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Post by dmkedm on Apr 3, 2023 10:35:45 GMT -5
Hi, folks...
Am here at the Riviera, my first stay here...am in a tower studio, on a solo trip.
I do like it here, but probably won't stay here often, if ever again....the points cost is huge for a room big enough for more than one person (the tower studio is just fine for just me, but most of my trips include at least one other person and more often more than one)...
It's been quite a long time since I stayed someplace new and I'm finding that figuring out my way around here is more challenging than I'd expected...the tower studios are tucked into a corner and so far every time I've tried a "short cut" to the pool, or the food place, or the Skyliner, I wound up taking a "long cut" instead. I've got almost no sense of direction and of course when you're inside you can't see the outside landmarks that point you in the right direction. This is not a big deal (I'm used to it since I ALWAYS "get lost" my first time (or few) getting around/to a new place)...
I got here yesterday mid-afternoon and my room was ready (got the text while in the Uber from the airport, just a bit before 2)...score one for Riviera! Dumped my stuff and headed to the Skyliner to Epcot where I got England's fish 'n chips for my very late lunch (I was famished by then), and then wandered around a bit....Epcot was not at all crowded, but I didn't try any rides...came back to the resort, unpacked, and headed down for a swim. Three of the four gates to the "quiet pool" (the one w/out lifeguards) were locked and would not open to my magic band; the 4th gate I tried did, tho. Enjoyed my swim and by then I was feeling a bit hungry again so went over to the quick serve place (Primi Piatti, I think? I may have that name wrong)...got some lasagna, which was good but not great; ate half and brought the rest back for today's lunch. Then I walked around the resort grounds a bit (which I'd done before when I wasn't staying here) and succeeded in confusing myself even more as I tried to figure out "short cuts" back to my room. I failed, but the failure is mine, not the resort's...
This morning I headed for Animal Kingdom, in time (I thought) for early entry at 7:30....I did get there at 7:15, but it took til 8 a.m. to get into the park....went straight to FOP, which was posting a 70-minute wait by then (and the line went all the way back to the Lion King show in Africa), but as is fairly common at Disney these days, the actual wait was closer to 50 minutes....enjoyed FOP, but the 5 and 10 minute waits for Safari and Dinosaur (the other two rides I'd planned on going on) had grown to 120 and 65 minutes respectively (and FOP had grown to 155 minutes)...and by then (around 9:30) it was getting hot & sticky (at 7:15 it was 72 and very pleasant), so I just came back to the Riviera...I did circumnavigate AK before I left (seeing very very long lines for every ride as I went by them), so got a little bit of exercise in as well as a great FOP ride...
The long lines and big crowds are not bothering me...I expected them this week before Easter and I don't feel "compelled" to go on any particular ride...when I return to AK (Thurs) I'll leave earlier for early entry, and will ride Safari and Dinosaur then....their lines did grow quite long, but it took longer to do so than it did for FOP....and now that I've done FOP, I can very likely to Safari and Dinosaur before the lines get unmanagably long after the park opens to the non-resort guests.
Now I'm going to swim (to finish doing my daily workout) and after that I think I'll head over to Caribbean Beach....haven't been to a Disney food court in ages (maybe 20 years?) so I thought I'd give it a try. The food at Riviera is fine, but not "exciting" to me so it's worth trying CB to see if I like their choices better. I think I may be spoiled by my last 3 or so trips (to SSR, w/DS right there; and to PVB and GFV, where the coconut meatballs and Dole Whips at the Poly are exciting to me!) But a big advantage of a solo trip is I can head over to MK, and then walk over to Captain Hook's for those coconut meatballs any time I feel like it...maybe for dinner tonight?
This is a "weird" trip for me...I booked it last November when "the miracle" of availability in a tower studio occurred, but had thought I'd cancel when a big trip w/my DIS, DIL, DGS and DIL's family came together for June. But it was hard to think about giving up the tower studio so I never quite pulled the trigger on canceling....then, just about exactly a month ago, my angel dog, JC, took sick. The vet diagnosed him w/end-stage kidney failure (likely cause: aging; JC was 12 1/2 and his breed average lifespan was 8-10 years) and prescribed some treatments that could have prolonged his life, had they worked, for as much as a year or so....unfortunately, the treatments stopped working after about two weeks, and I lost him. At that point, a week on my own to "just be" and remember and heal at Disney seemed like it was "meant." So here I am, not really "having fun," but being soothed and healing and glad I'm here....it is so far and likely will remain a very low-key trip, w/the focus being on just catching my breath and coping....the stress of JC's last 3 weeks of life was substantial and Disney is just what I need to decompress from that. I'm glad to be here.
