The Official Riviera Owners & Info Thread

[JoeDisney247365]

Hello! We are new owners at Riviera and have a question regarding availability the first week of December. Obviously it is a popular week for all of DVC. We aren't planning on it this year but hopefully 2023. Hoping for a 1 BR SV but are flexible to a degree. I've read up on the idea of "walking" a reservation and not trying to debate that nor do I plan to do it honestly, but was wondering if it impacts that week's availability to a high degree at 11 months? Or just the overall availability of that week at 11 months? Thanks!

 

[Sandisw]

Without creating a whole new thread this is the one I saw that I might be able to ask questions on.

We're thinking of stopping over to Riviera in the afternoon from either DHS or Epcot to explore/take a breather and have coffee (maybe some food with it) and have a few questions.

Our trip will be in early to mid-May so I understand if some things will change by then but looking to get at least somewhat up to date information right now.

• What time does Le Petit Cafe switch over to alcohol? We're wanting coffee in the afternoon and didn't know if there was a roundabout time that coffee was no longer available.
• Can you take coffee if you got it from Le Petit Cafe into Voyageur's lounge (which is open correct?) and sit there to drink it and relax or do you need to purchase something from the Lounge in order to sit there?
• I know there's also Primo Piatto if we want more sit down food with coffee. Is the pizza a decent size? The hot sandwiches sound good but are they? lol

Appreciate any assistance!

Coffee is all day and they will add the alcohol to it or serve you other beverages.

You are welcome to enjoy the resort and the food is great. I love the sandwiches!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Don't think they stop coffee until they close?

Anyone can sit in that lounge if they want.

Don't get the pizza get something else. The Croque Monsieur is the way to go IMO if you want a hot sandwich there and something I get multiple times during a stay.

The only Pizza at WDW I would really get is Via Napoli. I am not snooty but its simply because pizza is everywhere and its not that great anywhere.

Coffee is all day and they will add the alcohol to it or serve you other beverages.

You are welcome to enjoy the resort and the food is great. I love the sandwiches!

Thank you both! Much appreciated

 

[EpcotPhoenician]

Quick question that I can't seem to find with a Google search... is there poolside service available with Bar Riva? Similar to how a server walks around the Lava pool at Poly?

 

[lowlight]

Hello! We are new owners at Riviera and have a question regarding availability the first week of December. Obviously it is a popular week for all of DVC. We aren't planning on it this year but hopefully 2023. Hoping for a 1 BR SV but are flexible to a degree. I've read up on the idea of "walking" a reservation and not trying to debate that nor do I plan to do it honestly, but was wondering if it impacts that week's availability to a high degree at 11 months? Or just the overall availability of that week at 11 months? Thanks!

This year hasn't been normal with attendance, so it's hard to say how it will be from here on out, but SV anything is going fast. 1 BR's not as fast as studios, but you may have to walk or settle for PV. I refuse to ever walk, it doesn't sit well with me, so I go for PV's.

 

[Hoppy-tn]

We will be staying at riviera for the first time later this year and I have read you can see the epcot fireworks from some standard view studios and from the restaurant on the top. Is there any firework viewable locations outside on the property at ground level or any other spots?

 

[JoeDisney247365]

This year hasn't been normal with attendance, so it's hard to say how it will be from here on out, but SV anything is going fast. 1 BR's not as fast as studios, but you may have to walk or settle for PV. I refuse to ever walk, it doesn't sit well with me, so I go for PV's.

Thanks for the info and that makes a lot of sense. I would settle for the PV first as well. My dates are also somewhat flexible as we would just prefer the first week but could take the 2nd week. Thankfully we bought with the intentions of staying in one and two bedrooms. Needing to book a studio would stress me out with how fast they go!

 

[Akck]

Quick question that I can't seem to find with a Google search... is there poolside service available with Bar Riva? Similar to how a server walks around the Lava pool at Poly?

We’ve gotten drinks poolside, but I don’t know how consistent service is.

