Disney’s Riviera Resort had its grand opening in mid-December 2019 and quickly soared to the top of our favorite resort list (along with Grand Floridian). After our first stay last July, we chose it THREE more times since then. We cannot wait to be back.
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 have now stayed in the studio, 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom, and we toured the Tower Studio and 3 Bedroom Grand Villa (STUNNING!)
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! I absolutely love the decor in these rooms. They are elegant, comfortable and full of Disney touches.
The sofa hides a queen sized pull down bed, chargers and storage and easily sleeps two. Under the TV is the additional twin sized pull down. You can sleep three in the living space alone.
The full kitchen is so nice to have, if for the extra snack and breakfast space alone.
A small entry way has a table, hanging space, mirror, laundry and housekeeping closet. It also connects to the bathroom that is shared by both the living space and bedroom.
The bedroom has a king sized bed and a split bath with a soaking tub, toilet, two sink areas and a shower.
The section of the bathroom accessible from the hallway has a shower, vanity and toilet. A sliding door opens to an additional area with a soaking tub and second vanity. This is SO nice for a family!
2 Bedroom Villa
We spent a week in the 2 bedroom villa and didn’t want to leave. It is exactly the same as the 1 bedroom, but opens to a second bedroom with two queen beds and an en suite bathroom. This room comfortably sleeps 9 people!
You can see that the living room is identical to the one bedroom both in layout and decor.
The kitchen area is so nice and the banquette provides extra space to spread out.
I adore the Disney artwork in these rooms. They have seamlessly mixed so many different movies and characters. I wish they would make home decor and clothing in this Riviera Resort toile found on the banquette!
Here you can see the queen murphy bed. Even with it open there is still plenty of space to move around. We loved the attention to detail with the hidden shelving, plugs and charging outlets.
There are two balconies off of this room and we couldn’t get over this incredible view. (booking category is “preferred”)
The master bedroom has a king bed, desk, sitting area, spacious closet, flat screen TV and tons of storage. A sliding door opens to a balcony.
The bathroom attached to the master is split style. One area has a vanity and soaking area while a completely separate door leads to the shower, toilet and second vanity.
The second bedroom is spacious, with two queen beds, a large dresser, flat screen tv, chair, balcony and en suite bathroom.
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, salad and Croque Monsieur. However, the number one vote goes to the veggie kebobs! Honestly, everything we’ve eaten here is delicious.
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:
Sunsets are stunning. This is the way to do Disney, friends. :-)
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!
Family Photos
Last but not least, we think this resort is so gorgeous and welcoming that we chose it for our 2020 family photos! See the session here:
https://dixiedelightsonline.com/2021/08/portrayable-photgraphy-when-you-wish-upon-a-star.html
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!
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