Riviera all the way!! As someone who has vacationed recently at both during the same stay, 5 nights each, it is apparent the Riviera is better managed on every level. Every cm is so awesome there! We also love the smaller resort easily able to get to everything from pools, restaurants, activities without a hike. And while GF has more food options the ones that vacationers often use the most - quick service is hands down better at Riviera. Plus it has a real coffee cafe/bakery in its lobby!! And do not get me started on our underwhelming visit to the age Cafe!! We used to love it there years ago, we will not be back. And while I do like the new GF resort rooms, Riviera’s rooms are still much more elegant. Riviera I find more peaceful too, love sitting by the lake and watching the Skyliner go by. Speaking of transportation the monorail is so crowded to get to MK unless it’s mid-day that it feels like such a hassle. I could go on… for us coming in for a week or two of vacation, give me Riviera!
42:01 as a Riviera owner, nothing would make me happier than a walking path to Epcot and/or a Skyliner to Disney Springs. Happy with the buses, but I love the idea of walking to the park for folk staying at Riviera or CBR I said to my wife and she said “yes but Disney seems to be cutting back on expenses
We used to be intimidated by the Grand, and then we stopped into the lobby on a monorail crawl with our kids. We immediately felt at home and a wave of Disney magic that only exists on the cruise ships - it was incredible, and not at all too stuffy or bougie.
Beyond grateful for this channel & the panel of experts. 2 years ago I found you guys and eventually got my DVC membership. Always fun to geek out and enjoy your content. Thank you and keep it coming. It’s appreciated.
Both resorts are lovely. The Grand Floridian was my favorite and more “grand” when they had the Grand Floridian Society Orchestra. I miss it so much! It’s just not the same, though I still love it.
The preferred view rooms on the higher floors at the Riviera are the best. The view overlooking the resort and Caribbean Beach is stunning! Skyliner access is a game changer. Resort layout is better. Riviera all the way!! :)
One thing I didn't see mentioned is when you're comparing Riviera to Grand Floridian, how many other nearby options are there? In the Epcot area for DVC, it's either Beach Club, Boardwalk or Riviera. Only one of those associations will still exist in 2043. In the Magic Kingdom area, you have GF, Poly, Bay Lake Tower, Boulder Ridge, Copper Creek, Cabins at Fort Wilderness. The MK area is far more saturated and as was said in the video, GF is the furthest away from the TTC because resort monorail loop goes in a clockwise direction. It is also the last stop to be picked up when going to the MK. Having the walking path to MK is great, but I'm not sure how regularly we would even use it? It is still quite a trek. We had the option to purchase GF during the fire sale but decided we would rather be at Poly on a more regular basis.
Really enjoyed this show! RIV was our first purchase, right before the world shut down. Because she’s a points hog, we found ourselves never using those OG points at the RIV and instead discovering other resorts that became resale purchases. We had not stayed at the RIV since Sept 2020 until a few weeks ago when we were there for a night before a DCL cruise. We fell in love with it. We still love our AKV, BRV, HHI and OKW but RIV is back in contention lol. We’ll just have to be better at managing those direct points….
I agree with Paul when he said that when you drive a car around you realize how close things are to each other. We drove from Wilderness lodge to AKL-Kidani and it was less than 15 minutes. I was surprised how close it was.
I've never stayed at the Grand, but do own Riviera and absolutely love it! The access to the Skyliner for us is a game changer, but I also understand the beauty of the Grand. That being said, when I'm at Disney World, I'm mostly in the park, not at my hotel. I also like the size of the whole property of Riviera. Not too large, but large enough. Great show guys!
I own at both resorts. Each has their own lovely aesthetic. The lobby at the Riviera is like the hotel lobbies when you’re overseas. Some of them really don’t have a lobby. Just a front desk I love the fact that you have your own check-in concierge at the grand Floridian, but hate the fact that if you’re staying at Bay Pine, you have to use the main lobby. I rather wait for my notification that my room is ready rather than having to stand in line.
Amy's take on the monorail was hilarious and 100% spot on. That's exactly how I feel about it. It just stresses me out. I've never understood why so many people think it's a plus. It ranks with the busses as my least favorite mode of transportation. Feet > Boat > Skyliner > Bus/Monorail. That's the hill I'll die on 😎.
I have a solution to the monorail: resort monorail, you have to have a reservation for a stay or dinning to use the resort line. They need to add a another train on the resort loop. Being back Pink and Purple; it was sad and tragic, but it is needed.
GF Cafe is great every time we are there so I’m wondering the issues people are having recently? We just tried the Floridian Eggs Benedict last time we were there and it was incredible 🤷🏻♀️
The first time we walked into the lobby at The Grand Floridian my wife shed a tear on its beauty. I was in awww but did feel a little bit out of place. We are going back for 4th of July week just to see if we like it better this time around. Our Riviera stay we loved had a blast at that resort and the gondolas were heavily utilized by us and they were never busy.
I love Riviera. The artwork, the skyliner, and the food are the whole package for me. We LOVE Topolino. And the rooms are magnificent. We wanted to own resale at Riviera, but chose a different home resort because of the restrictions on the points. Otherwise that would be our home resort hands down.
