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That wasn't actually the case, which I only say because we reviewed the footage. . . . more than once. . . . 😆 If you notice, when we are in line for Winnie-the-Pooh I didn't scroll down and select the blue "confirm" [or whatever it says] button on the bottom. I thought we were good to go, but we weren't. I ended up doing the same thing again a little later. 🙃

We absolutely LOVE this walk! In fact, before the construction over at Poly, we were doing the walk from MK to the TTC a couple times a week. It was a lot quicker in the evenings than taking Disney Transportation back to the TTC. Once they had us crossing the streets a few times behind the new tower we stopped though. Especially late at night, it gets a little sketchy.

@@2foolishmortals you had to walk behind the tower? when i walk to contempo, it's up the walk right to the front, by the bus stop. we've also done the walk from mk to poly, but that's not as much fun with the construction. i think they even closed the one walkway between GF and poly.

Oh ABSOLUTELY! Honestly, there's no excuse for this many attractions to be down all at once as often as they are. . . . which is all the time. Don't get me wrong, I understand that things happen. At some point though, as a business, you need to take action in order to prevent that from happening again. Disney isn't doing what needs to be done in order to make that happen and we see that all over the parks; not just in attractions. Also, THANKS! Yes, I did!

Is it a "normal" thing as in policy? No. Does it happen frequently enough that it seems like a normal thing? Yes, unfortunately.

@@fbueller Nope.

@@donnalamontagne8116 That sounds like a good place to try Lightning Lane next!

❤I agree with you 100%! How awesome that would be!

Thanks! We are so glad that you enjoy what we are doing here. We didn't actually try to go through with it BUT we will put that on the top of our priority list for our next MultiPass day.

You know, we often talk [amongst ourselves] about how we wish DVC rooms had a bit more character. . . or even just a bit more Disney magic! Having a few options like the special royal rooms would be great!

Thank you and KEEP IT UP! 😄❤️ Those are my 2 favorite pieces of merch too! I might need to grab that shirt. . . I don't know if I have anymore room for cups at my house. 😆

We're the same way. It doesn't matter where we stay, if it's more than a few days we usually do laundry so that we can pack light AND save space for anything we want to grab during our travels.

Thank you. ❤️

I agree! Don't get me wrong, I love to eat. . . but when I go to the parks food is usually the last thing on my mind. 😄

There are a lot of great places to hang out and relax around Universal Orlando, but some of my favorite spots are just like this one. . . where you get to watch the attraction. This spot, by Jurassic River Adventure, and over by Velosicoaster are my 2 favorite places to sit and chill.

100%

Are you a DVC Member staying with points or paying cash? DVC Members has housekeeping in accordance with the schedule I described those paying cash do not.

100%

Yes, that's definitely something that can happen. . . especially at resorts that have multiple stops. We're had it happen to us and we've done the same thing. It's an extra step, but can definitely be worth it if you're in that position.

THIS! We're the same way, whether we visit the parks or anywhere else during hot and humid weather. Goodness knows, there are days when I'm out running errands and come home only to jump straight into the shower. I don't want to be sitting in my own stink all day.

When we stayed at BLT in 2022, the regular guests at Contemporary utilized the laundry room at BLT. The washer/dryers were in bad shape. Only one of the washing machines even worked.

@jenniferrundle6870 That's so interesting! That would be a great way to do it at places like The Cabins that don't seem to have designated DVC laundry facilities. Honestly, between the rain and the humidity. . . my clothes get WAY too wet to wait until I get home to wash them.

@Robertwalton1081 Did they not have key only access to the laundry at BLT? I know that's the case at some other resorts we've used laundry at. . . but I'm sure it's not everywhere so I'm curious.

@@2foolishmortals the laundry was open to all - this was still during Covid so everything was pretty wonky back then. Hopefully it’s key card access now. Our home resort is Copper Creek and we typically stay in 1 bedroom suites with our own laundry. But I would say laundry is hugely important to my family because we usually go to WDW once every 1-2 years fire 8 nights and definitely utilize the washer/dryers to cut down on what we bring

I agree, there definitely should have been a washer and dryer added to The Cabins with the DVC transition. I also 100% see where you're coming with the underground plumbing thing. That said, I think that if they weren't capable of making the laundry happen. . . they shouldn't have made these cabins DVC. 🤷‍♀️ That said, I don't think we're likely to stay here again. Certainly not for any reason other than checking in on them down the line for the sake of the channel. 😄

Absolutely! We do the same thing wherever we travel, especially if we're staying for more than a couple days.

Yeah, I'm of the opinion that Riviera lacks in a numner of ways. Don't get me wrong. . . this is a beautiful room. . . but a beautiful room does not a deluxe property make. At least not in my opinion. Of course, we'll get more into that here shortly in the review.

Oh yeah! That's the way to do it. . . especially with longer trips. The ability to do laundry really does make all the difference.

Absolutely!

We talk to DVC about our home resorts & membership all the time.

@@2foolishmortals sorry, I meant have you ever discussed it here?

Ah OK! Thanks for clarifying. 😅 Yes, we have. Our home resorts are Beach Club and Saratoga Springs. We have done tours and reviews of both up on the channel.

