Hard Pass on Riviera Resort

[€lairebear]

Thanks so much for sharing the info, after hearing this I am leaning towards adding on to RR. I guess this adding points is addictive once you are a DVC member. We did the same after we bought our contract, I waited and added more points (guilty) was then but not anymore since my little ones love Disney so much <3 not my husband hahaha! but he enjoys the break when we are there. Our first trip as a DVC member was so exceptional that even my husband doesn't feel bad adding more points to it. I know a lot of people we came across laughed saying we could have invested that money towards our kids' college since for them paying that much amount of money plus dues every year adds up to 500k in 50 years but they don't understand the quality of service and experience we get vacationing as DVC member. We had so many vacations and nothing can compare to the quality of DVC. I won't be surprised down the line if I end up having more than 1000 points

That’s exactly what happened to us. My husband is not a Disney fan and doesn’t care for it too much we have always been to Disneyland and he doesn’t care for the food either however when we went to Disney world for the first time (bought sight unseen at ccv and first welcome home stay too) I think he enjoyed it enough he was ok with adding points at riviera. I was pretty surprise I also know it is also partly because he enjoyed the food offerings that Disney world offers so maybe there might be some balance. I promised him this will be our last add on but who knows especially if Disneyland hotel dvc actually happens. For now I feel we have more than enough at 500 points but there’s always a feeling there’s never enough.

 

[sethschroeder]

Beach Club and Boardwalk are located right next to the Dolphin and Swan, a very large moderate. Personally I would rather look at Caribbean Beach than the large in your face buildings of the Dolphin and Swan.

Personally I consider being next to Caribbean Beach to be an advantage. It gives you access to an additional quick serve and sit down dinner option, plus you could pool hop over there easily. The wife and I consider Sebastian’s to be one of the best restaurants on property and a nice hidden secret of Caribbean beach.

Except for BCV you won't see it and beyond that you have the advantage of just not booking a crappy Garden View. Book a Boardwalk or Standard View and pretty sure there is no chance to see those.

Riviera its either a view of a parking lot or a view of the CBR.

Swan and Dolphin is most definitely a moderate. I can book it right now in June for $220-$250 a night. Actually the last time we went to Disney we stayed cash at a moderate resort and I was trying to convince the wife to stay at the Swan and Dolphin to save some money over the moderate resort, but she didn’t like the bland look of the resort and also that it was a conference resort.

Its a Deluxe not sure what to tell you. Although I am sure transportation has something to do with that. I know I would stay at Swan and Dolphin for the price over any moderate based on location and how nice the resort is. I would say the restaurant selection is nicer than some DVC/Deluxe Resorts that Disney has. The grounds are well kept and on par with standard Deluxe expectations and it even has a Spa which few Deluxe hotels have a Spa.

Regardless my first comment stands there is very quality views at BWV if you choose to pay for it.

Just because someone puts the label Deluxe on it doesn’t make it so.

That could be said about some DVC resorts

 

[Soap_1984]

My wife really wants to stay and possibly buy at Riv. We may book a few nights in September. I had the same concerns you experienced. Actually my hierarchy of concerns was something like:
1) resale restrictions;
2) priced too high/I'm not saving money by owning;
3) skyliner breakdowns seem to be somewhat frequent and also are way too long when they do occur;
4) after having seen it in videos it does look generic and the lobby is bizarre. The hotel is absolutely massive and yet the lobby looks tiny/cramped. Far from a deal breaker but a very odd choice;
5) it does not seem like a disney resort based on the videos I've seen;
6) there is almost no theming, it just looks like a hotel.

I am not writing it off totally until I see it in person, but some of the you tubers were a little over the top. I enjoyed the irony of hearing several of them say "you can see all 4 parks from here"...you can see all four parks from anywhere if you are high enough up. The thing is a monster high rise compared to the other disney hotels, you can almost see the airport lol.

 

[sethschroeder]

6) there is almost no theming, it just looks like a hotel.

There is theming but it's very subdued and you have to really look for it.