We haven't stayed at either yet, but of the two, Riviera is the one we're the most likely to stay in first. You all make Grand Flo sound WONDERFUL though!
And I tend to agree with most of the opinions. GF would win hands down if they brought back the live band. Some of my best memories is my 3 year old tearing it up dancing “like a weird 3 yr old” in the lobby at Christmas …the careless fun warms my heart.
Would be fun to do category side by side comparison (ie food, rooms, lobby, etc), then overall resort comparison after going through the details. Just a thought!
Hey guys. DVC Member since 1992. We have stayed at almost all the DVC Resorts. Still missing Riviera, Bay Lake Tower, and Beach Club. However, we will be staying at Bay Lake in September. I'm not holding my breath on the Beach Club, since it's nearly impossible to get a room there due to the small number of rooms available. I'm not in any hurry to stay at Riviera any time soon. But for us there is no comparison at all. The Grand Floridian is hands down the best. Last year my niece and her friend stayed at the Grand Floridian while attending the Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom, and her friend was so excited to be staying at the Grand Floridian. She said she has stayed at numerous Disney Resorts but never thought she would stay at the Grand Floridian, because of the cost. Also, you won't believe how many people ride by the Grand Floridian on the monorail, and dream what staying there would be like. Lastly, I usually stay at Old Key West, my favorite, but when I mention staying there with friends, I get a luke warm response. But you mention the Grand Floridian, and their ears perk up, and suddenly they want to hear more. Topic for resort comparison: Cabins at Fort Wilderness vs Tree House Villas at Saratoga Springs. A lot of similarities with both places, but it still might be a bit early since the new cabins are just getting underway.
I have never stayed at RR so I can’t comment on the actual rooms. I have stopped by there a couple of times and walked around the resort. It is very nice. I hope to stay there in the future. We own at VGF and stayed there last summer. We absolutely loved the villas. For me though, the big thing I like about VGF over RR is the transportation. I am a monorail person. I am happy to sit on my balcony watching the monorail while drinking adult beverages.
People remark on the small Riviera lobby. Before I stayed there I had read somewhere on the reason for the small lobby. As I recall, the reason was to benefit guests so they would not need to stand in line upon check-in. Cast members carrying iPads can walk up to you and assist you right there, making checkin quick and efficient, which I appreciated! So the lobby "works as designed" as they say. 😉😊
I need a shirt that says “it’s the Grand Freakin’ Floridian!” Lol and yes the Grand Floridian is the BEST hands down although I love the Riviera too! Great show guys!!
We stayed in a 2BR at GF 1 night before a cruise last year and absolutely met and exceeded our expectations. 3 nights in a Tower Studio at Riviera will make it hard to get my wife back for another stay. The bathroom seemed larger than the “bedroom” especially when the bed was down. As much as we loved having the Skyliner right there and the murals, GF is hard to beat as the best DVC resort, although I was not as impressed with the Gasparilla Island Grill. Wish I had known about the gelato cart at Riviera as well. 100% agree that Skyliner needs to be expanded!
I haven't stayed at either, but I like them both for various reasons. I will admit, the first time I walked into Riviera, I IMMEDIATELY fell in love! Just being there, I was so happy. The atmosphere was so welcoming. Prima Piatto is my FAVORITE QS in all of Disney and Le Petite Cafe is just delightful! And the skyliner is my favorite form of transportation. The first time we went to GF, it was one of the first days of the gingerbread houses and was SO PACKED that we hated it!! We gave it another chance after the holidays and it was much nicer. The QS is yummy and it's beautiful. Haven't been to any of the other restaurants. Gotta say that Riviera has my vote overall!
When you brought up points, that made me think of an episode recently Paul, where you stated that one of the theme park views from Grand Flo was a tree view. I actually think a lot of "theme park views" from there and the Poly are a little deceptive because the tippy top of Space mountain or the castle is a little underwhelming (it'd be more fair to call them fireworks views IMO). A true true theme park view shouldn't be as obscured as they are by tree overgrowth! I would prefer more Poly stays, but nothing compares to the BLT theme park view-either with or without fireworks!
We love Big Pine Key. We never considered staying at the Grand; it just isn't our vibe. Those resort studios are what finally got us to stay at the Grand. We've seen videos of the original villa but we haven't had the opportunity to stay there yet.
My wife and I had that roof view room at the GF DVC, actually looking at the roof of the driveway / reception area. As my wife said, “Mr Disney tear down this wall”! The balcony was not the typical rail that you can see through, it was literally a wall. So if you are sitting on the balcony you see the wall. But the room was great and honestly we never spend that much time at the room or on the balcony. Hands down GF is awesome, Riviera is quaint.
Definitely Riviera for me as someone with no kids. MK is probably my least favorite park and Epcot/DHS are my faves. So the skyliner access is key. Also GF feels stuffy to me every time I visit and too spread out. Riviera is just so serene and compact. Also, I have stayed at maybe 10 of Disney resorts in the last 3 years and hands down Riviera had the best buses. I have stayed there multiple times and never really had to wait for a bus.
