Disney Riviera Resort

[MickeyMinnieMom]

How is this hard to follow? If it's 10 rooms...it doesn't provide adequate supply to be of use. Disney has over 30,000 rooms in its inventory each night...10?!?

It's not "hard to follow". I just disagree with your characterizing this as "not legitimate", not "of use", and a "hoax". It's VERY SMALL. We get it. Maybe that's all they think is profitable to offer.

It's not worth a debate. I just don't get why this appears to bother you, I guess.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

It's not "hard to follow". I just disagree with your characterizing this as "not legitimate", not "of use", and a "hoax". It's VERY SMALL. We get it. Maybe that's all they think is profitable to offer.

It's not worth a debate. I just don't get why this appears to bother you, I guess.

Ok...feel free to label it whatever you want.

The point is that those rooms only exist because it was a very limited experiment due to retrofit. It isn't because they set out to provide a genuine Option with 10 rooms out of about 3,000. They just dipped the toe in the water.

One they haven't replicated.

This idea that they have any interest In "unleashing it" at Caribbean just doesn't fit any of the available data...so therefore shouldn't be even really given serious consideration. Sherlock Holmes 101.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I'm actually surprised at this. I believe David's mirrors this in their When To Book part of the rental site. Their studios are huge too.

I think they took a guess and it didn't quite turn out the way they wanted.

While they had the most need for studios...I think they overestimated how many died in the wool dvc didn't want to book "premium" studios at 20-25 a night.

Many of the old guard...like many I know...like getting a lot out of their points and aren't interested in buying more points to book higher point rooms to pay over Twice what they used to pay for their tickets and double the cost for the same steak.

All these things are tied together.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

This idea that they have any interest In "unleashing it" at Caribbean just doesn't fit any of the available data...so therefore shouldn't be even really given serious consideration. Sherlock Holmes 101.

I agree with this -- I don't see support for that idea at this point. It may be working "well enough" in those 10 rooms; or maybe those 10 rooms won't be concierge for much longer -- who knows. Seems too much to extrapolate to a whole resort, IMO.

My feeling was that if they were to offer such a thing it would be wrapped into the price -- but I thought it really unlikely. Some of us place ZERO value on concierge. I did it once 12 years ago at Contemporary, said "meh", and never did it again. Seems like it would be an extra cost to Disney, and perhaps not a draw to enough folks to matter in the purchase or staying there decision.

ETA: But every now and then, Disney does something that I just don't get. So not outside the realm of possibility in that sense!

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I agree with this -- I don't see support for that idea at this point. It may be working "well enough" in those 10 rooms; or maybe those 10 rooms won't be concierge for much longer -- who knows. Seems too much to extrapolate to a whole resort, IMO.

My feeling was that if they were to offer such a thing it would be wrapped into the price -- but I thought it really unlikely. Some of up place ZERO value on concierge. I did it once 12 years ago, said "meh", and never did it again. Seems like it would be an extra cost to Disney, and perhaps not a draw to enough folks to matter in the purchase or staying there decision.

Probably because it isn't anything close to concierge...which is why they canned the term.

That was a hoax. It's a snack bar with no connections to service that is the definition of concierge.

When you check in to the grand, and you ask for a table that night at narcoosee's, and they say "sorry...it's all booked.."...by people from all stars on a package plan that booked it 6 months earlier...it's not anything close to guest service.

Real hotels don't do that...as experienced travelers point out frequently...

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Probably because it isn't anything close to concierge...which is why they canned the term.

That was a hoax. It's a snack bar with no connections to service that is the definition of concierge.

When you check in to the grand, and you ask for a table that night at narcoosee's, and they say "sorry...it's all booked.."...by people from all stars on a package plan that booked it 6 months earlier...it's not anything close to guest service.

Real hotels don't do that...as experienced travelers point out frequently...

Now I get the "hoax" aspect you were talking about! Not that it was only 10 rooms but that it wasn't REALLY concierge. That I agree with. For us 12 years ago it was a free froot loop breakfast before heading to the parks... somehow didn't seem worth it... ...

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Now I get the "hoax" aspect you were talking about! Not that it was only 10 rooms but that it wasn't REALLY concierge. That I agree with. For us 12 years ago it was a free froot loop breakfast before heading to the parks... somehow didn't seem worth it... ...

No...I just meant that the "club level" rooms at akl was just a thing cause they couldn't figure out a way around it.

Like the akvs or the new "modified studios" in wilderness lodge. Great if you want them...but not enough supply to actually give it a second thought.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

No...I just meant that the "club level" rooms at akl was just a thing cause they couldn't figure out a way around it.

Like the akvs or the new "modified studios" in wilderness lodge. Great if you want them...but not enough supply to actually give it a second thought.

So these all seem to you like one-offs, and not tests for possible expansion... in part because they haven't been repeated and/or are such small blocks?

 

[amberpi]

When you check in to the grand, and you ask for a table that night at narcoosee's, and they say "sorry...it's all booked.."...by people from all stars on a package plan that booked it 6 months earlier...it's not anything close to guest service.

Real hotels don't do that...as experienced travelers point out frequently...

I think it's also why WDW doesn't bother with a true luxury hotel. More of those experienced/luxury travelers are going to be happier at the Four Seasons/Waldorf/Ritz and some of them that do stay on WDW property for the convenience of getting their kids to the MK are eating at some of the stellar properties offsite that are very close by. Too bad the Venetian never came to fruition, it sounds like it would have been a flagship. I'm not complaining, more befuddled why WDW never went all in. I guess the Four Seasons is their best effort since it is "on property" but it sure doesn't seem convenient. I would have tried it already, but with points to burn, and being able to walk to Epcot, you know it's hard for me to get away from the Swolphin.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

So these all seem to you like one-offs, and not tests for possible expansion... in part because they haven't been repeated and/or are such small blocks?

