The Official Riviera Owners & Info Thread

[kimmar067]

 

[Girlstar30]

I like the clothes as a conversation starter, ALTHOUGH im not getting the reaction I want as more than once people have asked if i work there The polos do look like they can be an employee shirt

 

[emchen]

The last one is the jacket I bought recently! I have an AUL one already and love it because it's so soft. I think they really knocked it out of the park with this set.

I alllllmost bought the gray-blue hoodie jacket and you're right, it's very soft.

I do love hoodies (Not quite as much as my teenage boys do, but it's close)!

I got the VDH hoodie...love it! Softness is unbelievable...so comforting!

 

[Herding_Cats]

We are staying in early January on rented points in a preferred studio. In the interest of not pestering the person who has rented us the points, what would you suggest for someone who wants a room that is in a more quiet area with a decent view, using the drop-down menu. I've looked through TP's room finder and there are just way too many options for me to wade through.

The options are:
Higher Floor, Lower Floor, Near Elevator, Near Skyliner.

I was originally thinking of trying to get a room with a fireworks view for DD (yes, I know they are far away) but we can just head up to Toppolino's for drinks and then out to the terrace. Assuming they haven't put a stop to that.

 

[airjay75]

We are staying in early January on rented points in a preferred studio. In the interest of not pestering the person who has rented us the points, what would you suggest for someone who wants a room that is in a more quiet area with a decent view, using the drop-down menu. I've looked through TP's room finder and there are just way too many options for me to wade through.

The options are:
Higher Floor, Lower Floor, Near Elevator, Near Skyliner.

I was originally thinking of trying to get a room with a fireworks view for DD (yes, I know they are far away) but we can just head up to Toppolino's for drinks and then out to the terrace. Assuming they haven't put a stop to that.

When I rented a preferred studio in July, I requested high floor and near Skyliner. Had a view of the Skyliner and Epcot so could definitely see the fireworks. It was nice. It was not near an elevator (and I'm good with that personally). That said, I personally would have preferred something facing the central "U" of the resort. However, it's not one of the drop down options so you'd have to contact someone to make that request.

 

[RivGirl]

We are staying in early January on rented points in a preferred studio. In the interest of not pestering the person who has rented us the points, what would you suggest for someone who wants a room that is in a more quiet area with a decent view, using the drop-down menu. I've looked through TP's room finder and there are just way too many options for me to wade through.

The options are:
Higher Floor, Lower Floor, Near Elevator, Near Skyliner.

I was originally thinking of trying to get a room with a fireworks view for DD (yes, I know they are far away) but we can just head up to Toppolino's for drinks and then out to the terrace. Assuming they haven't put a stop to that.

I would choose Higher Floor and Near Skyliner, probably in that order.

You do have a chance of actually facing the Skyliner and not Barefoot Bay/Caribbean Beach Resort when you request Near Skyliner. Some may prefer that...I like Barefoot Bay. However, requesting Near Skyliner also makes you less likely to get one of the rooms on the opposite side of the resort that overlooks a retention pond (a pretty one, but some dislike) and more importantly, IMO, the smoking section that wafts up to the rooms according to some reports.

 

[Herding_Cats]

and more importantly, IMO, the smoking section that wafts up to the rooms according to some reports.

Oh my gosh THANK YOU. I didn't even think about smoking sections.

 

[RivGirl]

Oh my gosh THANK YOU. I didn't even think about smoking sections.

You're welcome! I've never been exposed to the area myself but I would be fit to be tied if I had a room anywhere near it.

I've seen an older map that looked like the smoking area was tucked into the corner, closer to the rooms. This map currently on the DW website seems to indicate that it's further towards the beach now. I wonder if they moved it due to guest complaints. Anyone have any intel?

The one on the front side of the building looks like it's on top of the resort in this map, but it's actually out in front.

The Skyliner is on the very left of this map, for reference.

 

[Brian Noble]

We had a room in the corner on one of the upper floors, and never noticed any smell at all. I did not look to see where the area was though.

 

[J-Dog]

We had a room in the corner on one of the upper floors, and never noticed any smell at all. I did not look to see where the area was though.

Me either. The only time I notice the smoking section is because we usually park in the west parking lot and have to walk past the smoking section to get there.

 

[airjay75]

I will just note that when I stayed in July in my preferred view studio facing the Skyliner, I could smell cigarette smoke several mornings while sitting on my balcony. Clearly someone not following the rules. So, you never know. If I had been spending more time on the balcony, probably would have called the front desk, but did not.

 

[J-Dog]

I will just note that when I stayed in July in my preferred view studio facing the Skyliner, I could smell cigarette smoke several mornings while sitting on my balcony. Clearly someone not following the rules. So, you never know. If I had been spending more time on the balcony, probably would have called the front desk, but did not.

You must be right that someone was smoking on their balcony, because neither smoking section is anywhere close to the Skyliner side.

I was in Disney Springs last Saturday, and saw two people just walking in the middle of everyone, smoking - I never saw anyone do anything about it either. Hopefully security caught up with them eventually, but I don't know.

 

[Flash_Sloth]

On our most recent trip, we had a Standard View / Resort View room in the east tower. We could hear, but not see, the EPCOT fireworks. Way off in the distance, we could see Magic Kingdom fireworks. If you zoom in below the fireworks in this picture, you can somewhat see The Contemporary.


A couple of years ago, we had a different room with a view of the EPCOT fireworks. We tried to enjoy them from our balcony when our neighbor decided it would be a good time to smoke a joint on their balcony.

 

[intamin]

You're welcome! I've never been exposed to the area myself but I would be fit to be tied if I had a room anywhere near it.

I've seen an older map that looked like the smoking area was tucked into the corner, closer to the rooms. This map currently on the DW website seems to indicate that it's further towards the beach now. I wonder if they moved it due to guest complaints. Anyone have any intel?

The one on the front side of the building looks like it's on top of the resort in this map, but it's actually out in front.

The Skyliner is on the very left of this map, for reference.View attachment 1022272

Does anyone else wish Topo had been built in the west wing closer to where the tower is? I always feel like I'm trying to look over RIV to see the fireworks. Maybe they were trying to make it so Topo doesn't have a view of the traffic on the street and instead has a better view of the lake and CBR

 

[Brian Noble]

when our neighbor decided it would be a good time to smoke a joint on their balcony

Not the original, but IMO better.

 

[muppets3d]

The smoking section at Riviera is just to the left of the porte-cochere as you walk out of the resort lobby, so a preferred villa would not be near it since they do not face the parking lot.

 

[Girlstar30]

Do all of the dvc resorts have a smoking section?

 

[RivGirl]

The smoking section at Riviera is just to the left of the porte-cochere as you walk out of the resort lobby, so a preferred villa would not be near it since they do not face the parking lot.

There are two smoking sections according to Disney World’s published map of smoking sections, and one is on the preferred side of the building. This is the one that people have complained about re: secondhand smoke reaching their rooms from below.

 

[RivGirl]

Do all of the dvc resorts have a smoking section?

AFAIK, yes.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/designated-smoking-areas/

 

[muppets3d]

There are two smoking sections according to Disney World’s published map of smoking sections, and one is on the preferred side of the building. This is the one that people have complained about re: secondhand smoke reaching their rooms from below.

Oh yea it's near the pool and bar riva. I could see how that one could affect it.