Love the Lemon Blueberry pancakes at the Riviera. We have taken the Minnie Van from French Quarter just for breakfast. If you haven't tried them, you should.
I love the Riviera and I’m staying for the first time at the grand Floridian in August. I’d be interested to hear what you’ve heard on the Skyliner and Disney Springs. I thought that was never going to happen because they were afraid that people would park there for free instead of paying to park at the parks and head over to Hollywood Studios and Epcot. I am not sure how they could stop people from doing that.
When discussing Skyliner expansion… I am on the side of expanding to Coronado. I think that would be the easiest and doesn’t have the freeloading parking situation that could happen with Disney Springs. Maybe if they build a Coronado DVC tower like Amy wants… it can include skyliner access.
First time I walked into the Riviera , I embarrassed my self by asking where the lobby was. I came in from the ground level and it was a real task to find the lobby and the signage was non existence. Next time I visited, I entered from the parking lot and the lobby reminded me of a small town bank.
I’m with Jeff. I own at both and the GF is gorgeous on the outside and it is cool to stay there for the nostalgia, but Riviera is more modern, more comfortable, on the skyliner, and has the best rooms.
We travel in late Jan and skyliner always closed for us for annual work which means it sucks for us. Unlucky. But yeah weather is huge for skyliner. I do like boats at all times.
I am curious... do you have a car and like OKW or carless when staying ha? My aunt likes it for two reasons... she had 6 kids and likes value. All I saw in it when staying.
I did 2 nights in a one bedroom at GF and Riviera recently. Room and food go to riviera. Transportation is a toss up. Ambiance goes to GF. Pool- slight edge to GF.
I'll take Riviera by a hair. The location is a lot better, with Skyliner access to two parks and being centrally located between the other two. You have easy access to the restaurants on the Boardwalk and at Swan and Dolphin. The rooms are also a little nicer, and I like being able to walk around Caribbean Beachn.
I like Riviera, and enjoy the aesthetic a lot. I also LOVE Topolinos. I don't like the transportation limitations of Riviera, especially during the summer time afternoon rains and i especially loathe the end of park day lines. Nothing worse than leaving the parks at the end of the night and having to make MORE lines for either the skyliner or buses. Now for the OG, I LOVE everything about VGF including the food options, aesthetics and especially the location location location. The early morning and late evening walks are awesome. Love the access to all the monorail resorts and the food options available. I feel like royalty when we stay at VGF and I will never get rid of my VGF direct points. I'm ride or die GRAND FLORIDIAN!
Never been to the Rivera Resort, my oldest has stayed and he raved about it. Grand Floridian is one of those iconic resorts. I’ve never felt out of place there, even when wearing a tee shirt. The dining, is overrated IMO. My favorite resort is still Disney’s Yacht Club. I love the ambiance, the dining, and the location. Now that they also have DVC on site, even better. It’s always going to be personal preference when it comes to resorts. Many people do not even care what their room looks like and that’s fine. They look at it as a place to sleep. As a DVC member, it’s our home. We want to be extremely comfortable. I don’t want to pack additional items to make the clothing last. The washer and dryer in the room, makes it so packing more than a week’s worth of clothes is never necessary. The people that feel out of place in certain resorts, well they don’t have to stay there. If you’re fine staying at the All Star, stay there. The reason for me becoming a DVC member was to be able to stay in deluxe accommodations, year after year. It wasn’t to just save money, although for what I pay now…it’s more expensive at a Holiday Inn Express for less accommodations. They do give you breakfast though.😁 One of these years I’ll stay at the Rivera, but for now…Disney is not a planned destination. Too expensive and not as enjoyable as it once was. It’s not that I don’t still love Disney, I do. There’s something missing though and I can’t justify the cost of a Walt Disney World vacation for what I am getting. My grown children agree, there’s something missing from the parks. I often say it’s pride. They cast members used to have pride in the company they worked for and it’s increasingly evident that not as many do. Not to mention, so much of the park employees are outsourced now. The corporation has forgotten how to do business with the average customer and is hyper focused on the “big spenders”. Nickel and diming is passé, no one likes it. Figure out how to make a profit without infringing on your customers. It’s not hard. They did it for an entire decade without much issue.
Riviera is right up there with the Swan & Carp that have very little Disney theming and feel like a hotel and not a Disney resort. Riveria is very far down on my DVC resort list. If it is not last, it's pretty close. Comparing VGF to the Riveria is like comparing Cinderella to either of her stepsisters.
I prefer the Grand Floridian, mostly because of its proximity to the Polynesian & transportation options (walking, ferry, monorail.) El Coronado (the California resort its based on) is more beautiful, but GF is my choice when compared to the Riviera. I lived in Italy growing up & think the Riviera could be themed better. I also wasnt impressed with Topolinos.
My vote RR transportation is way better, and although GF may have more dining options, you are just minutes away from Epcot and BW and BC and since we have APs we can act like locals and get to Epcot every day.
The Riviera doesn't feel Disney at all which is only reason for paying big bucks.❤The Grand Floridian is magical. If its lost some of its charm that is a problem allover the WDW now in poor management. 😢 Havig an orchestra was a no brainer. The bean counters rule.
