Riviera Resort Room Photo Tour
Tours of Riviera Resort studio and 1-bedroom villa rooms are now being offered at Walt Disney World! The Disney Vacation Club Preview Center at Saratoga Springs Resort has these model rooms, and we had the chance to do a group tour this week. In this post, we’ll share room photos and offer some commentary.
If you’re interested in seeing the model rooms for Disney’s Riviera Resort, tours are available at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. or by appointment. As of right now, they are only for existing Disney Vacation Club Members, but I’d imagine that will change by next week. (If you’re a non-member interested in a tour, simply ask a Cast Member at one of the DVC kiosks in the parks.)
Those who have followed our regular updates on Disney’s Riviera Resort know we are not exactly fans. We’ve mainly been critical of the lack of theme and generic exterior, which has been fairly consistent since the Announcement of Disney’s Riviera Resort. Suffice to say, we were pleasantly surprised with the model rooms we toured…
For starters, if you’ve never been to the Disney Vacation Club Preview Center at Saratoga Springs, it’s quite impressive. It has an inviting lobby, beautiful atrium, and emotional promo videos playing on loop. I swear that whole place has been meticulously engineered to get you to drink the Kool-Aid, or for existing owners to get hyped on buying more DVC.
There are multiple full rooms available for tour for resorts currently being sold, and the designs are all the finished product, exactly what you’d see in the actual resort, right down to the hallway carpet, exterior wallpaper, and room numbers. The only thing that’s not accurate is the view from the balcony, but even that’s an impressive simulation.
I’m not going to caption every photo with text that pertains to the corresponding image, but these are presented with the studio photos first, followed by the 1-bedroom villa:
Upon seeing some of the concept art for Disney’s Riviera Resort, we commented that the hotel seemed to being take cues from the Four Seasons Orlando, which we considered to be a favorable and perhaps overly generous comparison.
Seeing the rooms in person only reinforce that.
There is a ton of texture and detail to the Riviera’s rooms, and the interior design exudes a stately quality.
Details like crown moulding, intricately carved bed frames, patterned carpet, and nice light fixtures give the room a sense of luxury.
As expected, rooms at Disney’s Riviera Resort do fall short of the Four Seasons Orlando in several regards.
Tables and mirrors are more utilitarian and less ornate, emphasizing basic function over form. The overall level of finishings also isn’t as high. (Although perhaps the already high dues don’t need any more expensive items to maintain.)
Another disappointment is the lack of any type of bedding beyond the crisp hospital sheets.
I know I’ve been beating this drum often (too often?) when it comes to new Walt Disney World hotel designs, but I mention it here because Disney Vacation Club has been one of the last holdouts when it comes to bed-runners. Copper Creek, for example, still received them in that resort’s new rooms.
The Riviera’s rooms are fairly consistent with the concept art, but as with many things, are more impressive when you’re standing in them rather than looking at a flat image on a computer screen.
Even with my minor nitpicking, these rooms at Disney’s Riviera Resort impart a sense of European luxury. My first and lasting impression was that the rooms are nicer than I was expecting, and conjure an impression of the (French) Riviera more than I anticipated.
For me, a big part of this is the art. There are 40 unique pieces in total, which should mean that the art will differ from studio to studio. Almost every piece is tastefully done, clever, and pretty. Tastes may vary on that, though.
I rolled my eyes a bit when images of the art that would be used in Disney’s Riviera Resort were released online, as I think art has been a substitute for more nuanced theme…but I’m a total sucker for these pieces.
The art takes European art styles and infuses some of them with Disney characters. It’s fun and effective.
It’s also accurate to what we’ve seen in myriad European hotels and vacation home rentals. Perhaps this approach is utilized there because they know tourists love this type of thing, though.
In terms of room sizes, it was tough to get a feel for how these stack up to other Disney Vacation Club resorts. Although I was able to nimbly shoot around them, we were touring with a group that made the rooms feel crowded.
I’m sure this info is available online somewhere, but I’ll make the “bold” statement that the studio felt larger than Bay Lake Tower’s but smaller than the Polynesian’s. If I had to dial it in more specifically, I’d peg it at around the same size as the Villas at Grand Floridian. (This specific info is probably already available online somewhere; I just don’t know where to find it.)
In fact, the Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa are probably the most apt comparison to make when it comes to rooms at Disney’s Riviera Resort rather than the Four Seasons Orlando.
I think it’d be fair to call the Villas at Grand Floridian rooms “modern Victorian with a Disney twist.” While those first two terms are arguably contradictory, this is to say that the design there places modern luxury with a light Victorian theme and then interjects some Disney details for fun and whimsy.
