News Disney Riviera Resort announced

[Lensman]

I was thinking it could be something along those lines.

Are those purely emergency exit stairs or do people regularly use them to exit at the end of the building? Maybe it's just that they want to air condition them? Though if they are connected to the regular HVAC system, I don't know if they would qualify as emergency exit stairs since ventilation for emergency exit stairs has to be separate from the regular building HVAC system, and preferably come from outside.

I'm no expert on this subject, though.

 

[lazyboy97o]

My assumption is that it may have something to with building codes. Just an assumption.

I was thinking it could be something along those lines.

EPCOT Building Code, 806.12 Stairway Construction, Exterior.
(a) Exterior stairways shall be of noncombustible materials, except that in Type II buildings of not more than three stories and in Type III, IV, V and VI buildings, stairways may be of wood of not less than 2-inch nominal thickness.
(b) Exterior stairways shall be protected as required for exterior walls where there is exposure to adjacent structures or to property lines.
(c) Exterior stairways shall not project into an area where openings are required to be protected.
(d) The walls and soffits of enclosed usable space under exterior stairs shall be protected by 1-hour fire-resis- tance-rated construction or the fire-resistive rating of the stair enclosure, whichever is greater. Access to the enclosed usable space shall not be directly from within the stair enclosure.

The DVC building is most likely a Type II construction but exterior stairs would not be problem.

Are those purely emergency exit stairs or do people regularly use them to exit at the end of the building? Maybe it's just that they want to air condition them? Though if they are connected to the regular HVAC system, I don't know if they would qualify as emergency exit stairs since ventilation for emergency exit stairs has to be separate from the regular building HVAC system, and preferably come from outside.

I'm no expert on this subject, though.

They are definitely the egress stairs and there is no problem with them being air conditioned. Separation doesn’t mean having an entirely different system, it just means protecting the stair from smoke and fire spreading through the ducts into the stairs for a certain amount of time.

 

[Bocabear]

Half of what you see where those blank walls are on the VGF is either bathroom or closet, depending on the direction you are facing. They could have tried to put a window near the end, but that would be over the headboard or a TV, again, depending on the direction, and not feasible honestly. Faux windows would be the only realistic solution to breakup the boring facade.

but that again is just poor design...a building facing direct waterfront and the architects and designers are so caught in the cookie-cutter design they cannot possibly alter the units on the ends of the building to allow for better views and light...they could have even been special suites...But beyond that to have not added a little detail is just lazy.

 

[nicb88]

EPCOT Building Code, 806.12 Stairway Construction, Exterior.
(a) Exterior stairways shall be of noncombustible materials, except that in Type II buildings of not more than three stories and in Type III, IV, V and VI buildings, stairways may be of wood of not less than 2-inch nominal thickness.
(b) Exterior stairways shall be protected as required for exterior walls where there is exposure to adjacent structures or to property lines.
(c) Exterior stairways shall not project into an area where openings are required to be protected.
(d) The walls and soffits of enclosed usable space under exterior stairs shall be protected by 1-hour fire-resis- tance-rated construction or the fire-resistive rating of the stair enclosure, whichever is greater. Access to the enclosed usable space shall not be directly from within the stair enclosure.

The DVC building is most likely a Type II construction but exterior stairs would not be problem.


They are definitely the egress stairs and there is no problem with them being air conditioned. Separation doesn’t mean having an entirely different system, it just means protecting the stair from smoke and fire spreading through the ducts into the stairs for a certain amount of time.

Having stayed there a few times, they are usable stairs but they’re not the ones they really want you using. They’re locked off by magicband/card. They’re also not air conditioned. They get incredibly warm - it’s difficult to walk to the top in the heat!

 

[Creathir]

My assumption is that it may have something to with building codes. Just an assumption.

I agree, though I still believe they could have done something to help conceal these stairs a bit more.

Couldn’t they have extended the building and included storage/sitting areas or something?

 

[lazyboy97o]

I agree, though I still believe they could have done something to help conceal these stairs a bit more.

Couldn’t they have extended the building and included storage/sitting areas or something?

Are you talking about the Grand Floridian Villas or the Riviera? Nothing regarding the aesthics of either was required by the EPCOT Building Code, Florida Building Code or Florida Fire Prevention Code.