I think why it looks so generic is the style of the hotel. It reminds people in general of a standard top rated hotel chain as opposed to the foreign location where it draws its influences. It's not the fault of the architect/designer but more so the limited experience of the viewer (like myself).

Think about every DVC resort. It's all US based and if it's not its over the top like Poly and AKV.

People equate vacation with a lodge (BRV/CCV) or decadence (VGF).

The two that fall out side of this get hammered in OKW and SSR for being apartment like even.

 

[Soap_1984]

I suppose my comment of almost no theming and your subdued theming might be synonymous with one another. I am comparing to other hotels; Bcv, poly, vgf, Akv, ccv. You walk into Akv you know where you are, what the theme is etc right away.

Perhaps blt is the most comparable; it doesn't really have a theme either and is quite sterile. Definitely one of the things I don't love about blt but there are always drawbacks, I guess for a resort like blt it has walking distance to magic kingdom that makes up for that. Also my personal favourite restaurants are in the monorail resorts so that's a huge plus for me. The fact that it's about $50 cheaper per point also doesn't hurt...

And yes I like okw, ssr is OK the huge issue with them is not around theming; most people like the okw theme I think. It's their location and just how sprawling they are that turns people off.

 

[Royal Consort]

Think about every DVC resort. It's all US based and if it's not its over the top like Poly and AKV.

I suppose my comment of almost no theming and your subdued theming might be synonymous with one another. I am comparing to other hotels; Bcv, poly, vgf, Akv, ccv. You walk into Akv you know where you are, what the theme is etc right away.

Riviera Resort is themed but it isn't trying to be caricature. Poly, AKL, Wilderness Lodge etc are all caricatures of a place and an aesthetic. Riviera isn't trying to dial it up. Europe doesn't quite lend itself to such caricature without looking stupid or Vegas. It just doesn't translate.

The closest comparison is Grand Floridian which is based on Hotel Del Coronado. Riviera Resort takes inspiration from Hotel Negresco in Nice.

 

[cep101]

After looking up the Hotel Negresco I would have been thrilled if Riveria had taken more inspiration from there. A lovely large lobby with a beautiful bar. Cute themed restaurant. This is a place I would love to stay at with Disney touches. It is actually a bit whimsical and would have fit with Disney branding well.

As Riveria is, it's like the sterile version of it which is blah. Plus, things are too small for the size of the resort and just overall unimpressive. There could have been tie in's with Ratatouille since they are expanding the French Pavilion. Aristocats or Beauty and the Beast? Nice tasteful touches. Instead, there is movie artwork that isn't French or Italian themed.

Photos are from Google Images. Look at the red bedroom! Such Beauty and the Beast vibes

 

[pineapplepalms]

We were at wdw last week. We were apprehensive to add on. However after seeing the room in person and testing the skyliner (we had no issues) we added on. I’ve seen many videos and pictures online but seeing it in person helped us with our decision. Things break down. One can say the same for the monorails. We took both monorails and the skyliner and felt the skyliner was a better mode of transport and more efficient. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. It’s best to see it in person and make your own judgement. We also own at ccv which is night and day theming. We love the skyliner and we tested it out knowing it can breakdown however riviera resort has its own dedicated buses as well and doesn’t share with other resorts. The mk resorts buses they share with another deluxe. We have two little ones and love the ease of traveling with the little ones on the skyliner than the monorail. We feel more cramped in the monorails.

I agree, I much prefer the Skyliner to the monorail. Transportation issues can happen anywhere, and we just had a monorail trip from MK to VGF take over an hour on this last trip (have I mentioned I can't wait for the walkway between MK and GF?). We also took the Skyliner several times and it was a seamless experience. Perhaps because we have a double stroller and we pretty much take up the whole gondola, we always got our own gondola. One of the things I dislike about the monorail is how hard it can be to find space for a double stroller on it when it gets busy, and the attitude from other guests who don't want to accommodate us or give us dirty looks for taking up all that space. Loved having our own gondola and not having to worry about other people or fitting the double stroller on.