While I prefer GF, Riviera is not without its merit and deserves its flowers. However, Topolino’s breakfast is almost a scam now with the fact that it’s charging you a buffet price and it isn’t all you care to enjoy anymore. The rules changed multiple times and I’m not even sure where we landed now in what’s allowed so if anyone knows, please let me know because the app/website doesn’t say?
In some ways these two resorts are not apples to apples. The Riviera is a DVC tower, intentionally built with a smaller footprint and the Grand was first built as Disney's Flagship resort hotel and then DVC was added later. Going to be difficult not to notice that the Riviera has less to offer (no spa, less dining and shopping, lack of over the top lobby) being that the scope of that resort was not built with the same intentions as the Grand. So while both are amazing resorts, it's challenging to compare a stand alone DVC property verses any other resort that has both a hotel and DVC side, because inevitably they are going to offer more. Just something to think about.
As a Riviera owner let me give y'all the short answer right now, it's Grand Floridian and it's not even close. There's a reason why they didn't call it the "Grand Riviera". That being said, I still love the Riviera and consider it an amazing resort.
I struggle when people try and compare Riviera to some of the other DVC Resorts. Grand Floridian is not just DVC it is more than DVC. To compare the lobby of Riviera to the lobby at Grand Floridian is not an equal comparison because it is a hotel lobby compared to a dvc only lobby. It would be more equal to compare the lobby of Bay Lake Tower or Kidani or Saratoga or OKW. to the Riviera lobby Those are DVC only buildings. The GF is a hotel and a DVC. DVC is designed to be your home away from home, which is totally different than a hotel experience. (in my opinion)
I made comments on the original FB poll as to why I like Riviera better despite how great the Grand is. BUT in reality, the Four Seasons is the best hotel on property which stinks because it’s not run by Disney, that’s a little black eye I think. They need to enhance the Grand quite a bit to compete and not just some paint and lipstick like they just did. I travel a lot and there are many features in high end Marriott’s that Disney could easily borrow from.
Grand is a hotel mostly and less dvc so that makes it unfair to some extent. It's sprawling which alone makes it pretty. RIV is a simple tower and hard to feel like a resort in comparison in my family's eyes.
I think it’s a little unfair to compare these two resorts as the GF is such a bigger resort so of course it’s gonna have more dining options and a better lobby. Riviera is a much smaller resort and wasn’t ever trying to be a GF. I think it’s a pretty beautiful resort and the best rooms on property😉
We stayed at riviera and we felt the room was ok. The firework views of the Epcot show kind of suck and can’t be compared to watching the show at MK from Gf…. In terms of the grand Floridian cafe, it lost my favor when they dropped the lobster burger. The comment from Jeff on the poly and the noise in the room, I have to say that has not been our experience. Overall GF is just nicer and a better stay.
Amy, try and get a seat or even on a monorail from GF and coming back from MK, impossible. And for 1,000 plus tip V&A is a dream not reality for most of us.
Riviera all the way!! As someone who has vacationed recently at both during the same stay, 5 nights each, it is apparent the Riviera is better managed on every level. Every cm is so awesome there! We also love the smaller resort easily able to get to everything from pools, restaurants, activities without a hike. And while GF has more food options the ones that vacationers often use the most - quick service is hands down better at Riviera. Plus it has a real coffee cafe/bakery in its lobby!! And do not get me started on our underwhelming visit to the age Cafe!! We used to love it there years ago, we will not be back. And while I do like the new GF resort rooms, Riviera’s rooms are still much more elegant. Riviera I find more peaceful too, love sitting by the lake and watching the Skyliner go by. Speaking of transportation the monorail is so crowded to get to MK unless it’s mid-day that it feels like such a hassle. I could go on… for us coming in for a week or two of vacation, give me Riviera!
42:01 as a Riviera owner, nothing would make me happier than a walking path to Epcot and/or a Skyliner to Disney Springs. Happy with the buses, but I love the idea of walking to the park for folk staying at Riviera or CBR
I said to my wife and she said “yes but Disney seems to be cutting back on expenses
Great episode! Next up… Beach Club vs Boardwalk?
We used to be intimidated by the Grand, and then we stopped into the lobby on a monorail crawl with our kids. We immediately felt at home and a wave of Disney magic that only exists on the cruise ships - it was incredible, and not at all too stuffy or bougie.
Beyond grateful for this channel & the panel of experts. 2 years ago I found you guys and eventually got my DVC membership. Always fun to geek out and enjoy your content. Thank you and keep it coming. It’s appreciated.
Both resorts are lovely. The Grand Floridian was my favorite and more “grand” when they had the Grand Floridian Society Orchestra. I miss it so much! It’s just not the same, though I still love it.
