Disney’s Riviera Resort

UPDATED REVIEW HERE

Disney’s Riviera Resort had its grand opening in mid-December 2019 and we were thrilled to stay here for a few days last month!

You are welcomed home by a palm tree-lined boulevard and the striking façade of this tower-style resort hotel. There are countless nods to Disney throughout the resort, all tastefully imagineered right into the elegant influences of Eurpoe and the Mediterranean. We were thrilled so see the very first one in the porte cochere upon arrival!

Lobby & Lawn Areas

Elegance awaits you inside. The main lobby is appointed with a mix of modern and classic 20th-Century furnishings.

The resort is designed to capture the magic of Europe that Walt Disney fell in love with once upon a time. We loved exploring the unique art collection, celebrating beloved Disney Characters and icons, found throughout the resort.

The library located right off of the lobby area was a lovely space full of memorabilia. You would find small, quiet gatherings here often… enjoying coffee and a pastry by morning and a glass of wine in the evening. It was a lovely intimate space!

The ambiance extends outdoors—where beautiful gardens, bubbling fountains, lush landscaping and a serene waterfront beckon you to enjoy scenic strolls with your loved ones. We just could not get over all of the seating areas tucked away in every nook of this gorgeous property.

Like in the library, you would find people dining, relaxing, napping and catching up with friends and family at all times of the day and night.

We loved the fire pit located right on the water and felt a world away!

By night, the resort glitters with lights and gorgeous landscaping. We spent our evenings swimming, enjoying a cocktail and sometimes just sitting on the swing people watching.

Accommodations

Riveria Resort is home to a variety of accommodations. We stayed in the deluxe studio this trip (just two of us), and will be in a 2-bedroom villa in September.

Tower Studio

The tower studio is a brand new type of accommodation at Disney, and unique to Riveria Resort. This two person room is just right for a Disney getaway! The queen sized murphy bed folds down from the wall by night and functions as a sofa by day. There is a private balcony with seating for two and a spacious bathroom.

Deluxe Studio

The deluxe studio is most similar to a standard hotel room. In fact, my family prefers this style to a regular hotel room with the extra space and amenities. Bedding includes a raised queen sized bed, queen sized pull down bed and twin sized pull down bed to comfortably sleep five.

The living space includes a table and two chairs and a kitchenette, as well as a private balcony with seating for two.

We love the split style bath, with one side having a sink and tub/shower and the other side having a toilet and shower. It makes living here with a family so much easier and more comfortable!

1 Bedroom Villa

The 1 bedroom villa includes a living room with a queen sized pull down bed, twin sized pull down bed, FULL kitchen and dining area!

The bedroom has a king sized bed and a split bath with a soaking tub, toilet, two sink areas and a shower. The villa also has a full laundry closet.

2 Bedroom Villa

Coming soon!

3 Bedroom Grand Villa

The three bedroom grand villa is absolutely stunning! This room takes up the entire end of the building and sleeps up to 12 adults. One of our favorite Disney trips was spent in a grand villa with the whole extended family of 10, in fact. I cannot recommend this accommodation style enough for larger groups (rather than splitting into 3 or 4 rooms.) It is quite literally… grand! When you ring the doorbell, it plays Be Our Guest!

The villa features a gorgeous and spacious living room with a wall of windows overlooking the water. There is a formal dining room, laundry and full kitchen as well.

The master bedroom is beautifully appointed with a king bed, soaking tub and gorgeous amenities.

There are two additional bedrooms, each with two queen beds and their own bathrooms.

3 Bedroom Grand Villa Video Tour

Dining

The resort is stunning and the food and dining offerings are just as impressive. We absolutely loved everything we ate here, and spent more time at the resort than we ever inteded!

Le Petit Cafe

Disney fans may remember that Le Petit Café was also the name of the charming venue featured in the 1970 classic The Aristocats. This stylish patisserie is the spot for a favorite morning beverage or a relaxing cocktail at the end of the day.

Exquisite, oven-fresh treats are the perfect accompaniments to our satisfying specialty coffee drinks, and caught our eye more than once. The lemon cheesecake and chocolate profiterole were absolutely divine!

My morning routine was to pick up a honey almond iced latte and enjoy it right here on this lovely second floor balcony. It is a pleasurable way to start a Disney day!

Primo Piatto

Primo Piatto is the resort’s quick serve dining option. Everything right now is mobile order, which we loved. We enjoyed breakfast, lunch and dinner here during our stay, ordering from the room, and heading down to pick up once ready. From there, we took it to one of the many gorgeous seating areas around the resort and, often, to the pool. The quality of food was absolutely that of table serve and everything we had was delicious.

The blueberry lemon pancakes are a MUST! I still think about these at home.

Our favorite lunch and dinner items were the hearth baked pizza and Croque Monsieur.

We also made somewhat of a habit of ordering gelato to enjoy pool side. :-) Cherry Vanilla Swirl ended up being the fam fave!

