The Official Riviera Owners & Info Thread

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I know we have to use the Skyliner for transportation to & from Hollywood Studios & EPCOT. If it's not running, how do we know where to get a bus back since there's not a spot for it at those parks? And at Riviera, would we get a bus at the regular bus area?

Is there not a spot for it in the bus loop? I guess I hadn't noticed.

 

[mster425]

Hi! Is anyone there now who can post the June activity schedule for me? Thank you!

 

[Bjaiken77]

Ok, I want to be clear that I love VGF. However, I’m reading some of the complaints over there on the VG2 thread:

(paraphrasing)

1. I don’t want to stay in the new building. I bought into the original villa. I like the feel of it.

2. The new building is going to be all studios. I need 1, 2, or 3 bedrooms.

I want to tell them that there is a resort option, with rooms equally as elegant, where the entire hotel feels like a villa and you have a full assortment of room sizes.

 

[TinkB278]

I’ve logged on the member website the last two days to book a May 22 trip in a standard studio and it looks like dates are being walked. Yesterday 5/1 was unavailable and now today 5/2 is unavailable. Very frustrating. Is there something big going on that would cause people to walk? It just seems weird to start walking early May?

 

[MomOTwins]

I’ve logged on the member website the last two days to book a May 22 trip in a standard studio and it looks like dates are being walked. Yesterday 5/1 was unavailable and now today 5/2 is unavailable. Very frustrating. Is there something big going on that would cause people to walk? It just seems weird to start walking early May?

I honestly think it is just pent up demand for 2022 travel, including from international (e.g. Canada/UK) owners who need to use points and might not be able to travel in 2021, people who aren't comfortable traveling with unvaccinated kids estimating that vaccines will be ready for all ages by then, and people who want to wait for fireworks/fastpass to return. Gonna be a lot of demand in 2022.

As for why early May, that's no mystery either. Look at the point chart. A standard studio runs 146-208 points for a week during March and April. It costs only 123 points in May. For new buyers who just bought the blue card minimum of 125 points direct, or resale buyers who added small direct contracts to be able to stay at Riv, that's a HUGE difference.

 

[Lumee23]

New owner here! Just popping in to say hello I am looking forward to going through this thread for all the great Riviera details!

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

I changed my dates/room for our welcome home trip, if you could be so kind to update the Be Our Guest list
( I can't be the only one who is initially like yeah, let's do a studio! then talks myself out of that idea...right??)

We are now Sept 9-14, 2021 (std. studio 9-11, std. 1 bed 11-14)

I've never done a split between room types before (and am pretty nervous about if I will like it), but the extra days were not available for a 1 bed.. so this will be a forced new experience for us!

We also added January 14-19, 2022 in a std. 1 bed for the Festival of the Arts (my favorite!)

I am SO excited to finally stay at Riviera!

 

[UrsulaWantsYourSoul]

New owner here! Just popping in to say hello I am looking forward to going through this thread for all the great Riviera details!

Welcome Home!!!! Woo Hoo!

 

[UrsulaWantsYourSoul]

I changed my dates/room for our welcome home trip, if you could be so kind to update the Be Our Guest list
( I can't be the only one who is initially like yeah, let's do a studio! then talks myself out of that idea...right??)

We are now Sept 9-14, 2021 (std. studio 9-11, std. 1 bed 11-14)

I've never done a split between room types before (and am pretty nervous about if I will like it), but the extra days were not available for a 1 bed.. so this will be a forced new experience for us!

We also added January 14-19, 2022 in a std. 1 bed for the Festival of the Arts (my favorite!)

I am SO excited to finally stay at Riviera!

You could always waitlist for the other days.
That said, if you're doing a split stay, you're doing it in the right order - start small and end big where you can stretch out . You'll be so busy and on the go and excited the first two days you probably won't spend much time in the room anyway. Welcome Home!!!

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

You could always waitlist for the other days.
That said, if you're doing a split stay, you're doing it in the right order - start small and end big where you can stretch out . You'll be so busy and on the go and excited the first two days you probably won't spend much time in the room anyway. Welcome Home!!!

I've got a waitlist going, September is just tough to book so I'm not getting my hopes up.

We truly never thought we would be 1 bedroom people (no kids yet) until we got a pixie dust upgrade from a lake tower room at the CR to a lake 1 bed at BLT last August. BOY WERE WE WRONG. That stay resulted in a 300 point Riviera contract and a newfound love for the extra space! Most expensive free upgrade ever

 

[sugliac]

Strongly considering getting a Riviera contract. Just sold one of mine that I was not using so I know it's crazy, but I have been to the resort to visit Topolinos, Primo Piatto, etc. and am obsessed... I know booking at the resort is tough too!

 

[Chrisvee]

I love this resort so much. I haven’t been since Mar 2019 right before closure and my next trip isn’t until Oct 2022.

I sort of messed up my 2021 bookings and didn’t grab Riviera for Aug as I should have.

 

[UrsulaWantsYourSoul]

I've got a waitlist going, September is just tough to book so I'm not getting my hopes up.

We truly never thought we would be 1 bedroom people (no kids yet) until we got a pixie dust upgrade from a lake tower room at the CR to a lake 1 bed at BLT last August. BOY WERE WE WRONG. That stay resulted in a 300 point Riviera contract and a newfound love for the extra space! Most expensive free upgrade ever

Right?!? 1 bedroom just feels so much more like "home". But boy are they pricey for points. If you have a friend(s) you like to travel with, getting a 2 bedroom gives that sweet spot of having the hang space/kitchen at a better per person price point.

