Just Completed Our First Stay At Riviera Resort

[jsergent]

We were at Riviera Resort last week for 3 nights and really enjoyed the resort. Very beautiful! We were in a 1-bed villa and the room layout was very nice. Our kids appreciated the murphy bed and pull down bed to have individual sleeping spaces. We ate at all the dining locations for all meals at least once, except Topolino's for dinner. All the food and service was excellent. I was concerned the pool was a bit small, still kind of feel that way, but we enjoyed it regardless. It was busy and we struggled finding shaded seating one afternoon, otherwise mostly a relaxing time at the pool. The kids loved the tower slide.

This was not a parks trip, so not sure I would want to always rely on Skyliner for Epcot and HS. Much prefer the Beach Club's location for a parks trip. We did use the Skyliner some and it was mostly ok, just a few slight pauses during our travel.

Overall, Riviera was a hit with our family of four and we definitely would stay there again in the future!

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

I read it as being at Riviera for 3 weeks and I was immediately annoyed.

But glad you had a great time!

 

[jsergent]

I read it as being at Riviera for 3 weeks and I was immediately annoyed.

But glad you had a great time!

3 nights is enough...not sure I want to see the bill for 3 weeks! haha

 

[beccasmom]

I am glad you enjoyed it! We have stayed there twice, for one night, in a preferred studio and liked it so much we’ll be staying in a one-bedroom unit in November for 4 nights. I think it’s a lovely resort and we have been very impressed with the rooms.

 

[Robbie Cottam]

We were at Riviera Resort last week for 3 nights and really enjoyed the resort. Very beautiful! We were in a 1-bed villa and the room layout was very nice. Our kids appreciated the murphy bed and pull down bed to have individual sleeping spaces. We ate at all the dining locations for all meals at least once, except Topolino's for dinner. All the food and service was excellent. I was concerned the pool was a bit small, still kind of feel that way, but we enjoyed it regardless. It was busy and we struggled finding shaded seating one afternoon, otherwise mostly a relaxing time at the pool. The kids loved the tower slide.

This was not a parks trip, so not sure I would want to always rely on Skyliner for Epcot and HS. Much prefer the Beach Club's location for a parks trip. We did use the Skyliner some and it was mostly ok, just a few slight pauses during our travel.

Overall, Riviera was a hit with our family of four and we definitely would stay there again in the future!

Skyliner is hit or miss…..
if they have to shut it down the busses aren’t bad…..

Where the skyliner shines is at close time…. The line never stops, no waiting,

Very practical….. and less likely to be shut down for Tstorms

 

[EpcotPhoenician]

I'll argue this until I'm blue in the face... Riviera has the friendliest Cast Members on WDW property.

 

[jfulcer]

Nice, sounds like somewhere I might like to stay.

 

[0FF TO NEVERLAND]

What felt more themed? BC or Riv. Did you feel Disney bubble there

 

[jsergent]

I'll argue this until I'm blue in the face... Riviera has the friendliest Cast Members on WDW property.

They were very nice. We had one issue our last night and they were very gracious about the problem and did their best to resolve the situation.

 

[jsergent]

What felt more themed? BC or Riv. Did you feel Disney bubble there

Original reviews I read of Riv seemed to make me think it wouldn't feel Disney, however that wasn't our experience. The hotel style definitely I think is more upscale for sure, but tons of art everywhere that incorporated many Disney characters. But it was tasteful, not like AoA Disney characters everywhere in a family suite. The 1-bed villa room was beautiful and very functional, but I think felt slightly more Disney than BC because of the art. They incorporated characters into the artwork in a way that complimented the room style. The murals on the wall behind the pull down beds also added to the Disney feel.

The views from Topolino's just are Disney everywhere. You get to see all of Epcot, you can see Tower or Terror and the mountains of GE, and the roof of Chinese Theatre at HS, and clear over to Everest and Tree of Life at AK. The characters during breakfast are great as well with unique outfits. We enjoyed it as much as Cape May Cafe and that character breakfast was really fun our last trip.

We only have stayed at Beach Club our past trips and it was nice to experience something else. Even though we didn't go for the parks this time, we felt like we got to experience as much "Disney" as we possibly could have wanted. We really enjoyed Riviera.

 

[LYSE]

Initially I was a Riviera hater, starting from the announcement and then the whole Dvc 2.0 thing, but I am so thoroughly converted that I own there. My first stay there was actually on a whim, we had just checked out of our room at another resort and I happened to ask the front desk if they had a room for that same night on points..and they were able to move a room from the cash inventory for me.

I like that it's a calmer resort and tastefully designed.

 

[Robbie Cottam]

I'll argue this until I'm blue in the face... Riviera has the friendliest Cast Members on WDW property.

