Disney’s Riviera Resort is a Disney Vacation Club hotel that opened December 16, 2019, on Buena Vista Drive between Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World. It was the first entirely new DVC property built since Aulani in Hawaii, and its Mediterranean-inspired design draws on Walt Disney’s own travels along the French and Italian Riviera, with vintage photos and mementos worked into the decor throughout the lobby and halls.
The reason to book it is location and transport: Riviera has its own dedicated Disney Skyliner gondola station, a first for a newly built WDW resort, putting a scenic, walk-on ride to Epcot’s International Gateway within a few minutes. That convenience, paired with rooftop views from Topolino’s Terrace, makes it a favorite for guests who want Epcot and Hollywood Studios close at hand without needing a car or long bus rides.
Stats at a Glance
- Resort: Disney’s Riviera Resort (Disney Vacation Club)
- Location: Walt Disney World, off Buena Vista Drive between Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- Opened: December 16, 2019
- Rooms: 489 rooms, including Tower Studios, Deluxe Studios, and 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom villas
- Price tier: Deluxe / Disney Vacation Club — rack rates for deluxe studios run roughly $640-$1,025 per night depending on season and view
- Park transport: Dedicated Disney Skyliner station direct to Epcot; Skyliner transfer at Caribbean Beach Resort for Hollywood Studios; buses to Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Disney Springs
- Perks: Early Theme Park Entry every day; Extended Evening Hours on select nights as a deluxe-category resort
- Theme: Mediterranean Riviera, inspired by Walt Disney’s European travels
Rooms, Theming and Dining
Riviera’s 489 rooms span everything from compact Tower Studios (a first-of-their-kind design at Walt Disney World, built for two guests with a Murphy-style bed) up to 3-bedroom Grand Villas that sleep up to 12, most villas including kitchens or kitchenettes. The look throughout is European coastal: warm stucco, wrought iron, and framed photographs referencing Walt Disney’s own Riviera vacations rather than a specific movie or franchise, which gives the resort a more grown-up, less overtly ‘themed’ feel than many WDW hotels.
Dining centers on Topolino’s Terrace, a rooftop restaurant serving character breakfast and Mediterranean-inspired dinner with sweeping park-area views, alongside the quick-service Primo Piatto, the pastry counter Le Petit Café, and the pool bar Bar Riva.
Getting to the Parks and Perks
The headline perk is transportation: Riviera has its own Skyliner station, so a car-free ride carries guests directly to Epcot’s International Gateway, and a quick transfer at the Caribbean Beach Resort hub connects to Hollywood Studios. Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom are reached by resort bus. Like all Walt Disney World resort guests, visitors here get Early Theme Park Entry into any park every day, and because Riviera is classified as a deluxe resort it also qualifies for Disney’s Extended Evening Hours on nights that perk is offered.
Who Should Stay Here
Riviera suits couples, DVC members, and families who plan to spend most of their trip at Epcot and Hollywood Studios and want to skip car rentals and long bus commutes. Its quieter, adults-friendly Mediterranean theming makes it a good fit for guests who find heavily themed resorts (pirates, tropical, etc.) too on-the-nose. Families chasing Magic Kingdom proximity or a private beach and marina should look elsewhere, since Riviera’s bus-only link to Magic Kingdom is a longer ride than monorail or Skyliner resorts offer.
Explore more: More Where to Stay guides, Epcot guide, Disney’s Hollywood Studios guide, Magic Kingdom guide, Disney’s Animal Kingdom guide.
Disney’s Riviera Resort FAQs
Does staying at Disney’s Riviera Resort include early park entry?
Yes. Like all Walt Disney World resort hotels, Riviera guests can enter any theme park 30 minutes before its official opening every day of their stay.
Is Disney’s Riviera Resort worth the price?
It’s priced as a deluxe/DVC resort, with deluxe studio rack rates roughly $640-$1,025 a night depending on season and view. The value case rests on the dedicated Skyliner station to Epcot and rooftop dining at Topolino’s Terrace; travelers focused on Magic Kingkom proximity may get more for the money at a monorail resort.
How do you get from Riviera Resort to Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom?
Riviera does not have Skyliner or monorail service to those two parks, so guests take Disney resort buses to both Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom, as well as to Disney Springs.
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Photo: Eden, Janine and Jim from New York City / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.