Disney Riviera Resort

[MickeyMinnieMom]

This is where I disagree. It would not be enough for me to buy (given the rest of what we know) at the price they are asking. If they added the club level snack stuff @Roxyfire and I discussed, I might consider it more heavily. I'm still not sure it would be enough for me. BUT... I think the fact that the other exclusive events sell out as quickly as they do, and the EPCOT lounge has people in all day might be telling us that there are enough people who WOULD find it a draw. For them, it might be enough of a draw. I think the exclusive events selling out are evidence that there is a DVC outcry for that "members only" stuff out there. So, there may in fact be enough people out there willing to buy into the exclusivity.

You might be right! But that little lounge is a far cry from exclusive restaurants/shop. The former I could maybe see Disney doing... but I still wouldn't bet on.

 

[dlavender]

Good point! They'd be cranky if they could never get in the restaurant, or if was overrun with riffraff (me).

But that is never the case at WDW either -- not the way I plan my trips, at least. I always get Cal Grill if we want it. Have even gotten it a week out at times. And the place is never overrun like the lobby you sketched out.

Perhaps its true. I don't know how many people staying at BLT have a problem eating at Cal Grill or Chef Mickeys. Same with Poly and Ohana. Maybe it's not even an issue? I just know there seems to be some dining reservation issues when I see sites dedicated to trying to find you a spot....

I don't think the issue is who you are eating next to as much as how much easier it would be to navigate and eat if you only were competing against a smaller pool.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I don't think the issue is who you are eating next to as much as how much easier it would be to navigate and eat if you only were competing against a smaller pool.

Agreed. I just 1) am not sure how many people value that (i.e. don't book far enough out that it doesn't matter), and 2) don't see Disney taking the risk of a restaurant operating at a loss because they've deliberately limited their market. Unless they can extract that risk premium for it.

But who knows? There have been some things that Disney has done that don't make sense to ME, so this could be one of those!

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Off to a meeting... nice chatting DRR with you all today.

 

[preemiemama]

Good point! They'd be cranky if they could never get in the restaurant, or if was overrun with riffraff (me).

But that is never the case at WDW either -- not the way I plan my trips, at least. I always get Cal Grill if we want it. Have even gotten it a week out at times. And the place is never overrun like the lobby you sketched out.

Assuming "decent availability" (whatever that is for the average person) and common areas not overrun, I place ZERO premium on having exclusive access to a restaurant. In that sense, it's like The Ritz.

Restaurant in and of itself, no. But rooftop fireworks view? Maybe...

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Restaurant in and of itself, no. But rooftop fireworks view? Maybe...

Darn it. You used the magic word with me... view... OK - now I really have to go!

 

[dlavender]

Darn it. You used the magic word with me... view... OK - now I really have to go!

Please tell me its a meeting about a meeting, those are personal faves

 

[preemiemama]

You might be right! But that little lounge is a far cry from exclusive restaurants/shop. The former I could maybe see Disney doing... but I still wouldn't bet on.

I don't bet they WILL do it, just that there could be a market for it. My thing is that I am doubting they will do anything more than they think they have to and will still charge the same per point as they have been for Poly and Copper Creek.

ETA: Enjoy your meeting.

 

[Madonna3]

Please tell me its a meeting about a meeting, those are personal faves

Or a meeting that could've been an email. I go to those at least daily.

Perhaps its true. I don't know how many people staying at BLT have a problem eating at Cal Grill or Chef Mickeys. Same with Poly and Ohana. Maybe it's not even an issue? I just know there seems to be some dining reservation issues when I see sites dedicated to trying to find you a spot....

I don't think the issue is who you are eating next to as much as how much easier it would be to navigate and eat if you only were competing against a smaller pool.

We dislike Poly because of the enormous amount of people using the bar/restaurants that are not staying there.

if it's easy to book night of, that is a problem for Disney

We disagree... as usual. I can usually snag a same day reservation for Yachtsman. It's arguably one of the best restaurants on property. Following your logic, that would mean it should be closing any day now.

 

[jade1]

Disney sin!!

I know. Can wish though.

 

[beer dave]

More power to you...I don't think you'll see that kind of firesale again. Can't get those these days.

Again...if anyone wants to sell me boardwalk or beach club for $50 a point...I'll pay fast...I'll even tell jokes and play the spoons for you if you want...

If someone wants to get rid of them they can call disney directly..... they are paying 60 pp. for BCV. No other costs --out the door. At least that is what they offered my wifes GM about 4 months ago..... i had to intervene.....

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Off to a meeting... nice chatting DRR with you all today.

Remember to attend the pre meeting strategy session and the post meeting debriefing

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

We disagree... as usual. I can usually snag a same day reservation for Yachtsman. It's arguably one of the best restaurants on property. Following your logic, that would mean it should be closing any day now.

Fair enough. Now imagine Yachstman limited its market really drastically when it's not even staying full now. Would that be a strategy you'd pursue if you were Disney management, just in case DVCers might find that cool?

This suggests to me that DRR's exclusive restaurant would have to at least be better than Yachtsman, I'd guess. Unless the awesome view at DRR makes up the difference.

I still point back to all my previous reasons for why I think this incredibly unlikely.

