peter11435
Well-Known Member
You can believe whatever you'd like.
It's not about underselling, it's about not attracting attention too.
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News Disney Riviera Resort announced
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
It's not about underselling, it's about not attracting attention too.
Casper Gutman
Well-Known Member
So you are arguing that the Disney Corporation decided to announce a major new hotel but make it look uninteresting because... why? What possible reason would they have for doing this?
GoofGoof
Premium Member
DVC is focused on marketing and selling their existing inventory (mainly Copper Creek and Poly). They don't want to attract a lot of attention for a resort that won't be for sale for a few years. The last thing a DVC sales person wants is a reason for a prospective customer to delay their decision to buy. I don't think they tried to make the resort look uninteresting with this concept art, but they also were not going out of their way to hype it either. Why didn't they have multiple pieces of concept art like the Star Wars resort? Same reason. Remember they refused to acknowledge BLT even existed long after construction went vertical.
GoofGoof
Premium Member
Good catch. It looks like there's a pool area near the lake but there's also something that looks like water directly behind what I assume will be the lobby. Could be a fountain or possibly a water play area.
peter11435
Well-Known Member
This has already been explained multiple times throughout this thread.
danlb_2000
Premium Member
Casper Gutman
Well-Known Member
So why offer art? Why not just announce the name, or simply say a new DVC resort will be built on the gondola line? You may want to de-emphasize the resort, but its odd to think they'd release intentionally lackluster art that may diminish interest rather then simply defer it. You now have a situation in which, when DVC salesmen DO want to sell the Riviera, the name is linked to an unimpressive image.
peter11435
Well-Known Member
Nobody ouside of these forums remembers that art. And that is exactly what they wanted.
GoofGoof
Premium Member
I wasn't part of the decision to offer art at all so I don't know why they did. The concept art is not intentionally lackluster. A handful of the doom and gloom crowd who find problems with everything that Disney does is comparing it to a Holiday Inn. That reaction is pre-programmed and has nothing to do with what the actual resort looks like. The people who are actually going to buy into this resort from DVC won't remember it as unimpressive because they will have much more impressive art to look at then. They won't be selling the resort based on the look of the tower as you drive up. The reason they didn't show more concept art of the rooms, pool, lobby, view of the fireworks from the roof, etc... is they aren't planning to sell this right away. I guarantee that concept art will surface once the sale date gets closer that's much more impressive.
GoofGoof
Premium Member
For a frame of reference, once they were ready to sell BLT this is one piece of the concept art that they used:
Notice how it highlights the view and close proximity of MK, the fireworks, location on the lake and the monorail cruising by? That is how they sold BLT. Location, views, monorail. I imagine this resort will be marketed similarly, featuring the connected gondolas, views of Illuminations and the lakefront location. Nobody is buying into this resort based on the view of it as you approach in your car.
Notice how it highlights the view and close proximity of MK, the fireworks, location on the lake and the monorail cruising by? That is how they sold BLT. Location, views, monorail. I imagine this resort will be marketed similarly, featuring the connected gondolas, views of Illuminations and the lakefront location. Nobody is buying into this resort based on the view of it as you approach in your car.
Casper Gutman
Well-Known Member
Just a note here: the folks who say this look likes a Holiday Inn are no more "pre-programmed" to say that then you are to defend everything Disney does. They have formed an opinion based on available material. I personally think "Holiday Inn" is hyperbole, but a nice but indistinct Hilton is an apt comparison.
You also seem to agree that this is what the resort will look like a you "drive up," which is all that most people are commenting on. WDW's resorts used to look really impressive from the outside - Grand Floridian, Contemporary, Yacht and Beach, etc. They each looked unique and distinct - places you'd want to stay.
I'm also skeptical that the rooms and restaurants will be any more impressive - recent changes at existing resorts give no evidence this will be the case.
On a broader note, it absolutely baffles me why anyone would join the DVC. It's done so much to hurt the resorts people supposedly love so much they want to commit to visiting each year. And yes, that, like everything else here, is just my opinion.
Casper Gutman
Well-Known Member
Good example. Look at how bland it is, how architecturally uninteresting when compared to the original contemporary. This is supposedly the prime artwork and the hotel itself, minus the surroundings, looks like a standard city hotel - just like the Riviera. Compare this to any of the pre-DVC hotels - the aesthetic change is striking. Disney used to build themed hotels that were also close to the theme parks - now they just rely on proximity. THAT'S what a lot of people are angry about.
