The Official Riviera Owners & Info Thread

[LMO429]

Will you have Standard view or Preferred view? That affects the requests you could make, e.g. some Standard view villas have excellent views of Epcot fireworks.

Are you staying on points (DVC owner yourself or renting)? If so, requests need to be submitted to MS by the DVC owner, via chat or email via the member website or via phone. If staying on a cash reservation made through Disney, you need to call the reservations line to have the request added to your reservation record. You might be able to make a request via chat; I’m not sure.

We are not staying on points we are booked for a 1 bedroom standard view

 

[Doberge]

When do we think the next declaration will be coming? Had to switch summer plans so in a split stay right now.

I'm optimistic for you. They declared ~400k points in September. They've sold about 266k September through December. If they average 67k in January amd February then they'll hit 400k by end of February and could declare more in March. They could decide to change policy and carry fewer available points but that seems unlikely. If they do, I still think they'll declare more by summer.

 

[CarolynFH]

We are not staying on points we are booked for a 1 bedroom standard view

For a nice view of Epcot, I would ask for west wing, high floor — that would also put you in the wing nearest the Skyliner. You’d be away from the pools and restaurants, though, if that’s more important to you, but the resort isn’t that big, so it wouldn’t be very far.

 

[disneydietitian]

We just bought in direct at Riviera before the price increase! I called for my welcome home stay and I was hoping for some pixie dust because we plan to go in June but I was only able to get 1 night at Riviera in a studio. We want to stay at least one night in our new home resort. The rest of the week we chose Old Key West, 1 BR. Does this sound right or should we try again to get a cast member to help book Riviera? I had read they sometimes pull from cash inventory...

 

[PoohsFan1]

We will be staying in a 1 bedroom standard villa from 5/23-6/3 and we can not wait. My family loves this resort, we always make time to visit during our trips. I did requested to be closest to the Skyliner and also hoping to be on a higher floor. Would love to sit out on my balcony and be able to see Epcot and hopefully watch fireworks from there too.

 

[EeyoreME]

Last trip we stayed at GFV. We stayed at Riviera July 2020. I don't recall if there were vacuums in the rooms. At GFV they did not.... we are traveling with another family and between us there are 5 kids and honestly missed having a vacuum....

Does anyone know if there are vaccums in the rooms?

 

[Frogman88]

Last trip we stayed at GFV. We stayed at Riviera July 2020. I don't recall if there were vacuums in the rooms. At GFV they did not.... we are traveling with another family and between us there are 5 kids and honestly missed having a vacuum....

Does anyone know if there are vaccums in the rooms?

I believe vacuums are only available in 1,2, or 3 bedroom villas.

 

[CarolynFH]

I believe vacuums are only available in 1,2, or 3 bedroom villas.

Yes, I think this is so. We almost never stay in studios, so my memories are of larger villas.

 

[Akck]

I believe vacuums are only available in 1,2, or 3 bedroom villas.

We stayed in January and our deluxe studio had a vacuum. I believe tower studios do not.

 

[Mrs.Potts521]

Happy to have found this thread! Riviera is our DVC home and we purchased sight unseen. Had our ”welcome home” trip at AKL as we were planning more resort days than park days and figured it would be fun for the kids (it was!). During that trip we finally toured Riviera and we were completely blown away! So glad that I went with my gut and purchased there.

Now hubby and I will be there March 6-10 for a relaxing 5 day long date, and our first stay at our home resort. We got a tower studio with a request for a high floor (hoping to catch some fireworks while enjoying some bubbly on our patio).

 

[EeyoreME]

We stayed in January and our deluxe studio had a vacuum. I believe tower studios do not.

Thank you guys!!!! At grand floridan last year they dd not... and I got a flimsy broom when asked for one : ). Can't wait to go back to our home resort!

 

[mom2tcdx2]

Enjoying looking through the different threads. We bought into Riviera back in 2020 and I have yet to stay there. Last trip we were at AK (which we also own AK and BLT). Upcoming trip I was able to snag a studio at the Grand Floridian - which has always been my dream hotel. One day I am going to finally manage to book Riviera, as I really would like to stay there as well.

 

[Sydnerella]

Can somebody please explain the financial benefit of DVC? Because we LOVE Riviera for the past two years I have been watching prices and doing calculations on the resale and direct markets. And I am struggling to see how I come out significantly ahead once annual dues are factored in.

