The Official Riviera Owners & Info Thread

[hippiechicken]

We're checking in at Riviera next week - anyone there now who could post a photo of the lobby sign with the November activities schedule, please? Can't find any recent photos online and I'm looking for the list of outdoor movies, Eventi Room times, etc. Thanks!

this?

 

[limegreenmonorail]

Yes, thanks so much, @Hippie!

 

[Castillo Mom]

I'm desperately homesick for WDW and I think the next ten months are going to drag by, so thank you for posting these lovely photos. I'll admit, I'm considering switching from standard view to preferred which goes against the points miser in me.

 

[Sydnerella]

Is the balcony outside Topolinos open to Riviera Resort guests without a Topolinos reservation? Is the seating for folks from the bar, or with a dining adr or anyone?

 

[jamesweikamp]

Is the balcony outside Topolinos open to Riviera Resort guests without a Topolinos reservation? Is the seating for folks from the bar, or with a dining adr or anyone?

Unless they changed the rules during COVID, resort guests can grab a drink at the bar and head to the patio. The couch seating out there is first-come, first-served. I think its a great spot to grab a drink as Topolino's has a really solid beverage program.

 

[Sydnerella]

OK, today a one bedroom preferred view opened up for our whole 8 nights!! Hooray! So excited about this as this is not only a beautiful resort but now we will also have more space to decompress and spread out in the room/balcony, even do some light cooking, or take out meals and enjoy the resort if we are not “feelin it“ at the parks and restaurants while still being on the skyliner to get back and forth from at least two parks quickly. This is giving us added piece of mind for our Thanksgiving week trip!
Is it decorated for Christmas yet? I have read much of this thread so thanks for all the info. Any Riviera pro tips are welcome!

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

OK, today a one bedroom preferred view opened up for our whole 8 nights!! Hooray! So excited about this as this is not only a beautiful resort but now we will also have more space to decompress and spread out in the room/balcony, even do some light cooking, or take out meals and enjoy the resort if we are not “feelin it“ at the parks and restaurants while still being on the skyliner to get back and forth from at least two parks quickly. This is giving us added piece of mind for our Thanksgiving week trip!
Is it decorated for Christmas yet? I have read much of this thread so thanks for all the info. Any Riviera pro tips are welcome!

I'm very happy for you!

 

[Sydnerella]

I'm very happy for you!

Thank you!

 

[Tigger's ally]

Is it decorated for Christmas yet? I have read much of this thread so thanks for all the info. Any Riviera pro tips are welcome!

Looks like they are doing the resort dec's one at a time. Seems overnight last night was WL. Night before was Grand Destino. Pretty sure they will all be done by the time of your trip. Pretty easy to just follow the News and Rumor thread to see pic's and everything.

 

[kimmar067]

I'm desperately homesick for WDW and I think the next ten months are going to drag by, so thank you for posting these lovely photos. I'll admit, I'm considering switching from standard view to preferred which goes against the points miser in me.

... personally, I think it's so worth it, but that's just me....it also depends upon which DVC you are staying too. Here, yes, because there IS so much to see! Love, love, LOVE watching the Skyliner....

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

... personally, I think it's so worth it, but that's just me....it also depends upon which DVC you are staying too. Here, yes, because there IS so much to see! Love, love, LOVE watching the Skyliner....

Normally, I'd say save the points and get standard because normally we're in the parks all day or out doing something else around the resort or WDW, but these are not normal times. If you'll be spending more time in the room, I think the nicer view will be worth it.

 

[jade1]

Minor question. We scored a Tower Studio last night for next weekend, just the 2 of us. However it seemed to ask for a 3rd guest? I'm assuming that might be an infant only correct?

Reason I ask is a friend is stopping by to visit, and if it was a regular studio I would add them to the room to just to make things simple-parking band etc.

Either way works-just easier. TIA.

 

[Sandisw]

Minor question. We scored a Tower Studio last night for next weekend, just the 2 of us. However it seemed to ask for a 3rd guest? I'm assuming that might be an infant only correct?

Reason I ask is a friend is stopping by to visit, and if it was a regular studio I would add them to the room to just to make things simple-parking band etc.

Either way works-just easier. TIA.

I have found that for other rooms too but if you attempt to book with more guests, it won’t let you.

 

[CarolynFH]

Minor question. We scored a Tower Studio last night for next weekend, just the 2 of us. However it seemed to ask for a 3rd guest? I'm assuming that might be an infant only correct?

Reason I ask is a friend is stopping by to visit, and if it was a regular studio I would add them to the room to just to make things simple-parking band etc.

Either way works-just easier. TIA.

I believe Tower studios can book one infant under 3 but are limited to two guests age 3 and over.

 

[Turn the Page]

The thing about the lobby, though, is that it's a DVC resort. Owners tend to not care much for grand lobbies, as those types of things are viewed as adding to maintenance costs without providing much value to the owners. I'd rather the money be put into rooms, food service, pools and amenities that will actually be used as opposed to the splashy elements that wow visitors.

