The Official Riviera Owners & Info Thread

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

Thanks. Really excited because we were able to get a RIV standard studio as our Welcome Home stay June 18th-21st! We had POP Century booked for those dates for our first kid free trip and now we can cancel that reservation.

We likely won’t be back to WDW until September or October 2024 (August UY) so hopefully we can snag 1 studio for a few nights in early December at VDH with our ‘23/‘24 VDH points in June and another for the same dates with our 49 banked ‘22 points in July.

Welcome home!

Another option for a MK resort could be Poly2 if that resort appeals to you

 

[PBandJFamwich]

Another option for a MK resort could be Poly2 if that resort appeals to you

The Poly is probably our top choice of the actual monorail resorts and it’s certainly a contender for a resale contract add on in the future. We would love to stay there but we will be ok with chasing a 7 month window reservation for a couple years. I think we will be able to swing reservations at the Fort Wilderness with our direct points at 7 months during most times of the year but would like 50 or so points to get Halloween or Christmas reservations every couple years for the golf cart parades.

 

[HawaiianFish]

I’m waiting for Poly2 too! Obviously it is not public if it will be a separate association, but we feel RIV as our Epcot/DHS area hotel and Poly/Poly2 as our MK/monorail hotel is best of both worlds.
Regarding Poly2: My thoughts are it will be a separate association, and we will buy direct Poly2 and try to pick up a small portion of Poly resale when/if a sell off happens.

 

[jennypenny]

I don't see Primo Piatto on the new Dining plan list of restaurants (QS or TS). Am I missing it? It must be included, right?

 

[SLThomas318]

Anyone stayed recently and can comment on to what grocery items are in the little shop? Trying to figure out grocery delivery and wondering if they sell milk and any type of cold creamer... 1/2 & 1/2 by chance? We've rented a car and stopped at Publix on the way in the last few trips, but we are thinking of doing uber/lyft and just ordering a few items. I've never paid much attention to what they sell in the store for grocery items.

 

[jamesweikamp]

Anyone stayed recently and can comment on to what grocery items are in the little shop? Trying to figure out grocery delivery and wondering if they sell milk and any type of cold creamer... 1/2 & 1/2 by chance? We've rented a car and stopped at Publix on the way in the last few trips, but we are thinking of doing uber/lyft and just ordering a few items. I've never paid much attention to what they sell in the store for grocery items.

I have not been on site in a few months, but every shop I have seen on site (including at RIV) has several types of milk available. My son has a lactose intolerance, so I was looking for almond milk in particular, which they had.

 

[HawaiianFish]

Anyone stayed recently and can comment on to what grocery items are in the little shop? Trying to figure out grocery delivery and wondering if they sell milk and any type of cold creamer... 1/2 & 1/2 by chance? We've rented a car and stopped at Publix on the way in the last few trips, but we are thinking of doing uber/lyft and just ordering a few items. I've never paid much attention to what they sell in the store for grocery items.

You can take the sky-liner to Pop or Art which have very robust sundry stores.

 

[R2DWho]

Anyone stayed recently and can comment on to what grocery items are in the little shop? Trying to figure out grocery delivery and wondering if they sell milk and any type of cold creamer... 1/2 & 1/2 by chance? We've rented a car and stopped at Publix on the way in the last few trips, but we are thinking of doing uber/lyft and just ordering a few items. I've never paid much attention to what they sell in the store for grocery items.

They had both 1/2 & 1/2 and milk this morning. They also had cereal, snacks, bread, chips, a few frozen food options, lunchables, yogurt, beverages, etc.

 

[TIGGERmetoo]

HawaiianFish: February 8-12, Deluxe Studio PV Welcome Home Trip

October 13-21, Deluxe Studio PV

 

[Flash_Sloth]

I don't see Primo Piatto on the new Dining plan list of restaurants (QS or TS). Am I missing it? It must be included, right?

That's a good catch. I don't see it listed on the official WDW webpage for the dining plans. And panning around the map listing the DDP QS restaurants, it looks like there is at least one QS option at all the other WDW resorts. Maybe it is an oversight, but I wouldn't count on it?I haven't contacted Disney to confirm.

