The Official Riviera Owners & Info Thread

[VicarJT]

I just switched part of my AKL stay to Riviera!
I own at AKL and every time I think about staying someplace different, I usually just can’t do it - I love my zebra and giraffe too much.
But Riviera was available for the second half of my trip - the idea of being right on the skyliner was too tempting to pass up - so I’m doing a split stay.
What are your favorite things/best tips?
So excited!!

We really love Topolino's for a splurge dinner. While we have enjoyed breakfast there in the past, most of the time now we take the Skylinr for a yummy and less expensive breakfast at Trattoria al Forna. Bar Riva is great, both for food and drinks. We also make sure to do several Skyliner trips and just ride it for fun. Relaxing at one of the pools is so relaxing even if you don't want to swim. This year we will finally purchase a print of one of the hallway paintings. It has taken us several years to narrow our options to one. Or two.

Will you have a standard or preferred view?

 

[herewegooo]

As a newbie, I'm trying to research as much as possible. How late does the bar stay open, and is there a good place to sit around and have drinks? We did a friends trip this Sept to S&D Reserve, and the bar area was amazing and stayed open late.

 

[VicarJT]

As a newbie, I'm trying to research as much as possible. How late does the bar stay open, and is there a good place to sit around and have drinks? We did a friends trip this Sept to S&D Reserve, and the bar area was amazing and stayed open late.

Bar Riva closes at 10, but no one chases you away from the seating outdoors. Of course, you can always Skyliner to Petals at POP that closes @11:30 or even Jellyrolls which closes around 1. Just remember that depending on how late Hollywood/Epcot are open, you may have to Lyft back.

 

[herewegooo]

Thanks!

 

[LaurenT]

We really love Topolino's for a splurge dinner. While we have enjoyed breakfast there in the past, most of the time now we take the Skylinr for a yummy and less expensive breakfast at Trattoria al Forna. Bar Riva is great, both for food and drinks. We also make sure to do several Skyliner trips and just ride it for fun. Relaxing at one of the pools is so relaxing even if you don't want to swim. This year we will finally purchase a print of one of the hallway paintings. It has taken us several years to narrow our options to one. Or two.

Will you have a standard or preferred view?

A preferred room - though I don’t know what that means, lol. At the 7 month window I took what I could get.

 

[VicarJT]

Preferred means that you will not be looking at a parking lot. You might luck in to a really pretty view from your balcony.

 

[UrsulaWantsYourSoul]

Some new Riviera merch:

https://mickeyblog.com/2023/10/13/new-riviera-resort-merchandise-lands-in-walt-disney-world/

 

[emchen]

Some new Riviera merch:

https://mickeyblog.com/2023/10/13/new-riviera-resort-merchandise-lands-in-walt-disney-world/

Gotta love that beach towel!

 

[TinkB278]

Some new Riviera merch:

https://mickeyblog.com/2023/10/13/new-riviera-resort-merchandise-lands-in-walt-disney-world/

I just want them to bring back the wine glasses

 

[UrsulaWantsYourSoul]

I just want them to bring back the wine glasses

Have you seen these new cuties though?

https://wdwnt.com/2023/10/disney-vacation-club-glassware-crystal-arts-mk/

 

[DougEMG]

Just sent in the paper work and deposit on a resale RIV contract. Hopefully everything goes smoothly and we'll be RIV owners by the end of the year. Planning ahead for when our BWV points expire.

 

[intamin]

Does anybody else in here ever get tired of people bashing on Riviera? Just watched a video on youtube from Bright Sun Films (I hope it's okay I left this here, mods please delete if not allowed) where he basically just trashed Riviera because of the tower rooms which obviously are expensive for what you get when you pay cash and barely talked about the other room types and it basically turned into a Riviera hate fest lol. But anyways, it just feels like everyone aside from those of us who actually like the resort think the resort itself is boring, uninspired, not deluxe etc. etc.

I know I shouldn't care and I really don't because at the end of the day that's where my partner and I like staying but I have to admit it is somewhat annoying to have one of your home resorts constantly talked negatively about.

