Disney’s Riviera Resort – WDW Construction Update

Another week, another quick trip out to Disney to check out the progress on some of their new and upcoming projects!  This week’s stop was to look at Disney’s Riviera Resort.

Since Walt Disney World has just opened up the ability (on May 16, 2019) for guests to start making reservations for stays starting in December, I decided to take a trip out to the grounds to see how the construction is going…. and Disney did not disappoint! This resort is enormous in size, which seems to be the trend of all of the building and remodels that Disney is already performing – such as the updates to Coronado Springs.

Progress on the newest resort experience at The Walt Disney World Resort is coming right along and looks to be ahead of schedule.

From the outside, the center section of the resort looks to be completed with all the windows and doors installed… and blue awnings!

Palm trees and some foliage have already been planted despite the ongoing construction in the adjoining areas.

Some of the exterior theming is starting to take shape.

The Riviera Resort is expected to have approximately 300 rooms ranging from one-bedroom studio style rooms up to 3-bedroom villas.

 

The main on-site dining experience at the Riviera: Topolino’s Terrace already looks like it will provide a magical experience by offering great views of the surrounding parks (mainly Epcot and Hollywood Studios) and their fireworks displays.

Whats-more, Disney has already announced that Topolino will offer character dining for breakfast.

And.. Fun Fact..Did you know that “Topolino” is what they call Mickey Mouse in Italy? It means “baby mouse”.

About Disney’s Riviera Resort

Disney’s Riviera Resort will be considered part of the “Deluxe Villa” Resort Category, and according to Disney: The Riviera will “celebrate the grandeur of Europe”.

The main selling-points for the resort will be:

• A full range of accommodations from studio rooms all the way up to 3-bedroom villas to host larger parties.
• Topolino’s Terrace Restaurant, inspired by a cliff-side rooftop European dining experience.
• Access to Disney’s new Skyliner Gondola Transportation.

When Will Disney’s Riviera Resort Open?

The Riviera Resort is expected to open on December 16, 2019, and it will be 15th DVC property.

As of May 16, 2019, Disney’s Riviera Resort is now accepting room-only and package reservations for stays beginning December 16, 2019.

Although, if you are a DVC member, you have been able to start making reservations since April 10, 2019.

How Much Will Rooms at Disney’s Riviera Resort Cost?

Room cost is slated to start at around $335 per night (excluding tax) for a studio-level room up to around $2,000/night for a 3-bedroom villa.

Where will Disney’s Riviera Resort be Located?

Disney’s Riviera Resort will be located in the Epcot area.

Disney’s Riviera Resort Address:

• 1080 Sea Breeze Dr; Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830
• Phone: (407) 939-5277 (WDW main line)

Riviera Resort Details

• Check-in: 4pm
• Check-Out: 11am
• Online Check-in: Yes
  
• Express Check-out: Yes
  
• Resort Airline Check-in: Yes
  
• Conference Center: No

Disney’s Riviera Resort Dining Options

• Topolino’s Terrace
  • Elegant dining experience offering regional dishes of the Italian and French Riviera.
• Le Petit Café
  • Lobby locale eatery with freshly brewed coffee, sweets and wine.
• Bar Riva
  • Poolside hot-spot featuring European and Mediterranean-inspired cuisine.
• Primo Piatto
  • Quick-service trattoria with food that you can grab-and-go.

Disney’s Riviera Resort Amenities

Disney’s Riviera Resort will offer an array of amenities to make your stay as comfortable and fun as possible, including:

• Wi-Fi
• In-Room Celebration packages
• Resort airline check-in
• Fitness Center
• Pools / Water areas
  • The Riviera Pool – A family friendly pool experience
  • S’il Vous Play – An interactive water area for kids, featuring Fantasia characters
  • Beau Soleil Pool – A calmer pool experience for a quieter afternoon

Riviera Resort Transportation

Aside from driving themselves, there are four main ways that Riviera guests can travel from their hotel to the parks or other Disney locations:

• Shuttle Bus
  • The shuttle buses are a complementary, air-conditioned way to travel almost anywhere you want within the Walt Disney World Resort. The buses run at 20-minutes intervals.
  • Bus service from Disney Resort hotels begins 45 minutes prior to park opening and ends 1 hour prior to park closing. Return service to Disney Resort hotels ends 2 hours after park closing.
• Disney Skyliner Gondola
  • Guests staying at Disney’s Riviera Resort will have a new way to travel to Epcot or on to Disney’s Hollywood Studios via the Disney Skyliner, a state-of-the-art gondola system, which is expected to be fully operational in late 2019.
  • A dedicated station for the Disney Skyliner will be located at Disney’s Riviera Resort, and will connect to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Epcot, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort.
• “Minnie” Van Services
  • Use the Lyft app to summon a red polka dot “Minnie-van” to whisk you away and take you where you want to go within The Walt Disney World Resort. The Minnie Van drivers are Disney Cast Members.
  • Minnie Van service operates from 6:30 AM to 12:30 AM daily.
  • Requests can be made 45 to 60 minutes prior to needing the vehicle. Minnie Van vehicles can accommodate guests with standard wheelchairs, motorized vehicles and ECVs.
• Disney’s Magical Express
  • A complimentary motorcoach offering transportation between Orlando International Airport and select Walt Disney World Resort hotels.
  • You also receive complementary luggage delivery to your room.

 

What do you think about the upcoming Riviera Resort? Do you think it will live up to all the hype? Leave a comment below to let me know.

 

Want to see a list of all the WDW resorts? Click here.