Reviews of Riviera Resort (Deluxe, DVC)
Reviewed by jase Review Date: 06/05/2023
Rating: (9) Recommended
The Riviera resort is amazing. This is probably my favorite resort on Disney property. First of all, the atmosphere is amazing. It's very modern and french, and the resort is overall pretty, inside and out. The food is the star of the show. Le Petit Café serves amazing coffee an pastries, and Primo Piatto had amazing sandwiches, and they even give you silverware.
Topolino's Terrace has good food an good views, but expensive. The rooms are big an beautiful. Even though we got a standard view, we could see Epcot. The rooms have a luxurious bathroom and a lovely balcony. The murphy bed is also a game changer. I love how big the pool is. It also has a slide, which is fun. The kid splash pad is called "s'il vous play," which was really cute. (I'm not a boomer) The prices aren't the best, with the deluxe studio ranging from $600-$1250. Though the price is hefty, Disney does offer discount for these hotel on select night. We only paid $550 dollars in April for a deluxe studio. I think that price is worth it, if you factor in the big pools an skyliner. Overall, this resort is amazing, and stilk stands as my favorite hotel in Disney.
Pros:
- amazing atmosphere - best food in a hotel - big rooms - skyliner - good pools -fun activitiesCons:
-expensive - using buses to Magic Kingdom and Animal KingdomReviewed by Lifewithkelskels Review Date: 12/06/2022
Rating: (8) Recommended
I stayed in a tower studio room at the Riviera Resort. I loved how close I was to the skyliner! I ended up staying on the 6th floor and had GREAT views of Spaceship Earth. I was even able to see the fireworks from Harmonious right from my balcony! I will say, this room is TINY. I was super cute and comfortable for a trip by myself but it could be cramped for 2 people. My biggest gripe was the bed was kind of hard to pull down by myself. The bathroom was super large and luxurious feeling, especially since the room was so small. I think this particular room is great for solo traveler or a couple.
Pros:
The views, Skyliner access, large bathroom, the dining on site was awesome!Cons:
This room in particular is very small. Bed was hard to pull down by myself.Reviewed by Anonymous Review Date: 08/20/2022
Rating: (9) Recommended
Stayed in a 1-bed 8/8-14, 2022. It's a wonderful place to stay. We asked for a room near the elevator and we ended up on the sixth floor near elevator only steps from the lobby and the pool.
The transportation at Riviera was the best I have ever experienced at Disney. The skyliner is a game changer. I watched videos that told about long lines in the morning but we found no lines at all at 7:30 a.m we were inside DHS before 8:00. Park was supposed to open at 8:30 but at 8:00 we were in line for slinky dog dash. By 8:30 we had done both SDD and TSM.
The days we used the bus we also found that they were not at all crowded.
The murphy bed was also terrific, much better than a pull-out sofa.
Pros:
Transportation (A+), Location, Beautiful rooms, very newCons:
Quick-service restaurant is good, not great. The main pool is good, but a little below average for a DVC resort, not crowded though, that's a plus.Reviewed by winags Review Date: 06/12/2022
Rating: (10) Recommended
This resort exceeded my expectations. We stayed in a beautiful standard view 2BR villa. It was large, spacious, plenty of storage and absolutely sparkling clean. I cannot rave about this enough, and I am very picky.
We could see both Epcot and Magic Kingdom fireworks from both balconies even though we were on the 4th floor overlooking the hotel entrance.
The hotel was very quiet and clean. The eating options were fantastic. I thought the breakfast in Primo Piatto was every bit as delicious as Topolino's. We also thought the dinner was good at Primo Piatto and Bar Riva.
The convenience of the skyliner is a total gamechanger. We loved using it. We also loved the convenience of the kitchen and washer/dryer in the room.
My son ended up sleeping on the murphy bed in the living area and I layed on it and thought it was very comfortable. I may have preferred it to the queen bed mattresses because the murphy bed was very firm.
Pros:
skyliner access great food choices on property clean and spacious beautifulCons:
priceReviewed by MrsLightyear Review Date: 05/11/2022
Rating: (10) Recommended
This resort is beautiful. The dining options are the best at any Disney resort on every level, quick service, coffee, and table service dining. We loved being able to take the skyliner to Hollywood Studios and Epcot. The courtyard with games is great for families and the artwork throughout makes you feel like you really are in the French riviera.
Pros:
Dining!!! Very nice villas for larger groups Skyliner BeautifulCons:
Very expensive May not be worth the cost for smaller partiesReviewed by Anonymous Review Date: 04/15/2022
Rating: (10) Recommended
Riviera is amazing!!! We stayed for the first time in Dec 2021. The deluxe studio room was perfect for our family of 4. We love the decor and every food option was delicious. It is relaxed luxury!
Pros:
Small so it is easy to navigate, it is luxury without being too formal, it has the skyliner and a single bus stopCons:
NoneReviewed by cathdittr Review Date: 12/27/2021
Rating: (9) Recommended
Riveria is a lovely resort. I love the elegance of the lobby, as well as the Quick Service (which is great by the way, one of our favorite resort QS) The hints of Walt add to the European feel, making it a simplistic and relaxing resort to stay in. The only downside is if you purchase DVC points at Riveria, they can't be used elsewhere. Riveria would not be my first choice of contract but may be in the future.
Pros:
Great European Feel, Clean and Comfortable, Relaxing, Home Away from Home. Skyliner AccessCons:
DVC ContractReviewed by FleurDeLys Review Date: 12/14/2021
Rating: (9) Recommended
This resort is tastefully decorated, well appointed, and has lovely details all around. The mosaics are gorgeous. We had a 1BR preferred view for two of us in October 2021. The room was large compared to other DVC villas. We used the Skyliner twice, and it was OK. We used the bus once, and it was better than average. Although we liked it a lot, I don't think it was worth the premium points cost compared to other DVC resorts.
Pros:
Large villas, private patios, tasteful decor.Cons:
the resort is huge. it is confusing to navigate.Reviewed by Anonymous Review Date: 12/03/2021
Rating: (10) Recommended
We were doing a split stay and when we checked in we were upgraded to a two room suite! Staff was was amazing and the room was one of the best we have stayed in. I used to think the Boardwalk was the best property for customer service and room quality until now. Not only was the customer service top of the line the room was huge! Bathrooms and kitchen were spacious and top of the line! Concierge took care of everything from Magic Kingdom fireworks cruise to eating reservations.. Skyline transportation was also a good perk.
Pros:
Room size. Customer service. Transportation. TopolinosCons:
Room service menu isn’t the best but not a reason to not book.Reviewed by PattyMayonaise821 Review Date: 11/11/2021
Rating: (8) Recommended
My husband and I stayed in a 1 BR preferred view suite for 4 days and 3 nights and we loved the balcony in our room with a water view. The dining at this resort is potentially the best in all of Walt Disney World. The quick service dining Primo Piatto was excellent, and Topolino's Terrace full service dining is a bucket list tier restaurant, serving flavorful Italian style dishes with amazing views.
The pool at this resort is small, and considering the price and location, I wish there was more space for lounging and relaxation. Considering this resort is a DVC resort and meant for lounging rather than rope dropping, I just wish there was more to do like there is at the other Epcot Resorts.
Another drawback for this resort is that getting to the parks, specifically Hollywood Studios via the Skyliner, can be a bit overwhelming if you time it wrong. The lines at the Caribbean Skyliner hub tend to be very long at peak hours, especially in the morning.
This is obviously a deluxe level resort, but sometimes certain amenities don't make you feel like you're inside the magic of Disney the way other deluxe resorts do. That said I do recommend it, even if only as a one and done for us.