Interesting! I'll have to check that out! I didn't know that was a thing. 😄

Yeah, it's quite the jump up to a 1BR and that can eat away at your points really quick. 😅 That's not to say there isn't a good amount of convenience that comes with the 1BR, but it can be hard to justify when you can manage in a DS. . . at least in our opinion.

@@2foolishmortals We can manage in a deluxe studio but a 1 bedroom would be so much better, especially for longer trips.

After seeing this room, I’m going to have to check out more videos to see where the “fake Rolex” label keeps coming from! One question. So the Riviera and CBR are on the Skyliner route which orovides direct access to Epcot and HS. What is the easiest transportation option to get to Magic Kingdom without a car?

@fbueller From the Riviera, the bus is the only free method to the Magic Kingdom unless you want to use the 'Mini'van Lyft service which will drop you off really close to the gate at the Magic Kingdom. I think the "fake rolex" idea comes from the fact that the Riviera is not park facing or in walking distance to any of the parks. Some people do not feel like the immersion is the same, but my family and I think the resort is much nicer :)

@fbueller The "fake Rolex" thing comes from a comment I got some time ago that I ended up discussing in a video called "DVC Reality Check". It was about DVC in general, not specifically the Riviera Resort, though the Riviera came up as a "fake Rolex" example because it was the newest resort [at the time] and the first example of such a major shift in DVC. In a nutshell, DVC has always been advertised as "Deluxe Accommodations" and that has meant something rather specific at WDW. Among other things, having a prime location near an attraction [theme park, Disney Springs, golf course, safari] was one of the defining factors of a Deluxe Resort. Riviera doesn't have that. [It also lacks in some other areas, but that's a bigger discussion than can fit in this particular nutshell.] That said, like a fake Rolex, Riviera might be beautiful in many ways and it may get the job done, but is it a "Rolex" and is it worth the "Rolex" price? This was also part of a bigger conversation in regards to the direction of DVC. Essentially, my position was [and continues to be] that the enthusiasm for Riviera [especially post 2020] gives DVC the permission they need to lessen the quality of DVC with future properties. Of course, the next property to open would be The Cabins; a moderate accommodation turned DVC.

@MikeOnTheHomestead I definitely agree that this 1BR is a lovely room. We'll get into more about the room in the review, but I really liked the layout compared to the "standard" DVC 1BR Villas. I wish I could say the same for the Tower Studio, but that room was a TERRIBLE example of a room at this resort. Not due to size, but overall quality. NIght and day compared to this!

@@2foolishmortals really looking forward to your review and 100% agree about the Tower Studios. They are 💩. The one and two bedroom villas are truly amazing though.

They're not. I assure you, they're where the benches were. Im here all the time and they have since been replaced. 😀

@@2foolishmortals ok sorry

It's definitely a beautiful room and we did very much like the layout as compared to ther 1BR Villas. You know, I've got my feelings about this resort and that is what it is. . . but everyone has different priorities when it comes to what they're looking for in a home resort. For me, location is at the top of that list. This one just isn't for me. The food though. . . . 😋!!!

@@2foolishmortals Oh and believe me, I hear you and though I don’t agree with all your critiques, you do make many fair points. I do also agree that DVC in the more recent years has cut corners and have done some things with their properties that I do not like and believe that these poor choices have cheapened this great product. I will say, although I do understand why people hate smaller lobbies like the one at the Riviera, however some people don’t consider why that choice was made in the first place. The Riviera is technically the 3rd stand alone DVC property at WDW (Along with OKW and SS). Both those resorts have relatively small lobbies as well. In fact, so does BR and Kidani V. The only DVC properties at WDW with big grand lobbies are the ones that already existed as hotels, in period of time where the Disney difference was still highly valued and incorporated throughout the entire company. At any rate, I believe people don’t think about these things or even consider that smaller lobbies at DVC resorts means less maintenance and upkeep which means lower dues for its members. Just a thought. Thanks for your videos and honest opinions!

You should also be able to request a fan and if they have one available you would be all set.

@@jenniferrundle6870 At resorts like Riviera, which are DVC Resorts, sleeping 5 is standard for this room type, which is great! Especially for bigger families! Keeping the rooms cool at night does the job, when it's not a motion sensor thermostat, but we still prefer the air movement. Especially when we've got a full room. As someone mentioned, you can request a fan to be brought in, but that's based on availability.

What were the drawbacks of the lobby? Was it just small or did you feel the decor was underwhelming?

@@georgemartinez9693 Topolono's is still on our list! We've heard such great things, so we look forward to giving it a try. . . . just have to stop getting sidetracked by Primo Piatto! [What can I say? It's a fantastic! 😆] We were upgraded to the preferred view, which was nice, but I definitely don't think it's worth the upcharge at this particular resort. I also agree, the lobby is lacking quite a bit. Thabks for sharing your thoughts! 😄

@@fbueller The lobby overall is underwhelming. It's very small and lacks in almost every way you can think of [from size of the space to theme and decor].

@@jcbnyc2009 None. . . a DVC Resort needs much more than a nice room for us to consider buying a contract.