News Disney Riviera Resort announced

[Heppenheimer]

Now you are just being ridiculous. Based on recent events, tiana will be put into the beach club and the new Orleans style hotel (in name only of course) will have pictures of bolt in every room.

I'm sure the restaurant will also feature authentic Cajun recipes, such as Mardi Gras burgers, Bourbon Street chicken fingers, and Jazzy macaroni and cheese.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I'm sure the restaurant will also feature authentic Cajun recipes, such as Mardi Gras burgers, Bourbon Street chicken fingers, and Jazzy macaroni and cheese.

Don't forget Hurricane Pizza and Gumbo Fries.

 

[mlayton144]

I rail on this resort because I'm imagining what it could have been as deluxe Riviera-themed hotel, surpassing the others in WDW in grandeur and beauty, IF ONLY Disney had leadership who wanted to leave behind such a legacy and hired architects who had clue how to.

I get your point: the other DVCs aren't masterworks of resort architecture, so why should this be?" I agree that a number of DVCs are not that distinguishable from your local upscale housing development, but this monumental building fails more monumentally in its architecture.

If 'How to Design a Hotel Following the Traditional, Classical Styles' were still taught at the architecture schools, this Riviera building would be a perfect example of how to get everything wrong and what not to do at every turn. Rather than go through all the poorly-implemented elements, I'll choose one: the window treatments.

Traditionally, in a Beaux-Arts hotel of the Riviera, the many windows/patios had Surrounds, not only to beautify, but because there was an underlying structural purpose associated with the physical framing of the opening in the wall:
View attachment 442608

Modern construction materials and techniques allow a designer to forego surrounds structurally. You have pre-fabbed concrete walls with holes punched out like paper. It costs money (and requires Knowledge) to add that historically-accurate ornament & framing around windows. So you end up with hundreds of unframed openings that look terrible:
View attachment 442609

That's one element. There are scores more (e.g. those railings: forget custom curving wrought-iron as you'd find on a classic building, they look like the cheapest you'd find at Home Depot).


Here's the Beach Club DVC (emulating a different traditional style, stick). Its architects knew how contrary it looks to this style to have window frames floating in the walls, thus the surrounds:
View attachment 442610

This !!!

 

[RobWDW1971]

Don't forget Hurricane Pizza and Gumbo Fries.

The foundational truth in this joke just makes me sad.

 

[Incomudro]

Completely agree, the level of disgust is hard to comprehend. That being said, some say my level of hatred towards the Green Bay Packers is hard to fathom, so maybe building design irregularities is their Packers. Everybody needs a thing.

As for myself, I certainly don't hate The Riviera nor am I disgusted by it.
It's mostly very nice.
It just isn't what it could have been, and not what it pretends that it is.

 

[CraftyFox]

The weirdly bloated mansard roof with the tacked on details it’s what really disturbs me, and I usually adore historic examples of the Mansard style roof. Overall it looks more like what I expect from a country club in the 70’s, not something Disney ever approved.

 

[trainplane3]

I took a walk around the hotel today. The surrounding grounds are very nice looking. The gray block of concrete in the middle isn't.

I also love the main staircases down from the lobby to the ground floor. You can squeeze 2 people by. I know it's supposed to be more "intimate" since it's a DVC but it's a awkward bottleneck.

 

[Touchdown]

Also I couldn’t help but notice Rivera Resort busses are stuck in the same row as the All Stars (and before park to park busses) at AK. If I was staying there that would be a slap in the face. Don’t know where the bus is for MK.

 

[ABQ]

Also I couldn’t help but notice Rivera Resort busses are stuck in the same row as the All Stars (and before park to park busses) at AK. If I was staying there that would be a slap in the face. Don’t know where the bus is for MK.

What do you mean stuck in the same row? As in they share the same berth?

 

[Touchdown]

What do you mean stuck in the same row? As in they share the same berth?

