The Case for European Flair at Disney World

Inspired by Walt Disney’s trips across the Mediterranean, Disney’s Riviera Resort is a deluxe resort that packs a punch—and a high price tag. With its subdued decor and modern approach to the Disney resort style, I set out to determine whether the Riviera Resort is magical enough to be worth the money. Here is The Disney World Dad’s ultimate guide to Disney’s Riviera Resort. This Disney’s Riviera Resort Review (with tips for parents) covers resort history, layout, dining, transportation, amenities, pools, and whether it’s kid-friendly. Let’s dive in!

About The Riviera Resort

Disney’s Riviera Resort is one of the newer Disney World resorts—Island Tower just opened at the Poly; Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge is under construction— and the 15th Disney Vacation Club (DVC) resort. It is located in EPCOT resorts area—you can literally see Spaceship Earth and World Showcase Pavilions from the terrace—and is the first brand new resort served by the Disney Skyliner (my guide to the Skyliner is here).

The resort officially opened for guests on December 16, 2019, boasting four room types: Tower Studios, Deluxe Studios, 1-Bedroom Villas, 2-Bedroom Villas, and 3-Bedroom Grand Villas. Pets are not allowed at the Riviera Resort.

The Riviera is very much a modern take on the Disney resort experience, with magical, European influences that from afar don’t overtly scream Disney World. There are enough magical touches if you’re willing to look closely, but it doesn’t have the colorful, expressive Disney branding you can expect from other Disney resorts—fact that some Disney fans appreciate while others feel it lacks in the ✨magic✨ department. I will get into my final thoughts on the theming and overall Disney-ness in The Verdict section below.

Resort Layout

It’s time for a bit of wayfinding, one of my favorite things to do on this blog. The Riviera is easy to navigate due to its tower-based design: unlike older Disney resorts, there is only one building with several floors. There is no need to walk far here, a huge benefit after walking all day at a theme park, in contrast with other sprawling resorts —think Port Orleans Riverside (see my review and guide here), Disney’s Polynesian Resort (my review here), or Disney’s Boardwalk Resort (my review). Once you’re at the Riviera you need not venture far. In fact, the gift shop and all but one dining option are in the same general area.

Once you enter through the quaint lobby, you will encounter the small check-in desk to your right, La Boutique to your immediate left, followed by Le Petit Cafe. Straight ahead is a large window and a staircase towards the amenities, which are all on the ground level.

Just off the left of those stairs is a DVC preview center and Eventi Hall, a DVC community hall with games and activities for kids. Past Eventi Hall is an elevator bank, and further still, the entrance to Primo Piatto, the quick service dining option I will discuss in the Dining Options sectionbelow.

To the right of the stairs, an exit to a large outdoor play area, the Fitness Center, restrooms, and if you walk far enough, the Disney Skyliner station (more on that below).

Things get a little interesting when you think just beyond the tower footprint. On the south east side of the resort, just beyond the pools, sits a small beach and a walking trail towards Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. A 10-minute walk or so lands you in the heart of Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, which is exciting if you, like me, are interested in exploring other resorts and amenities when visiting Walt Disney World.

On the southwestern side of the resort, you will find the now-iconic mosaic-lined tunnels towards the Disney Skyliner station; from there you can either ride the Disney Skyliner, or continue walking through the other side of Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, where you will eventually reach the Caribbean Beach Disney Skyliner station. Main point? Though the Riviera Resort has a smaller footprint, it’s well connected to another resort and has a solid transportation option.

Room Tour

We stayed in a spacious, 1-Bedroom Villa with a preferred view. DVC rooms are basically little apartments; a one bedroom features a separate bedroom, living room, fully stocked kitchen (with a refrigerator, not a cooler) and a washer and dryer. There are also two pull-down beds, which make DVC rooms attractive for larger families. You need not be a DVC member to book a room; you can use the Disney World website and find availability like any other Disney Resort.

As a frequent guest at Disney resorts—see my review of the Polynesian, Bay Lake Tower, Port Orleans – Riverside, the BoardWalk Inn and Villas, Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort and the Yacht Club—my expectations were high. And I am happy to report they were surpassed.

The room was spacious, the decor, modern, and the layout, thoughtful. Disney paid attention to the details and it shows—not only was there ample space, but there was a certain flexibility, too: above the couch is a Murphy bed, and under the TV, another foldout bed, meaning the already large space expanded to fit even more guests.

The bathroom was large and the toilet and shower were separated from a separate sink and tub, which itself was separated from the bedroom by a door—this is crucial for parents like me, who have infants who need a private, quiet space to nap or sleep for the night, and also for families who need to use the separate spaces at the same time. Such thoughtful design offers privacy when needed, and for parents like me, the ability to use the bathroom and not disturb the baby. Trust that this makes all the difference: I also frequently stay in standard rooms where we all stay in the same space, and once the baby goes down, everyone else is forced to be quiet—it’s not easy, or comfortable.