We did run into the Skyliner going down one day due to wind/lightning within 6 miles which was a bummer, but we took the bus instead and it was fine. It's a covered walkway to the bus stop so it kept us out of the rain.

 

[SetonHall23]

Every resort at Disney has a negative Riviera seems to be more of a target.
Transportation issues ....well yeah they all have their failings so useless argument
Rooms ... Issues they all have them ...only studios, lockoffs , etc
Theme.. Is this a joke what theme do you speak of it always returns to the wilderness lodge probably because it has that rustic ski lodge look. Poly removed the lobby rainforest waterfall and bland.. bland is being nice in a descriptive form .. SSR if that has a theme other than chapter 40B then let me know

We could go on and on about negatives try some positives

Nice Room - AKV, OKW
Great Firework Views - BLT, Poly
Easy access - BC, BWV(Epcot), SSR(disney Springs) BLT(MK)
Nice Boat ride - OKW, CCR

If you can't afford something or are looking for others to provide you a reason not to buy something
it generally has nothing to do with the item itself but more to do with resources.
Don't try to let other people influence your decisions use research to guide you and make your decisions wisely and let them stand with merit. Your decisions even bad ones are easier to swallow when they are yours and no one else's.

Just saying what my experience was based on my own visit to the site. And no, the transportation issues here are unique because they could possibly leave you dangling 50 or so feet over a roadway.

 

[CanadaDisney05]

For a resort that will rely heavily on this unproven, and seemingly rushed new mode of transportation to differentiate it from something like a Disney Springs area resort, it’s hard to believe that Disney could have bungled the roll out of the Skyliner much more then they have already done

The skyliner is as unproven as the busses were when they were first were introduced at Disney. Gondolas are not brand new technology.

Any new system (even if it's not new technology) is going to run into issues during the initial implementation phase. Think about any ride at Disney. How often do they break down.

I'm not suggesting that you have to buy RIV, but I'd keep an open mind on the Skyliner long term. I think the jury is still out on this one.

 

[SetonHall23]

The skyliner is as unproven as the busses were when they were first were introduced at Disney. Gondolas are not brand new technology.

Any new system (even if it's not new technology) is going to run into issues during the initial implementation phase. Think about any ride at Disney. How often do they break down.

I'm not suggesting that you have to buy RIV, but I'd keep an open mind on the Skyliner long term. I think the jury is still out on this one.

Definitely I am rooting for it to work, I think it’s a great concept they just need to get it figured out. For the time being, it’s not something I will choose to ride voluntarily, but a few years down the road I will hop back on

 

[Bing Showei]

After looking up the Hotel Negresco I would have been thrilled if Riveria had taken more inspiration from there. A lovely large lobby with a beautiful bar. Cute themed restaurant. This is a place I would love to stay at with Disney touches. It is actually a bit whimsical and would have fit with Disney branding well.

I, for one, thank the person at Disney who looked at the interior of the Negresco and had the good sense to say, "Yeah, maybe we pump the brakes, and not go in whole hog in designing the resort to look like the worst design inclinations of my Italian grandmother threw up all over the walls."

And here I thought the purple headboard in the Riviera looked a bit garish.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Disney will never paint a room red. Shows wear too quickly and easily and is fussy to patch dings in the paint.

Don't ask how I know these things, k.

 

[Miffy]

Swan and Dolphin is most definitely a moderate. I can book it right now in June for $220-$250 a night. Actually the last time we went to Disney we stayed cash at a moderate resort and I was trying to convince the wife to stay at the Swan and Dolphin to save some money over the moderate resort, but she didn’t like the bland look of the resort and also that it was a conference resort.

Listen to your wife. I stayed at the Swan once and felt like I was at a business hotel in Anywheresville, USA. Not what I want when I'm at WDW. I changed resorts as quickly as I could. This is just my opinion. I realize that many people like the Swan/Dolphin. I'm just not one of them.

 

[ScubaCat]

Its a Deluxe not sure what to tell you.

