This Disney’s Riviera Resort review for a family of five is your full guide to what to expect at the Walt Disney World resort hotel.
Are you looking for a great place to stay at Disney World? The Riviera Resort is a great choice! Today we are sharing our review of Disney Riviera Resort with kids.
Disney’s Riviera Resort is a Deluxe resort hotel on-site at Walt Disney World. At the Riviera guests are close to the Disney theme parks, Disney Springs, and the Disney water parks.
There are many Disney Resorts to choose from when planning your Walt Disney World vacation. Today I am going to share the reasons we liked the Riviera Resort for our family of five and if we would stay again.
Disney’s Riviera Resort Overview
Disney’s Riviera Resort is a Deluxe Villa Resort located in the Epcot theme park area. Guests can take the bus transportation to the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom.
Guests are also provided with easy access to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot via the Disney Skyliner.
Disney’s Riviera Resort has European charm and a coziness to it that we really loved. This resort is not as large as some of the other Disney resorts but I appreciated the shorter walks to our room after a long day at the parks.
It offers standard rooms and deluxe suites to its guests. It is also a Disney Vacation Club Resort. Disney Vacation Club (DVC) is a timeshare offering through Disney.
Non-DVC members can book a stay at the Riviera Resort. I share more about the DVC below.
It is also a short walk to Disney’s Caribbean Beach resort allowing guests access to explore both resort properties.
Disney Riviera Resort Review
When planning a stay at a resort when traveling with kids I like to look at the on-site activities. Even though this is a Disney resort and most of your time is spent at the parks, we still like to enjoy the perks of the resort.
We also like to plan a rest/non-park day during our Disney vacation. There are a lot of things to do at Disney Riviera Resort for families!
From the pools, to dining, to the daily activities, the Walt Disney World Riviera Resort is a great choice for families.
When we checked-in we were given a guide to all the daily activities that you could do at the Disney resort. Some of the activities are included with your stay and others require an upcharge.
Free activities at Disney’s Riviera Resort
- lawn games
- campfire marshmallow roast
- movies under the stars
- children story time
- Riviera Grand Prix- kids can build their own car and race them. Thirty minutes before the pool opens there is a morning Regatta race to see who has the fastest ship in the Mediterranean.
There are also wellness activities at the Riviera resort like Yoga and 1.2 mile fun run(for a fee), as well as a fitness center.
On select days you can participate in the Skyliner Rally Scavenger Hunt that will get you moving as a family.
The Skyliner runs from multiple Disney World resorts, and Epcot and Hollywood Studios. The scavenger hunt is a self-led adventure throughout the resorts where guests follow clues and race against time.
Resorts that participate in the Scavenger Hunt are Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Caribbean Beach, Riviera Resort, Beach Club, Yacht Club, and Boardwalk.
The Skyliner is free of charge and anyone can ride it. Even if the scavenger hunt is not happening I suggest exploring the Skyliner resorts.
Disney World Rivera Resort has a large emphasis on art. You can find it through the resort with photos and paintings and there are also activities like Paint Your Own Animation Cell (for a fee), Paintings on the Riviera (for a fee), and the Art Scavenger Hunt(free).
Art Scavenger Hunt at Disney World Riviera Resort
Stop at the Disney Vacation Club sales desk, located in the lobby, to pick up your scavenger hunt guide.
This guide has 12 locations through the resort. Each location has a sticker to add to your scavenger hunt map.
Most of the locations are in the lobby and ground level and the scavenger hunt shouldn’t take you much time. This is a fun activity for kids of all ages.
After you complete the scavenger hunt you will return to the Disney Vacation Club sales desk to receive your prize.
We received a 5×7 piece of artwork of the resort. This free activity is a fun way to earn a souvenir from your visit.
Disney’s Riviera Resort Location
The Riviera Resort is an Epcot resort. Epcot and Hollywood Studios are the parks closest to the Riviera. Epcot is not walking distance from the Riviera.
The parks are both under a 15 minute ride on the Skyliner from the resort to the park entrance. There is bus transportation to and from Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom.
Disney Riviera Resort Rooms
As a family of five we need more sleeping areas than a standard room. As the kids have gotten older we have figured out what works based on trial and error.
During our stay at the Riviera we stayed in the Deluxe Studio. The Deluxe Studio has one queen bed, a pull down queen bed, and a single pull down bed. This fits a family of five perfectly.