 

[Sandisw]

Quick question that I can't seem to find with a Google search... is there poolside service available with Bar Riva? Similar to how a server walks around the Lava pool at Poly?

They have someone walking around and wiill take a food order but I found it faster to get my own.

 

[EpcotPhoenician]

They have someone walking around and wiill take a food order but I found it faster to get my own.

Thanks! I travel solo so I’m always afraid of somebody taking my stuff, and I don’t want to lose my spot

 

[psc85]

Without creating a whole new thread this is the one I saw that I might be able to ask questions on.

We're thinking of stopping over to Riviera in the afternoon from either DHS or Epcot to explore/take a breather and have coffee (maybe some food with it) and have a few questions.

Our trip will be in early to mid-May so I understand if some things will change by then but looking to get at least somewhat up to date information right now.

• What time does Le Petit Cafe switch over to alcohol? We're wanting coffee in the afternoon and didn't know if there was a roundabout time that coffee was no longer available.
• Can you take coffee if you got it from Le Petit Cafe into Voyageur's lounge (which is open correct?) and sit there to drink it and relax or do you need to purchase something from the Lounge in order to sit there?
• I know there's also Primo Piatto if we want more sit down food with coffee. Is the pizza a decent size? The hot sandwiches sound good but are they? lol

Appreciate any assistance!

We ordered the pizza on our recent trip, it’s a personal size in an oblong shape, we actually really enjoyed it. It’s not your traditional slice of pizza, but I look forward to getting it again when we go in September!

 

[LMO429]

QUICK question if you get a 2nd or 3rd floor room are you able to see fireworks in a standard view ? I assume the fireworks go up so if you look up would you be able to see them or would the view be obstructed from a lower standard view room ?

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We ordered the pizza on our recent trip, it’s a personal size in an oblong shape, we actually really enjoyed it. It’s not your traditional slice of pizza, but I look forward to getting it again when we go in September!

Thank you

 

[psc85]

QUICK question if you get a 2nd or 3rd floor room are you able to see fireworks in a standard view ? I assume the fireworks go up so if you look up would you be able to see them or would the view be obstructed from a lower standard view room ?

There Is a good chance you could see some of the fireworks, although the fireworks for harmonious seemed rather “low” compared to previous shows. We had a standard view studio on the 9th floor, right above the Porte-cochère, and could see easily into world showcase and watch the show from our balcony. I forget the room number, but we will be requesting it again!

 

[exstryker]

Just bought our first ever contract at Riviera for 150 points! So happy to be part of club. Welcome home stay will be at the end of August.

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

Just bought our first ever contract at Riviera for 150 points! So happy to be part of club. Welcome home stay will be at the end of August.

Congrats!

 

[JoeDisney247365]

Just bought our first ever contract at Riviera for 150 points! So happy to be part of club. Welcome home stay will be at the end of August.

Congrats! Our Welcome Home Stay at Riviera is at the end of August as well

 

[PJ271]

Thanks for the info and that makes a lot of sense. I would settle for the PV first as well. My dates are also somewhat flexible as we would just prefer the first week but could take the 2nd week. Thankfully we bought with the intentions of staying in one and two bedrooms. Needing to book a studio would stress me out with how fast they go!

I've stayed at Riviera Resort three times now. First two times we got a standard view on a high floor and LOVED the Epcot views. For our past trip, I wasn't able to snag standard view and "settled" for preferred view. I complained a bit about "spending more points for a view I did not want". I was floored by the view we received. 5th floor right over the chess board/quiet pool area. It was amazing and peaceful and perfect. I sat out and took in that view probably MORE than I did the standard view on the 8th floor.

The resort is just so beautiful and perfect, the preferred view just FELT better for us. The fireworks are great and Spaceship Earth is an amazing view and I still go enjoy the standard view. The drawback not many talk about with the standard view is the parking lot and road noise. Often when I'm sitting out looking at Epcot, half of what I see is a parking lot. The noise from the busses whizzing by on the highway is constant as well. It kind of takes you out of the charm of it all.

