Riviera resort

Little Green Men

Well-Known Member
Or that think Olive Garden is an authentic Italian restaurant.

It might very well be a nice hotel, but it just doesn't sell the theme at all. And isn't that why you pay extra for a Disney hotel? The architecture of the French and Italian Riviera regions are so iconic that it seems a missed opportunity to not even try to incorporate some of the styles. Especially given that the latest Pixar movie looks like they created an almost exact virtual copy of the Cinque Terre.
Hardly, the food is much more authentic than OG, or most italian restaurants at Disney.
 

nickys

Premium Member
Or that think Olive Garden is an authentic Italian restaurant.

It might very well be a nice hotel, but it just doesn't sell the theme at all. And isn't that why you pay extra for a Disney hotel? The architecture of the French and Italian Riviera regions are so iconic that it seems a missed opportunity to not even try to incorporate some of the styles. Especially given that the latest Pixar movie looks like they created an almost exact virtual copy of the Cinque Terre.

This is the basic problem for me. It may very well be a nice hotel, but I can stay at much nicer hotels elsewhere for less than the price of a Riviera room. If I'm going to pay for a Disney deluxe hotel, I want something unique and the Riviera is far too similar to (although generally not as nice as) higher end hotels you can find in any major city -- even if they were offering me a free room at any deluxe it would be my last choice.

It's all about personal preference, though.
Agreed, it’s all about preference.

However both of you and many others have perhaps forgotten something fairly crucial. This is not a Disney Deluxe hotel. This is a stand-alone all-DVC property. In 2 or 3 years time when it’s fully sold, non DVC members will only be able to book a few rooms here. And whilst there are a lot of rooms, so far booking of the rooms already declared is good. Disney may have more rooms they can sell here than at other DVC resorts (because of it’s size) but mostly it will be rooms under the breakage rules so at 60 days out or less.

Long term Disney won’t need to be selling thousands of package stays here. DVC members will be the vast majority of guests.
 
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DisNerd86

Member
The restaurants are all great! The pools are relax and the skyliner service can’t be beat
I haven't eaten at the restaurants (but loved the coffee shop on our skyliner hop last trip), so I have question. The prices at Primo are higher than other resort QS restaurants for the same meals (like Pop's food court). Not by a ton, but from $0.50 to $1 for things like Mickey waffle kids breakfast, or the cheeseburger meal. Is there a difference in the quality of the food or is the upcharge just related to the atmosphere/resort quality?
 

Little Green Men

Well-Known Member
I haven't eaten at the restaurants (but loved the coffee shop on our skyliner hop last trip), so I have question. The prices at Primo are higher than other resort QS restaurants for the same meals (like Pop's food court). Not by a ton, but from $0.50 to $1 for things like Mickey waffle kids breakfast, or the cheeseburger meal. Is there a difference in the quality of the food or is the upcharge just related to the atmosphere/resort quality?
Well I've only had the pancakes and some of the platter but they were definitely higher quality than standard Disney breakfasts. I also had the Monte Cristo which was comparable to DL's.
 

Sirwalterraleigh

Premium Member
Or that think Olive Garden is an authentic Italian restaurant.

It might very well be a nice hotel, but it just doesn't sell the theme at all. And isn't that why you pay extra for a Disney hotel? The architecture of the French and Italian Riviera regions are so iconic that it seems a missed opportunity to not even try to incorporate some of the styles. Especially given that the latest Pixar movie looks like they created an almost exact virtual copy of the Cinque Terre.

it’s very well appointed...it just has no discernible theme other than “Italian looking Marriott” and doesn’t have anything that makes it look “Disney” at all.

which is why I think it’s a test balloon...designed to study:
1. Can we get away with no theme?
2. Will they tolerate it on the grounds of a moderate?
3. Can we then say that’s those places are no longer “value/Moderate”...and drag those prices up too?
 
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Sirwalterraleigh

Premium Member
Agreed, it’s all about preference.

However both of you and many others have perhaps forgotten something fairly crucial. This is not a Disney Deluxe hotel. This is a stand-alone all-DVC property. In 2 or 3 years time when it’s fully sold, non DVC members will only be able to book a few rooms here. And whilst there are a lot of rooms, so far booking of the rooms already declared is good. Disney may have more rooms they can sell here than at other DVC resorts (because of it’s size) but mostly it will be rooms under the breakage rules so at 60 days out or less.

