Dizzydizney
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2019
Just returned from a stay at Riviera. This is kind of long.
Check in process...different than BWV and BLT as the CMs don’t stay behind the counter. Everything is handled via iPad. A little chaotic because some people either don’t see or choose not to see the stanchion sign that says please wait here for assistance. The lobby is extremely busy in the mornings during check out and check in. Plenty of seating and the coffee/pastry shop is right there.
Very easy to park and move in to room in west wing. If you ask at check in if your room will be east wing or west wing, they should tell you, just so you can park your car in the correct lot. Room was ready by 1:00 pm (1 br std view west wing). We unloaded the car, rolled suitcases to the side door, and the elevator is right there. Examine the resort map they give you to locate elevators. West wing elevators are close to parking lot. East wing looks more complicated, as those elevators are located more convenient to quick service dining and lobby.
Laundry is located on the fourth floor in the east wing.
The skyliner...10 minute trip to Hollywood and Epcot ( not including wait time, but line moves quickly with nearly continuous boarding). I’ve read comments about Caribbean Beach being so close, but I think it looks rather nice both from the skyliner and when looking out across the water. The reason for slowdowns: all stations (except Riviera) have accessible cars that go off the main line and into a holding area. This way they are stationary when loading. Then they are sent back onto the main line with no interruption to the main line. So if you are going from Epcot to Riviera, the whole line needs to be slowed or sometimes stopped so ecv,s and wheelchairs can be unloaded. There is no place where these cars go off the main line, and if your destination is not Riviera, you remain on board until the next stop which is the main hub. Everyone gets off here. If you got on at Epcot just to take a round trip ride back to Epcot, you have to get off and walk around to the loading side for Epcot and Riviera. There is another separate skyliner for Hollywood studios only. And a third for Pop/AofA. You exit here for Caribbean Beach, although the Riviera station is close to some of the Caribbean beach buildings too. The station at Riviera is a little confusing at first. The ramp that is closest to the walkway leading from the resort is for Hollywood Studios/the main hub. You will be joining people already on coming from Epcot and heading for Hollywood, Caribbean beach, pop or AofA. If your destination from Riviera is Epcot, you will walk around to the opposite side and will join people already on that got on at the main hub. It is a quick 10 minute ride. Is that clear as mud?
The room: I love my other two DVC homes, BWV for its laid back and homey feel and BLT for its modern and functional look (although there is not one modern piece of furniture in my own home with the exception of TV stands). The Riviera rooms, in my opinion, are really classy and beautiful. Mind you, not my taste for my own home, but it feels really “upscale” to me but not snobbish at the same time. I’m not a big fan of the galley style kitchen, but it does work well for two people working at once. I prefer the BWV kitchen setup to the galley, but my favorite is still BLTs kitchens.
Rooms have lots of natural light. Even at night the rooms are bright...plenty of light fixtures and ceiling lights. Although I do like the ceiling fans at BWV, I guess they are are a thing of the past.
There is storage galore. Plenty of electrical sockets and charging ports. Big closet in foyer and big closet in bedroom along with some side shelves.
Queen size Murphy bed very comfortable. It is a little difficult pulling the bed down, don’t try one handed. I think this is partially due to the fact it’s still new. But opening the sofa beds at BWV and BLT are also very trying, and the sofa beds are not all that comfy. Had a hard time trying to figure out how to turn off the light that goes on automatically when you pull down the bed. The switch is well hidden at the bottom of the painting that is revealed when you pull down the bed.
The bedroom seems larger than those in BWV and BLT.
My main disappointment with the room is the split bath with only one toilet. It is very similar to BWV one bedroom bathrooms, except there is no closet. And the air jet tub is really deep and don’t know how you could bathe a small child in it. BLT one bedrooms win hands down in this department.
We overlooked the main driveway and portico. No noise with door shut.
Plenty of seating in the living room.
Disney on demand and you can access your Disney + subscription on tv.
Quiet pool was pretty quiet but it was also not great swimming weather. Pool temp was tolerable. I’ve seen comments that the quiet pool is small, but it’s bigger than the Boardwalk quiet pool and the BLT pool. There are plenty of tables, umbrellas and chairs. Hot tub is a nice size.
Main pool looked like lots of fun. Was always busy. Didn’t look as big as clown pool at BWV but bigger than BLT pool.Both pools have signs that say for Riviera guests only. You cannot get inside the fence unless your magicband lets you in.
Discovered a nice beach at the end of our stay, past the kids pool on the east wing side.
The walking/running path around the lake is really quite enjoyable in early morning. I never realized how huge the Caribbean Beach resort is. I think the walk is a little over a mile.
The outside of the resort is really nice. There is bocce ball, glider swings, lots of seating and tables near the building and by the lake.
Disappointed in the size of the gym. There is no community hall either. And no spa, not that I ever use one but kind of strange that this type of resort would not have one. There are daily children’s activities outdoors and pool party at kids pool. There was a large room they were using for indoor yoga when it was raining. I am hoping they will convert it to a community hall. I don’t understand why there isn’t one. They need to have a place for younger kids to gather during those rainy days or check in /check out days.....the library that is off the lobby is not the answer.