The preferred view rooms on the higher floors at the Riviera are the best. The view overlooking the resort and Caribbean Beach is stunning! Skyliner access is a game changer. Resort layout is better. Riviera all the way!! :)
One thing I didn't see mentioned is when you're comparing Riviera to Grand Floridian, how many other nearby options are there? In the Epcot area for DVC, it's either Beach Club, Boardwalk or Riviera. Only one of those associations will still exist in 2043. In the Magic Kingdom area, you have GF, Poly, Bay Lake Tower, Boulder Ridge, Copper Creek, Cabins at Fort Wilderness. The MK area is far more saturated and as was said in the video, GF is the furthest away from the TTC because resort monorail loop goes in a clockwise direction. It is also the last stop to be picked up when going to the MK. Having the walking path to MK is great, but I'm not sure how regularly we would even use it? It is still quite a trek. We had the option to purchase GF during the fire sale but decided we would rather be at Poly on a more regular basis.
Really enjoyed this show! RIV was our first purchase, right before the world shut down. Because she’s a points hog, we found ourselves never using those OG points at the RIV and instead discovering other resorts that became resale purchases. We had not stayed at the RIV since Sept 2020 until a few weeks ago when we were there for a night before a DCL cruise. We fell in love with it. We still love our AKV, BRV, HHI and OKW but RIV is back in contention lol. We’ll just have to be better at managing those direct points….
I agree with Paul when he said that when you drive a car around you realize how close things are to each other. We drove from Wilderness lodge to AKL-Kidani and it was less than 15 minutes. I was surprised how close it was.
I've never stayed at the Grand, but do own Riviera and absolutely love it! The access to the Skyliner for us is a game changer, but I also understand the beauty of the Grand. That being said, when I'm at Disney World, I'm mostly in the park, not at my hotel. I also like the size of the whole property of Riviera. Not too large, but large enough. Great show guys!
I own at both resorts. Each has their own lovely aesthetic. The lobby at the Riviera is like the hotel lobbies when you’re overseas. Some of them really don’t have a lobby. Just a front desk I love the fact that you have your own check-in concierge at the grand Floridian, but hate the fact that if you’re staying at Bay Pine, you have to use the main lobby. I rather wait for my notification that my room is ready rather than having to stand in line.
It’s the Grand! Swimming in the quiet pool at 10 at night looking at all the buildings surrounding the pool. It’s just magic! It is so relaxing!
The correct answer is Wilderness Lodge.
Gorgeous resort!
😂
Amy's take on the monorail was hilarious and 100% spot on. That's exactly how I feel about it. It just stresses me out. I've never understood why so many people think it's a plus. It ranks with the busses as my least favorite mode of transportation. Feet > Boat > Skyliner > Bus/Monorail. That's the hill I'll die on 😎.
another great show, thanks guys
I have a solution to the monorail: resort monorail, you have to have a reservation for a stay or dinning to use the resort line. They need to add a another train on the resort loop. Being back Pink and Purple; it was sad and tragic, but it is needed.
GF Cafe is great every time we are there so I’m wondering the issues people are having recently? We just tried the Floridian Eggs Benedict last time we were there and it was incredible 🤷🏻♀️
The first time we walked into the lobby at The Grand Floridian my wife shed a tear on its beauty. I was in awww but did feel a little bit out of place. We are going back for 4th of July week just to see if we like it better this time around. Our Riviera stay we loved had a blast at that resort and the gondolas were heavily utilized by us and they were never busy.
I love Riviera. The artwork, the skyliner, and the food are the whole package for me. We LOVE Topolino. And the rooms are magnificent. We wanted to own resale at Riviera, but chose a different home resort because of the restrictions on the points. Otherwise that would be our home resort hands down.
Please do a DVC resort bracket!
We haven't stayed at either yet, but of the two, Riviera is the one we're the most likely to stay in first. You all make Grand Flo sound WONDERFUL though!
I agree with Jeff. Just something special about the Riviera. We have both. But I prefer the Riviera. The Voyager Lounge is our favorite ❤️
And I tend to agree with most of the opinions. GF would win hands down if they brought back the live band. Some of my best memories is my 3 year old tearing it up dancing “like a weird 3 yr old” in the lobby at Christmas …the careless fun warms my heart.
Would be fun to do category side by side comparison (ie food, rooms, lobby, etc), then overall resort comparison after going through the details. Just a thought!
Hey guys! Any chance u could do a little segment on DVC options for parks like Tokyo or euro? Are there options? Thanks for all u do!
Hey guys. DVC Member since 1992. We have stayed at almost all the DVC Resorts. Still missing Riviera, Bay Lake Tower, and Beach Club. However, we will be staying at Bay Lake in September. I'm not holding my breath on the Beach Club, since it's nearly impossible to get a room there due to the small number of rooms available. I'm not in any hurry to stay at Riviera any time soon. But for us there is no comparison at all. The Grand Floridian is hands down the best. Last year my niece and her friend stayed at the Grand Floridian while attending the Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom, and her friend was so excited to be staying at the Grand Floridian. She said she has stayed at numerous Disney Resorts but never thought she would stay at the Grand Floridian, because of the cost. Also, you won't believe how many people ride by the Grand Floridian on the monorail, and dream what staying there would be like. Lastly, I usually stay at Old Key West, my favorite, but when I mention staying there with friends, I get a luke warm response. But you mention the Grand Floridian, and their ears perk up, and suddenly they want to hear more.
