Some Disney resorts are coated from wall to bathe curtain in cartoon characters. Others have precise safari animals roaming about. Then there are these with campfire sing-alongs and cabins set within the woods. No matter theme, most Disney World resorts are overtly geared towards households and kids.
After which there’s Disney’s Riviera Resort.
Disney World‘s first all-new freestanding resort to open in seven years is distinctly completely different than many different Disney resorts that got here earlier than it.
At this brand-new resort that walks the road of grownup and family-friendly, there are rooms made for 2, a European and Mediterranean theme that’s gentle on conventional cartoon characters however wealthy on attractive tile mosaics that characteristic acquainted scenes, high-end bogs and wealthy, soothing colours which might be an inside decorator’s sensible reply to lengthy days at a vibrant, primary-colored theme park.
It may be dangerous to remain at a resort on opening evening, as kinks are doubtless, however that is Disney. I’ve no horror tales to inform as one of many first friends to remain at this brand-new addition to Disney World. As a substitute, my Four-year-old’s and my keep at Disney’s Riviera Resort tells the story of a brand new chapter for Disney the place adults are catered to simply as a lot as youngsters and households.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
In This Submit
Reserving
The final time an all-new resort opened at Disney World, the 12 months was 2012 and the resort was the cartoon-themed Artwork of Animation. There have been a number of expansions of present resorts since that point, together with the Gran Destino Tower at Disney’s Coronado Springs earlier this 12 months, however the pleasure was further excessive for the primary all-new Disney World property in fairly a while, and opening evening on the Riviera bought out.
My earlier two nights with the household at Disney World earlier than this keep have been at Disney’s Artwork of Animation utilizing fixed-value factors from my Barclaycard Arrival Plus. This remaining evening of the journey was booked instantly with Disney World utilizing my Chase Sapphire Reserve to earn three factors per greenback on the journey cost.
Associated: Finest bank cards to make use of at Disney
You’ll be able to now not guide Disney resorts with Chase Final Rewards factors, however you should use Citi ThankYou factors from playing cards such because the Citi Premier℠ Card at a worth of 1.25 cents per level.
We simply wished to guide the most cost effective room on the lowest value for opening evening, and that was accessible instantly from Disney for a not-so-cheap fee of $486 or extra.
The data for the Citi Premier card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
Riviera is extra flowers than cartoons. (Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
That reserving technique was the one viable selection by the point we knew we’d be capable of try the resort for opening evening, however please don’t pay what I paid for this room — ever. There’s a significantly better technique to guide Disney Riviera Resort and different Disney Trip Membership properties once you’re in a position to plan forward.
Riviera is definitely a Disney Trip Membership property, which is Mickey’s model of a timeshare. However you don’t must personal a timeshare to remain right here or use DVC factors. You’ll be able to lease Disney Trip Membership factors from a service resembling David’s Trip Membership Leases at a flat fee per level. Then you may lock in something from the two-person Tower Studio room we stayed in all the way in which as much as a three-room Grand Villa, such because the one we now have stayed at on rented DVC factors at Bay Lake Tower. By renting DVC factors, you may generally guide in a method that prices a lot lower than reserving with money instantly.
Associated: How I saved a whole bunch of at Disney by renting Disney Trip Membership factors
For instance, tiny rooms for 2 at Disney’s Riviera Resort begin at 11 DVC factors per evening, and commonplace rooms for as much as a household of 5 begin at 15 factors per evening for Disney Trip Membership house owners (or level renters). At $17 per rented level (a typical fee charged by David’s), that will value you an all-in fee beginning at $187 to $255 per evening, relying on in case you want a room for 2 or a household. There aren’t any added taxes or charges when renting factors, however word that every day housekeeping when booked with DVC factors is further. Nevertheless, even parking is included once you keep on DVC factors, which isn’t the case in case you guide a room instantly with Disney.
Whether or not you’re staying at Riviera and even someplace far-flung resembling Disney’s Aulani in Hawaii, renting DVC factors can actually knock 50% off the price of your keep sure occasions of the 12 months. Simply plan not less than six months forward to have an excellent shot at availability.
Location
One of many many nice issues about Disney Riviera Resort is that it’s on the brand new Disney Skyliner route. This technique connects Riviera Resort, Artwork of Animation, Pop Century, Caribbean Seashore, Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios through a community of gondola lifts.
Riviera Resort has its personal station, the place you may board the Skyliner to both go on to Epcot or to the Caribbean Seashore Resort. From Caribbean, you may switch Skyliners to Hollywood Studios or one other Disney resort resort.
If wish to go to the Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom, you should use the free Disney bus system or take a Minnie Van through the Lyft app. A Minnie Van from the resort to Magic Kingdom prices about $40, so save that for when you actually need it. You can additionally take a Skyliner from Riviera to Epcot and switch from there to the monorail that goes to Magic Kingdom.
View from my room at Disney’s Riviera Resort. (Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
Test-in
Opening days for lodges are all the time quirky, even beneath one of the best of circumstances. However we have been already on the town on a Disney Christmas household trip, so including an evening to see this resort made sense.