Same goes for the rooms at Disney’s Riviera Resort. The rooms are nice, and designed in such a way that (aside from the bedding), this is going to catch the eye of someone looking for luxurious but not necessarily highly-themed accommodations.
The finishings here are generally nice, and evoke a European sensibility, but I’d stop short of calling this Riviera-themed. Throughout the resort (at least in the concept art), there are too many competing styles to say this resort has a cohesive theme.
As nice as this all is, that’s unfortunate. We still really wish more effort were put into the exterior design and theme of the resort. There’s so much potential in a riviera-themed resort, and plenty of room for a lavish and luxurious resort.
Disney’s Riviera Resort could’ve been a beautiful Belle Epoque resort with stunning ornamentation and design flourishes, but instead the exterior is a cookie-cutter big box with Mansard roofs.
We recently spent a couple of weeks in the French Riviera, visiting some of the same places that Lillian and Walt Disney visited.
The irony of how Disney has been attempting to market the Riviera Resort via the travels of Lillian and Walt is that the places they visited are nothing like this resort.
Take Château de la Chèvre d’Or, where the Disneys stayed while visiting Èze, a hilltop commune. This medieval village would’ve been the perfect inspiration for the resort, as it’s like a little time capsule that itself feels like themed architecture in the real world.
Other architecture of the French Riviera is varied, with a variety of styles depending upon when things were built (lots of lavish Art Nouveau) but few boxy luxury resorts with only Mansard roofs as ornamentation.
None of that has anything to do with the interior design inside the guest rooms at Disney’s Riviera Resort, so perhaps that’s critique better reserved for a future post about the finished hotel.
Or perhaps, as with these villas, I’ll be pleasantly surprised by the finished product, and have to walk back some of my previous criticism. Anything could happen, I suppose.
Ultimately, we both ended up liking the studio and 1-bedroom units at Disney’s Riviera Resort far more than we anticipated. Maybe some of this is the excitement of seeing something new, but I don’t think so. These rooms are well-appointed, have some cute Disney touches, and the craftsmanship generally seems high.
When you add these rooms to the robust slate of dining options, Disney Skyliner gondola transportation to two parks, and the pool areas, there’s a decent chance the Rivera will be an impressive property. Perhaps I’ve underestimated this resort, and together with Caribbean Beach (where we already spend a lot of time), the “Barefoot Bay Resort Area” will become the next high-profile hotel hangout spot at Walt Disney World. Stranger things have happened.
If you’re considering joining DVC, first be sure to read our Ultimate Guide to Disney Vacation Club. If you still can’t decide whether membership is right for you, “try before you buy” and rent points from DVC Rental Store. If you are convinced a membership is for you, check out the discounted options at DVC Resale Market.
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think of the rooms at Disney’s Riviera Resort? Better or worse than you expected? Any particular details or design elements you love or hate? Will you be buying at Disney’s Riviera Resort, or sitting this one out? Any questions about Disney’s Riviera Resort? Hearing from you is half the fun, so please share your thoughts in the comments below!
“Mr insider”, WDW1974 being overly negative & insulting again.
Shocking.
Wish he would go back to 1974.
Riviera looks encouraging to this long time DVC Member.
I was kind of meh about the theming of the Riviera resort as well, still kind of meh about the exterior but with the room decor I am getting a much better idea of the vibe they were going for. I’m not crazy about the studio because I feel like the finishes are too ornate (reasons I’m not crazy about GF, Victorian is not my style) but the villa is gorgeous IMO. I love the slight ornate touches mixed with more modern styles like the art nouveau and almost mid century modern, pops of color, clean lines, stark white walls, it certainly is modern European which is a mix of these things, very minimalist yet still ornate inspired by places with older buildings and furnishings but updated for modern tastes. Again, super shocked that I love it as much as I do. I feel like it actually captures the theming much better than a lot of over resorts â€â™€ï¸
But I also love AKL, and the poly (although, having lived in Hawaii, I can see where there is a lot of room to step up the theming there) but I tend to prefer the more modern finishes so even the new updates at ASMovies and Pop I am a fan of as well as the updates to CBR.