Topic for resort comparison: Cabins at Fort Wilderness vs Tree House Villas at Saratoga Springs. A lot of similarities with both places, but it still might be a bit early since the new cabins are just getting underway.
Did The Beach Boys or Full House film at the Riviera? No. End of story. 😂
So true
Mic drop!
😂🤣
This is my reason that Grand Flo is superior.
Okay but to be fair, Rivieria didn’t exist when these things happened :-P
I have never stayed at RR so I can’t comment on the actual rooms. I have stopped by there a couple of times and walked around the resort. It is very nice. I hope to stay there in the future. We own at VGF and stayed there last summer. We absolutely loved the villas. For me though, the big thing I like about VGF over RR is the transportation. I am a monorail person. I am happy to sit on my balcony watching the monorail while drinking adult beverages.
Just spent a staycation at the Riviera and had a great time. The gelato cart is right outside the main pool area and sells POG gelatos!!!!
People remark on the small Riviera lobby. Before I stayed there I had read somewhere on the reason for the small lobby. As I recall, the reason was to benefit guests so they would not need to stand in line upon check-in. Cast members carrying iPads can walk up to you and assist you right there, making checkin quick and efficient, which I appreciated! So the lobby "works as designed" as they say. 😉😊
I need a shirt that says “it’s the Grand Freakin’ Floridian!” Lol and yes the Grand Floridian is the BEST hands down although I love the Riviera too! Great show guys!!
We stayed in a 2BR at GF 1 night before a cruise last year and absolutely met and exceeded our expectations. 3 nights in a Tower Studio at Riviera will make it hard to get my wife back for another stay. The bathroom seemed larger than the “bedroom” especially when the bed was down. As much as we loved having the Skyliner right there and the murals, GF is hard to beat as the best DVC resort, although I was not as impressed with the Gasparilla Island Grill. Wish I had known about the gelato cart at Riviera as well. 100% agree that Skyliner needs to be expanded!
I haven't stayed at either, but I like them both for various reasons. I will admit, the first time I walked into Riviera, I IMMEDIATELY fell in love! Just being there, I was so happy. The atmosphere was so welcoming. Prima Piatto is my FAVORITE QS in all of Disney and Le Petite Cafe is just delightful! And the skyliner is my favorite form of transportation.
The first time we went to GF, it was one of the first days of the gingerbread houses and was SO PACKED that we hated it!! We gave it another chance after the holidays and it was much nicer. The QS is yummy and it's beautiful. Haven't been to any of the other restaurants.
Gotta say that Riviera has my vote overall!
When you brought up points, that made me think of an episode recently Paul, where you stated that one of the theme park views from Grand Flo was a tree view. I actually think a lot of "theme park views" from there and the Poly are a little deceptive because the tippy top of Space mountain or the castle is a little underwhelming (it'd be more fair to call them fireworks views IMO). A true true theme park view shouldn't be as obscured as they are by tree overgrowth! I would prefer more Poly stays, but nothing compares to the BLT theme park view-either with or without fireworks!
We love Big Pine Key. We never considered staying at the Grand; it just isn't our vibe. Those resort studios are what finally got us to stay at the Grand. We've seen videos of the original villa but we haven't had the opportunity to stay there yet.
I’ve always heard you can go check out the different resorts but now only if you have a reservation???
My wife and I had that roof view room at the GF DVC, actually looking at the roof of the driveway / reception area. As my wife said, “Mr Disney tear down this wall”! The balcony was not the typical rail that you can see through, it was literally a wall. So if you are sitting on the balcony you see the wall. But the room was great and honestly we never spend that much time at the room or on the balcony. Hands down GF is awesome, Riviera is quaint.
I love the GF! It’s deep inside the “bubble”, has the best lobby, best quick serve, best pools and pool bars, the beach, and the ROBES!
How about AKL (only Jambo) vs. WL (main building only)? Tom Bricker from Disney tourist blog did an interesting article on this!
Definitely Riviera for me as someone with no kids. MK is probably my least favorite park and Epcot/DHS are my faves. So the skyliner access is key. Also GF feels stuffy to me every time I visit and too spread out. Riviera is just so serene and compact.
Also, I have stayed at maybe 10 of Disney resorts in the last 3 years and hands down Riviera had the best buses. I have stayed there multiple times and never really had to wait for a bus.
Love the Lemon Blueberry pancakes at the Riviera. We have taken the Minnie Van from French Quarter just for breakfast. If you haven't tried them, you should.
The Gelato is at the feature pool. They have a gelato cart! Another great touch to the Riviera.
I love the Riviera and I’m staying for the first time at the grand Floridian in August. I’d be interested to hear what you’ve heard on the Skyliner and Disney Springs. I thought that was never going to happen because they were afraid that people would park there for free instead of paying to park at the parks and head over to Hollywood Studios and Epcot. I am not sure how they could stop people from doing that.
My family and I have predominantly stayed at the wilderness lodge. It has everything we ever wanted in a hotel stay at Disney.
Grand Floridian is the best! I agree about the Boulder Ridge artwork. I would buy all of the new artwork they have in the rooms.