GoofGoof
Premium Member
I'm not saying this resort will be great, terrible or average and I'm not defending anything. I'm just saying that people need to relax and not lose their minds over one piece of concept art. You may just be commenting on the approach as you drive up but several others have already determined that the resort has no theme based on that view.
This is what I meant by pre-programmed response. You are not a fan of DVC at all which is a valid opinion, but it also probably skews your perception.
Casper Gutman
Well-Known Member
The theme does not seem to extend to the exterior architecture or decorations, which means that, in line with other recent Disney hotels, it is themed only lightly or not at all.
If what you mean by "pre-programmed" is that people have various opinions which shape their reaction to new information, that's universal and hardly worth mentioning. By bringing it up, you depict the bias of posters who dislike this hotel as exceptional and seek to dismiss their views without engaging on the merits. In any case, my distaste for DVC does not necessarily make me dislike the architecture of a new DVC structure - if a DVC hotel looked like, say, the Miracosta in Tokyo, I'd say it looked amazing - and be angry at DVC for making it difficult for me to stay there.
GoofGoof
Premium Member
You probably have a point, it goes both ways. It's just been my experience here that the DVC haters are a bit over the top with overreactions. The reaction to this very vague piece of concept art seems to me to be just that. Just my opinion and I'm not saying people aren't entitled to hate this resort based on one picture or even no picture if that was the case. To each their own. I still don't see how that picture depicts that the entire resort will have no theme or only be themed lightly. We can agree to disagree on that.
Bocabear
Well-Known Member
I am not a DVC Hater, but am very disappointed with the theme selction and the concept art..and that. after all, is the Disney Difference... Beautifully themed and immersive environments...
Say what you want about Bay Lake Tower, but the small lobby and lounge areas are very beautiful, very modern, and a nice fit to the resort in general (I own there)...But this "Riviera" theme makes absolutely no sence being adjacent to a mid-range Caribbean themed hotel...and possibly sharing facilities with it. Thematically they should meld... The DVC, being the first one built onto the grounds of a midl level Resort VS Luxury resort should impress from every angle...even down to it's debut. EVERYONE knows that they will not sell it immediately... Grand Floridian DVC was having it's carpet installed and they were still saying that they knew nothing about a Grand Floridian DVC...
But there is no reason to show a generic "Hotel" piece of art as a placeholder...the art is based on the building designed....It is what is planned...they just didn't relase more details yet...
So when they put out a piece of concept art, they open themselves up to both prais and criticism... in this case, lots of criticism because the chosen design is completely lackluster....
Say what you want about Bay Lake Tower, but the small lobby and lounge areas are very beautiful, very modern, and a nice fit to the resort in general (I own there)...But this "Riviera" theme makes absolutely no sence being adjacent to a mid-range Caribbean themed hotel...and possibly sharing facilities with it. Thematically they should meld... The DVC, being the first one built onto the grounds of a midl level Resort VS Luxury resort should impress from every angle...even down to it's debut. EVERYONE knows that they will not sell it immediately... Grand Floridian DVC was having it's carpet installed and they were still saying that they knew nothing about a Grand Floridian DVC...
But there is no reason to show a generic "Hotel" piece of art as a placeholder...the art is based on the building designed....It is what is planned...they just didn't relase more details yet...
So when they put out a piece of concept art, they open themselves up to both prais and criticism... in this case, lots of criticism because the chosen design is completely lackluster....
cindy_k
Well-Known Member
Its actually amazing that Disney even announced it. They tend to not confirm new DVC resorts even while they are being built. (nothing to see here)
Especially if they are still selling the previous resort.
I guess the gondola station forced their hand since it may be done first.
Especially if they are still selling the previous resort.
I guess the gondola station forced their hand since it may be done first.
Epcot82Guy
Well-Known Member
I totally understand the concern here with the art. It does look like a traditional convention hotel with slight architectural features from an area. But, I do think this may have been quite intentional. Think about the demographics here:
-People who will never buy into DVC - Not at issue, so why worry. Including major fans like some of us.
