5 Reasons to Stay at Disney’s Riviera Resort

Posted January 2024

When I first became a member of Disney Vacation Club (DVC), staying at a DVC within walking distance to Magic Kingdom was a priority. I chose Bay Lake Towers as my home resort as it was convenient when my children were little. As they grew older, we tried out other DVC resorts that are not within walking distance to the parks. That’s how Disney’s Riviera Resort became my new favorite resort.

In 2019, Disney’s Riviera Resort (DRR) opened at Disney World. It is a Deluxe Disney resort located near the more moderately priced Caribbean Beach Resort. DRR has European inspired architecture and it resembles what you would see in the French and Italian Riviera. Disney’s Riviera Resort is not located near any of the parks but it has access to the Skyliner that takes you to EPCOT or Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It’s elegant, stylish, and unlike other Disney resorts, the Mickey theme is understated. See the Hidden Mickey and the Hidden Minnie in the carpet?

As of January 2024, Disney’s Riviera Resort is the only DVC property at Disney World still selling Disney Vacation Club (DVC) points. If you are not a member of Disney Vacation Club (Disney’s version of a timeshare), that’s good news for you as it means you can still make a reservation there. They estimate that DRR points will sell out sometime in 2024. Once all the DRR points are sold out, only DVC members will be allowed to make reservations at Disney’s Riviera Resort.

5 Reasons to Stay at Disney’s Riviera Resort

If you enjoy vacationing at a relaxing, upscale resort at Disney World, Disney’s Riviera Resort is the place to stay. DRR is a Deluxe resort, a higher tier than a Moderate resort such as Caribbean Beach Resort and Disney’s Art of Animation or Pop Century Resorts nearby. Here are my top 5 reasons to stay at Disney’s Riviera Resort:

Reason #1: Access to the Skyliner gondola

The Skyliner station is a short walk through a mosaic tile walkway and the Skyliner gondola transports you above ground directly to EPCOT at the International Gateway entrance in 10 minutes. It is about 11 minutes to go to Disney’s Hollywood Studios from DRR and you’ll need to get off at Caribbean Beach Resort and transfer to another Skyliner gondola. It’s spacious inside and very serene as you are floating into the parks. If you prefer taking the complimentary bus to these parks as well as Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom, you can do that too at DRR. Unlike a few of the other Disney World resorts, you cannot walk to the parks from DRR.

See the Hidden Mickey in the railing?

NOTE: If there is thunder or high winds, the Skyliner gondolas will stop temporarily until it is over. The Cast Members will do what is safe for riders but you may have to wait a long time before it starts up again. In that case, the free shuttle buses may be the better option to get to the parks.

Reason #2: Spacious rooms

With our family of 4, we stayed in a 2 Bedroom Villa, 2 BA at Disney’s Riviera Resort. They have 300 rooms. Here are the types of rooms: Tower Studio, Deluxe Studio, 1 Bedroom Villa, 2 Bedroom Villa, and 3 Bedroom Grand Villa. Our 2 BR Villa-Preferred View (preferred pool view) had 1 King bed, 2 Queen beds, 1 Queen pull down bed, and 1 single pull down bed. When you first open the door, you walk into the kitchen and living room. Under the TV in the living room, there is a single pull down bed. There’s also a Queen pull down Murphy bed behind the sofa in the living that reveals hidden artwork. You don’t have to move the sofa around; just pull the handle and the Murphy bed appears.

As you can see, after being overstimulated at the parks with lots of bright colors and Disney characters, we relaxed in the understated elegant decor of Disney’s Riviera Resort.

Reason #3: Delicious food

At DRR, the food options are delicious. We had Mickey waffles at Primo Piatto which has quick service for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It’s so convenient thing to order meals in advance with the My Disney Experience mobile app. There is also Le Petit Cafe which has bakery items and serves coffee by day but is a wine bar at night. If you prefer Disney characters breakfast, you can go to Topolino’s Terrace: Flavors of the Riviera. At DRR, character dining is only available during breakfast and you need to make advance reservations.

We skipped the Disney characters breakfast and instead had dinner at Topolino’s Terrace. Yes, it’s pricey but the views from the Topolino’s rooftop terrace are stunning. It’s a great place to view the fireworks at EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios after dinner.

NOTE: Men must wear a jacket for dinner at Topolino’s. My son had a tank top and they gave him a dinner jacket to wear. I thought that was ridiculous as most people are on vacation and dressed casually.