 

[UrsulaWantsYourSoul]

Gelato!
I've yet to have it at Riviera but have heard it is delicious?
So the main location has plenty of reviews... but the cart at Riviera has NO reviews on Yelp!
If you want to give it some 5 Star love:
https://www.yelp.com/biz/vivoli-il-gelato-lake-buena-vista

 

[MomOTwins]

View attachment 579856
Gelato!
I've yet to have it at Riviera but have heard it is delicious?
So the main location has plenty of reviews... but the cart at Riviera has NO reviews on Yelp!
If you want to give it some 5 Star love:
https://www.yelp.com/biz/vivoli-il-gelato-lake-buena-vista

It IS delicious but since it is only available to resort guests as it is inside the locked pool area, that's probably why it doesn't have a big web presence. The strawberry is soooo good.

 

[Doberge]

Some have asked about Caribbean Beach pool. We had a DVC friend that did recently pool hop to Carribbean Beach. They weren't asked anything or required to scan a magicband, they were just able to walk right in. I wouldn't suggest for people that aren't DVC members to pool hop to CB but for those that are members it's worth trying.

 

[MomOTwins]

Some have asked about Caribbean Beach pool. We had a DVC friend that did recently pool hop to Carribbean Beach. They weren't asked anything or required to scan a magicband, they were just able to walk right in. I wouldn't suggest for people that aren't DVC members to pool hop to CB but for those that are members it's worth trying.

Thank you! I was the one who asked. Worst case we will try and if it is not ok will grab a drink at banana cabana and head back to riviera

 

[summerw]

So thinking about the different aspects riviera scored well on above, has anyone else had an issue with light in the room while trying to sleep? We had a bright green light that flashed all night. I think it was on a smoke detector. I was wondering if this was just an issue with our room or if anyone else experienced this bright flashing light?

Yes, but I do remember it at another resort. I'm pretty sure it was Copper Creek. I'm guessing as they update, they will all be getting that type or similar.

June 14-18 1 Bedroom PV

Added! Exciting your trip is so close!

Hey everyone! Add-on-itis hit, and I now own at RR! I saw the first post and had a question about buses. When/if RR shares a bus with Caribbean, is it the 1st stop or 2nd? I'm mainly wondering how it is getting to DS.

I've never been on a shared bus and haven't heard any such reports.

I know we have to use the Skyliner for transportation to & from Hollywood Studios & EPCOT. If it's not running, how do we know where to get a bus back since there's not a spot for it at those parks? And at Riviera, would we get a bus at the regular bus area?

I imagine when the Skyliner goes down in January for maintenance that they will add it to the regular bus stops for those days and leave from the regular bus stops.
If it's just down for weather etc, you will catch it from Epcot at the bus stop for Boardwalk Inn, from HS ask a cast member near the bus stops, and from Riviera at the regular bus stops. If goes down while at the CB station, they usually run busses from the bus stop right across the street there.

We are now Sept 9-14, 2021 (std. studio 9-11, std. 1 bed 11-14)

I've never done a split between room types before (and am pretty nervous about if I will like it), but the extra days were not available for a 1 bed.. so this will be a forced new experience for us!

We also added January 14-19, 2022 in a std. 1 bed for the Festival of the Arts (my favorite!)

I've got a waitlist going, September is just tough to book so I'm not getting my hopes up.

We truly never thought we would be 1 bedroom people (no kids yet) until we got a pixie dust upgrade from a lake tower room at the CR to a lake 1 bed at BLT last August. BOY WERE WE WRONG. That stay resulted in a 300 point Riviera contract and a newfound love for the extra space! Most expensive free upgrade ever

Added! And I feel your pain. We had some extra points after cancelling a trip due to Covid and we stayed in the 1 bedroom a couple of nights and we were pixie dusted at Copper Creek from a studio to a 1 BD. We just added 250 points because we can never go back. Such an expensive upgrade.

Strongly considering getting a Riviera contract. Just sold one of mine that I was not using so I know it's crazy, but I have been to the resort to visit Topolinos, Primo Piatto, etc. and am obsessed... I know booking at the resort is tough too!

Booking standard view rooms is definitely tough. The preferred make it past the 7 month mark sometimes. It doesn't seem like much at any resort has since they started booking fall this year though. Since we just doubled down and bought more points, I'm biased, but we are so happy when we stay there. We considered adding some Boardwalk resale because we loved it there, but not being able to use those points at Riviera was a deal breaker for us.




Responding to some of the comments about how much criticism Riviera gets, I think it's probably rare that those comments are from people who stayed here. There are so many things that people complain about at other resorts that Riviera solves... outdoor walks, crowded pools, mediocre food, long hallways, poor transportation, crowded and noisy lobbies, small rooms, terrible room views, etc. I think you need to sit by the pool or down by the water for a while to really absorb the vibe. It's not in-your-face theming.

For the people who gush about the monorail resorts, for them, MK might be quintessential WDW. It's the park that interests me the least because I live near Disneyland, so being able to take a few minute ride on the quietest Disney transportation to two other parks is perfect for me.

Also, we all think the restrictions suck, and that's just too much for some to overcome, ever.

We love it though. More than anywhere else we've stayed, although it wouldn't make me angry if the Poly had 1-bedrooms. We'd probably have to buy more points. Lol.

 

[jenushkask8s]

Hello! DH and I just added on at Riviera this week!

Looking forward to staying there soon!

 

[Bjaiken77]

Hello! DH and I just added on at Riviera this week!

Looking forward to staying there soon!

congratulations!!!