It's a Marriott class hotel; it doesn't matter what the classification would be if it were a Disney-owned hotel.

Listen to your wife. I stayed at the Swan once and felt like I was at a business hotel in Anywheresville, USA. Not what I want when I'm at WDW. I changed resorts as quickly as I could. This is just my opinion. I realize that many people like the Swan/Dolphin. I'm just not one of them.

Right, that's all it is. There's nothing wrong with that on it's face; it simply is what it is. Swolphin rates vary based on it's own demand, competitor rates, and conference blocks. It's not correlated or operated based on Disney seasonal pricing or hotel operations in any way, so this "moderate vs. deluxe" debate is a little silly IMHO.

I, for one, thank the person at Disney who looked at the interior of the Negresco and had the good sense to say, "Yeah, maybe we pump the brakes, and not go in whole hog in designing the resort to look like the worst design inclinations of my Italian grandmother threw up all over the walls."

And here I thought the purple headboard in the Riviera looked a bit garish.

As someone who mourns the loss of theming at BCV, that pic is pretty extreme. It also wouldn't look like that for more than a month, tops, the way Disney hotel rooms get abused. It's impressive, though!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

It also wouldn't look like that for more than a month, tops, the way Disney hotel rooms get abused.

Can you imagine that on a 7-year softgoods refurb cycle by year 6?

 

[sethschroeder]

It's a Marriott class hotel; it doesn't matter what the classification would be if it were a Disney-owned hotel.

That's fine. I would say most Disney Deluxe would fall in to the standard brand for Marriott and Hilton.

I have visited but not stayed at most so only have so much to go off of.

GFV, Poly, and AKV are probably the only ones I would see being elevated to a top tier brand with the later two being strictly because of the emense theming.

Now with SSR and OKW they would likely fall to an off brand chain.

If you were going for something sorry I missed it. This all stemmed from trying to say CBR and Swan/Dolphin were the same.

 

[ScubaCat]

Can you imagine that on a 7-year softgoods refurb cycle by year 6?

I'm sure it'll be fine....

 

[Spark65]

The skyliner is as unproven as the busses were when they were first were introduced at Disney. Gondolas are not brand new technology.

Any new system (even if it's not new technology) is going to run into issues during the initial implementation phase. Think about any ride at Disney. How often do they break down.

I'm not suggesting that you have to buy RIV, but I'd keep an open mind on the Skyliner long term. I think the jury is still out on this one.

As proof of the ride/transportation issues that can be had does anyone remember when the Test Track opened. Want to talk about break downs that ride was riddled with them even before the official opening when they had the experimental rides as well.

 

[Jenniebee]

I don't really see Rivera as being well themed either. I think whovever heads up the hotel designs and the interior decorating has totally lost their way. Ot they have very different guiding priciples that have nothing to do with themes. Riviera is supposed to be European inspired, but for example, the circle light fixture thing in the lobby does not fit the style at all. The low ceilings in the lobby are strange and does not give a grand or deluxe feel. Thet circle light fixture thing is going to look very outdated quickly. Also I do not understand the "Disney" touches. They have Aristocrats, Peter Pan, Tangled, Little Mermaid, and Princess and the Frog artwork represented. What do all these things have to do with a European theme?

When I first stayed on property many years ago I stayed at Caribbean Beach. It was THEMED. As soon as you entered the property you felt like you were in the Caribbean. There was no doubt it was a Caribbean vibe. They did this all with no Sebastian and no Flounder.

I think that when they first started to do the new low-key theme remodels like in BC and YC, guest reactions were like "It doesn't feel Disney enough". When they meant was the Disney feel is the feel of having a very overt and cohesive theme, it's the Disney Magical feel that was missing from the renovated rooms. But Disney took this feedback too literally and thought they meant it had to have a Mickey shower curtain. This is what led to the type of theming that believes if you put up an 8 x 10 picture of the 3 Caballeros you have now Disney-fied an otherwise sterile room in a supposedly Mexican themed resort.