Thinking about it, we would stay in a preferred one bedroom or larger every other year during a mid range season, buying the points to cover that stay every two years. So 200ish points…

Dues: $1676 annually = $3352 every two years
Purchase: assume 155/pt resale = $31000

31000/24 trips - one every otheryear to 2070
= 1291

1291+ 3352 = $4643 For a week in a one bedroom at Rivera every other year. This is 663 per night.

So is the point of “saving with DVC” that this amount for a one bedroom is approx $400 off existing rack rate (900-1000) and even with dues increases I am going to be saving about one third on rack rate?

Or is there a bigger savings that I am missing?

 

[Akck]

Can somebody please explain the financial benefit of DVC? Because we LOVE Riviera for the past two years I have been watching prices and doing calculations on the resale and direct markets. And I am struggling to see how I come out significantly ahead once annual dues are factored in.

Thinking about it, we would stay in a preferred one bedroom or larger every other year during a mid range season, buying the points to cover that stay every two years. So 200ish points…

Dues: $1676 annually = $3352 every two years
Purchase: assume 155/pt resale = $31000

31000/24 trips - one every otheryear to 2070
= 1291

1291+ 3352 = $4643 For a week in a one bedroom at Rivera every other year. This is 663 per night.

So is the point of “saving with DVC” that this amount for a one bedroom is approx $400 off existing rack rate (900-1000) and even with dues increases I am going to be saving about one third on rack rate?

Or is there a bigger savings that I am missing?

155 points can get you 8 nights every other year, so your cost drops down to $580 per night. You can subtract another $25 per night for parking. The other big factor is that dues inflation have historically averaged something like 3%, while resort rack rates have gone up 5-6%. That’s where you’ll see your biggest savings over time.

 

[Sydnerella]

155 points can get you 8 nights every other year, so your cost drops down to $580 per night. You can subtract another $25 per night for parking. The other big factor is that dues inflation have historically averaged something like 3%, while resort rack rates have gone up 5-6%. That’s where you’ll see your biggest savings over time.

Thank you for your reply. The historic inflation piece is helpful to know.

Per current chart I need at least 363 points for the preferred one bedroom during periods that we would actually be able to travel and historically have traveled to WDW. Thus I assumed 200 would cover us for a trip every two, with an option to go to a 2BR or more once in a while with a year skipped. And we have never had a car on site and only used magical express, disney transport or Uber etc.

Though it would be more fun to go each year there are also other places we want to travel to and see throughout the world so I’m trying to put a reasonable assumption in for us who live in the Midwest and couldn’t use it readily for staycations like many do.

 

[b00kbug]

Thank you for your reply. The historic inflation piece is helpful to know.

Per current chart I need at least 363 points for the preferred one bedroom during periods that we would actually be able to travel and historically have traveled to WDW. Thus I assumed 200 would cover us for a trip every two, with an option to go to a 2BR or more once in a while with a year skipped. And we have never had a car on site and only used magical express, disney transport or Uber etc.

Though it would be more fun to go each year there are also other places we want to travel to and see throughout the world so I’m trying to put a reasonable assumption in for us who live in the Midwest and couldn’t use it readily for staycations like many do.

If you opt to travel elsewhere, you can also rent the points you won't be using and it can help fund your non Disney trip!

 

[sethschroeder]

Or is there a bigger savings that I am missing?

Yes a decade or more from now when resort prices kept increasing but you are only paying MF increases.

DVC is about locking in Disney profit at today's rate and never paying it again.

 

[Sydnerella]

Yes a decade or more from now when resort prices kept increasing but you are only paying MF increases.

DVC is about locking in Disney profit at today's rate and never paying it again.

Thanks for your reply! What are “MF” increases?

 

[sethschroeder]

Thanks for your reply! What are “MF” increases?

Every year the maintenance fees will go up slightly. This covers the costs of running the resort along with a slight fee to Disney for the management.

These fees are really only for the actually running of the resort though and not for Disney to mark up more to make a profit.

 

[Sydnerella]

Every year the maintenance fees will go up slightly. This covers the costs of running the resort along with a slight fee to Disney for the management.

These fees are really only for the actually running of the resort though and not for Disney to mark up more to make a profit.

Thanks! And these are part of what i calculated as the annual dues, correct?