The security / house keeping staff a little overzealous on my last trip in November however, everybody else at Riviera was amazing.

 

[jsergent]

The security / house keeping staff a little overzealous on my last trip in November however, everybody else at Riviera was amazing.

We didn't experience anything like that here in June.

We even put housekeeping tips out each day and they never took them. Maybe our kids overdecorated the envelopes and it wasn't obvious we were leaving a tip. Not sure.

 

[Robbie Cottam]

We didn't experience anything like that here in June.

We even put housekeeping tips out each day and they never took them. Maybe our kids overdecorated the envelopes and it wasn't obvious we were leaving a tip. Not sure.

Maybe my scathing phone calls to member services in November cause some people to get retrained

 

[BK2014]

This was not a parks trip, so not sure I would want to always rely on Skyliner for Epcot and HS. Much prefer the Beach Club's location for a parks trip. We did use the Skyliner some and it was mostly ok, just a few slight pauses during our travel.

We just finished our second Riviera stay this weekend. Thunderstorms somewhat soured us on the reliance on the Skyliner to get to and from EPCOT and HS. The communication on when the Skyliner is shutting down is lacking. One afternoon, as the weather had cleared, we went to the Riviera Sklyiner station to be told it was still shutdown. By the time we got to the bus stop, a mere five minutes later, we were told that the buses were no longer running and we had to take the Skyliner.

On the way back from HS another afternoon, it had started to rain. We went to the bus stop labeled Riviera, which is apparently shared with Caribbean Beach. However, none of the bus drivers appeared to be actually assigned to Riviera. Finally, one bus driver told us that the next bus would be going to Riviera. However, the next bus was labeled Caribbean Beach, and the bus driver had no idea why the other bus driver said she was going to Riviera. Fortunately, she sensed the frustration of the people waiting for the Riviera bus, and added the Riviera stop to her Caribbean Beach route.

We like the Skyliner, but I personally think there should be bus service from the Riviera at all times to and from EPCOT and HS, especially for those who have a fear of heights and will not ride the Skyliner. Even if it is less frequent than bus service at other resorts.

 

[architectonic]

I wish Riveria had a more whimsical style architecture.

 

[jsergent]

I wish Riveria had a more whimsical style architecture.

Yeah, it's an interesting thing with how people view the style and theming of the resort. I can kind of understand how people view it as less detailed as older Disney resorts, but at the same time there are elements I felt had a lot of detail.

We were here three days and then three days at Royal Pacific for Universal. Hands down, Riviera has way more character. Royal Pacific felt much more sterile and corporate. Could Riv have more exterior detailing? Probably, but it's not like it doesn't have any. Being at Riv, walking around the resort, it was enjoyable to me and one of our best resort stays anywhere.

 

[bholbert81]

I am working to book a few nights here in May next year and a few at GFV. Thank you for the input!

 

[jsergent]

I am working to book a few nights here in May next year and a few at GFV. Thank you for the input!

I hope you get to book and enjoy it!

 

[gottalovepluto]

We just finished our second Riviera stay this weekend. Thunderstorms somewhat soured us on the reliance on the Skyliner to get to and from EPCOT and HS. The communication on when the Skyliner is shutting down is lacking. One afternoon, as the weather had cleared, we went to the Riviera Sklyiner station to be told it was still shutdown. By the time we got to the bus stop, a mere five minutes later, we were told that the buses were no longer running and we had to take the Skyliner.

On the way back from HS another afternoon, it had started to rain. We went to the bus stop labeled Riviera, which is apparently shared with Caribbean Beach. However, none of the bus drivers appeared to be actually assigned to Riviera. Finally, one bus driver told us that the next bus would be going to Riviera. However, the next bus was labeled Caribbean Beach, and the bus driver had no idea why the other bus driver said she was going to Riviera. Fortunately, she sensed the frustration of the people waiting for the Riviera bus, and added the Riviera stop to her Caribbean Beach route.

We like the Skyliner, but I personally think there should be bus service from the Riviera at all times to and from EPCOT and HS, especially for those who have a fear of heights and will not ride the Skyliner. Even if it is less frequent than bus service at other resorts.

The Skykiner down part has been the biggest flaw since opening and not a darn thing has changed.

Cheap is the only reason they haven’t updated the app to tell you Skyliner status. And there is no excuse for the bus debacle. Your report is far from the first- basically it’s at the point where every time the Skyliner is down the bus team acts like it is a brand new thing. Again, Disney is too cheap to implement quick bus protocols when Skyliner goes down. (It’s FL. In summer. It’s gonna go down a lot.) They should have extra buses already running on other routes that they can immediately switch to the Skykiner route when it goes down after the bus’s next drop.