Reason #4: Artwork and Walt Disney’s photos

The hallways of Disney’s Riviera Resort are lined with artwork from classic Disney animated films. You can also step back in time to view the black and white personal photos of Walt Disney with his family on vacation, traveling the world, in the DRR hallways. Unique to DRR, guests can enter the Voyageurs’ Lounge, a small haven of Disney’s historical memorabilia from past decades behind black cabinets. It’s adjacent to Le Petit Cafe and you can sit in the Voyageurs’ Lounge and sip your drink.

Reason #5: Pool and outdoor play area

My kids loved The Riviera Main Pool at DRR, surrounded by palm trees and beach chairs. It’s the pool with a water slide wrapped around a tower. The second, smaller pool is Beau Soleil and has water play area known as S’il Vous Play, is more suitable for little children. It has characters from Fantasia and an elephant pouring water into buckets at the top of the fountain.

The landscaping at DRR was created for relaxation and outdoor lawn games, along with the life size chess board and green spaces for an Italian game of bocce. DRR also has a running trail and a garden swing.

Disney’s Riviera Resort: Cons

There are downsides to staying at Disney’s Riviera Resort and I can name (3) reasons why it’s not the right resort for every one.

❌ Disney’s Riviera Resort is expensive

Prices fluctuate and it matters when you are planning to go. Summertime is the most expensive and most in demand time. Because DRR is a Deluxe Resort, the price range for a 2BR 2BA Villa is $600-$1200 per night. You could rent Disney Vacation Club (DVC) points for a Studio (2 adults and 1 small child) and the cost would be a minimum of $210-$300 per night, if there is availability. In my opinion, the studio feels very cramped and you could get a bigger room at a Moderate hotel at for the price of a DRR studio. For DVC members like me, I make reservations through a points system for which I have already pre-paid.

❌ Disney’s Riviera Resort is far away from the parks

If you want to stay at a hotel within walking distance to the parks, Disney’s Riviera Resort is not the place for you.

❌ If there is a thunderstorm, the Skyliner stops indefinitely

Thunderstorms can happen at any time in Florida and the Skyliner will stop operation for safety. There are free buses to take you to the parks and it’s at least 10 minutes away. But it’s not fun to be stuck indefinitely on the Skyliner.

Disney Riviera Resort: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Disney’s Riviera Resort is one of the newer Disney World resorts and the views from it are spectacular. Here are some more frequently asked questions about DRR.

Is Disney Riviera Resort a Deluxe or Moderate hotel?

Disney’s Riviera Resort is a Deluxe resort, located near Moderate priced resorts.

What is Disney Riviera Resort close to?

From Disney’s Riviera Resort, you can ride the Skyliner in 10 minutes to EPCOT. For Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you’ll have to transfer at Caribbean Beach Resort and the ride will take about 13 minutes.

How many stars is Disney Riviera?

Disney’s Riviera is a 5 star hotel with high end accommodations, fine dining, and other amenities. The Disney character breakfast at Topolino’s has great, upscale food options and is very popular so advance reservations are required.

What is the difference between Standard and Preferred views at Riviera?

The Standard View Villas have a lower point value and the views are usually that of the parking lot and roads. You might get lucky to have views of the firework shows. The Preferred View Villas have a higher point value and overlook the pools, garden, or lake.

Can non-DVC members stay at Riviera?

As of January 2024, Disney Vacation Club points at the Disney’s Riviera Resort have not sold out so non-DVC guests can make reservations there. Once it sells out, only DVC members will be able to stay there. The other option is renting out DVC points to stay at DRR.

How many points per night is Riviera?

This applies to DVC members and if you are renting DVC points. The number of points per night depends on the time of year you go, how many bedrooms, and what view you want. In 2024, A 1BR 1BA Villa can be as low as 29 points per night to as much as 522 points per night. At the same time, a 2BR 2BA Villa can be as low as 38 points per night to as much as 646 points per night. It’s a large range of points and it also depends on availability of the type of room (standard vs. preferred view).

Excited about planning your Disney trip?

Whatever resort or hotel you choose, I hope you have a magical time and spectacular fun at Disney World! Are you excited about planning your Disney trip but still unsure of where to start? I am a travel advisor and I can help! Email me your information (time range, number of people, and budget) to thuy@twistoffatetravel.com.