The Disney Riviera Resort rooms also include a mini-fridge, microwave, full size coffee maker, and a patio or balcony.
There are standard and preferred view rooms. The preferred view will have a view of the nightly fireworks at Epcot.
Other rooms options at the Disney Riviera are a tower studio (sleeps 2), One-bedroom villa (sleeps 5), two-bedroom villa (sleeps 9), and the three-bedroom grand villa (sleeps 12).
The grand villas have a full kitchen and dining area, multiple bathrooms and include a washer and dryer. There is a community laundry area at the resort for all guests.
The Deluxe Studio fit our family of five nicely. The pull down beds could be put up during the day to give more space. We had enough space for our luggage as well.
The bathroom area had two spaces separated by a pocket door. One area had a shower and toilet, and the other area had a shower and sink. Overall the rooms had enough space for our family of five.
The standard Disney Riviera Resort price is $600.00+/night. This was last checked in March 2020. For more pricing details check Disney Riviera Resort prices here.
Update: when I checked in May 2023 prices were starting at $400/night. It is best to always check the prices because they fluctuate often.
Disney Riviera Resort Pools
There are two featured pool areas at the Riviera Resort. They are the Beau Soleil Pool. This pool is the quieter pool and tends to be less busy.
The main pool is the Riviera pool. This has a water slide and S’il Vous Play splash area. The splash area is themed to Fantasia and is for kids 48 inches and smaller. Perfect for little ones!
Disney Riviera Resort Restaurants
Guests have many options when it comes to Disney Riviera Resort dining.
There are 4 main dining options at the resort. They are Topolino’s Terrace: Flavors of the Riviera, Le Petit Café, Prino Platto, and Bar Riva. There is also a gelato truck at the main pool area.
Topolino’s Terrace is the Riviera Resorts signature dining option. Guests can make reservations here for dinner. The offerings may be more geared towards adults but Topolino’s also offers a character meal.
Breakfast à la Art with Mickey & Friends has guests enjoying a prix fixe meal as they meet Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, and Daisy Duck.
Reservations are required for the breakfast and signature dining. As this character breakfast becomes more popular I believe it will be a sought after reservation.
Le Petit Cafe is a coffee shop located in the lobby. It has a wide variety of coffee and pastry options. I really enjoyed the ice cinnamon cold brew. It was perfect for an afternoon treat.
Primo Piatto is the quick-service restaurant at the Riviera. The restaurant is casual and offers sandwiches, salads, and grab and go options. They have breakfast, lunch, and dinner options.
Guests can also use mobile ordering at this location to pre-order your food.
Disney Riviera Resort DVC Questions
The Disney Riviera Resort is a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) resort. This means you can purchase a membership to be part of the Disney Vacation Club, as a time share member.
Members receive exclusive deals and discounts.
Disney Vacation Club resorts are open to all guests visiting the Disney World resort. You do not need to be a member to book a reservation.
If you are planning to visit Disney World often, a DVC membership may be right for you. Learn more here.
Our Disney Riviera Resort Review: Would We Stay at the Disney Rivera Again?
We actually really liked the Riviera. It is a beautiful, family friendly resort. I loved all the daily activities, the proximity to the parks, the rooms, and the on-site restaurants.
The question I get asked the most is: Would we stay at Disney’s Riviera Resort again? My first response is YES!! I thought it was a great resort. My second response is YES…depending on your Disney vacation budget.
Disney’s Riviera Resort is in the deluxe category and the prices reflect that. Guests staying at this resort are not looking for a budget friendly resort.
With the close proximity to the skyliner transportation and the mini-kitchen amenities in your room, you made find the extra cost worth it.
There are less expensive options on-site at a value resort or moderate resort. Only you can decide if the cost is worth it for your family.
We really did appreciate the quaint size of the resort and the art decor throughout the property. Overall Disney Riviera Resort is a great choice for an on-site deluxe resort.
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Leah has been traveling with her family of 5 since 2012 and sharing her expertise on planning family vacations and visiting theme parks since 2016. Leah has been featured in Visit Rochester, Undercover Tourist, and Home Publications. She has worked with brands like Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, Hersheypark, Toyota, and various Tourism boards and destinations. Leah creates family travel itineraries based on real trip experiences with her family. Her guides and tips help others plan great family vacations. Learn more about Leah and Five for the Road.