The Official Riviera Owners & Info Thread

[Lakegirl]

We just bought our first contract at Riviera direct for 150 points! So excited to finally be DVC. We had actually already booked a cash trip for this April with a split stay between GF and Riv, so we're still taking that but are returning to Riv for our first DVC trip in November. Thinking about a couple resale contracts to add points on somewhere down the line at different resorts.

Welcome Home and Congratulations!!

 

[UrsulaWantsYourSoul]

We just bought our first contract at Riviera direct for 150 points! So excited to finally be DVC. We had actually already booked a cash trip for this April with a split stay between GF and Riv, so we're still taking that but are returning to Riv for our first DVC trip in November. Thinking about a couple resale contracts to add points on somewhere down the line at different resorts.

Welcome Home, @BillBrasky and family!

 

[summerw]

Good Morning! I am so on the fence between buying Riveria direct or BLT resale. Visited Riveria back in December and fell in love. We already own BRV so the pull is to own closer to Epcot since I love Epcot. Now trying to decide how many points! Love reading all your posts!

We already added more. We thought we'd be happy with enough for a studio every other year. Then Covid hit and we ended up cancelled and replanning a shorter trip. We had enough points for a 1 bedroom for some of it. We can never go back. So I'd get as many as I could afford. lol.

We just bought our first contract at Riviera direct for 150 points! So excited to finally be DVC. We had actually already booked a cash trip for this April with a split stay between GF and Riv, so we're still taking that but are returning to Riv for our first DVC trip in November. Thinking about a couple resale contracts to add points on somewhere down the line at different resorts.

Welcome home, neighbor! Two trips to Riviera in the same year sounds amazing to me! We might need to add some resale points too, since now we're addicted, I know we will want to bring family and will need bigger villas.

 

[havoc315]

We went for a quick trip last weekend and loved it! Was able to change from preferred to standard view 1 BR a few weeks out, and soooo happy with the view (plus saved thirty-something points)!

I will definitely plan on returning in the future for the 'full' resort experience to enjoy QS/lounges/beautiful grounds without occupancy limits and masks.

The staff were very nice, food/drinks excellent, and room decor and appointments top-notch. Wish we had 2 separate baths (or an extra shower/toilet). Loooooved the murphy sofa bed as it was so easy to turn living space into sleeping space for kiddo (and quite comfy).

Only big turn off was the terrible skyliner line right after park close for Epcot - it was backed up past Beach Club, so we hung out at Boardwalk for a while, ordered Trattorias take out, shopped a bit; then it was STILL backed up to the Beach Club, so we ubered back to Riv. If this is the situation when resorts and parks are capacity restricted, then I can't imagine when it's full. Otherwise, the skyliner was great -rode pre-rope drop at 8 am for HS and several times during the day.View attachment 554620

Hard to say what Skyliner will be like when full capacity is restored. Yes, even more people in line for the skyliner. But able to completely fill each cabin.

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

Good Morning! I am so on the fence between buying Riveria direct or BLT resale. Visited Riveria back in December and fell in love. We already own BRV so the pull is to own closer to Epcot since I love Epcot. Now trying to decide how many points! Love reading all your posts!

Well, you're asking the RVA owners thread so we're biased!
I would get RVA since you already like it, don't have an Epcot resort, and you like Epcot--it's a pretty fast Skywalker (that's what DH calls it) flight away!

If you like BLT more than BRV, maybe down the line you could trade? For me it would be hard to choose between the two since I like WL as a resort better but the convenience of the Contemporary is really hard to beat.

 

[TheMick424]

We are looking forward to an upcoming stay at RIV for 2 nights at the end of April. How is the bus service to MK? We'd like to rope drop and are debating whether the bus or driving our car gives us a better chance. Would prefer not to Uber/Lyft.

 

[havoc315]

We are looking forward to an upcoming stay at RIV for 2 nights at the end of April. How is the bus service to MK? We'd like to rope drop and are debating whether the bus or driving our car gives us a better chance. Would prefer not to Uber/Lyft.

I'd look for confirmation from recent guests.. but I believe the bus service to MK is excellent: Not a shared bus.

 

[CarolynFH]

We are looking forward to an upcoming stay at RIV for 2 nights at the end of April. How is the bus service to MK? We'd like to rope drop and are debating whether the bus or driving our car gives us a better chance. Would prefer not to Uber/Lyft.

The other important fact to know in deciding whether to take the bus or drive to MK is that the bus drops you off at the MK entrance. If you drive, you'll park at the TTC and be with swarms of people taking either the monorail or the ferry around/across the lagoon to get to the MK entrance. For that reason, MK is the only park we don't drive to when staying onsite with a car.

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

The other important fact to know in deciding whether to take the bus or drive to MK is that the bus drops you off at the MK entrance. If you drive, you'll park at the TTC and be with swarms of people taking either the monorail or the ferry around/across the lagoon to get to the MK entrance. For that reason, MK is the only park we don't drive to when staying onsite with a car.

I agree with this strongly! Even if there is a wait for the bus, it's one time waiting and then you're dropped off right at the park. At the TTC, you may have to wait in your car to get in to park, then if you're not close enough to walk you may have to wait to take the tram, then you'll surely have to wait for either the monorail or the ferry (I prefer the monorail route, but that was pre-covid changes). Then you're finally by the park entrance. I would do the bus, it's a dedicated line.

