The Official Riviera Owners & Info Thread

[UrsulaWantsYourSoul]

Our routine was to grab rise BG in the hotel room exactly at 7am. Then we would head down to primo for our to-go coffee. We would then get in line at the RIV skyliner line. Each time we were 2nd in line and waited about 30 min or so (usually without anyone waiting behind us for 20 of those minutes). In our experience they opened the gate at 7:35. We rode to CBR station and were allowed into the shorted line waiting for them to “open” . I believe they let people board exactly at 7:45. Once at HS we got into the temp screening line which opened at 8:10. (This is based on 2 days) each day we were able to walk on to slinky dog - even though it seemed like long lines in front of us. Our first of 3 HS days we botched a bit- we walked to Caribbean beach because I thought the riv line would wait in the CBR line - not for the first RIV groups though. So we waited for them - which was still fine - except we went to tower of terror which was closed at the time!! Let me know if that works for you!!

That's very helpful - so they they kind of give Pixie dust treatment for the first few cars coming from Riviera to not be in the long line at CBR - good to know!

 

[Leahc117]

That's very helpful - so they they kind of give Pixie dust treatment for the first few cars coming from Riviera to not be in the long line at CBR - good to know!

It seemed pretty fair. They let the first few in each line merge together (including CBR I was told by another guest) and then once the line is open everyone goes into the main line.

 

[bclittle]

I'm staying in a Tower Studio at the end of June with my husband and am excited to explore Riviera! I have watched videos of the room but can't figure out where the pillows are.... Are the only pillows the ones in the extra pillow and blanket bags? Is there a way to ask for more? Also any way to ask for more towels if we have declined housekeeping? Thanks for any info you have!

 

[Akck]

Pillows are in the top cabinet above the microwave. We were told you can request towels from housekeeping.

 

[summerw]

Hi, everyone! I’m home right now!! I booked a standard view but got this view!

We have a resort day tomorrow and I’ll get pics of the current activities and groceries and resort specific merch. Does anyone have any other requests?

 

[Akck]

Hi, everyone! I’m home right now!! I booked a standard view but got this view!

We have a resort day tomorrow and I’ll get pics of the current activities and groceries and resort specific merch. Does anyone have any other requests?
View attachment 570570

Hi neighbor, I’m in a tower studio close to your room. We’re leaving after tonight for BC, so we’ll wave as we depart. Doing a split stay to check out other resorts. My wife wants to stay here though.

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

Hi neighbor, I’m in a tower studio close to your room. We’re leaving after tonight for BC, so we’ll wave as we depart. Doing a split stay to check out other resorts. My wife wants to stay here though.

Glad to know your wife wants to stay, must mean she likes it there! How long were you in the tower? We have 6 nights booked in a tower studio and ate excited, but also worried it might be too long in a small space. Especially since last trip we had a two bedroom

 

[Akck]

Glad to know your wife wants to stay, must mean she likes it there! How long were you in the tower? We have 6 nights booked in a tower studio and ate excited, but also worried it might be too long in a small space. Especially since last trip we had a two bedroom

We’ve stayed 3 nights. We could probably stay longer, but for comparison, our bedroom is smaller than a tower studio. The only shortcoming is the closet is small, especially if you store a suitcase on the stand. There are enough shelves and storage nooks and as long as you utilize them you should be fine. Otherwise, you’ll be tripping over your stuff. We’ll consider a tower again, but I hope we never stay in a one or two bedroom. I don’t think we can afford more points.

 

[summerw]

Hi neighbor, I’m in a tower studio close to your room. We’re leaving after tonight for BC, so we’ll wave as we depart. Doing a split stay to check out other resorts. My wife wants to stay here though.

If you’re still here, I’m headed to the pool in a black suit with 2 teenage boys. Say hi! I’m super awkward but don’t let that stop you. Lol.

 

[psc85]

Hi, everyone! I’m home right now!! I booked a standard view but got this view!

We have a resort day tomorrow and I’ll get pics of the current activities and groceries and resort specific merch. Does anyone have any other requests?
View attachment 570570

Beautiful photo, great view from the room!

 

[Akck]

If you’re still here, I’m headed to the pool in a black suit with 2 teenage boys. Say hi! I’m super awkward but don’t let that stop you. Lol.

Sorry we missed you. We checked into BC and had our room by 9:40 am.

 

[havoc315]

The best way to rope drop DHS (other than driving) is to walk over to the CBR Skyliner stop about an hour before it opens. They start running the DHS line from there to the park before the RIV to CBR line is open.

Hour before DHS opens (8am for 9am DHS open) or an hour before skyliner opens? (7am for 8am skyliner for 9am DHS open)

Leaving Riviera at 6:50... getting VQ for Rise of the Resistance as you walk.. and waiting an hour at the Skyliner station sounds like overkill.. I hope?

Another transportation question: how was the wait for early morning buses to MK and AK?

And last question— was there ever a wait to get into the pools?

 

[jasonplusliz]

We just plunged into DVC ownership this past week - it’s our one and only YOLO purchase ever! We are now the proud owners of 400 direct RIV points!