Honestly for me, I'm content with both and certainly do not mind spending a few additional points on the preferred view.

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

I've stayed at Riviera Resort three times now. First two times we got a standard view on a high floor and LOVED the Epcot views. For our past trip, I wasn't able to snag standard view and "settled" for preferred view. I complained a bit about "spending more points for a view I did not want". I was floored by the view we received. 5th floor right over the chess board/quiet pool area. It was amazing and peaceful and perfect. I sat out and took in that view probably MORE than I did the standard view on the 8th floor.

The resort is just so beautiful and perfect, the preferred view just FELT better for us. The fireworks are great and Spaceship Earth is an amazing view and I still go enjoy the standard view. The drawback not many talk about with the standard view is the parking lot and road noise. Often when I'm sitting out looking at Epcot, half of what I see is a parking lot. The noise from the busses whizzing by on the highway is constant as well. It kind of takes you out of the charm of it all.

Honestly for me, I'm content with both and certainly do not mind spending a few additional points on the preferred view.

Well said! I agree, they have their pros and cons - standard view isn't bad (Spaceship Earth being the highlight), but preferred is really nice, quiet, peaceful. I love seeing the skyliner and the sun hitting the water in the late pm... but it also costs more. Trade-offs!

ETA: what I do is I decide based on how much time will be spent in the room. On our next trip, we have standard 1BR booked but now MIL might join us... She has mobility issues and needs to rest a lot, so it would be more of a relaxing trip with park time sprinkled in. That would mean switching to preferred.

 

[ninafeliz]

I've stayed at Riviera Resort three times now. First two times we got a standard view on a high floor and LOVED the Epcot views. For our past trip, I wasn't able to snag standard view and "settled" for preferred view. I complained a bit about "spending more points for a view I did not want". I was floored by the view we received. 5th floor right over the chess board/quiet pool area. It was amazing and peaceful and perfect. I sat out and took in that view probably MORE than I did the standard view on the 8th floor.

The resort is just so beautiful and perfect, the preferred view just FELT better for us. The fireworks are great and Spaceship Earth is an amazing view and I still go enjoy the standard view. The drawback not many talk about with the standard view is the parking lot and road noise. Often when I'm sitting out looking at Epcot, half of what I see is a parking lot. The noise from the busses whizzing by on the highway is constant as well. It kind of takes you out of the charm of it all.

Honestly for me, I'm content with both and certainly do not mind spending a few additional points on the preferred view.

I’ve only stayed in a standard view, so I can’t really compare, but I had a few thoughts related to yours. We were on the 7th floor and I didn’t notice any road noise, I’m sure it was there but I guess not enough to be prominent to me when on the balcony. The fireworks view is nice, and seeing spaceship earth lit up from bed is amazing, making the SV something special. However, since the Epcot show isn’t all in the air and you don’t have the music, and there is the parking lot below, I think the SV is appropriate, it just gives a super nice bonus to staying standard. However, I have to argue with your “a few additional points” lol. We have 250 points and will go every other yr in a 2 BR. In July 2021 we had a enough points for 9 nights in a 2 BR SV (we have 4 kids) and one night in a BCV 2 BR. We would have only had enough points for (IIRC) 7 nights (total) in a PV. I find the price difference quite a bit, and it isn’t like at the Poly or BLT where you at least see the MK with the better view. So I guess my point is- I do think the PVs are better, but given the points difference and the actual benefits the RR has in SV (fireworks, SE) I think the SV is a gem. We also love the RR!

now I have to say that there do seem to be some lousy PVs you could get and then it would really sting to have used so many more points. It also isn’t guaranteed you get a high floor looking toward Epcot in a SV, but I guess when/if we get that ground floor room facing the entrance walkway I can at least be happy I’m staying more night in my SV than I could In a PV!