But if Primo Piatto isn't included, this may be a deal breaker for us. DW enjoys some more relaxing time at Riv, while I'm nonstop in the parks. We always eat at Primo Piatto at least once per trip, and DW will usually eat there a couple of more times while I'm still in the parks.

 

[J-Dog]

That's a good catch. I don't see it listed on the official WDW webpage for the dining plans. And panning around the map listing the DDP QS restaurants, it looks like there is at least one QS option at all the other WDW resorts. Maybe it is an oversight, but I wouldn't count on it?I haven't contacted Disney to confirm.

But if Primo Piatto isn't included, this may be a deal breaker for us. DW enjoys some more relaxing time at Riv, while I'm nonstop in the parks. We always eat at Primo Piatto at least once per trip, and DW will usually eat there a couple of more times while I'm still in the parks.

The DDP is a hard pass for us, for many more reasons than the lack of Primo Piatto.

 

[jamesweikamp]

The DDP is a hard pass for us, for many more reasons than the lack of Primo Piatto.

I agree. If its a matter of creating/staying on budget, we just use gift cards. "Free dining" promotion aside (which is not available now), I don't see any advantage to the DDP.

 

[rspencer38]

The DDP is a hard pass for us, for many more reasons than the lack of Primo Piatto.

Same for us - we used to do DDP but just found that there wasn't enough value to keep doing it year after year. I will say that I did enjoy the idea of not "paying" after each meal. It gave me the same vibe as not paying upon checkout after staying DVC.

 

[BridgetR3]

This may be old news to some but this trip we found the coke station at Bar Riva stayed open REALLY late. I dare say 24 hours a day but I'm not totally sure but we did grab drinks one night around 2 a.m. To find it head towards Primo Piatto (you will likely have to go outside as Primo Piatto closes early) and then turn left towards Bar Riva. Go past the bar and the coke machine is on the far end of the building. It doesn't have as many choices as the Freestyle machines inside but it works late at night when nothing else is available!

 

[JARNJ3]

We're splurging & staying in a Grand Villa, starting on 7/6.

Anything we should know about other than its a beautiful place & we should count our lucky stars?!

It does have a Keurig right?

We usually stay at the Boardwalk - but no room at the inn this year!

 

[jamesweikamp]

We're splurging & staying in a Grand Villa, starting on 7/6.

Anything we should know about other than its a beautiful place & we should count our lucky stars?!

It does have a Keurig right?

We usually stay at the Boardwalk - but no room at the inn this year!

Never stayed in a villa, but have toured them. Beautiful.

The 2bd rooms have a regular drip coffee maker. I believe only the tower studios have a keurig

 

[bop28]

We're splurging & staying in a Grand Villa, starting on 7/6.

Anything we should know about other than its a beautiful place & we should count our lucky stars?!

It does have a Keurig right?

We usually stay at the Boardwalk - but no room at the inn this year!

Primo Piatto is a wonderful place to eat especially if you order your food at the counter or the register @ the Grab and Go area. When you order from there, they will give you a number for your table, and they will bring your food on a beautiful plate with nice silverware and cloth napkin. If you use Mobile order, they will have your food ready in a bag and you'll eat it out of a box with plastic utensils.

 

[mlayman7]

Just got 153 points (fixed week 43) purchased. we had a difficult time deciding between Poly resale and RR direct. Poly is my favorite resort but the rooms at the Riviera are so much nicer (and soundproof) compared to Poly, that plus we own at VGF and BLT so have MK covered so needed an EPCOT/HS option. We've stayed once at RR and thought it was great, had no skyliner issues, hopefully that continues. Excited to try out Topolinos on our next visit.

 

[HawaiianFish]

Just got 153 points (fixed week 43) purchased. we had a difficult time deciding between Poly resale and RR direct. Poly is my favorite resort but the rooms at the Riviera are so much nicer (and soundproof) compared to Poly, that plus we own at VGF and BLT so have MK covered so needed an EPCOT/HS option. We've stayed once at RR and thought it was great, had no skyliner issues, hopefully that continues. Excited to try out Topolinos on our next visit.

What was the upcharge amount for a fixed week?

 

[HawaiianFish]

We are also very much on the fence about Poly resale, specially with the prices dropping. But… I am holding fast, got to see what happens after the announcement of the new tower.