Am I the only one underwhelmed by Riviera?

So far Riviera seems to be a hit.

I really wish I knew if this was true! Other than this thread it seems that people aren’t allowed to post anything even neutral or balanced. All comments must be 100% positive or you’re a ‘hater’. Even simple statements are getting shot down.

I had originally wanted to own here until the resale restrictions. I was still hoping that a visit may encourage me. Now I’m wondering what is so bad that we’re not allowed to talk about it!

I fully appreciate the need for an ‘owners and lovers’ thread. We have those for other resorts. I just wish we were allowed to talk about Riviera!
 
I really wish I knew if this was true! Other than this thread it seems that people aren’t allowed to post anything even neutral or balanced. All comments must be 100% positive or you’re a ‘hater’. Even simple statements are getting shot down.

I had originally wanted to own here until the resale restrictions. I was still hoping that a visit may encourage me. Now I’m wondering what is so bad that we’re not allowed to talk about it!

I fully appreciate the need for an ‘owners and lovers’ thread. We have those for other resorts. I just wish we were allowed to talk about Riviera!

I think most members are okay with neutral or balanced comments. I really like the resort in whole. Its not my favorite but its not my least favorite either. This resort started off with a resale restriction bias.
 
It’s very true that it started off with a bias, and I fully understand that this has made people defensive! I also understand that most members are ok with these comments, but it generally only takes one or two angry put downs to stop people being honest or questioning things. Unfortunately, the put downs are far more noticeable at the moment as most people are staying quiet. :-)

Hopefully things will settle soon!
 
It’s very true that it started off with a bias, and I fully understand that this has made people defensive! I also understand that most members are ok with these comments, but it generally only takes one or two angry put downs to stop people being honest or questioning things. Unfortunately, the put downs are far more noticeable at the moment as most people are staying quiet. :-)

Hopefully things will settle soon!

If you have any questions let me know I have stayed in a tower and a 1 bedroom and can try and answer any questions.
 


Thank you so much! A few things to start:

I’ve heard that the lobby has started to look ‘shabby’. Is this only noticeable if you’re examining carpets or has it taken a bit of a hit from all of the recent visitors? Is this something that will worsen until they have a refurbishment?

The roof top bar really appealed to me but I haven’t seen any views or reviews. Is it difficult to access or just too cold and windy for winter? Can you go just for a drink?

Did you get chance to go to Topolinos? We’ll be on the dining plan next time (I know, I know!). Is it worth 2 credits? Is the food good or is it just new?

What would you say the big thing was that would make someone want to stay here rather than anywhere else (in years to come)? I know that’s a vague one, just wondering!

I currently own at BCV and I’m hoping to outlive my contract! Plan A was to own enough points somewhere else that we could sell that before it lost all value but I’m not sure it’s going to happen now. The best thing I keep hearing about Riv is the skyliner, but I think BCV is only about 3 minutes further away from a station. :-)
 
I didn't notice the carpet being that bad. I wasn't looking that close. If the carpet gets bad they will replace it before refurbishment.

The views are nice from the rooftop. There is a bar in topolinos and also a bar outside. I saw a review that said you have to order from the bar inside if you arnt eating there. Im not sure if they will stop you if you walk with confidence to the terrace.

we had both breakfast and dinner at topolino's. I think topolinos is on par with california grill. I had the Gnocchi, lamb shank, and profiteroles, my wife had pumpkin ravioli, steak, and fruits of the forest. Everything was really good and cooked well. The breakfast was good but I don't think we will be doing it again for a while. There are so many better breakfast places.

I like how everything is under 1 roof. We love the skyliner my daugher got so excited when we could see it from the window. the points are a little expensive but I feel like its a GFV/BLT hybrid. the room flow is nice for the 1 bedrooms.




Thank you so much! A few things to start:

I’ve heard that the lobby has started to look ‘shabby’. Is this only noticeable if you’re examining carpets or has it taken a bit of a hit from all of the recent visitors? Is this something that will worsen until they have a refurbishment?

The roof top bar really appealed to me but I haven’t seen any views or reviews. Is it difficult to access or just too cold and windy for winter? Can you go just for a drink?

Did you get chance to go to Topolinos? We’ll be on the dining plan next time (I know, I know!). Is it worth 2 credits? Is the food good or is it just new?

What would you say the big thing was that would make someone want to stay here rather than anywhere else (in years to come)? I know that’s a vague one, just wondering!

I currently own at BCV and I’m hoping to outlive my contract! Plan A was to own enough points somewhere else that we could sell that before it lost all value but I’m not sure it’s going to happen now. The best thing I keep hearing about Riv is the skyliner, but I think BCV is only about 3 minutes further away from a station. :-)
 
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I think this thread is pretty tame to others that have been “ very opinionated “...:duck:

Believe me, you will get fair and balanced opinions and comments. That is what this community is all about. If your “ towing the line “ you’ll be reminded about that by the mods.
 


