seems like all the focus is going to be on the Magic Kingdom expansion in the next 5-10 years. I would expect a new resort built along Floridian Way to accommodate Villian's Land.

 

[MarkNC2Disney]

I wouldn't be surprised to see that happen but I also don't expect it to happen either. It seems like all the focus is going to be on the Magic Kingdom expansion in the next 5-10 years. I would expect a new resort built along Floridian Way to accommodate Villian's Land.

Yup. They’re not doing all that work along Floridian Way just to smooth existing traffic.

 

[airjay75]

I just don’t see Disney combining buses for CBR and RIV. CBR has over 2000 rooms and multiple bus stops. Grand Floridian and Poly combined is still less than that 1 resort. Beach club, Boardwalk and Yacht club combined also don’t add up to that. RIV owners already pay for their own buses, why would they change anything to make things harder/worse for bus drivers and guests?

And if they have a RIV 2.0 on the docket, I think that’s even more reason to keep the bus routes separated since the population and need for higher bus capacity at RIV goes up.

I’m also not sure I buy that this will change once RIV is no longer in active sales since all we do on here is complain how much we dislike the Poly/ Grand Floridian bus sharing and genuinely thought they would separate the bus routes once the tower came into play but they didn’t. And Poly is in active sales. CCV was in active sales when it shared with Contemporary and CFW. They could’ve combined them at any time, even in the last year or so, as it’s no longer the main sales pitch resort, but they haven’t. The bus system is more of a IYKYK situation anyway, the skyliner is the main transportation sell so they really could have if they wanted to.

I wonder who makes the decision of combing bus routes? DVC? Disney? The management team at that specific resort? Maybe @sandisws would know

I would also be interested in @Sandisw 's take on this. RIV is a stand alone DVC resort - there is no cash component other than the points that DVD decides it wants to hold itself. Other DVC resorts that share a bus have hotel sides and so there are more parties involved in transportation decisions.

That said, I also agree with the take that the real plus to RIV is the Skyliner. Bus service is sort of like shared laundry rooms - there's only so nice they can be. And, TBH, as a RIV owner committed to the long-term, if shared bus service helped keep dues in check, I don't know I'd even have a problem with it.

I will say, though, thinking about that covered walkway to the buses with the riviera-esque music playing as you walk to/from the resort - really wish I was there!

 

[IMMkXLVI]

Our reasons for buying Riviera were proximity to the parks and the monorail. That and they didn't have Grand Floridian.

 

[atthebeachclub]

proximity to the parks and the monorail

Presumably…this is the Skyliner?

 

[eticketplease]

Our reasons for buying Riviera were proximity to the parks and the monorail. That and they didn't have Grand Floridian.

Skyliner?

 

[eticketplease]

Presumably…this is the Skyliner?

beat me to it

 

[JayMass]

We just stayed at the Riviera last week and absolutely loved it. We aren't DVC, but we rented the points. There were times the pool was crowded, but there was also a time or two when we had it to ourselves.

In terms of the busses, apparently the only time you have to share is when the Skyliner is down. This happened when my (teen) kids came to join my wife and I at Epcot after our visit to Geo-82 (which was awesome!). They said they went to CBR, Pop, and AoA before getting to Epcot.

 

[Flash_Sloth]

I would also be interested in @Sandisw 's take on this. RIV is a stand alone DVC resort - there is no cash component other than the points that DVD decides it wants to hold itself. Other DVC resorts that share a bus have hotel sides and so there are more parties involved in transportation decisions.

That said, I also agree with the take that the real plus to RIV is the Skyliner. Bus service is sort of like shared laundry rooms - there's only so nice they can be. And, TBH, as a RIV owner committed to the long-term, if shared bus service helped keep dues in check, I don't know I'd even have a problem with it.

I will say, though, thinking about that covered walkway to the buses with the riviera-esque music playing as you walk to/from the resort - really wish I was there!

As RIV owners, we're paying for transportation as a part of our dues. I assume that Skyliner costs are shared between RIV, CBR, AoA, and Pop, but I don't have any idea how they divide it up. But the dedicated bus routes for RIV mean dedicated transportation costs for us.

How much would you want your RIV dues lowered if you had shared bus routes? I think I'm OK with the dues & dedicated buses.