-People who are currently buying into DVC - If they are buying at Poly, CC, etc. - announcing a wonderful new resort with direct transport to Studios and Epcot (something only currently available in resale), you effectively have announced the iPhone 6 as people are walking out of Verizon with their iPhone 5. Not the best mood. But, if they buy now and see a slightly less impressive future development, it solidifies the decision.
-People who are thinking of buying into DVC - Why buy now when the new, amazing thing is coming down the pipeline in a couple of years? Whereas, if it's a bit more generic, they may buy in now to the more themed properties available.
Also, let's think about what would happen if they remained silent. We all know CBR is under heavy construction. And, the gondola announcement likely forced the issue. They could have just said "future development". But, if people know something is on the way, it can have the same effect as one of the announcements above.
Unlike some other announcements (*cough*Guardians*cough*), I'm holding out hope there is much more to this story. If themed well, this has potential to be a VERY popular DVC spot. It's centrally located with direct transport. The chance for outshining current inventory seems pretty probable. I would guess the layout is defined. The full theme, on the other hand, is not yet public. So something generic like Riviera is a nice way to launch it - but allowing them to easily announce the "EXCITING REIMAGINEERING" of the Riviera DVC into XYZ. (This time, without having to waste a dime on redoing something we never actually started building!!) While Imagineering/Accounting for the parks has been a bit questionable and at odds, I feel their hotel activity has been much more strategic and promotional. Given the light and generic touch this got, I would guess there is more to this story.
-People who will never buy into DVC - Not at issue, so why worry. Including major fans like some of us.
-People who are currently buying into DVC - If they are buying at Poly, CC, etc. - announcing a wonderful new resort with direct transport to Studios and Epcot (something only currently available in resale), you effectively have announced the iPhone 6 as people are walking out of Verizon with their iPhone 5. Not the best mood. But, if they buy now and see a slightly less impressive future development, it solidifies the decision.
-People who are thinking of buying into DVC - Why buy now when the new, amazing thing is coming down the pipeline in a couple of years? Whereas, if it's a bit more generic, they may buy in now to the more themed properties available.
Also, let's think about what would happen if they remained silent. We all know CBR is under heavy construction. And, the gondola announcement likely forced the issue. They could have just said "future development". But, if people know something is on the way, it can have the same effect as one of the announcements above.
Unlike some other announcements (*cough*Guardians*cough*), I'm holding out hope there is much more to this story. If themed well, this has potential to be a VERY popular DVC spot. It's centrally located with direct transport. The chance for outshining current inventory seems pretty probable. I would guess the layout is defined. The full theme, on the other hand, is not yet public. So something generic like Riviera is a nice way to launch it - but allowing them to easily announce the "EXCITING REIMAGINEERING" of the Riviera DVC into XYZ. (This time, without having to waste a dime on redoing something we never actually started building!!) While Imagineering/Accounting for the parks has been a bit questionable and at odds, I feel their hotel activity has been much more strategic and promotional. Given the light and generic touch this got, I would guess there is more to this story.
GoofGoof
Premium Member
I agree with most of what you are saying here. IMHO we just have to wait to see what the planned theme actually is. Right now all we have is a name, a location and one very vague piece of art. If the rest of the resort turns out to be plain and un-themed I will be the first to step up and call them out on it. The theme doesn't have to begin and end with the room towers. A lot more goes into it. I will throw out the Royal Pacific Resort at Universal as an example. IMHO its a very well done resort with a pretty good overall theme. Some people argue it out Polynesians the Polynesian. I'll table that debate for another thread. My point is the actual towers with the rooms are not all that impressive. Here's a picture:
Where the resort's theme really takes off is when they add in a really nice tropical looking pool area:
Some elaborate themed fountains:
And various Polynesian themed elements in the lobby and common areas...
...and you have a pretty well themed resort which rivals most on Disney's property.
My point in posting this is if you just looked at the first picture showing the plain yellow hotel tower and tried to judge the quality of the theme of that resort you would most likely come up with the conclusion that it's not well themed and that's far from the truth.
I am a realist so I have no delusions that Riviera will rival Royal Pacific but that doesn't mean it won't have a cohesive theme either. As I said before we have to wait to see more before judging the whole thing.
Bocabear
Well-Known Member
The difference in that scenario is, Disney relased that art to be the image of what they were building... Royal Pacific doesn't use that picture of the back of the hotel room wing to show off their resort... Disney Showed what they thought was the best possible image ...