 

[TheMick424]

The other important fact to know in deciding whether to take the bus or drive to MK is that the bus drops you off at the MK entrance. If you drive, you'll park at the TTC and be with swarms of people taking either the monorail or the ferry around/across the lagoon to get to the MK entrance. For that reason, MK is the only park we don't drive to when staying onsite with a car.

This is an excellent point. I would prefer to take the bus for this reason. Just need to convince my DH that TTC is not a good option for this trip.

 

[CarolynFH]

This is an excellent point. I would prefer to take the bus for this reason. Just need to convince my DH that TTC is not a good option for this trip.

Another piece of information that might help - the parking trams were not running for any park when we were there in November or December, and so far as I know they haven't started running yet. So no matter where you park at the TTC, you're walking all the way to the security check point (which is where the trams used to load/unload) and then to the monorail/ferry. Maybe not so bad on the way in, but not much fun on the way home after all the walking in the park!

 

[Castillo Mom]

Welcome Home! to all our new neighbors! We bought sight unseen too and have no regrets except not buying infinite points. We did a 3-way split last trip and Riviera completely felt like home.

Our next trip is in coming up in April. I can't wait to be back poolside, enjoying the view and getting to the parks by silently flying over it all. When do you all have trips?

Hey would people like if I started a Be Our Guest list with everyone's travel dates if you want to post them?

@jamesweikamp, would you mind if I linked to your grocery photos in the first post? I don't have any of those and would love to add them? Thanks!

Also, if there have been any other photos people think should be linked to in the first post, just let me know.

Hello! Yes, I'd love a Be Our Guest list, that's a great idea!

 

[Thegoatfeeder]

Good news out of the UK yesterday, most of our restrictions are supposed to be lifted by the end of June with all adults having had their first vaccine dose by July (with the 2nd 8-12 weeks later), so maybe/possibly/hopefully we'll be able to 'come home' in September......

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

Good news out of the UK yesterday, most of our restrictions are supposed to be lifted by the end of June with all adults having had their first vaccine dose by July (with the 2nd 8-12 weeks later), so maybe/possibly/hopefully we'll be able to 'come home' in September......

That makes me very happy!

 

[kboo]

We haven't stayed at Riviera yet, but with the closing of the splash pad area at Poly, we switched to a preferred view studio over spring break (lucky it was available when I was stalking the site last night). Is it worth putting a waitlist in for standard view as well (to save points - 18 to be exact). Is the preferred view worth the extra points or would you guys recommend stalking and waitlisting the standard view?

Also is there a request you would try to make in terms of room area?

I have only stayed standard view and liked it; there's certainly no harm in waitlisting the standard room and saving points - I'm a points miser myself. The one request I'd make is HIGH FLOOR - many of the standard rooms have a view of Spaceship Earth past the parking lot, so the higher you are, the less parking lot you see. depending on time of year, 18 points might be worth another night, and I'll almost always take length of stay over room view.

Good Morning! I am so on the fence between buying Riveria direct or BLT resale. Visited Riveria back in December and fell in love. We already own BRV so the pull is to own closer to Epcot since I love Epcot. Now trying to decide how many points! Love reading all your posts!

We were making the same decision back in 2019! We already owned BLT (resale) but needed more points. Ultimately decided it was worth paying a little more to have another home resort, and because RIV direct can book any resort at 7 mo, we could still use those points to book BLT at 7mo (together with our BLT points) but if we bought BLT resale, those points would not be able to be used at Riviera. And we were ok with having to book lake view if necessary. Also having a home resort in the EP/HS area was a factor - HS is already popular and EP after the improvements will be terrific too.

We are looking forward to an upcoming stay at RIV for 2 nights at the end of April. How is the bus service to MK? We'd like to rope drop and are debating whether the bus or driving our car gives us a better chance. Would prefer not to Uber/Lyft.

We last stayed at Riviera and bussed to MK in December 2019. It was nice having a dedicated bus, and the waits were ... fine. Not great but worth the wait to be dropped off at the park. and remember that now Uber/Lyft or driving yourself only gets you to TTC, not to the park itself.

 

[dez1978]

For those that have stayed here recently, how have the busses been? Just trying to plan for rope drop over spring break. When we were there Jan 2020 the buses weren’t running early enough to make it 45 mins before official opening

 

[ChimneyJim]

Arrived yesterday, our first stay using our original 2019 points. They really need to add a Value room type. We have a Standard view but some views just shouldn’t exist or should be much cheaper.

 

[Snicky94]

Hard to say what Skyliner will be like when full capacity is restored. Yes, even more people in line for the skyliner. But able to completely fill each cabin.

Arrived yesterday, our first stay using our original 2019 points. They really need to add a Value room type. We have a Standard view but some views just shouldn’t exist or should be much cheaper.View attachment 559054

What room floor were you on? I'm going in April and I booked a 2 bedroom standard view. I asked for a view of the skyliner...

 

[ChimneyJim]

What room floor were you on? I'm going in April and I booked a 2 bedroom standard view. I asked for a view of the skyliner...

Third floor. We requested close to sklyliner. Almost as far from that as physically possible.

 

[Snicky94]

Third floor. We requested close to sklyliner. Almost as far from that as physically possible.

Well that's not promising but I'm hoping to be in the wing to right of the front of the hotel. I'm hoping for a higher floor so we shall see. How are you enjoying the resort otherwise? Transportation? etc.