 

[peter11435]

Are you talking about the Grand Floridian Villas or the Riviera? Nothing regarding the aesthics of either was required by the EPCOT Building Code, Florida Building Code or Florida Fire Prevention Code.

I wasn’t implying that the building codes were responsible for any of the poor design in the new projects. I was just saying that possibly building codes is why the stairs are no longer partially outside like those seen at the original GF buildings. Which clearly appears to be not the case.

Regardless good design can overcome building codes regulations

 

[Creathir]

Are you talking about the Grand Floridian Villas or the Riviera? Nothing regarding the aesthics of either was required by the EPCOT Building Code, Florida Building Code or Florida Fire Prevention Code.

I was talking about the Riviera, specifically how I believe they could have operated within the building code and improved the aesthetics of the hiding that stairwell/making the end of the building more visually interesting.

I wonder how much input the Imagineers actually get on these projects vs the contracted architectural firm.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

I wonder how much input the Imagineers actually get on these projects vs the contracted architectural firm.

I have also wondered that. They don't honestly look particularly "imagineered" beyond what an outside architectural firm could offer.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I wonder how much input the Imagineers actually get on these projects vs the contracted architectural firm.

I have also wondered that. They don't honestly look particularly "imagineered" beyond what an outside architectural firm could offer.

It can vary between projects but everything still needs Walt Disney Imagineering’s approval.

 

[Missing20K]

 

[Rteetz]

 

[WDWtraveler]

Photo update as of Thursday, June 20, 2019. A view of the resort tower from the future entrance road. The frame ("R" at the top of the tower) for the future resort sign is visible.

The feature pool water slide (two views).

With the scaffolding gone from the rear of the building and most of the large landscaping in place, here is the view of the Riviera Resort from the Caribbean Beach resort.

A close-up of the balconies on the Riviera Resort tower.

The "tunnel" from the Riviera Resort rear courtyard that will lead to the Skyliner station on the opposite side of the building. Note the various colored canopies and "shutters."

 

[Lensman]

The "tunnel" from the Riviera Resort rear courtyard that will lead to the Skyliner station on the opposite side of the building. Note the various colored canopies and "shutters."

View attachment 382814

Interesting on the bottom window on the left-hand side: Looks like fake closed shutters to give the impression that there's a window there, even though there isn't. I wonder if they're going to be able to give that same look on the loading dock side where there are no real windows on that entire end of the building? It's not a half-bad deception!

 

[prberk]

Absolutely a large concrete Marriott, just like we have been expecting. I just don't understand why Disney is "Disneyfying" their signature deluxe theme resorts while also building these nondescript, concrete Hilton/Marriott type hotels on the same property.

Walt Disney World is quickly going from the most well-planned, themed resort to the biggest mish-mash of crap we have ever seen. And all for what might as well be a million dollars a day to most families, to visit. Sad.

 

[mlayton144]

Absolutely a large concrete Marriott, just like we have been expecting. I just don't understand why Disney is "Disneyfying" their signature deluxe theme resorts while also building these nondescript, concrete Hilton/Marriott type hotels on the same property.

Walt Disney World is quickly going from the most well-planned, themed resort to the biggest mish-mash of crap we have ever seen. And all for what might as well be a million dollars a day to most families, to visit. Sad.

Couldn’t agree more , this is crap. The details are basically lipstick on a pig , Courtyard by Disney

 

[Andrew C]

With the scaffolding gone from the rear of the building and most of the large landscaping in place, here is the view of the Riviera Resort from the Caribbean Beach resort.

View attachment 382812

Looks nice against the water.

 

[prberk]

Looks nice against the water.

But it looks like a generic hotel at Virginia Beach, seen from Rudee Inlet.

For comparison, here is the real thing: (look it up)

So, we now have the authenticity of the Riviera, by way of Virginia Beach... or any other beach vacation town in the United States.

 

[Andrew C]

But it looks like a generic hotel at Virginia Beach, seen from Rudee Inlet.

For comparison, here is the real thing: (look it up)

So, we now have the authenticity of the Riviera, by way of Virginia Beach... or any other beach vacation town in the United States.

I think your overstating Virginia Beach and understating this resort. Also, not sure what you mean by generic hotels. If you mean a generic hotel is something Marriott or Hilton would build, well many of the resorts these two companies operate are hardly generic. So I don’t see an issue there.

My main concern is whether this resort can pull off a riviera feel.

 

[Rteetz]