In general the higher the cost per night/prestige of the hotel the closer you are to the entrance, the furthest stops are always the park to park shuttles. There are 4 lanes of bus stops at AK. The furthest lane from the entrance the 3 nearest stops are the All Stars, next is Rivera and finally the park shuttles.

 

[nickys]

In general the higher the cost per night/prestige of the hotel the closer you are to the entrance, the furthest stops are always the park to park shuttles. There are 4 lanes of bus stops at AK. The furthest lane from the entrance the 3 nearest stops are the All Stars, next is Rivera and finally the park shuttles.

When we stayed at AKL, the bus stops for us were two rows away at AK.

 

[ABQ]

In general the higher the cost per night/prestige of the hotel the closer you are to the entrance, the furthest stops are always the park to park shuttles. There are 4 lanes of bus stops at AK. The furthest lane from the entrance the 3 nearest stops are the All Stars, next is Rivera and finally the park shuttles.

Maybe in some parks, that's the case. I know that the Wilderness lodge pick up spot from the Epcot bus terminal is the furthest away possible. While many other lower cost resorts are nearer.

 

[UNCgolf]

When I stayed at POR a few weeks ago, the bus stop was the very first one closest to the entrance. It was really nice. The one at DHS was at the very front as well.

 

[Creathir]

In general the higher the cost per night/prestige of the hotel the closer you are to the entrance, the furthest stops are always the park to park shuttles. There are 4 lanes of bus stops at AK. The furthest lane from the entrance the 3 nearest stops are the All Stars, next is Rivera and finally the park shuttles.

One would think this would be the case, but anecdotally I found this not to be.

Many times the deluxe resorts are not near the front, and sometimes even get placed fairly far away from the entrance to the park.

 

[nickys]

One would think this would be the case, but anecdotally I found this not to be.

Many times the deluxe resorts are not near the front, and sometimes even get placed fairly far away from the entrance to the park.

I think the main aim is to spread people out. We’ve had long walks at DHS whether staying at Beach Club or Bay Lake. I do remember grumbling at AK that you would think the AKL guests would be closest to the entrance!

 

[Creathir]

I think the main aim is to spread people out. We’ve had long walks at DHS whether staying at Beach Club or Bay Lake. I do remember grumbling at AK that you would think the AKL guests would be closest to the entrance!

Same here!
I felt like I was walking halfway to the resort!

It for sure is to spread guests out, that way the really large properties have overflow room.

 

[Touchdown]

Maybe in some parks, that's the case. I know that the Wilderness lodge pick up spot from the Epcot bus terminal is the furthest away possible. While many other lower cost resorts are nearer.

It’s not technically the furthest as there is another courtyard further away at Epcot, but it is further then expected. I always thought that was due to WL sharing with Ft Wilderness (as opposed to contemporary for DHS and AK)

 

[surfsupdon]

I have been pricing room onlys and using the AP discounts. During the summer months, I cannot believe that the discounted Riviera room is 463/night while the discounted Yacht Club is 346/night and BoardWalk 388/night.

Compare pools to pools, restaurants to restaurants, etc. That is WILD to me. Is Riviera BETTER than these two classicly terrific Resorts?!

 

[UNCgolf]

I have been pricing room onlys and using the AP discounts. During the summer months, I cannot believe that the discounted Riviera room is 463/night while the discounted Yacht Club is 346/night and BoardWalk 388/night.

Compare pools to pools, restaurants to restaurants, etc. That is WILD to me. Is Riviera BETTER than these two classicly terrific Resorts?!

I started to say Skyliner access, but then I remembered you can use the Skyliner from those resorts too.

I would MUCH rather stay at the BoardWalk Inn than the Riviera. I'd rather stay at the Yacht Club too. I would never pay more money to stay at the Riviera over either of those options.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I started to say Skyliner access, but then I remembered you can use the Skyliner from those resorts too.

The friendship boats are a bit more reliable and take about the same amount of time. I’ve enjoyed the skyliner but you never know for sure if it’s running. The boats are always running unless it’s extremely inclement weather.

The boardwalk and yacht club are both far superior resorts imho.