Bar Riva

Bar Riva is located just off of the pool and next to the beach. The food and cocktail menu are both fantastic! Over the course of our stay, we visited once for drinks and another afternoon for lunch. Everything was delectable!

Topolino’s Terrace

Inspired by the cliffside restaurants of France and Italy, Topolino’s Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera takes its name from the Italian name for Mickey Mouse. This restaurant serves a character breakfast in the morning (more soon!). At dinner, you will enjoy fresh, delicious seafood and meat dishes, handmade pasta and decadent desserts infused with French and Italian flavors.

Breakfast à la Art with Mickey & Friends

While enjoying breakfast and the bird’s eye views, Mickey and his friends parade through the restaurant in their stylish outfits unique to Topolino’s Terrace! Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Daisy Duck walk through individually, and also periodically do a mini-parade through the dining room. Breakfast is a price fixe meal with a shared pastry basket for the table and your choice of individual entrees. This is a delicious meal and my favorite character dining experience of all time. Read a full review:

Topolino’s Terrace Dinner

The signature, rooftop restaurant is a true experience, prepared at the exclusive expo kitchen or wood-burning grill. Pair your meal with a glass of wine from the impressive collection sourced from the Mediterranean coast. Feast your eyes on the stunning visual aesthetic, a modern interpretation of the textures, colors, carved details and stonework found in ancient villages along the Riviera. Not only is dinner delicious, but just look how beautifully they prepared every single dish. Read a full review:

Topolino’s Terrace Lounge & Rooftop

The lounge and rooftop are accessible only with a reservation. We finished our drinks here while soaking in the incredible views. From this vantage point you can see from Animal Kingdom to Hollywood Studios. Read a full review:

Amenities

Riviera Resort is home to deluxe amenities, including pools, bocce ball, a beach area, fitness center, movie nights and community hall.

Pool

At the Riviera Pool, sun umbrellas dot the grounds as the inviting waters cast a warm, golden glow upon the surrounding stucco façades. Pure vacation bliss awaits at this family-friendly pool, which also features a pool slide that winds around a stately column tower. The resort activity staff hosts a full schedule of pool games and fun every single afternoon!

S’il Vous Play

Little mademoiselles and messieurs are sure to make a splash at S’il Vous Play, an interactive water play area for kids that’s inspired by the grand public fountains of Europe—featuring a ballet of friendly Fantasia characters.

Beau Soleil Quiet Pool

Beau Soleil Pool beckons you to unwind alongside shimmering waters in a soothing setting. This quiet pool has much longer hours and was our choice for a morning swim and breakfast, as well as an evening swim after the parks closed.

Movies Under the Stars

The resort hosted a Movie Under the Stars every other night during our stay, right here on this beautiful lawn.

Bocce Court

The bocce court was lively in the afternoons and evenings. Balls are checked out from Community Hall.

Beach

The beach area is tucked away on the East side of the resort and we never saw a soul here. It was a lovely spot to bring our dinner and watch the sun set.

Transportation

Guests of the Riviera Resort use the Skyliner to get to Hollywood Studios and Epcot, and motorcoach for Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom. We absolutely loved the Skyliner!

I hope you enjoyed this virtual tour of the stunning Riviera Resort. We loved our stay here so, so much and cannot wait to be back next month!

Walt Disney World Reopening

Disney World reopened on July 11 and we spent nine days back in the parks in July. We were absolutely blown away by the thoughtful, practical and comprehensive precautions Disney has in place to safely welcome guests and cast members. I don’t have all of the words to convey how special it felt to be back. We laughed, we played, we ate too much, and we felt a level of happiness we hadn’t had in too long. I can assure you, magic is here!

If you’d like to see videos, photos and my explanations of both safety and magic at Walt Disney World, head over to the Dixie Travels Instagram. Once on my profile page, look for the circles called “highlights”. Safety protocols are primarily captured under “wdw reopens” and then you can click on the circle for each park to see the magic! I have also chronicled our experiences in these blog posts:

Most aspects of planning a Disney vacation look different and now, more than ever, it is crucial to have the most current, up to date information based on personal experience to plan your vacation!  When the time is right for your family to travel, I’d be honored to be YOUR advisor. Magic is here!

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As Premier Level Advisor with Glass Slipper Concierge, an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, I offer concierge travel planning for Walt Disney World® Resort, Disney Cruise LineDisneyland® Resort, Disney Aulani Hawaii, Universal, Sea World and to over 40 countries on 7 continents through Adventures by Disney® and National Geographic Expeditions.

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3 thoughts on “Disney’s Riviera Resort

  1. Love the new RR! And, that they can accommodate a family of 5 in one room! It all looks amazing, thanks for sharing such a wonderful review!

  2. Thanks for sharing all the details. What an amazing hotel. It’s very reminiscent of Coronado with the lake in the middle. I love how it’s deluxe and off the beaten path so it’s not swarming with visitors off the monorail or taxi. I know there’s the skyline but still seems like it would be less crowded.

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