On this case, opening day meant a busy foyer after we arrived simply earlier than midday. Following the pattern of varied boutique lodges (Riviera solely has round 300 rooms, which is small for a Disney resort), there wasn’t a proper check-in desk however reasonably roaming workers with tablets. Nonetheless, because it was so busy, friends queued up the place a check-in desk would usually be.
Foyer of Riviera Resort taken early within the morning. (Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
Everybody was pleasant and excited for opening day, however for the reason that resort was full, there have been no magic-pixie-dust upgrades. The excellent news was that our room was prepared hours earlier than official check-in, because it had by no means been occupied. Regardless of the thrill within the foyer, the Disney solid member checking us in took the time to make sure my Four-year-old bought the prospect to swap out her grey, standard-issue Disney Magic Band for the colour of her selection. One purple Magic Band hooked up to her wrist later, and it was time to move to our assigned room.
Our room was a two-person Tower Studio on the sixth flooring within the west wing.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
Room
I’d stayed in loads of rooms with bunk beds, however I’d by no means stayed in a room that didn’t have an precise mattress. I had no thought whether or not this’d be good or unhealthy, however I did know was that the Tower Studios are the smallest visitor rooms in all of Disney World, round 220 sq. ft.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
We walked right into a room with a two-person sofa, a TV, small desk and chair.
That was it. We’d now seen your complete room.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
Mounted into the wall was a Murphy mattress that got here right down to reveal beautiful Peter Pan-inspired artwork on the wall.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
The mattress simply got here down from the wall with an honest tug. You didn’t must be a superhero, however when you have mobility limitations, name housekeeping for help.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
Pulled down, the mattress just about stuffed the room. In case you plan to spend hours hanging out within the room, put the mattress again into the wall … or take into account a bigger room.
This can be a good place to say that whereas I had no points, not less than one visitor on opening evening reportedly sleeping in a special form of trundle mattress at this property had a reasonably main challenge when the mattress collapsed. If you’re staying right here within the very close to time period, your room kind could also be altered as Disney is reportedly inspecting all the trundle beds to make sure that doesn’t occur once more.
Now, again to my room … there have been numerous shops, together with two in a nook proper by the mattress. The lighting was intuitive, plentiful and dimmable. I’ve learn complaints concerning the lighting within the Tower Studios at evening, however was I merely was too drained to note if something was unsuitable in that division.
There was a small fridge, microwave and Keurig.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
The small, two-chair balcony ignored the resort, Skyliner and night fireworks from neighboring Epcot.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
There weren’t sufficient pillows. There have been two pillows within the closet, however two whole pillows in a room for 2 was half what we would have liked. Plan forward or name housekeeping in case you like constructing sleeping pillow forts like I do.
Although our room was petite, the lavatory was not. In actual fact, the lavatory was nearly as massive because the room itself. The total bathe and enormous vainness made for the prettiest Disney lavatory I’d ever seen.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
The plentiful towels have been gentle and fluffy.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
Bathtub facilities have been wall-mounted Disney H20+ shampoo, conditioner and physique wash.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
The physique lotion was additionally accessible in a to-go (i.e., single-use) measurement.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
The wall-mounted TV had Disney films on demand, like on our Disney Cruise. Within the period of Disney Plus, this may not be as novel because it as soon as was, however we nonetheless loved it. I extremely suggest the Disney bedtime tales when you have little ones settling in for the evening.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
Our room, 8619, was in a small, three-room space off the principle hallway. The door to our room was heavy — too heavy for my Four-year-old to open. You can simply hear the doorways shutting each time the room neighbors entered or exited their rooms.
All in all, the smallest Riviera rooms have been the primary ones designed for simply two folks — and it felt prefer it. I had no points in any respect with the room for the 2 of us for one evening, and it is available in on the lowest value level for the resort exactly as a result of it’s made for 2. Nevertheless, the worth we paid is greater than what the room’s value in case you aren’t making an attempt to assessment the property on opening evening. In case you can guide the room for round $200 much less and likewise noticeably cheaper than a normal room for 5, it’s not a nasty deal for a brand new deluxe Disney resort. In any other case, it’s a harder promote.
Dimension apart, the design of the room was sensible and fairly darn beautiful — and even with the Neverland drawing, dare I say, this room was fairly “grown up.” It was definitely an enormous departure from the Automobiles-themed room I’d been one evening earlier than.
Facilities
You keep at a Disney resort for the situation and facilities. All Disney resorts present shared facilities together with Magical Specific Bus transportation to and from Orlando Airport (MCO), entry to FastPass+ reservations 60 days earlier than the primary day of your trip, entry to Further Magic Hours within the parks and so forth.
However every resort additionally has distinctive facilities, too. In Riviera’s case, its personal Skyliner station is a incredible amenity that made attending to Epcot and Hollywood Studios a breeze. We even rode the Skyliner round only for enjoyable.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
Then there are the swimming pools. Riviera had what could also be my favourite preschooler splash space at any Disney World resort.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
In its personal fenced-in space with its personal seats, the splash space had two slides, together with a tunnel slide for greater children. There have been additionally a number of little-kid-friendly interactive water components — and no annoying huge bucket of water splashing down on everybody and inflicting tears each 60 seconds.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
The primary pool had a bigger slide and a zero-entry space. Like in any respect Disney Resorts, this essential pool had lifeguards on responsibility and life vests that have been free to make use of.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
There was even a poolside gelato stand ($6.50 a scoop).