Long term Disney won’t need to be selling thousands of package stays here. DVC members will be the vast majority of guests.

here’s what I’m “noticing”:

the sale price is top of the line and the point value is close...
...without the benefit of more, older, and typically better restaurants you get at a dak lodge or a grand Floridian...

so that’s been my fear since day 1. But you can walk to the OPR chicken window...bonus there.
 

havoc315

Well-Known Member
I mean, it was never meant to be an over-themed property.

They wanted it to be a cheaper, yet nice alternative to the Four Seasons. I'd say they achieved that.

If they overdid the 'France' on it, it would feel silly and fake.

Theme is the entire Riviera region, which includes France. Italy and Monaco. They took clear inspiration from some of the finer hotels in the region but went less elaborate. Yet, there are some parts of the Riviera where the Riviera resort would blend in perfectly.

But definitely feels “less European” than what many Americans would expect. And they definitely went less elaborate than the finest hotels in the region. There are lots of hotels in the Riviera that look much like the Riviera Resort.
 

Sirwalterraleigh

Premium Member
I mean, it was never meant to be an over-themed property.

They wanted it to be a cheaper, yet nice alternative to the Four Seasons. I'd say they achieved that.

If they overdid the 'France' on it, it would feel silly and fake.
Four seasons??

I’d say your praise is rather “effusive”

it looks exactly like what it was designed to be:

a place for DVC - specification New York centric - to sit by the pool and be proud of themselves...wrapped in Vegas concrete.

mission:accomplished
 

networkpro

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
Yes
Four seasons??

I’d say your praise is rather “effusive”

it looks exactly like what it was designed to be:

a place for DVC - specification New York centric - to sit by the pool and be proud of themselves...wrapped in Vegas concrete.

mission:accomplished

So the racetrack-chic of Saratoga Springs didn't have sufficient concrete? Or was it that it had too much green stuff?
 

RandySavage

Well-Known Member
Theme is the entire Riviera region, which includes France. Italy and Monaco. They took clear inspiration from some of the finer hotels in the region but went less elaborate. Yet, there are some parts of the Riviera where the Riviera resort would blend in perfectly.

But definitely feels “less European” than what many Americans would expect. And they definitely went less elaborate than the finest hotels in the region. There are lots of hotels in the Riviera that look much like the Riviera Resort.
Architecturally, the Disney's Riviera is pure excrement and an embarrassment to Wing Chao and Disney's former design standards - even for Moderates. It's not even that it has no ornament (though that is a huge missed opportunity). It's that every element was applied ineptly.

Defending it by saying there are similar hotels in the Riviera of modern France and Italy (any similar ones in Europe were built or reskinned well after the thematic period of 1870s-1920s) is like saying the below ought to have been the design for the Grand Floridian because Florida has lots of hotels that look like this:
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Sirwalterraleigh

Premium Member
So the racetrack-chic of Saratoga Springs didn't have sufficient concrete? Or was it that it had too much green stuff?
Saratoga was a failing property that was repurposed in a recession...

and even that looks like the 25th pink castle in theming compared to whatever it is that has rhe gaudy “RR” in lights on the top.

coming soon: Disney’s golden nugget
 

havoc315

Well-Known Member
Architecturally, the Disney's Riviera is pure excrement and an embarrassment to Wing Chao and Disney's former design standards - even for Moderates. It's not even that it has no ornament (though that is a huge missed opportunity). It's that every element was applied ineptly.

Defending it by saying there are similar hotels in the Riviera of modern France and Italy (any similar ones in Europe were built or reskinned well after the thematic period of 1870s-1920s) is like saying the below ought to have been the design for the Grand Floridian because Florida has lots of hotels that look like this:
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Fact is, there are multiple cities and towns along the Riviera where the Riviera Resort would blend right in. In fact, you can see a lot of the elements from the old Hotel Riviera Palace in Monte Carlo. (the colors, the ground floor archways and stone work, nearly identical).

You don't like the style of hotels in the real Riviera... that's fine.
 

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GimpYancIent

Well-Known Member
More like:

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Fact is, there are multiple cities and towns along the Riviera where the Riviera Resort would blend right in. In fact, you can see a lot of the elements from the old Hotel Riviera Palace in Monte Carlo. (the colors, the ground floor archways and stone work, nearly identical).

You don't like the style of hotels in the real Riviera... that's fine.
You are correct about one thing. The WDW Riviera would blend in quite well in the real French Riviera, so well that it would not even be visible as a background element.
 

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