The library off the lobby is a nice place to relax and play some board games.
Drawback....the quick service does not open until 7 am and it’s the only place to refill your coffee mugs. The pastry place opens at 6 but you have to pay for coffee. So if you need your coffee early and don’t want to pay for it, you might want to bring along some extra coffee packs or request some from housekeeping.
Did not eat at primo but spoke with many people who did and loved it. Food is apparently exceptional counter service food at a reasonable price.
Ate at Topolinos and the food was great. Prices are reasonable. Personally don’t feel it is worth the two dining credits (depending on what you order). But they do take the 10% off DVC discount on food.
Spoke with people staying in studios. They do not feel they are cramped at all, just the opposite. I’ve read some comments that the studios seemed small, so was curious.
I’ve also read comments where some are not impressed by the “cheap” appliances and finishes. Seeing that this is a timeshare with lots of turnover for rooms (sometimes probably 2 to 3 different families in a week sometimes) are you really going to install jenn Aire, Wolfe or subzero appliances with all the bells and whistles? I’ve seen the way some DVC rooms are treated by people, unfortunate but true, and how some things go missing. So....no further explanation needed from me anyway. Some will disagree, but whatever.
A lot of people staying are not DVC....rather they are people that took advantage of the 40% off using their Disney Visa card offer. I’m wondering how many of those people are now DVC members! I talked with lots of people during my stay. Some DVC, some paying cash, some on a trip with relatives or friends that are DVC. The vast majority think its a beautiful place, many were thinking of or just became owners, but many also thought it was too pricey for them. I can’t argue with that, it is pricey. And you would be surprised at the amount of people (owners and non owners) that have no clue about what resale is or that it even existed for DVC.
About the carpet and the stairway from lobby to lower level. I did take some photos and took a close look. I don’t think the carpet is worn....rather, I think it was a very poor choice of color combination that gives the appearance on the stairs that it is wearing through. In some hallways I saw the same carpet or something similar, and it, too, gave the appearance of being there for a while. And that stairway IS too narrow for foot traffic going both ways. Poor planning there. It reminds of the original bathroom configuration for studios at BLT...no sink in the bathroom but two in the kitchenette . Must have cost a fortune to fix that (and although BLT studios are probably the smallest in the DVC collection, they do have the best kitchenette). And again, what were they thinking and who signed off on that design?
So while the Riviera may not be for everyone due to its price, location or resale restrictions, it was the right choice for us.
Check in process...different than BWV and BLT as the CMs don’t stay behind the counter. Everything is handled via iPad. A little chaotic because some people either don’t see or choose not to see the stanchion sign that says please wait here for assistance. The lobby is extremely busy in the mornings during check out and check in. Plenty of seating and the coffee/pastry shop is right there.
Very easy to park and move in to room in west wing. If you ask at check in if your room will be east wing or west wing, they should tell you, just so you can park your car in the correct lot. Room was ready by 1:00 pm (1 br std view west wing). We unloaded the car, rolled suitcases to the side door, and the elevator is right there. Examine the resort map they give you to locate elevators. West wing elevators are close to parking lot. East wing looks more complicated, as those elevators are located more convenient to quick service dining and lobby.
Laundry is located on the fourth floor in the east wing.
The skyliner...10 minute trip to Hollywood and Epcot ( not including wait time, but line moves quickly with nearly continuous boarding). I’ve read comments about Caribbean Beach being so close, but I think it looks rather nice both from the skyliner and when looking out across the water. The reason for slowdowns: all stations (except Riviera) have accessible cars that go off the main line and into a holding area. This way they are stationary when loading. Then they are sent back onto the main line with no interruption to the main line. So if you are going from Epcot to Riviera, the whole line needs to be slowed or sometimes stopped so ecv,s and wheelchairs can be unloaded. There is no place where these cars go off the main line, and if your destination is not Riviera, you remain on board until the next stop which is the main hub. Everyone gets off here. If you got on at Epcot just to take a round trip ride back to Epcot, you have to get off and walk around to the loading side for Epcot and Riviera. There is another separate skyliner for Hollywood studios only. And a third for Pop/AofA. You exit here for Caribbean Beach, although the Riviera station is close to some of the Caribbean beach buildings too. The station at Riviera is a little confusing at first. The ramp that is closest to the walkway leading from the resort is for Hollywood Studios/the main hub. You will be joining people already on coming from Epcot and heading for Hollywood, Caribbean beach, pop or AofA. If your destination from Riviera is Epcot, you will walk around to the opposite side and will join people already on that got on at the main hub. It is a quick 10 minute ride. Is that clear as mud?
The room: I love my other two DVC homes, BWV for its laid back and homey feel and BLT for its modern and functional look (although there is not one modern piece of furniture in my own home with the exception of TV stands). The Riviera rooms, in my opinion, are really classy and beautiful. Mind you, not my taste for my own home, but it feels really “upscale” to me but not snobbish at the same time. I’m not a big fan of the galley style kitchen, but it does work well for two people working at once. I prefer the BWV kitchen setup to the galley, but my favorite is still BLTs kitchens.