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
There was a small sizzling tub in case it was too cool to hop within the pool.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
There was additionally a smaller pool with out all of the slides, snacks or lifeguards, and it was open longer, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. throughout our December keep. (And, sure, the swimming pools have been heated.)
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
If the 20,000 steps you’re going to get Disney World every day weren’t sufficient, Riviera had a health club on the bottom flooring close to the swimming pools.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
You can play chess or bocce, chill out on a porch swing or simply do cartwheels on the resort’s inviting out of doors open house. Between the porch swings and the calming music enjoying across the resort, this was truly a spot to cease and sit to take all of it in.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
Within the evenings, you can roast marshmallows to make s’mores after which go watch out of doors films on synthetic turf behind the principle pool. The evening or our keep, we have been nearly the one ones watching “Ratatouille.”
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
Whereas not an amenity within the conventional sense, a spotlight was unquestionably the 2 mosaic murals within the walkway tunnel to the Skyliner.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
It took over 1 million hand-cut tiles to create these true artworks.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
One of many murals was the lantern scene from “Tangled,” whereas the opposite was Neverland. These murals have been undoubtedly Instagrammable.
Eating
In step with the adults-welcome theme, Riviera Resort had some grown-up eating. In the principle foyer was Le Petit Cafe, each a daytime espresso store and night bar.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
On the morning menu have been coffees and pastries resembling blueberry muffins and completely flaky croissants.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
The Parisian workers at Riviera was raving concerning the croissants, so I gave one a try to can vouch for it being fairly nice.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
It wasn’t too arduous to discover a place to take a seat within the cafe.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
Within the night, the vibe remodeled. The evening menu had grownup drinks, brownie bites and small pastries.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
You can have these within the cafe or within the grown-up lounge simply behind the cafe, although it did get full within the night.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
The first quick-service restaurant at Riviera was on the bottom flooring. You ordered and paid at Primo Piatto on the counter, however workers delivered most meals to your desk This made it really feel like a full-service restaurant, though it wasn’t. Whereas cellular ordering wasn’t up and operating throughout my go to, it must be finally.
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(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
On the menu have been pizza, salad, pasta and different Mediterranean meals. I beloved the $12.99 grilled vegetable pita a lot it grew to become my lunch and dinner. The spices on the roasted veggies mixed with the coolness of the cucumber yogurt dip have been a far cry from hen fingers and fries.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
Nevertheless, there have been nonetheless hen fingers and fries ($7.49) on the youngsters menu — and in my daughter’s stomach.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
The service and meals right here have been completely excellent.
A really full-service meal at Riviera meant a go to to Topolino’s (Italian for “child mouse,” which is what they name Mickey). Topolino’s was on the best flooring of the Riviera and had the views to go together with the situation.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
At Topolino’s have been a bar, restaurant and out of doors patio with a close-by bar cart. Once more, it was an grownup contact at a resort not only for children.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
You wanted to make reservations for dinner, so we didn’t strive it on this journey. Nevertheless, we did stroll round throughout dinner, and it smelled nice.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
A greater match for us can be the character breakfast at Topolino’s, with Mickey, Minnie and mates in European-style costumes distinctive to this location (adults $41, youngsters $24).
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
Bar Riva close to the principle pool served cocktails, burgers and salads open air.
(Picture by Summer season Hull/The Factors Man.)
Total impression
One evening at Disney’s Riviera wasn’t sufficient. I completely beloved the brand new resort. Sure, the room was very compact, and the mattress got here down from the wall, however so what? The room for 2 ought to work advantageous for many who know what they’re getting — if, and provided that, it’s priced proper.
On the value we paid for opening evening, I’m unsure the worth was there for an extended actual trip. However in case you can safe the room utilizing DVC factors or at a decrease money fee, the room would work for 2 folks. But when there’s little distinction in value between this and a normal room, paying further for the larger room can be cash properly spent until you’re actually OK in tight quarters.
The resort’s general design was elegant and pleasing to adults, however with considerate touches that made children really feel equally welcome. The tile mosaics are value a go to even in case you don’t keep right here, and the Skyliner station makes getting round Disney that rather more magical. And the meals, properly, this ain’t your carnival corndogs and funnel cake. The meals at Riviera makes you sit up for Disney time for dinner.
You all the time anticipate workers to be excited and put their greatest foot ahead on opening day, however I’ve a hunch that the extraordinarily pleasant and accommodating demeanor of the Riviera workers will stick round lengthy after the grand opening pins are bought out within the present store. I hope to plan forward, lease Disney Trip Membership factors and are available again to Riviera with the entire household sooner or later, as I believe even my non-Disney-crazed husband will get pleasure from a calming keep on the new Disney’s Riviera Resort.
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All pictures by creator.