 

[Royal Consort]

Does anybody else in here ever get tired of people bashing on Riviera? Just watched a video on youtube from Bright Sun Films (I hope it's okay I left this here, mods please delete if not allowed) where he basically just trashed Riviera because of the tower rooms which obviously are expensive for what you get when you pay cash and barely talked about the other room types and it basically turned into a Riviera hate fest lol. But anyways, it just feels like everyone aside from those of us who actually like the resort think the resort itself is boring, uninspired, not deluxe etc. etc.

I know I shouldn't care and I really don't because at the end of the day that's where my partner and I like staying but I have to admit it is somewhat annoying to have one of your home resorts constantly talked negatively about.

Riviera suffers from two main issues in my mind. The first, of course, is restrictions. From the get-go the online DVC community was overtly hostile to the resort in response. It's still difficult to separate the dislike of restrictions from the resort for many. There was a time in 2019 when it was best not to mention that you bought Riviera here. The scorn and ridicule about making financially frivolous decisions was readily dished out. It's gotten a lot better!

The second is nostalgia: there is none. Resorts at WDW are popular because of generational memories and brand. Riviera has had to forge its own path. This will happen.

As owners have started to develop relationships with the resort the intense criticism has subsided quite a bit online. The polynesian tower will be the next victim. Go back and read the reaction to VGF opening. It was not well received to say the least.

Hating on Riviera will eventually ebb and I look forward to the day we can all return to collectively hating Saratoga

 

[UrsulaWantsYourSoul]

Does anybody else in here ever get tired of people bashing on Riviera? Just watched a video on youtube from Bright Sun Films (I hope it's okay I left this here, mods please delete if not allowed) where he basically just trashed Riviera because of the tower rooms which obviously are expensive for what you get when you pay cash and barely talked about the other room types and it basically turned into a Riviera hate fest lol. But anyways, it just feels like everyone aside from those of us who actually like the resort think the resort itself is boring, uninspired, not deluxe etc. etc.

I know I shouldn't care and I really don't because at the end of the day that's where my partner and I like staying but I have to admit it is somewhat annoying to have one of your home resorts constantly talked negatively about.

I feel ya. Riviera was our first home resort and we LOVE it! I think the more new resorts that have resale restrictions and higher point charts the more the sentiment will change about Riviera. It sure has strong cash reservations and sales are coming along nicely. No resort is for everyone (we certainly have a few we aren't in love with) which is what is so great about the wide variety of locations and styles of DVC. I just shake my head and giggle. Hey neighbor!

 

[emchen]

Does anybody else in here ever get tired of people bashing on Riviera? Just watched a video on youtube from Bright Sun Films (I hope it's okay I left this here, mods please delete if not allowed) where he basically just trashed Riviera because of the tower rooms which obviously are expensive for what you get when you pay cash and barely talked about the other room types and it basically turned into a Riviera hate fest lol. But anyways, it just feels like everyone aside from those of us who actually like the resort think the resort itself is boring, uninspired, not deluxe etc. etc.

I know I shouldn't care and I really don't because at the end of the day that's where my partner and I like staying but I have to admit it is somewhat annoying to have one of your home resorts constantly talked negatively about.

I watched the exact same YouTube video a couple hours ago! Jinx! I thought the same as you. I stopped watching after the first third cuz I saw it wasn’t going to add any insight into the discussion. He just parrotted the same “conventional wisdom” of why Riviera sucks.

Its like that with the current crises in Middle East and Eastern Europe. Same talking points and no true analysis. No nuance.

I goto the independent journalists of the internet and objective opinions on Disboards!

 

[J-Dog]

Does anybody else in here ever get tired of people bashing on Riviera? Just watched a video on youtube from Bright Sun Films (I hope it's okay I left this here, mods please delete if not allowed) where he basically just trashed Riviera because of the tower rooms which obviously are expensive for what you get when you pay cash and barely talked about the other room types and it basically turned into a Riviera hate fest lol. But anyways, it just feels like everyone aside from those of us who actually like the resort think the resort itself is boring, uninspired, not deluxe etc. etc.