Rooms have lots of natural light. Even at night the rooms are bright...plenty of light fixtures and ceiling lights. Although I do like the ceiling fans at BWV, I guess they are are a thing of the past.
There is storage galore. Plenty of electrical sockets and charging ports. Big closet in foyer and big closet in bedroom along with some side shelves.
Queen size Murphy bed very comfortable. It is a little difficult pulling the bed down, don’t try one handed. I think this is partially due to the fact it’s still new. But opening the sofa beds at BWV and BLT are also very trying, and the sofa beds are not all that comfy. Had a hard time trying to figure out how to turn off the light that goes on automatically when you pull down the bed. The switch is well hidden at the bottom of the painting that is revealed when you pull down the bed.
The bedroom seems larger than those in BWV and BLT.
My main disappointment with the room is the split bath with only one toilet. It is very similar to BWV one bedroom bathrooms, except there is no closet. And the air jet tub is really deep and don’t know how you could bathe a small child in it. BLT one bedrooms win hands down in this department.
We overlooked the main driveway and portico. No noise with door shut.
Plenty of seating in the living room.
Disney on demand and you can access your Disney + subscription on tv.
Quiet pool was pretty quiet but it was also not great swimming weather. Pool temp was tolerable. I’ve seen comments that the quiet pool is small, but it’s bigger than the Boardwalk quiet pool and the BLT pool. There are plenty of tables, umbrellas and chairs. Hot tub is a nice size.
Main pool looked like lots of fun. Was always busy. Didn’t look as big as clown pool at BWV but bigger than BLT pool.Both pools have signs that say for Riviera guests only. You cannot get inside the fence unless your magicband lets you in.
Discovered a nice beach at the end of our stay, past the kids pool on the east wing side.
The walking/running path around the lake is really quite enjoyable in early morning. I never realized how huge the Caribbean Beach resort is. I think the walk is a little over a mile.
The outside of the resort is really nice. There is bocce ball, glider swings, lots of seating and tables near the building and by the lake.
Disappointed in the size of the gym. There is no community hall either. And no spa, not that I ever use one but kind of strange that this type of resort would not have one. There are daily children’s activities outdoors and pool party at kids pool. There was a large room they were using for indoor yoga when it was raining. I am hoping they will convert it to a community hall. I don’t understand why there isn’t one. They need to have a place for younger kids to gather during those rainy days or check in /check out days.....the library that is off the lobby is not the answer.
The library off the lobby is a nice place to relax and play some board games.
Drawback....the quick service does not open until 7 am and it’s the only place to refill your coffee mugs. The pastry place opens at 6 but you have to pay for coffee. So if you need your coffee early and don’t want to pay for it, you might want to bring along some extra coffee packs or request some from housekeeping.
Did not eat at primo but spoke with many people who did and loved it. Food is apparently exceptional counter service food at a reasonable price.
Ate at Topolinos and the food was great. Prices are reasonable. Personally don’t feel it is worth the two dining credits (depending on what you order). But they do take the 10% off DVC discount on food.
Spoke with people staying in studios. They do not feel they are cramped at all, just the opposite. I’ve read some comments that the studios seemed small, so was curious.
I’ve also read comments where some are not impressed by the “cheap” appliances and finishes. Seeing that this is a timeshare with lots of turnover for rooms (sometimes probably 2 to 3 different families in a week sometimes) are you really going to install jenn Aire, Wolfe or subzero appliances with all the bells and whistles? I’ve seen the way some DVC rooms are treated by people, unfortunate but true, and how some things go missing. So....no further explanation needed from me anyway. Some will disagree, but whatever.
A lot of people staying are not DVC....rather they are people that took advantage of the 40% off using their Disney Visa card offer. I’m wondering how many of those people are now DVC members! I talked with lots of people during my stay. Some DVC, some paying cash, some on a trip with relatives or friends that are DVC. The vast majority think its a beautiful place, many were thinking of or just became owners, but many also thought it was too pricey for them. I can’t argue with that, it is pricey. And you would be surprised at the amount of people (owners and non owners) that have no clue about what resale is or that it even existed for DVC.
About the carpet and the stairway from lobby to lower level. I did take some photos and took a close look. I don’t think the carpet is worn....rather, I think it was a very poor choice of color combination that gives the appearance on the stairs that it is wearing through. In some hallways I saw the same carpet or something similar, and it, too, gave the appearance of being there for a while. And that stairway IS too narrow for foot traffic going both ways. Poor planning there. It reminds of the original bathroom configuration for studios at BLT...no sink in the bathroom but two in the kitchenette . Must have cost a fortune to fix that (and although BLT studios are probably the smallest in the DVC collection, they do have the best kitchenette). And again, what were they thinking and who signed off on that design?
So while the Riviera may not be for everyone due to its price, location or resale restrictions, it was the right choice for us.
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