I’ve not seen any reminding so far so it must have been private! I’ve seen some very rude comments from people just because someone didn’t love riviera without anything being said to them.

Unfortunately, I have seen mods reprimand people for not showing enough positivity! I think that has helped to cause the current circumstances.

I agree this is very tame. As I mentioned earlier, it’s the only one I’ve seen so far where we haven’t been effectively told to shut up! Hopefully this can become a thread where opinions and discussions are allowed.
 
I didn't notice the carpet being that bad. I wasn't looking that close. If the carpet gets bad they will replace it before refurbishment.

The views are nice from the rooftop. There is a bar in topolinos and also a bar outside. I saw a review that said you have to order from the bar inside if you arnt eating there. Im not sure if they will stop you if you walk with confidence to the terrace.

we had both breakfast and dinner at topolino's. I think topolinos is on par with california grill. I had the Gnocchi, lamb shank, and profiteroles, my wife had pumpkin ravioli, steak, and fruits of the forest. Everything was really good and cooked well. The breakfast was good but I don't think we will be doing it again for a while. There are so many better breakfast places.

I like how everything is under 1 roof. We love the skyliner my daugher got so excited when we could see it from the window. the points are a little expensive but I feel like its a GFV/BLT hybrid. the room flow is nice for the 1 bedrooms.
The lobby was fine but the small staircase had very worn carpet.

My dinner at Topolinos was better than my last visit to the California Grill. I hope to get reservations and go back in October. I didn’t know about the bar outside. I would have loved to have tried it.
 
Shabby lobby at RIV? Wouldn’t surprise me because it is too small for the amount of people going through it. Reminds me of another beautiful but undersized and well worn (being diplomatic) lobby: BWV.
 
In my experience over the years, mods are mostly interested that we don't devolve into a name-calling contest or be spiteful. Beyond that, you should be okay.

I've only visited RR, but I can easily report that it was fine in some regards and not so fine in others. The theming is bland. Others call it "clean lines" and that may be, but it's still rather unassuming and unmemorable. Topolino's may be very good, but Primo Platto is slow and La Petite just average (the coffee is subpar). The rooms are new and that is always attractive. The furnishings seem to be of average, not deluxe, quality. In other words, there are pluses and minuses. In order for me to buy new points, I'd need many more positives at the price DVC now demands.
 
The lobby is far from shabby, what people are referring to is the awful choice of carpeting the narrow staircase from the lower area (pool door area) to the main lobby which is on a mezzanine from the back.
This bit of carpet gives a poor impression- as soon as we walked to those stairs my wife said look at the state of that. It also looked to be affixed strangely, like really obvious overlaps. In fact, I said to her it looks like it is designed to be removed to clean or swap out.
But in the scheme of things this is a very minor and easily sortable issue. I suspect they’ll end up pulling it up and laying non slip marble tile or something. This is a small job as this staircase is small.
Aside from that the lobby is very smart, as you’d expect. My main criticism is it looks like a lobby in a modern hotel in, say, London.
 
Thank you so much! A few things to start:

I’ve heard that the lobby has started to look ‘shabby’. Is this only noticeable if you’re examining carpets or has it taken a bit of a hit from all of the recent visitors? Is this something that will worsen until they have a refurbishment?

The roof top bar really appealed to me but I haven’t seen any views or reviews. Is it difficult to access or just too cold and windy for winter? Can you go just for a drink?

Did you get chance to go to Topolinos? We’ll be on the dining plan next time (I know, I know!). Is it worth 2 credits? Is the food good or is it just new?

What would you say the big thing was that would make someone want to stay here rather than anywhere else (in years to come)? I know that’s a vague one, just wondering!

I currently own at BCV and I’m hoping to outlive my contract! Plan A was to own enough points somewhere else that we could sell that before it lost all value but I’m not sure it’s going to happen now. The best thing I keep hearing about Riv is the skyliner, but I think BCV is only about 3 minutes further away from a station. :-)

I'll jump in, having stayed in a 1br so far, with a 2br stay planned this summer:

1. I haven't noticed the lobby looking shabby, although that comment mainly seems to be about the staircase, which we rarely took.

2. While there is a seating area outdoors with what looks like a bar setup, it has never been staffed and serving drinks when we've been there. To be fair, given that the resort opened in December, I would not expect to see it staffed or full until the weather is reliably warmer. There is an inside bar that is walk-in and serves appetizers and drinks. The kids and I were ready for dinner before DH was, and I brought the up there intending to get a drink for myself (Mama has priorities!!) and a snack for them while waiting for our table. But by the time we found a spot, DH showed up and we went to our table. In the winter, the outside patio is a little cool and windy, and we were all standing along the railing (similar to TOTWL viewing, except closer and the railing makes it a little easier for kids to see qithout having to be boosted). We asked whether we could go to watch fireworks at any time (like Cali Grill where if you bring your check from earlier, you can go up and watch), and all we were told was since the restaurant closed at 9:30, to come up before close and just walk out to the patio. Which I did twice (?) - just walked up and said, I'm staying here, would like to go to the patio, and it was fine.