I even texted this article to my husband to consider finally buying into DVC once we pay off our other time share and our travel trailer, I would have no issue having the Riviera be my home resort. I think for most people, monorail resorts are the dream (the Poly used to be mine, but some of the novelty is wearing off for me, a lot of it to do with it’s popularity). But the skyliner is very exciting and will offer a fun and easier transport to not just 1 but 2 parks and is definitely a big consideration with this resort. Plus the view over CBR is beautiful (and will likely offer a fireworks view of whatever nighttime show replaces Illuminations… so NYE at the Riveria… yes please!) and being that CBR is my favorite moderate and I love the food at Sebastian’s Bistro, Banana Cabana is my favorite pool bar with my favorite bartenders (Mike is the best!) and Spyglass has my favorite breakfast on property (hello, Guava Cream cheese stuffed French toast!) the proximity to CBR is a huge bonus to me as well
I’ve only stayed in a 1 BR villa at the Grand Californian at DL but I know since becoming AP and spending more time at the resorts and doing other things besides just rope dropping and closing the parks that accommodations are becoming more important to us than just a place to sleep at night so I have a feeling that once we do Disney in a villa, no one will want to go back to regular hotel rooms again (but I can’t go to Disney a minimum of 4 times a year and do deluxe/villas every time even if I buy into DVC , there are going to have to be some value and moderate stays in there sometimes â€â™€ï¸)
Literally can’t contain my excitement, I can imagine my family in that villa and it feels like home Thanks so much for these photos and this update. The Riveris went from the bottom of my DVC list to the top with this update!
While I agree that that the white bedding is sterile, and perhaps a bit jarring, I still a big fan of white bedding in all hotel rooms. There is something about white bedding that just feels clean. And to the extent it is not clean, it makes it much easier for room inspections for bed bugs, hair, other unwanted items left behind accidentally by previous guests, and accidentally overlooked by mousekeeping. And while I love the look of a good bed runner (and throw pillows), I can’t help but think about how long the bed runner has been in the room without being laundered. When I find one in my room, I remove it from the bed immediately (and hide it from mousekeeping so that it can’t be put back on the bed during a subsequent clean).
Anyone excited about the hand-held shower head as I am?
Separately, I was just looking at the pool at the Riveria and it seems pretty awesome. I was expecting it to have to share a pool with Caribbean Beach, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. I can’t wait to spend a night or two there (and then head back to a resort where my points last longer, lol).
I’m so excited to stay at the Riviera. My kids are so young and I don’t feel comfortable taking them to a nice non-Disney hotel. This looks perfect. Thanks for the photos!
Not my style at all and location of the resort just doesn’t seem appealing either. I’m sure for others it’s just their style.
Nothing really to add except I’m not a fan. Just seems stuffy to me.
The white sheets are bizarre in these rooms. They make some effort with flooring, art work and furniture and then plunk bright white sheets on large beds, and it is all you see!
Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad with contrasting colors, pillow cases top sheet one color, fitted sheet another. I don’t know, something.
And second piece of the rant is, they need 2 toilets in a 1 bedroom or larger!!!!!!
Oh, Tom, you have not only guzzled the Kool Aid, you have gone over to the Dark Side. Comparable to the Four Seasons?!?! Even the Orlando variety? Hah!!! I bet they have rooms with no beds there. I bet the bedding quality, pillow quality,, towel quality, amenity quality is the same. And so glad you are so accepting of Disney tossing real theming to the trash heap. I guess the model used from 1971 just doesn’t cut it now, right? It’s all about getting those rubes over to the two new Star Wars attractions via gondola… and … just no. Did they give you any free cupcakes?
So, if this is French-inspired, where’s the bidet?
I wish they would have made it more Art Deco-y like the Shanghai Disneyland Hotel…even stepped it up a notch from that one…blended with a “riviera” theme. I still prefer staying in a non-Disney owned hotel on property even with the recent refurbs. I feel like the Swan and Dolphin rooms are the best value on property.
Shanghai Disneyland Hotel is Art Nouveau, but I agree either way. Both that and Art Deco (but not a mix of both) would’ve been superior choices, and would’ve also thematically fit the Riviera name.
Thx, Tom. I have to agree with CC that the crisp, stark white sheets (and towels) immediately convey to me whether the unit is immaculate. Bed runners and throw pillows may add a touch of color and style but how many suitcases (having been dragged through the Orlando airport and streets) have been unpacked and repacked upon them between washings? I shudder to think.
I have going to Disney for over 40 years and I’m only 43, I have been a DVC member for over 5 years. My DNA is made up largely of Disney, and have to unfortunately drop looking at this site. I’m a city Fireman for a major city, so don’t live or fit in a lot of your social wealthy lifestyle. To listen to so many of you show up so much negative comments about the Riviera, just proves that you need to stick with your social wealthy lifestyle at your Four Seasons Orlando Resort. I just love Disney to much to bring so much negativity to the Imagineers, who do an outstanding job, I look forward to buying points and enjoy all the work they have done, Thank You Disney
Buying into Disney Vacation Club costs tens of thousands of dollars. A night at Four Seasons Orlando is very expensive, no doubt, but it’s on par with (or less than) many Walt Disney World Deluxe Resorts.
Odd that one of those things is for “social wealthy lifestyles” but the other is not.