Steve

The only gripe I have about the lobby is the resort store.

We haven't stayed there yet but we were at AofA on our last trip and knowing we are about to buy RIV we did quite a lot of poking around. We brought a ton of food with us but needed a few odds and ends and I must say I was really disappointed in the selection at the store. I'm pretty sure it was worse than the food selection at AofA which surprised me given RIV has rooms with kitchen s. We normally get a grocery delivery so it isn't a big deal, especially with the much better selection a Skyliner flight away at BCV but still, it was a touch disappointing.

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

The only gripe I have about the lobby is the resort store.

We haven't stayed there yet but we were at AofA on our last trip and knowing we are about to buy RIV we did quite a lot of poking around. We brought a ton of food with us but needed a few odds and ends and I must say I was really disappointed in the selection at the store. I'm pretty sure it was worse than the food selection at AofA which surprised me given RIV has rooms with kitchen s. We normally get a grocery delivery so it isn't a big deal, especially with the much better selection a Skyliner flight away at BCV but still, it was a touch disappointing.

Oh, good to know the store is subpar--and that the BCV is better, I'll check that out. But yeah, grocery delivery is the way to go if you're doing any real cooking. The resort store groceries are just nice in case you need an extra stick of butter or something.

 

[sabrecmc]

We did a crazy thing last weekend and flew to Disney for a night (left on the first flight out Saturday morning and took the last flight back Sunday night). Stayed in a 1bdrm preferred view at Riviera, our first time there. It was really lovely. The resort is gorgeous. The online pictures don't do it justice, imo. We had a fabulous view of the skyliner and Epcot. The CMs were all wonderful, food was good, and I liked the little cafe in the lobby. Got a couple of glasses of wine there to have on our balcony. Only downsides to me were the lobby is....unimpressive. We own at AKL, so that's not a fair comparison, but still. It's rinky-dink and uninspired. The shop was also a disappointment. But, having said that, the bar was great, the pool areas were nice, I liked the sculpted gardens and bocce ball areas, and the skyliner to DHS (the only place we went) worked great. Would definitely stay there again post-covid.

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

We did a crazy thing last weekend and flew to Disney for a night (left on the first flight out Saturday morning and took the last flight back Sunday night). Stayed in a 1bdrm preferred view at Riviera, our first time there. It was really lovely. The resort is gorgeous. The online pictures don't do it justice, imo. We had a fabulous view of the skyliner and Epcot. The CMs were all wonderful, food was good, and I liked the little cafe in the lobby. Got a couple of glasses of wine there to have on our balcony. Only downsides to me were the lobby is....unimpressive. We own at AKL, so that's not a fair comparison, but still. It's rinky-dink and uninspired. The shop was also a disappointment. But, having said that, the bar was great, the pool areas were nice, I liked the sculpted gardens and bocce ball areas, and the skyliner to DHS (the only place we went) worked great. Would definitely stay there again post-covid.

Wow, that is a crazy thing indeed but also wonderful!

 

[sabrecmc]

Wow, that is a crazy thing indeed but also wonderful!

Ha, yeah, I know! We had points that expired Nov. 30th that we had banked from the previous year, so couldn't bank for 2021, so it was use them or lose them. We also had a bunch of Southwest points from canceled flights from last year's vacation no-go. So, basically, it was a way to burn points and have some fun without actually spending much of anything. It was just my daughter and myself, but I splurged on the preferred view 1bdrm b/c we had the points that I basically wanted to get rid of. It felt so indulgent! We ended up having a blast. There is something to be said for going to Disney without any real planning and just winging it. We packed a lot in to 2 days, let me assure you!

 

[Tigger's ally]

We did a crazy thing last weekend and flew to Disney for a night (left on the first flight out Saturday morning and took the last flight back Sunday night). Stayed in a 1bdrm preferred view at Riviera, our first time there. It was really lovely. The resort is gorgeous. The online pictures don't do it justice, imo. We had a fabulous view of the skyliner and Epcot. The CMs were all wonderful, food was good, and I liked the little cafe in the lobby. Got a couple of glasses of wine there to have on our balcony. Only downsides to me were the lobby is....unimpressive. We own at AKL, so that's not a fair comparison, but still. It's rinky-dink and uninspired. The shop was also a disappointment. But, having said that, the bar was great, the pool areas were nice, I liked the sculpted gardens and bocce ball areas, and the skyliner to DHS (the only place we went) worked great. Would definitely stay there again post-covid.

We kind of did that this past weekend. Flew down first thing Saturday, played golf both Saturday and Sunday and flew home early Monday morning. Quick trip with my son and we couldn't play golf at home cause of the weather. We stayed at Pop, but I have a week long vacation with the wife, daughter and grandtinker in two weeks where 4 nights will be at the Riv so we rode the skyliner over and checked it out. Beautiful. And I loved the lobby. No need for big as it isn't a hotel.