Is the Disney Skyliner reliable?

Image: DisneyThe third question here may seem tangential to the Riviera, but it’s not. When Disney took property from Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and decided to construct a new luxury property, the company made a choice.

Park officials decided to sell a resort with a Disney Skyliner station as deluxe accommodations. As a reminder, Caribbean Beach is only the Moderate Tier. To Disney, the gondola system as an amenity elevates the value of a hotel. I would certainly agree with this statement, as the monorail resorts enjoy the highest status at Walt Disney World.

Sadly, the Disney Skyliner’s impact was presumptive, though. Park officials expected the system to work smoothly. As you’re all too familiar, the gondolas lost power, stranding guests for three hours. The headline-grabbing situation immediately reduced confidence in the system.

Image: DisneyI've ridden the Skyliner since then and thoroughly enjoyed the smooth ride and convenient logistics. Later, I learned after the fact that guests had been trapped for a few minutes at the same time we were onboard. That's discomforting.

To a larger point, my family had a choice to keep our reservations at Caribbean Beach, ones we’d made because of the Skyliner, or move elsewhere. We switched to Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

I just couldn’t put my wife, who is prone to motion sickness and claustrophobia, in that situation. I presume that a significant number of Disney guests share similar concerns. So, Disney has banked on the Skyliner as a reliable means of transportation.

The Riviera will have tremendous value as long as the company’s right. Since so many ski resorts and mountain cities have functional gondolas, I expect that the Disney Skyliner will become stable long-term. I’m just not as confident about the first year.

How beautiful is the hotel itself?

This conversation has come across a bit negative so far, which isn’t my intention. I try to be fair and honest, as I know how expensive Disney vacations are. I don’t want to mislead guests into spending money on trips that they regret. I want to be clear that I’m not totally down on the Riviera, though. In fact, there’s one undeniable positive here.

By all accounts, the Riviera is a luxury resort that would thrill the Disney family. Lillian and Walt loved their jaunts around Europe during the 1930s, and Roy famously joined his brother for a memorable trip in the mid-30s.

The hotel pays homage to these family vacations with its pristine European style. The one thing that you will never hear anyone say is, “The Riviera Resort isn’t pretty.”

The Spanish/Mediterranean designs on display here are so beautiful that park officials expect plenty of guests to ride the Disney Skyliner just to hang out at the hotel. It’s structured for that purpose, with European sitting lounges. I’ve linked a video that shows some of the hotel, but you’ll found countless others on YouTube. Suffice to say that the hotel is niiiiiiiiiice.

Is the Tower Studio room viable?

This final question is primarily for DVC members, but it's essential for any couple considering a hotel stay at the Riviera. Disney has introduced a new room type for this hotel. Called the Tower Studio, it only accommodates two guests. I’m not even sure if parents with a small child can stay here.

Obviously, the Tower Studio has a limited target audience, especially by Disney standards. Most rooms are family-friendly by necessity. At the Riviera, couples can escape the outside world and hole up in a 255-square foot hotel room. To some, this sounds delightfully romantic. To others, it's a real-life recreation of that Tiny House commercial.

Disney’s taking a chance with the Tower Studio. The company believes that DVC members without children will happily cede personal space for a room that costs fewer DVC points. I’m skeptical. Then again, I’m 6’3”.

The prevailing belief among DVC analysts is that Tower Studios will sell so well that only people who own at the Riviera will be able to book. Who is right here? Time will tell. I certainly admire Disney for shakings things up with a daring new approach to a DVC resort, one with new room types and modern logistics.