Good episode 👍
Boardwalk vs Beach Club
Old Key West vs Saratoga Springs
Jambo vs Kidani
Boulder Ridge vs Copper Creek
kidani vs boulder
jambo vs copper
better matchups
When discussing Skyliner expansion… I am on the side of expanding to Coronado. I think that would be the easiest and doesn’t have the freeloading parking situation that could happen with Disney Springs. Maybe if they build a Coronado DVC tower like Amy wants… it can include skyliner access.
If they put in more Skyliners there would be a lot more happy people, especially to Disney Springs.
Unfortunately people would park there to avoid paying for parking at the parks, so it will never happen
First time I walked into the Riviera , I embarrassed my self by asking where the lobby was. I came in from the ground level and it was a real task to find the lobby and the signage was non existence. Next time I visited, I entered from the parking lot and the lobby reminded me of a small town bank.
I’m with Jeff. I own at both and the GF is gorgeous on the outside and it is cool to stay there for the nostalgia, but Riviera is more modern, more comfortable, on the skyliner, and has the best rooms.
We travel in late Jan and skyliner always closed for us for annual work which means it sucks for us. Unlucky. But yeah weather is huge for skyliner. I do like boats at all times.
Can we do Grand (Floridian) versus Grand (Californian) now?
Great video as always.
I say the GF because it allows me to feel rich 😅 no one knows when I’m walking around the resort
That I’m not
Grand is definitely not my cup of tea, but I'll never get to stay at Riviera so the correct answer is Old Key West.
I am curious... do you have a car and like OKW or carless when staying ha? My aunt likes it for two reasons... she had 6 kids and likes value. All I saw in it when staying.
I did 2 nights in a one bedroom at GF and Riviera recently. Room and food go to riviera. Transportation is a toss up. Ambiance goes to GF. Pool- slight edge to GF.
Fishing excursions also run from GF - so awesome
I think that’s what the concierge at baylake told me when I complained about the Internet. I could go ”funko” myself.
I'm disappointed that there's no way to get from the Skyliner to the Monorail. That feels like a huge miss to me.
walking through Epcot is the only option if youre able to
I'll take Riviera by a hair. The location is a lot better, with Skyliner access to two parks and being centrally located between the other two. You have easy access to the restaurants on the Boardwalk and at Swan and Dolphin. The rooms are also a little nicer, and I like being able to walk around Caribbean Beachn.
I like Riviera, and enjoy the aesthetic a lot. I also LOVE Topolinos. I don't like the transportation limitations of Riviera, especially during the summer time afternoon rains and i especially loathe the end of park day lines. Nothing worse than leaving the parks at the end of the night and having to make MORE lines for either the skyliner or buses. Now for the OG, I LOVE everything about VGF including the food options, aesthetics and especially the location location location. The early morning and late evening walks are awesome. Love the access to all the monorail resorts and the food options available. I feel like royalty when we stay at VGF and I will never get rid of my VGF direct points. I'm ride or die GRAND FLORIDIAN!
Is that a lamp in Funko Derek’s hand?
Panda did you forget about the gelato at the main pool at RR
Yesssss
How about WL Vs AK? Or BC Vs BW. BLT vs Poly
Gelato cart is located at the main pool
I'll put the rooms at Saratoga up there against Rivera
Never been to the Rivera Resort, my oldest has stayed and he raved about it. Grand Floridian is one of those iconic resorts. I’ve never felt out of place there, even when wearing a tee shirt. The dining, is overrated IMO.
My favorite resort is still Disney’s Yacht Club. I love the ambiance, the dining, and the location. Now that they also have DVC on site, even better.
It’s always going to be personal preference when it comes to resorts. Many people do not even care what their room looks like and that’s fine. They look at it as a place to sleep. As a DVC member, it’s our home. We want to be extremely comfortable. I don’t want to pack additional items to make the clothing last. The washer and dryer in the room, makes it so packing more than a week’s worth of clothes is never necessary.
The people that feel out of place in certain resorts, well they don’t have to stay there. If you’re fine staying at the All Star, stay there. The reason for me becoming a DVC member was to be able to stay in deluxe accommodations, year after year. It wasn’t to just save money, although for what I pay now…it’s more expensive at a Holiday Inn Express for less accommodations. They do give you breakfast though.😁
One of these years I’ll stay at the Rivera, but for now…Disney is not a planned destination. Too expensive and not as enjoyable as it once was. It’s not that I don’t still love Disney, I do. There’s something missing though and I can’t justify the cost of a Walt Disney World vacation for what I am getting. My grown children agree, there’s something missing from the parks. I often say it’s pride. They cast members used to have pride in the company they worked for and it’s increasingly evident that not as many do. Not to mention, so much of the park employees are outsourced now. The corporation has forgotten how to do business with the average customer and is hyper focused on the “big spenders”. Nickel and diming is passé, no one likes it. Figure out how to make a profit without infringing on your customers. It’s not hard. They did it for an entire decade without much issue.