Lastly, the decor shows the power of an updated take on the DVC rooms. Updated furnishings, appliances, and art unique to the Riviera made the room fool open and light, which stands in contrast to older DVC resorts—that I still like!—that seem cramped in comparison.

Dining Options

The Riviera doesn’t just shine with dining options—it shimmers like the Mediterranean Sea. With such great dining options at your daily disposal, it’s hard to justify going elsewhere. Here are the dining options at Disney’s Riviera Resort.

Primo Piatto

Primo Piatto is the quick-service dining option, open from 7:00AM to 11:00 PM. There is ample seating and a separate, small counter in the grab and go section where you can find premade food and bakery options. The food options impress at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I would say this is a step above most quick service dining locations at other Disney resorts, but you can still get the essentials like burgers and chicken tenders. I particularly enjoyed the Primo Piatto Breakfast Platter, Bacon Cheddar Burger, and hearth-baked pepperoni pizza. Heads up: it is at the tiny bakery here where you can get the very popular Riviera Cookie—go ahead and get the box of cookies, it’s worth the money.

Bar Riva

An elevated take on the typical open-air pool bar, Bar Riva offers chef-crafted sandwiches, salads, and specialty items, plus access to the full menu offered at Primo Piatto. Bar Riva also offers several specialty cocktails—I opted for the La Petite Fluer while my wife chose the Italian Sangria Blanco, both of which were delicious. Bar Riva truly shined in its food offerings, and I thoroughly enjoyed the Grilled Vegetable Skewer, Seasonal Arancini, Signature Burger, and my wife, the Salmon Pasta. Note that the menu underwent some changes during my visit—imagine the timing! Regardless, Bar Riva is a true gem, and we opted to eat here several times during our stay. It is open from 11:00AM to 10:00PM.

Le Petit Cafe

Unsurprisingly, Le Petit Cafe is another highlight at the Riviera Resort. It is centrally located in the lobby, and a hybrid of sorts, operating as a patisserie offering fresh coffee and bakery items in the morning, and then as a lounge serving alcoholic beverages and quick eats after 3:00PM. Subtle art nods to The Aristocats, the film that inspired the name Let Petit Cafe. I recommend the macarons, Lemon Madeleine, and of course, the signature Riviera blend iced coffee. As a tired parent, having good coffee available within the resort is a major bonus. You can read my dedicated, full review of Let Petit Cafe here.

Topolino’s Terrace

The star of the resort is located at its highest point—on the 10th floor to be exact. Topolino’s Terrace is the table-service offering that offers two distinct experiences that live up to the hype.

The first, Breakfast à la Art with Mickey & Friends, is a Character Dining experience during breakfast. This is my favorite Character Dining experience on Walt Disney World property; the food is delicious, the coffee is strong, the atmosphere is elegant, and the characters are top-notch. See my review of Topolino’s Terrace and guide to snagging a reservation at this ultra popular spot.

There is also a Signature Dining experience at dinner—which means there is a dress code required. The cuisine features elevated French- and Italian-inspired dishes. Notably the characters do not appear during dinner time. Pro tip: if you time it right, you can have dinner and watch the Luminous nighttime spectacular fireworks at EPCOT from the terrace.

Shopping

La Boutique, located in the lobby, is the only gift shop. It is much smaller than I expected for a DVC resort, especially considering how pricey and centrally located the resort is. One of my favorite things to do is explore (and compare) the gift shops at Disney resorts, and unfortunately, La Boutique, while it packs the essentials, doesn’t stack up to the shops you can find at similarly-priced resorts like the Grand Floridian, The Contemporary, or the Polynesian.

However, there is a little extra feature worth noting: you can find an Art on Demand kiosk, where you can purchase exclusive art that hangs around the Riviera Resort. The Riviera is known for its art that adorns the rooms and the resort generally, and I think this is a nice way to bring the magic home with you. Note that you place the order and it is shipped to you at a later date. Annual Passholder discounts are accepted!

Pools

There are three pools at Disney’s Riviera Resort: the Riviera Pool, Beau Soleil Pool, and S’il Vou Play. The Riviera Pool is the main pool where you will find ample seating, umbrellas, and a water slide (check out this cool video about the making of the slide). There is also a Viol il Gelato gelato cart at this pool; my kids love getting a treat here, and that it is regularly at this pool makes it a convenient choice.

S’il Vous Play is interactive play area for kids and a standout to me. Inspired by the public fountains in Europe, with a ballet of characters from Disney’s Fantasia, it is the perfect size for little ones to have fun. The Beau Soleil Pool is the quiet pool (despite it being located in the middle of the resort) and skews older in terms of crowds.

