Now that Disney’s Riviera Resort has said bonjour to its first guests, you might be wondering if a stay at the brand new Disney Vacation Club Resort is right for you.

As with any decision about where to stay during your Walt Disney World vacation, the answer to this question is fraught with variables. Cost, room types, amenities, location, and more make any Resort selection a challenge.

But that’s what your pals at AllEars are for. We’re breaking down the pros and cons of each aspect of Riviera Resort to help you decide if it’s for you. 

Riviera Resort Room Types

Riviera Resort has several room types, including Deluxe Studios, One-Bedroom Villas, Two-Bedroom Villas, Tower Studios, and Grand Villas. These can suit a variety of groups, from 1-2 guests in a Tower Studio (the first of its kind category debuting at Riviera Resort) to 12 guests in a Grand Villa.

If you’re looking to house several family members and think a kitchen, washer/dryer, and space to spread out would help facilitate a magical vacation, Riviera Resort’s rooms from Deluxe Studios (with a kitchenette) to 1-Bedroom Villas and beyond (with full kitchens and w/d) might be a good fit for you.

The aforementioned Tower Studios are compact spaces that occupy the Epcot-facing tower at Riviera Resort. These sleep up to two people on a Murphy bed. Tower Studios are as classy in decor as the resort’s larger room options, but they do not have a washer/dryer or a kitchen of any kind. The space is definitely small — but functional.

So if you’re a party of two looking to be in proximity to Epcot — say for one of the Park’s festivals — Tower Studios might be a great option for you.

See more pictures from Riviera Resort rooms on the AllEars Fact Sheet!

Riviera Resort Amenities

Because Riviera Resort is a DVC property, there are lots of activities and amenities right at the Resort. This means if you’re a vacationer who likes plenty of downtime at the Resort, Riviera Resort could be a fun fit for you!

Recreational activities include two pools — Riviera Pool (the main pool with a wrap-around slide) and Beau Soleil (the quiet pool with adjacent hot tub) — and a 48-inches-and-under aquatic splash area called S’Il Vous Plait.

In the vicinity of the pool, guests can also play bocce ball on a dedicated court, challenge their friends at lawn chess or Connect Four, toss some bean bags in a game of cornhole, and even engage in some foot snooker.

There’s also a state-of-the-art fitness center called Athletique and a running/jogging/walking trail that winds around the Resort and Barefoot Bay.

If you’re looking to relax, you can enjoy Voyageurs’ Lounge off the Resort’s lobby. This hangout spot is packed with memorabilia from Walt Disney’s life. It’s a must-see for history buffs.

The Resort also has the standard amenities: a laundry room and dry cleaning (for a fee), airline check-in, a gift shop, and mail drop. A very stylish mail drop.

Riviera Resort Location and Transportation

Riviera Resort is located very close to Caribbean Beach Resort. It’s an Epcot-area Resort, putting it also in close proximity to the Crescent Lake Resorts: Beach Club, Yacht Club, BoardWalk, Swan, and Dolphin.

And because Riviera Resort has its own Skyliner gondola line, guests of the Resort can get to Caribbean Beach (2-3 minutes) and Epcot (9-10 minutes) directly and to Disney’s Hollywood Studios (7-8 minutes) and Disney’s Pop Century and Art of Animation Resorts (6-7 minutes) with a single transfer at Skyliner’s hub at Caribbean Beach.

Riviera Resort also has its own dedicated bus stop.

Buses run to all four parks, two water parks, and Disney Springs. Cast members told us the only time Riviera Resort might share a bus would be a shared ride to the water parks and/or Disney Springs with guests of Caribbean Beach Resort.

If you plan to spend a lot of time at Epcot or Hollywood Studios or if you prefer a Resort with a single bus stop, the transportation at Riviera Resort may be a smooth ride for you.

Riviera Resort Dining

Riviera Resort has a decent variety of dining (and drinking options) for guests who include food as part of their vacation planning. We took you on a food tour of Riviera Resort here (so click on over to get into the nitty-gritty). But here’s a little overview.

Riviera Resort has four dining locations, some of which also offer a bar or lounge component. Le Petit Cafe is located off the lobby and serves two purposes: coffee and pastry bar in the morning and wine bar with savory bites in the afternoon/evening.

Bar Riva is a poolside bar that offers up plated meals in addition to drinks.

Primo Piatto is a terrific quick service option serving up the Resort’s Riviera-inspired cuisine in a fast-food format.

The Resort’s table service option is Topolino’s Terrace — Flavors of the Riviera. This roof-top spot has indoor and outdoor lounge areas and views of three nighttime spectaculars: Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Epcot. Dinner at Topolino’s Terrace is a la carte and focuses on Riviera-inspired ingredients and cuisine.

Breakfast at Topolino’s is a prix fixe character meal called Breakfast a la Art. Shared pastries and flavorful entrees are upstaged only by artists Mickey, Minnie, Daisy, and Donald.

If you’re looking for a Resort stay to include high-end cuisine and a variety of dining options, Riviera Resort is really impressive in this respect.

Click here to take the food tour of Riviera Resort!

Riviera Resort Cost 

One of the major points of contention for Riviera Resort is the high cost of Disney Vacation Club points required for a stay here. Points for the cheapest season in a Deluxe Studio are 15 points per night. This makes the  Deluxe Studio more expensive than all but the Grand Floridian Villas and the Polynesian Villas — both of which have the advantage of being Monorail Resorts.

To pay out of pocket, rooms at Riviera start at around $580 per night for a Deluxe Studio during off-peak seasons and rise to just under $900 per night during the holiday season.  Prices rise steeply for the Resort’s villas, with a top price of over $4000 per night for a Grand Villa during the holidays.

What this means is that you’re paying for the luxurious decor and design at Riviera Resort. You’re paying for the convenience of the Skyliner and related proximity to notable spots like Epcot’s International Gateway and Hollywood Studios. And ultimately it means you’ll pay higher prices here than at almost any other Resort on property.

But whether all of the amenities, dining options, historic Walt Disney tie-ins, and general style are worth that price is entirely up to you. Hopefully we’ve given you some food for thought as you consider calling Riviera Resort home.

Before you make your choice, be sure to scroll through the AllEars Riviera Resort fact sheet, where we share pictures galore and more information about this brand new Resort.

What do you think? Is Riviera Resort right for you? What other factors do  you take into consideration when deciding where to stay at Walt Disney World? Let us know in the comments.

 

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