I know I shouldn't care and I really don't because at the end of the day that's where my partner and I like staying but I have to admit it is somewhat annoying to have one of your home resorts constantly talked negatively about.

Yeah, I recently watched that video too. The guy's agenda got real obvious real fast, such as when he complained about ridiculously-miniscule problems like the phone charging plugs being "finicky". And he spent at least 5 minutes of the 17-minute video complaining about having to make the bed.

I guess I don't see the point of making a whole video just to complain. Most of his issues with RIV are totally subjective and many are purely his opinion, such as the outside being "drab".

I'm not seeing how this video is supposed to help people decide whether or not to stay at RIV - more like it's supposed to help other people know what this guy's opinion is. Who cares?

 

[Dobermanns]

Riviera suffers from two main issues in my mind. The first, of course, is restrictions. From the get-go the online DVC community was overtly hostile to the resort in response. It's still difficult to separate the dislike of restrictions from the resort for many. There was a time in 2019 when it was best not to mention that you bought Riviera here. The scorn and ridicule about making financially frivolous decisions was readily dished out. It's gotten a lot better!

The second is nostalgia: there is none. Resorts at WDW are popular because of generational memories and brand. Riviera has had to forge its own path. This will happen.

As owners have started to develop relationships with the resort the intense criticism has subsided quite a bit online. The polynesian tower will be the next victim. Go back and read the reaction to VGF opening. It was not well received to say the least.

Hating on Riviera will eventually ebb and I look forward to the day we can all return to collectively hating Saratoga

i couldn’t agree more. Especially the nostalgia and branding.
I love the “collectively hating SSR”

Edited to remove the wrong quote.

 

[Dobermanns]

Does anybody else in here ever get tired of people bashing on Riviera? Just watched a video on youtube from Bright Sun Films (I hope it's okay I left this here, mods please delete if not allowed) where he basically just trashed Riviera because of the tower rooms which obviously are expensive for what you get when you pay cash and barely talked about the other room types and it basically turned into a Riviera hate fest lol. But anyways, it just feels like everyone aside from those of us who actually like the resort think the resort itself is boring, uninspired, not deluxe etc. etc.

I know I shouldn't care and I really don't because at the end of the day that's where my partner and I like staying but I have to admit it is somewhat annoying to have one of your home resorts constantly talked negatively about.

It used to bother me, but I had to remind myself that the more folks hate RIV the more availability for me and I love RIV enough to have purchased resale It is tied with GF as my favorite WDW resorts.

I also purchased VDH on sales opening day after waiting what felt like years. So now I hear that too

 

[intamin]

Yeah, I recently watched that video too. The guy's agenda got real obvious real fast, such as when he complained about ridiculously-miniscule problems like the phone charging plugs being "finicky". And he spent at least 5 minutes of the 17-minute video complaining about having to make the bed.

I guess I don't see the point of making a whole video just to complain. Most of his issues with RIV are totally subjective and many are purely his opinion, such as the outside being "drab".

I'm not seeing how this video is supposed to help people decide whether or not to stay at RIV - more like it's supposed to help other people know what this guy's opinion is. Who cares?

I mean he did it intentionally. It's not like he didn't know how small the rooms were going into it and obviously it's not a good value for cash. I don't think any of the rooms at a DVC resort are worth it when paying the cash price compared to renting. He did it so he could get a bunch of views basically. And I knew it was going to be bad before I even watched the video because the thumbnail says RIPOFF right on top of Riviera and then he tries to claim he went in with an objective viewpoint. He spent over a third of the video focusing on the tower studio instead of showing all 5 of the room types in depth. It's really disappointing because I did like his other channel but definitely going to have to unsub after this one.

 

[Royal Consort]

He's done the same type of thing with the Contemporary. The video got clicks and negative titled videos will always outperform positive ones. He's gone in with the intent for content and achieved it. Still, there's an underlying theme I agree with: when you pay so much for a stay, guest expectations increase and Disney no longer deliver on the same quality while jacking up the prices.

This youtuber could have visited ANY Disney deluxe resort and achieved the same outcome for his channel.