Amenities

Athlétique Fitness Center. Located on the ground level just beneath lobby, this fitness center—which requires a room key or MagicBand to enter—has modern equipment and complimentary water bottles. I enjoyed working out here but will note that it is not the biggest gym.

Community Hall. Several DVC resorts have dedicated Community Halls that offer activities throughout the day. Eventi Hall is located on the ground level at the Riviera.

Cast Members manage the Community Halls and offer games and activities, some of which are free, and others that require a small fee. This is perk we very much look forward to and take advantage of in between theme park visits, especially on summer days.

Voyageur’s Lounge. This unique library-inspired lounge is an ode to Walt Disney himself located off the lobby next to Le Petit Cafe. Replicas of artifacts from Walt’s European travels dot the walls, as do books, making for a cozy atmosphere to relax or be productive, which is why this is top of my list of the best places to write at Disney World.

Disney Skyliner Station

Disney’s Riviera Resort is one of four WDW resorts with a dedicated Disney Skyliner station, and it is unique in that it is the only Disney Skyliner station that can get you straight to EPCOT without a transfer. This puts EPCOT, and all of the BoardWalk area restaurants and resorts just a quick ride away. Further, you can connect to Disney’s Caribbean Beach station and get to Disney’s Hollywood Studios rather quickly. (Here is my complete guide to the Disney Skyliner routes.)

Having a Disney Skyliner station at the resort makes the world of a difference on a trip, and in my opinion, closely rivals monorail loop access. As a parent with little ones, I frequent the Magic Kingdom, and there is no getting around the fact staying at the Riviera meant we had to load up three kids, drive to the Transportation and Ticket Center, unload the kids, walk through security, ride the monorail or ferry boat (see my guide to water transportation at Disney World), before we could even enter the gates. It was a lot—just like it is at any resort that’s not on the monorail loop.

That said, getting to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios from the Riviera is a breeze, and though we had some issues with instructions about folding up the double stroller (detailed here), overall, getting to those theme parks was easier than expected, even when up early for Extra Magic hours. Plus, my kids love riding the Disney Skyliner and that itself is like a free attraction, and I was able to take it back into the parks in the evenings after the kids slept. Overall, I enjoyed this perk and think having this transportation option adds to an already appealing resort.

Is it Family-Friendly?

The plain answer is yes. My biggest hold up before staying here was the lack of quick access to the Magic Kingdom (and yes, I realize most of the Disney Resorts require a drive or bus ride to the Magic Kingdom, and yes, I realize there are three other theme parks). But, it has the most kid-friendly options, and some of our favorite resorts and restaurants are on the monorail loop, so for this phase of our lives, access to the Magic Kingdom is (magic) key. Especially considering we are in our triple stroller and car-seat era—things take time and my wife and I put in a lot of physical work when at Disney World.

That aside, the Riviera Resort made it easy on us in other ways. It’s not a sprawling resort meaning we didn’t have to walk very far to any of the amenities. You can grab a quick coffee at Let Petit Cafe, do some quick shopping at La Boutique, grab the kids food at Primo Piatto, and be outside to let them play within minutes. The pools are kid friendly and Bar Riva is just next door, perfect for quick meals or beverages for us parents. And there is a large play area with a checkers set, chess set, connect four, and bocce ball. Add in the Community Hall and suddenly this resort is actually perfect for kids—and perhaps equally as important—perfect for parents with small kids.

The Verdict

The resort doesn’t blend with its surroundings but it also doesn’t quite stick out; it’s quiet luxury, in Disney form.

Stylish, sleek, and surprisingly easy to love, Disney’s Riviera Resort exceeded my already high expectations. The resort is in a compact setting and I wasn’t sure there would be enough to do; the distance from the Magic Kingdom worried me; and we can’t ignore the fact this resort is pricey.

It had a high bar to clear, especially considering my affinity with older resorts that have noticeable, dedicated theming that permeates the restaurants, rooms, and experiences. Yet, I found myself perhaps the most relaxed at the Riviera, when enjoying the sublime restaurants, or simply exploring the resort offerings with my kids. For all its showmanship and European flair, the Riviera Resort is quite unassuming in nature. The muted colors, understated lobby, and artistic flourishes are eye catching without being distracting. The resort doesn’t blend with its surroundings but it also doesn’t quite stick out; it’s quiet luxury, in Disney form.

The Disney World Dad Score (out of five):

If you like Disney tips, reviews, guides, history, and deep dives. onsider subscribing to the Disney Download, my free weekly Disney newsletter—no spam, no fuss, a newsletter that’s Disney plus. You can also find me on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.

See ya real soon!