Disney’s Riviera Resort Review

“I want adventure in the great wide somewhere…” -Belle

We took part of the Disney Creators Conference at Disney World and had the chance to check out Disney’s Riviera Resort. It is a NEW Disney Vacation Club hotel, but anyone can book rooms here and you definitely should!! We have stayed at 4 different Disney World hotels over the past 2 years and this was one of our favorites! Let me share why we loved it so much…

(We were invited & payed for a ticket to the Disney Creator Conference, part of our ticket included 4 nights lodging at the Riviera at a discounted rate)

1. Location: It is one of the Disney World hotels that is part of the Sky Liner transportation. Meaning, you can jump on the Sky Buckets just outside the hotel to get to Epcot or Hollywood Studios, which is literally the most fun and easiest mode of transportation Disney World has created. No lines, easy on and off, continually running all day, no need to collapse strollers, fun for all ages. You do still have to take a bus if you are headed to Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom or Disney Springs, but there we typically didn’t wait for longer than 10-15 minutes.

2. Activities: On the grassy area in the back of the hotel and at the pool there are different activities throughout the day. When we were there the kids loved building LEGO cars and racing them down the track. We spent an hour just doing this one activity. There are also games to play at any time like bocce ball and life-size chess. There are also movies outside on the grass at night.

3. Pools: There are two large pool areas; one with a splash pad and slides and another that is more appropriate for adults. I love that they have two pools for those traveling without kids that may want something a little more quiet. Our kids LOVED the lighthouse slide and the splash pad area. You do have to be 48″ or under for the splash area.

4. Restaurants: There is a quick service restaurant called Primo Piatto and a bar called Bar Riva on the first floor near the pool. There is a coffee shop near the lobby and a more fine dining experience upstairs called Topolino’s. We were extremely HAPPY with the quick service food! We probably ate at Primo Piatto at least 5 times during our stay. They had lots of options for food allergies, including yummy gluten free pizza, waffles, salads and much more!!

5. Character Dining: Our days were limited, but the hubby was able to sneak in a quick visit to the character breakfast on the 10th floor at the restaurant called Topolino’s. We didn’t even know there was another restaurant up there, but not only did it have a great view, but the food was good too. The characters come and visit while you eat breakfast only and they are adorable! We loved that their outfits were so unique to the theme of the hotel. We typically try to keep our meals pretty inexpensive while traveling, but this one was worth the splurge.

6. Rooms: We were super please with the space and ingenuity of our room. There was a queen size bed for parents, which had room for luggage storage underneath and a few drawers. Then it also had TWO pull out beds for the kids. One pull out bed was a full size mattress, which could have slept 2 kids and then there was another pull out that was twin size. Each had murals on the wall when you pulled the bed down. The bathroom was very spacious with TWO showers, one being a bathtub, the other just a stand up shower. We also had a little kitchen area with microwave, refrigerator and all the necessary dishes you might need. Some rooms do come with a washer and dryer as well, depending on which one you get. We also had a view of the Epcot fireworks from our balcony.

7. Service: As most of you know, Disney service is top notch. There is no denying that they set the bar for customer service. The Riviera Resort is no exception to the rule. We were super impressed with the level of service from the moment we got out of our taxi, to the time we left.

8. Disney Advantages: There are so many advantages when you stay on-property at any Disney World hotel. Here are some of the reasons why you really need to stay with Disney…

• Free Magic Bus Service to and from airport
• Free transportation to any Disney park, Disney Springs or another Disney resort
• Free Luggage transfer: If you are headed to the park for the day, but are also switching hotels, they will move your bags for you
• Magic Hour: You get a special magic hour in one of the parks each day you are at a Disney resort before the park opens to other guests
• 60-Day Advance Fast Pass Booking: If you stay off property you can only book fast passes 30 days in advance
• Merchandise Delivery: If you buy something in the parks that is too big to carry around all day they will deliver it to your room
• Magic Band Key Entry: No more trying to find your hotel key, just use your magic band to open your hotel door

What do you think? Ready to check out the New Riviera Hotel?;) Want more Disney World tips? Head OVER HERE!! And if you want to see a video room tour head to my Instagram Highlights and click on Riviera Resort!

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