3. We used to make California Grill a must for dinner for every trip (it's my DH's favorite, after V&A), and Topolino's now takes the #2 spot. Service is a little slow, but I attribute that to working out the kinks. It's not like we have a big evening planned after a dinner like that - to us, a signature dinner IS the event. Have never done dining plan so we don't notice the 2 credit/1 credit difference, but we are happy to see that they are now taking TiW. The food is delicious - my kids devoured the herb pasta we ordered as an appetizer. It is French/Italian influenced and felt less fussy/staged than California Grill - it really depends on what you like - CG's entrees were their own and sometimes riffs on traditional dishes, like a variation on Peking duck that we enjoyed back in 2018. Topolino's felt more like they were the traditional dishes - DH had a sole meuniere that was delicious, and the preparation was (of course) simpler than the fish preparations that we've had at CG. I don't think one is better or worse; just different.

I agree with @SPLzero, Topolino's is at least on a par with CG. To us it also felt much calmer/quieter than CG. We enjoyed the breakfast but probably would not travel from another resort for it. My kids really enjoyed it, though. It was a lot less frenetic than Chef Mickey's, the tables are well-spaced, and the character interactions were great.

4. The murphy beds are SO much more comfortable than pullout sofa beds. Minor layout and tech-savvy issues in the rooms - more outlets, ability to stream and screencast on the TVs, more storage... Of course this will be less of a difference as older resorts are refurbished, but for now, they are a big hit. Also - I feel like they were sort of quiet about the views - while most standard rooms will have a view of the parking lot, I felt like many had the potential to see fireworks and there are high-floor standard rooms. Our 7th floor room had an amazing, unobstructed view of Spaceship Earth and MK fireworks. They're at a distance, but the New Year's fireworks were still pretty phenomenal. That kept my eyes on the horizon rather than looking down at the parking lot and bus stops.

5. BCV: if I owned BWV or BCV, I would not be looking at adding on at RIV. Just my 2 cents. I may be a rarity, but having stayed at all 3, I think it's a tie between BCV, BWV and RIV. BCV and BWV to us have a better location because you can walk rather than depend on transportation to EP/HS. BCV has SAB. But RIV's skyliner is a fun ride for our family, and it's got other aspects of the resort, amenities and layout that make it a perfectly valid choice.

I think it's possible to take apart aspects of RIV and name another DVC resort that beats it in that category. (eg: BCV wins on pool, no doubt; VGF wins on # of great restaurants, BWV wins because of BW, etc.) But if it checks most or all of the boxes for what's important to "you," then it works for you.

As for the title of the thread, I guess I had pretty high expectations for the resort, and I'll say it met them. So I'm definitely not "overwhelmed." But I wouldn't call myself "underwhelmed," either. Probably "satisfied" is the best descriptor; that works for me.
 
One really nice touch is the RR pressed into the toilet paper and tissue.

I don't think we have seen them do that at any other hotel on Disney property.
 
I checked out today and let’s just say seeing it I. Person is a whole other deal!! I’m very impressed with the resort and it is confirmed a hit my very good friend sells Dvc for Disney and he’s was non stop selling!! so yes lots of haters but it’s ok lots of people very pleased and happy just like myself. Also to add the Skyliner hands down BEST transportation on property it didn’t break down at all maybe a few times it slowed due to ecv or slow guest but it’s solid!
 
One really nice touch is the RR pressed into the toilet paper and tissue.

I don't think we have seen them do that at any other hotel on Disney property.
Yes very nice detail! I’m enjoying that the RR is also my initials :-)
 
We just had dinner here. Overall we were both impressed. The approach to the hotel is beautiful, especially after sunset.

I loved the various outdoor areas and the view from the terrace at Topolino’s is my favorite on property. Dinner there was great, with the rigatoni being the standout.

We own at BCV so no big draw to own here based on location, but it’s absolutely some place I would happily stay. As for the standard view, I go in with low expectations of those and am OK with whatever I get in that category and don’t even worry about making room requests.
 
We just had dinner here. Overall we were both impressed. The approach to the hotel is beautiful, especially after sunset.

I loved the various outdoor areas and the view from the terrace at Topolino’s is my favorite on property. Dinner there was great, with the rigatoni being the standout.

We own at BCV so no big draw to own here based on location, but it’s absolutely some place I would happily stay. As for the standard view, I go in with low expectations of those and am OK with whatever I get in that category and don’t even worry about making room requests.
Funny story is you view Epcot fireworks from a standard view from what I saw as I drove in.

i was in a preferred and I was able to view HS fireworks
 
Has anyone any video or photos from high up standard? I know it will be a popular request but I’d like to see what it looks like- both in the day and fireworks? Thanks.
 

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