Just a side point... we've never gone to Yachtsman -- and we've eaten at most decent WDW restaurants. Why? Meh -- I don't want to venture all the way there for a steak dinner -- however good. I can get that many places. How good/unique would the restaurant have to be for me to bother going all the way to DRR?? Dunno. Maybe if it was unique like Jiko -- that one we bother to venture out for.

I guess I'm saying that this restaurant -- all the way out there in that location -- may have its challenges staying booked unless it's phenomenal and/or really unique -- even without exclusivity -- if Yachtsman doesn't stay booked up.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

P.S. Only one meeting was partially about setting the stage for another meeting. I consider that a successful meeting day, all things considered.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

The exclusive restaurant could work...but you'd have to limit the size/operational cost to make it a veritable certainty to be at full capacity...

They would of course never do that...and a 5 diamond type restaurant doesn't fit.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

The exclusive restaurant could work...but you'd have to limit the size/operational cost to make it a veritable certainty to be at full capacity...

They would of course never do that...and a 5 diamond type restaurant doesn't fit.

If they had the next V&A, I'd go. But I don't see that going there.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

If they had the next V&A, I'd go. But I don't see that going there.

There more likely to get rid of Victoria and Alberts...

You can't stick a college programmer in there or order the ingredients 200,000 lbs at a time

 

[beer dave]

Fair enough. Now imagine Yachstman limited its market really drastically when it's not even staying full now. Would that be a strategy you'd pursue if you were Disney management, just in case DVCers might find that cool?

This suggests to me that DRR's exclusive restaurant would have to at least be better than Yachtsman, I'd guess. Unless the awesome view at DRR makes up the difference.

I still point back to all my previous reasons for why I think this incredibly unlikely.

Just a side point... we've never gone to Yachtsman -- and we've eaten at most decent WDW restaurants. Why? Meh -- I don't want to venture all the way there for a steak dinner -- however good. I can get that many places. How good/unique would the restaurant have to be for me to bother going all the way to DRR?? Dunno. Maybe if it was unique like Jiko -- that one we bother to venture out for.

I guess I'm saying that this restaurant -- all the way out there in that location -- may have its challenges staying booked unless it's phenomenal and/or really unique -- even without exclusivity -- if Yachtsman doesn't stay booked up.

What makes it so far away? Spending some time at epcot or DHS (second having almost no good dinning options) just hop the gondola.....Much easier than getting to AKL from anywhere-- even AK....Ever try to get in beaches and cream? They are out there too...

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

What makes it so far away? Spending some time at epcot or DHS (second having almost no good dinning options) just hop the gondola.....Much easier than getting to AKL from anywhere-- even AK....Ever try to get in beaches and cream? They are out there too...

We've done Beaches N Cream when we stayed at Boardwalk. It's in a far more crowded / easily accessible (e.g. On foot) area and is cheaper than a place like Yachtsman, right? -- easier to keep at capacity, I'd imagine.

We like proximity, generally. At DHS, we eat dinner there (e.g. Brown Derby for dinner), or at Cal Grill later in the evening when we get back to BLT. In Epcot, we eat somewhere there.

No reason to go to DRR if we're in Epcot or DHS unless the restaurant there is unique in some way. If food is excellent and the view is said to be nice, maybe we'll try it once and see. But I wouldn't see going there routinely unless I was staying there. That's just us. Plenty of options closer to where we are at any point in time.

AKL is worth driving to because it's unique and top notch, so we do.

 

[Madonna3]

Fair enough. Now imagine Yachstman limited its market really drastically when it's not even staying full now. Would that be a strategy you'd pursue if you were Disney management, just in case DVCers might find that cool?

This suggests to me that DRR's exclusive restaurant would have to at least be better than Yachtsman, I'd guess. Unless the awesome view at DRR makes up the difference.

I still point back to all my previous reasons for why I think this incredibly unlikely.

Just a side point... we've never gone to Yachtsman -- and we've eaten at most decent WDW restaurants. Why? Meh -- I don't want to venture all the way there for a steak dinner -- however good. I can get that many places. How good/unique would the restaurant have to be for me to bother going all the way to DRR?? Dunno. Maybe if it was unique like Jiko -- that one we bother to venture out for.

I guess I'm saying that this restaurant -- all the way out there in that location -- may have its challenges staying booked unless it's phenomenal and/or really unique -- even without exclusivity -- if Yachtsman doesn't stay booked up.

I have not once said that my proposition was likely. In fact, I started out staying how ridiculous I thought it was, but the more we discussed it, the more we figured that the resort will need some kind of "hook". When we look at what the offerings for DVC have been, we're seeing a lot of "exclusivity" and that's kinda how this all played out.

If you haven't been to Yachtsman, I think you're missing out. I'm sorry, but steak is not just steak. However, I am a red meat lover, so you'd have a hard time to convince me otherwise.

My hubby and I made the mistake of eating there on our first night on our recent trip in May. We compared every other restaurant to it and none of them stood up, even the beloved Cali Grill (which we DIDN'T love, btw).

Yacht Club isn't exactly convenient and I don't think DRR would be either. None of the resort restaurants off the monorail are exactly convenient, but yet, people find their way there.

If you had a restaurant that had 40 tables and was exclusive to DVC members and DRR guests, that had a fireworks view, I bet it's full every night.

You keep arguing that it can't sustain itself. How big do you think it has to be? How big is CRT? Not very big at all. They build it to create the demand. Done.