...most likely...not impossible, but they appear to be isolated cases.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I think it's also why WDW doesn't bother with a true luxury hotel. More of those experienced/luxury travelers are going to be happier at the Four Seasons/Waldorf/Ritz and some of them that do stay on WDW property for the convenience of getting their kids to the MK are eating at some of the stellar properties offsite that are very close by. Too bad the Venetian never came to fruition, it sounds like it would have been a flagship. I'm not complaining, more befuddled why WDW never went all in. I guess the Four Seasons is their best effort since it is "on property" but it sure doesn't seem convenient. I would have tried it already, but with points to burn, and being able to walk to Epcot, you know it's hard for me to get away from the Swolphin.

The answer...and I'm not theorizing...is that high level service costs money and that will never change. You can't do that if you want a non-skilled, universally paid workforce.

 

[preemiemama]

How well will the marketing plan for the "gondola resort" go if they have a few of these? There are images of the evacuation process linked at the bottom of the page...

 

[beer dave]

I agree with this -- I don't see support for that idea at this point. It may be working "well enough" in those 10 rooms; or maybe those 10 rooms won't be concierge for much longer -- who knows. Seems too much to extrapolate to a whole resort, IMO.

My feeling was that if they were to offer such a thing it would be wrapped into the price -- but I thought it really unlikely. Some of us place ZERO value on concierge. I did it once 12 years ago at Contemporary, said "meh", and never did it again. Seems like it would be an extra cost to Disney, and perhaps not a draw to enough folks to matter in the purchase or staying there decision.

ETA: But every now and then, Disney does something that I just don't get. So not outside the realm of possibility in that sense!

they couldn't really get rid of the dvc concierge unless they got rid of the lounge all together. the lounge and the ten rooms are the only things on the sixth floor.

 

[MommaBerd]

How well will the marketing plan for the "gondola resort" go if they have a few of these? There are images of the evacuation process linked at the bottom of the page...

According to a poster in the News thread:

Yes, quite old: That gondola system is over sixty years old, and over the course of its life it has been taken down and put back up, and despite all that it didn't have its first accident until its 46th year. If anything, the fact that this is just the second incident in sixty years, and that no one was seriously injured in either incident, should calm the worries that guests may have had about the WDW system.

Initially I was a little nervous about the gondolas, but now I am completely comfortable with (and really love) the idea. Nothing in this world is perfect - any form of transportation will fail. But based on @vacationer1954 's stats, I'll take those odds of an incident! The gondolas in Cologne also span a river, which I'm sure complicates evacuation. But everyone WAS safely evacuated. This doesn't scare me, and it shouldn't scare most rational people. Disney will handle the marketing extremely well, I'm sure. Unlike IT, they are good at that!

 

[zemra406]

TOWL is interesting because it was originally marketed as an amenity that would be exclusive to BLT guests. I'm quite sure that some people bought points at BLT to take advantage of that "perk."

Then when DVC realized how under-utilized it still was with the resort fully sold-out, they opened it to all owners.

I think any future offer of owner exclusivity is going to be greeted with skepticism. Fool me once...

It doesn't help that the food prep facilities they constructed at BLT essentially amount to a microwave and a hot plate.

I agree a TOTWL 2.0 would be very interesting. They could make it exclusive to DRR at least at first and maybe expand on it later. You are also potentially talking fireworks views from 2 parks. I could see this being the exclusive perk to sell this resort.

 

[preemiemama]

According to a poster in the News thread:



Initially I was a little nervous about the gondolas, but now I am completely comfortable with (and really love) the idea. Nothing in this world is perfect - any form of transportation will fail. But based on @vacationer1954 's stats, I'll take those odds of an incident! The gondolas in Cologne also span a river, which I'm sure complicates evacuation. But everyone WAS safely evacuated. This doesn't scare me, and it shouldn't scare most rational people. Disney will handle the marketing extremely well, I'm sure. Unlike IT, they are good at that!

True. But having to climb down a rope to a crane/bucket might not work out well for me. Panic attack would be highly likely at that point!

 

[MommaBerd]

True. But having to climb down a rope to a crane/bucket might not work out well for me. Panic attack would be highly likely at that point!

I doubt you would have to CLIMB down (and I didn't read carefully, but I'm sure those rescued in Cologne didn't either). They would put you in a harness and you would be lowered. Still a little scary, but no risk of free falling! And didn't people have to be rescued off the monorail in bucket trucks not so long ago?

 

[preemiemama]

I doubt you would have to CLIMB down (and I didn't read carefully, but I'm sure those rescued in Cologne didn't either). They would put you in a harness and you would be lowered. Still a little scary, but no risk of free falling! And didn't people have to be rescued off the monorail in bucket trucks not so long ago?

From the look of the pictures that were linked to the article I posted, there was one spot where it looked like that is what happened. The monorail is not as high.

ETA: OK, maybe lowered not climbed down, but I would still have a panic attack if I were in this situation...

 

[circus4u]

From the look of the pictures that were linked to the article I posted, there was one spot where it looked like that is what happened. The monorail is not as high.

ETA: OK, maybe lowered not climbed down, but I would still have a panic attack if I were in this situation...

Photo is a good commercial for Coke though, "The pause that refreshes?"

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

The answer...and I'm not theorizing...is that high level service costs money and that will never change. You can't do that if you want a non-skilled, universally paid workforce.

Seems like a reasonable strategic decision. You've been saying that WDW is not a playground for the rich, as much as Disney might like to fancy it that in some ways. Choosing not to offer that "high level service" seems like they might well agree with you...