Riviera is right up there with the Swan & Carp that have very little Disney theming and feel like a hotel and not a Disney resort. Riveria is very far down on my DVC resort list. If it is not last, it's pretty close. Comparing VGF to the Riveria is like comparing Cinderella to either of her stepsisters.
Unfortunately the skyline will never go to Disney Springs, people would park there to avoid paying for parking.
I feel like a peasant walking around both. But more so at Grand Floridian.
Gelato is at RR main pool
I prefer the Grand Floridian, mostly because of its proximity to the Polynesian & transportation options (walking, ferry, monorail.) El Coronado (the California resort its based on) is more beautiful, but GF is my choice when compared to the Riviera.
I lived in Italy growing up & think the Riviera could be themed better. I also wasnt impressed with Topolinos.
Thank you Amy! #teamwhereisthepastas??
The Grand by far!
Riviera all the way. Grand Floridian is nice, but the skyliner makes Riviera way better.
All of these comments and nothing for Jeff about Indiana Jones riding with coconuts? So funny!
My vote RR transportation is way better, and although GF may have more dining options, you are just minutes away from Epcot and BW and BC and since we have APs we can act like locals and get to Epcot every day.
The Riviera doesn't feel Disney at all which is only reason for paying big bucks.❤The Grand Floridian is magical.
If its lost some of its charm that is a problem allover the WDW now in poor management. 😢
Havig an orchestra was a no brainer. The bean counters rule.
While I prefer GF, Riviera is not without its merit and deserves its flowers. However, Topolino’s breakfast is almost a scam now with the fact that it’s charging you a buffet price and it isn’t all you care to enjoy anymore. The rules changed multiple times and I’m not even sure where we landed now in what’s allowed so if anyone knows, please let me know because the app/website doesn’t say?
Saratoga vs Old Key West
Bay Lake vs Polynesian
Gelato cart at main pool.
In some ways these two resorts are not apples to apples. The Riviera is a DVC tower, intentionally built with a smaller footprint and the Grand was first built as Disney's Flagship resort hotel and then DVC was added later. Going to be difficult not to notice that the Riviera has less to offer (no spa, less dining and shopping, lack of over the top lobby) being that the scope of that resort was not built with the same intentions as the Grand. So while both are amazing resorts, it's challenging to compare a stand alone DVC property verses any other resort that has both a hotel and DVC side, because inevitably they are going to offer more. Just something to think about.
Good morning team
Nice choreography boys😂
As a Riviera owner let me give y'all the short answer right now, it's Grand Floridian and it's not even close. There's a reason why they didn't call it the "Grand Riviera". That being said, I still love the Riviera and consider it an amazing resort.
Simply put; I don’t like large resorts after spending hours walking around at the parks.
I struggle when people try and compare Riviera to some of the other DVC Resorts. Grand Floridian is not just DVC it is more than DVC. To compare the lobby of Riviera to the lobby at Grand Floridian is not an equal comparison because it is a hotel lobby compared to a dvc only lobby. It would be more equal to compare the lobby of Bay Lake Tower or Kidani or Saratoga or OKW. to the Riviera lobby Those are DVC only buildings. The GF is a hotel and a DVC. DVC is designed to be your home away from home, which is totally different than a hotel experience. (in my opinion)
And I own at both, so obviously I love both!
Grand Floridian hands down, everyday and twice on Sunday. It’s not close.
Grand Flo: 9.3
Riv: 8.5
The pink hair mistake was a fun story
I made comments on the original FB poll as to why I like Riviera better despite how great the Grand is. BUT in reality, the Four Seasons is the best hotel on property which stinks because it’s not run by Disney, that’s a little black eye I think. They need to enhance the Grand quite a bit to compete and not just some paint and lipstick like they just did. I travel a lot and there are many features in high end Marriott’s that Disney could easily borrow from.
Grand is a hotel mostly and less dvc so that makes it unfair to some extent. It's sprawling which alone makes it pretty. RIV is a simple tower and hard to feel like a resort in comparison in my family's eyes.
I think it’s a little unfair to compare these two resorts as the GF is such a bigger resort so of course it’s gonna have more dining options and a better lobby. Riviera is a much smaller resort and wasn’t ever trying to be a GF. I think it’s a pretty beautiful resort and the best rooms on property😉
theyre good comparisons based on point totals and price
“I only need 5 seconds” - Derek
We stayed at riviera and we felt the room was ok. The firework views of the Epcot show kind of suck and can’t be compared to watching the show at MK from Gf…. In terms of the grand Floridian cafe, it lost my favor when they dropped the lobster burger. The comment from Jeff on the poly and the noise in the room, I have to say that has not been our experience. Overall GF is just nicer and a better stay.
Jeff👏
I disagree with Jeff, no real feeling at the Riviera. It’s right off a main road like a Hilton. GF IS a the Disney feeling
The Veal tomahawk chop was fantastic!
The Grand Colada
Grand Floridian is very nice but a lot of times it feels like a geriatric convention and not to mention even hard to get on monorail during peak times
Amy, try and get a seat or even on a monorail from GF and coming back from MK, impossible.
And for 1,000 plus tip V&A is a dream not reality for most of us.