Our first welcome home trip is scheduled for august 22-28 in a 1br standard view. Also on waitlist for a studio if we can convince the in-laws to join us. Can we be added to the be our guest post? Thanks!!

 

[UrsulaWantsYourSoul]

We just plunged into DVC ownership this past week - it’s our one and only YOLO purchase ever! We are now the proud owners of 400 direct RIV points!

Our first welcome home trip is scheduled for august 22-28 in a 1br standard view. Also on waitlist for a studio if we can convince the in-laws to join us. Can we be added to the be our guest post? Thanks!!

Welcome Home! We also did 400 points direct at RIV (in July 2020) - twins! . If I had it to do over again I would have split it into at least 2 contracts of 200 each if not smaller fo potential exit strategy later but oh well - one giant 400 point contact it is! Here's to many years of amazing trips! If I lived closer to WDW I might also have considered getting a fixed week and added the rest of the points as a separate contract to get up to the 400 point discount rate. Congrats!

 

[kboo]

Stalking EVERYTHING Riviera on google and the Dis ! Like I mentioned before, switched our AKV value studio to a Tower Studio @ Riviera.

We recently went from a 1br value at AKV to a Riviera studio in a split stay, and the whole family preferred the Riviera studio.

 

[bigAWL]

We recently went from a 1br value at AKV to a Riviera studio in a split stay, and the whole family preferred the Riviera studio.

Interesting. Was it the room, specifically, you all preferred? Style and decor? Or maybe the resort overall?

 

[Leahc117]

Hour before DHS opens (8am for 9am DHS open) or an hour before skyliner opens? (7am for 8am skyliner for 9am DHS open)

Leaving Riviera at 6:50... getting VQ for Rise of the Resistance as you walk.. and waiting an hour at the Skyliner station sounds like overkill.. I hope?

Another transportation question: how was the wait for early morning buses to MK and AK?

And last question— was there ever a wait to get into the pools?

When we were there the parks opened early (I assume this is still happening). So you would get your boarding group in the room and head out to the skyliner by 7:15-7:30 in order to hopefully be in the park by around 8:15.

We went out for the bus around 6:30 for AK, picked up by 6:45 and in the park by 7:15.

There was not a wait at the RIV pool for the duration of our stay (Tues-Sun)

 

[karen4546]

Interesting. Was it the room, specifically, you all preferred? Style and decor? Or maybe the resort overall?

I have not stayed at the Riviera yet and I know you were asking the other person, but the reason we switched is because of convenience. We love Jambo house when everything is open. We stayed there in March and the lack of a QS restaurant, no gift shop to browse daily, and no smells of Boma were quite noticeable.

When the Tower studio popped up for exactly my days, I knew I wanted to switch because the resort is fully open and the convenience of the skyliner. Will I return to my home resort-of course!

 

[havoc315]

When we were there the parks opened early (I assume this is still happening). So you would get your boarding group in the room and head out to the skyliner by 7:15-7:30 in order to hopefully be in the park by around 8:15.

We went out for the bus around 6:30 for AK, picked up by 6:45 and in the park by 7:15.

There was not a wait at the RIV pool for the duration of our stay (Tues-Sun)

Thank you... Think I can get my party to the Riv skyliner station by 7:15ish. Getting everyone to the bus stop by 6:30 is going to be hard..

 

[kboo]

Interesting. Was it the room, specifically, you all preferred? Style and decor? Or maybe the resort overall?

I have not stayed at the Riviera yet and I know you were asking the other person, but the reason we switched is because of convenience. We love Jambo house when everything is open. We stayed there in March and the lack of a QS restaurant, no gift shop to browse daily, and no smells of Boma were quite noticeable.

When the Tower studio popped up for exactly my days, I knew I wanted to switch because the resort is fully open and the convenience of the skyliner. Will I return to my home resort-of course!

I think it was the sadness of Jambo (nothing open, see ^^^), the somewhat run-down room, the difficulties with transportation, and some other issues with service at AKV-J that made it a less than optimal stay.

Of course a Riviera studio is a lot smaller than even the smallest 1br, but the decor was more to our taste, the furnishings were newer, the layout of the space made the most of what they had. The murphy bed is way more comfortable than the sofa bed, and is much easier to set up. The bathroom in the studio had 2 showers, the bathroom at AKV of course had 1.

We had a lot of issues with the room at AKV - between knocking, noisy pipes (it sounded like loud drilling next door, except that it seemed to only happen in the mornings just after we used the sink; HVAC that was either full blast heat or icy cold and nothing in between; soap dispensers in the bath that were falling apart; a phone that didn't always allow one to dial in/out ... (not an issue except we were waiting for bags to be delivered, and "we couldn't call you" was used as an excuse at least once) ...
and finally, both times waiting for buses from MK to AKV, the stops near us had at least 1 and as many as 3 buses come to each stop in the time it took for 1 bus to come for AKV. We felt like the invisible, overlooked guests. So I could see returning to AKV after more of Jambo is open (I like the decor and space of Jambo, but without the restaurants and other people around, it felt like the Overlook Hotel) for maybe a resort-only stay in a savanna room to enjoy the pools and savanna. I doubt I'll book a value room again, even though it was really cheap.