No such thing as beating the drum on bed runners too often 😉
The rooms are nice, and I actually prefer them to the Villas at Grand Floridian. They’re a little less grandma and I definitely prefer the art here. That said, you can’t compare the grounds or rest of the resort (lobby, etc) to the Grand Floridian. That coupled with the resale restrictions make it a no-go for me.
Lastly- given how expensive the point chart here is and how high the price has gone I feel it’s going to be extremely hard to get studios. A week in a studio in a moderate season is 162 points- i.e. $29,000 worth of points after incentives. I bet a vast majority of sales will be to people looking to book studios, and people will be upset when they can’t get one.
We are super excited about this resort. We’ve been talking about buying into DVC since our last trip and between buying this direct vs trying to buy into GFV resale or hybrid, I think we’ll be just fine here.
If they ever offer that Aristocats or BATB painting for sale, I will absolutely be buying one. Thanks for the preview and photos. It still feels lacking in theme, but at least the rooms are nice.
Despite the plainness, I am somewhat pleased to see that there is no Runner or additional decorative touches on the bed. Wherever we travel I always wonder about the cleanliness of the throw pillows and runners, since there seems no good place to put them while one sleeps and I imagine many people end up throwing them on the floor. I’m perfectly happy to be bored by the sight of just the linens that are cleaned with bleach (I hope) before each new guest arrives. Thanks for the blog. I always find it entertaining and informative.
Is there a second bathroom in the 1 bedroom? I love that at AK and BLT. Then when GF and Poly were built it was back to 1 bathroom. When we stayed at GF 1 bedroom the 2 room bathroom was HUGE but there was still only 1 toilet and 1 shower in the same room making it harder for the group to all get ready at the same time. My kids thought the tub was FUN but it really didn’t help with capacity.
The Murphy bed is behind he couch in the studio?
What about the 1 bedroom, pull out again?
Not a fan of the kitchen along the wall. The counter between the kitchen and livingroom space is usually where I am laying out food for the gang to grab while I move around the kitchen area.
Sadly only 1 bathroom in the 1 bedroom. I was just looking that up because we were hoping to move to Bay Lake at 7 months to have the extra bath and sleeper chair but it’s already not fully availble for our dates. I was hoping Riviera might be a viable option with 3 bed spaces, but no luck on the 2nd bathroom.
Your gut estimates on square footage are right on:
Poly studio is 465 sq feet
Riviera studio is 423 sq feet
Grand Floridian studio is 374 sq feet
Bay Lake Tower studio is 339 sq feet
Riviera tower studio is 225 sq feet
The Grand Floridian DVC is still nicer. Nicer theming inside and outside. The GF feels more like a home. Riviera more like a hotel.
Lack of bed space in a studio has been one of the major reason I have never bought in to DVC. I always travel with 4 adults and making adults sleep on a sofa bed for a week was a no go. If more spaces have this option I will re-think my view.
We too did a group tour this week. Our feelings were, “Meh”. I think that the rooms, while nice overall, are more like generic hotel rooms with some adorable Disney art put on the walls. I did not feel transported to Europe, and the rooms did not feel particularly luxurious, either. There is no comparing these rooms to Four Seasons. The cast member explained what the tower studios will be like (even though they did not have a model of this room type)-pretty much just the living room portion of a regular villa. Then the Murphy bed comes down and covers the couch. There will still be a microwave and coffee maker, but not a kitchenette like in the deluxe studios (the bathroom sink will be the only sink). It’s supposed to be about half the size of the regular studio. After what we saw, I have no intention to add on, and I am not particularly excited about staying there.
If we’re talking the standard Four Seasons Orlando rooms, I think they compare. Riviera still falls short–especially in terms of bedding, desk, end tables, coffee table, and some of the finishing touches.
The bigger realms in which Riviera will inevitably fall short is service and reaction areas. Maybe dining will be a closer call, too.
In any case, no Walt Disney World resort is going to compete on overall quality with the Four Seasons. It does seem like they’re chasing some of the same type of audience here, though.
They look gorgeous, but what I am especially excited to see are the murphy beds. Ss friends who travel together but don’t want to share a bed (and have been joint DVC members for the last 5 years and travelling to WDW together for over 10) the sofa beds are never comfy enough for a long stay (we’re european so we’re over for at least 2 weeks at a time). We have taken to staying at the resorts with the pull down single beds which are great, but both getting a full / queen size bed without back ache sounds wonderful – hopefully they will roll this out into the older resorts when the time comes for refurb.
“hopefully they will roll this out into the older resorts when the time comes for refurb.”
That’s the plan, with Saratoga Springs first up to receive a similar reimagining utilizing this design. I’m a huge fan, and see little (no?) downside of this approach.