Last month my family had the pleasure of staying at the beautiful Riviera Resort in Walt Disney World! To be honest, this resort was not initially on my radar when it first opened. It is EXPENSIVE and the standard rooms looked a bit small. It got onto my Disney bucket list when my family stayed at the Art of Animation resort several times and visited the Riviera for a few meals. We fell in love with the food, the European ambiance, and of course the Skyliner access. Read on for the full Disney’s Riviera Resort Review!
Booking
One quick note is that this resort is a deluxe resort and it is priced accordingly. It is also a very new resort, so the price point is definitely high. Now that my family books suites when we go on vacation, that makes things even pricier. How we ended up booking a one-bedroom villa at the Riviera was through a hotel-only discount that Disney ran. Keep an eye out for these discounts, and play around with the dates to find something more affordable if that matters to you!
Check-In
While staying at other Disney World hotels I’ve been able to get early check-in. Unfortunately, the Riviera was busy when we got there and we had to wait until almost 4 pm to check in. They were very nice when I spoke to them and tried to move things along as quickly as possible. We also had groceries dropped off before we arrived, and they kept them in a temperature-controlled environment with no issues.
Our first order of business was to ride the Skyliner (our kiddo’s favorite thing). Then we grabbed lunch at Primo Piatto as we waited for our room. Our kiddo started to lose his patience when we luckily discovered a little game in the lobby that he could play. This was great and kept his attention until our room was ready!
Rooms
The standard rooms at the Riviera look very nice, though perhaps a tiny bit small. My family stayed in a one-bedroom villa, and it was GORGEOUS! I know we cannot afford to stay at the Riviera all the time due to pricing, but I would gladly stay in this suite on every trip. It was lovely. Check out our room tour below for a detailed walk-through of our suite.
My favorite things about the room were the bathroom with a huge soaking tub, the full kitchen, the super comfortable bed, and the Epcot fireworks view from our balcony. It was such a wonderful place to stay and I feel so blessed to have been able to stay there. We also loved the cleaning crew who kept our room beautiful, especially when they did our dishes while we were away. Now THAT’S what I call magic! =)
Dining
The Riviera Resort has some wonderful dining options. As I said before, we were already fans of the quick-service restaurant, Primo Piatto, before we stayed at the resort. We also tried le Petit Cafe, which has wonderful pastries. I really enjoyed the special Mother’s Day treat I got the day we arrived.
We were lucky enough to snag a breakfast reservation for Topolino’s Terrace, which is a character meal with Mickey, Minnie, Daisy, and Donald. Though our little guy ate literally nothing, my husband and I enjoyed the steak option. The character interactions were priceless, and my kiddo loved every minute of it! To this day he likes to give his stuffed animals of the characters we met high-fives since he remembers doing it with them at Topolino’s!
We did not get a chance to have dinner at Topolono’s, which I hear is delicious. Also, we did not have time to dine at the pool bar, Bar Riva, which is (apparently) a hidden gem to grab a meal at. All the more reason for us to come and stay again!
Amenities
The Riviera offers movies under the stars, special craft activities, and a well-equipped gym. There is a board on the bottom floor of the resort that lists all the events going on. It’s always great to check that out, especially if you have a resort day! There is a nice path/ jogging trail around the lake that connects to the Caribbean Resort. There is a green space in the middle of the resort with lawn games and bocce ball, if that’s your thing!
The pools at the Riviera are lovely, though they can get pretty popular. We went down early (right when it opened) to enjoy the splash pad “S’il Vous Play” and the pool. The splash pad has fantasia characters around and it is super fun for the littles! This was my son’s first splash pad experience, and he definitely liked it.
The pool was not crowded when we enjoyed it, but it was also pretty early in the morning. We loved all the sun loungers, and my husband said the slide was fun! They had life vests for small kiddos (like our son) to wear in the water. There was also a quiet pool nearby if you wanted something without the splashing kiddos and slide action.
Transportation
One amazing thing about the Riviera is that it’s on the Skyliner route! Since we LOVE this form of transportation, the Riviera gets lots of kudos in our book. My son could ride the Skyliner all day and be happy, it’s literally all he talks about for weeks after we come home. The Skyliner connects Art of Animation Resort, Pop Century, and Caribbean Beach Resort to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. It’s quick and convenient, just look out for those Florida storms that can sometimes shut the line down.
For Disney Springs, Magic Kingdom, and Animal Kingdom Resorts you have to take a bus. I will say that we had a pretty significant wait at Magic Kingdom when we were trying to return to Riviera. For the most part, the buses ran frequently and we had no issues. Just be aware that you might have to wait a bit on the return if you are coming back for a nap at a random time.
Extra Magic
On our last day at the Riviera, we decided to have a resort day. We enjoyed the pool, dining, and we even lucked into a random meet and greet with Daisy, Chip, and Dale! My guy was so delighted to see them and it was truly “extra pixie dust”. It was such a special way to end our trip.
Is Disney’s Riviera Resort For You?
The Riviera was such a special place for my family. I would LOVE to stay here each and every time we visit Walt Disney World, but unfortunately, we cannot. Obviously, the price tag makes it an occasional splurge stay. Also, your family might not love the theming. It is elegantly themed to the Riviera region of Europe and doesn’t have huge in-your-face Disney characters. I personally loved the artwork throughout the resort and felt like it brought that Disney touch without being larger than life. Don’t get me wrong, we love the Art of Animation Resort too, the Riviera is just a classier experience. If you are looking for a more luxurious vacation with plenty of Disney magic, and easy park access, Disney’s Riviera Resort is perfect! I know we will stay again as soon as possible!
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