Will check back in as the week wears on...happy spring break, Easter, Passover, spring to all...Dani
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Post by BWV Dreamin on Apr 3, 2023 10:51:35 GMT -5
Happy Holy Week and Easter! I still need to get to Riviera. Sounds wonderful! Have a great vacation!
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Post by Wiltony on Apr 3, 2023 13:15:24 GMT -5
Thanks for sharing! Sounds like a nice trip.
I didn't realize there was an "easter week" and an "easter holiday crowd." Do people get time off of work for easter at all? Or do they just take trips around then for some reason? I thought Easter was just on a Sunday.
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Post by ncstatetigger on Apr 3, 2023 18:52:34 GMT -5
Thanks for sharing! Sounds like a nice trip. I didn't realize there was an "easter week" and an "easter holiday crowd." Do people get time off of work for easter at all? Or do they just take trips around then for some reason? I thought Easter was just on a Sunday. “Spring break” for our public and most private schools is usually the week following Easter. (Eastern North Carolina) |
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Post by dmkedm on Apr 3, 2023 19:37:28 GMT -5
Yeah, it's spring break week (as is next week) for the younger kids (elementary through high school) -- March brought the older kids (college in my part of the world) spring break. In any event, it's very very crowded here this week. But that's ok....it's not bothering me at all...I did AK early this morning, and Epcot this evening....didn't get to ride Soarin (the wait was 155 minutes when I arrived, around 5...it was down to 100 minutes when I got off Living with the Land (which was a 15-minute wait), so I skipped it. I'll be back to Epcot (multiple times) before I leave in 5 days, so I'll get a chance to ride it "later."
It's been a nice day....I swam for 30 minutes when I got back from AK; had a very good "vegetable skewer" lunch (mushrooms, squash, peppers, on a piece of pita bread w/quinoa and cucumber dressing) at the Riviera's quick serve place...I also walked over to Caribbean Beach (one of the few resorts I haven't stayed at, ever) and wow have the food courts changed in the 20 years or so since I last stayed at a food court resort! The one at CB is not all that different from the quick serve places at the DVC resorts! In any event, I didn't see anything that intrigued me, food-wise, over there, so I walked back to Riviera, swam, and ate here. As noted above, the vegetable skewer was delicious (and healthy to boot)...so I counted my late morning/early afternoon a success.
Then I just putzed for a couple of hours....checked out the store at Riviera...discovered they sell the individual serving size tubs of yogurt there (they didn't have them at the quick serve food place, but that place (I really have to check its name...it's something like Primi Piatti) had the strawberries I like w/my yogurt and the store didn't have the strawberries....but between the two places, I got the yogurt & strawberries I like to have for b'fast. That made me happy.
Around 5 I headed over to Epcot, as noted above. Didn't feel like any of the food I saw available over there (didn't do the countries; just the "future world" part of the park), so when I got back to the International Gateway I decided to go over to the Yacht Club....I really like the quick food they have next to their store....had a good dinner (tomatoes & mozarella and a sticky bun...so much for "healthy" at the end of my day!)...didn't see anything I wanted to buy over there, but enjoyed my "circumnavigation" of the Boardwalk/Beach Club/Yacht Club "circle" as I made my way back to the Skyliner to return to the Riviera...
Now I'm back in my room, ready to call it a day/night...Fitbit tells me I've done 11 1/2 miles today...almost 27,000 steps. I figure that entitles me to feel tired, even tho it's only 8:30 at night!
The Skyliner was a bit "off" today....I can see it from my room, and of course from the pool/restaurant area of the resort....it completely stopped, for up to 10 minutes at a time, off and on all day....when I was on it, going to/from Epcot, it stopped but only for about 2 minutes each time (once in each direction). Made me a bit nervous about taking it (but obviously not nervous enough not to take it)...tomorrow I 'have to" be at the Ale & Compass (at the Yacht Club) to meet friends who are driving over from Tampa to have lunch w/me, and my park reservation is at Hollywood Studios....so I think I'll swim for my daily workout first thing in the morning, and then head to HS (and from there to my lunch) nice 'n early, just in case the Skyliner decides to have another "stop-a-lot" day....I enjoy the Skyliner, but it doesn't seem to be particularly reliable as a form of transportation when you need to be someplace by a particular time...
It's been a nice, low-key day. So far, it's a perfect "nice, low-key" trip....very different from my next trip--a 12-day "spectravaganza" in June when I start w/a week at AK/Kidani w/DS, DIL, DGS and DIL's family (10 of us total on that trip), followed by 5 days at BCV w/DS, DIL and DGS....we will be running on DGS' schedule on that trip (he turns 2 the day after we move from Kidani to BCV), so it will be a completely different experience then!
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Post by WDWGoof on Apr 3, 2023 20:13:13 GMT -5
I’m so sorry to hear about your dog. We lost our beloved Popeye to kidney failure too. Was told he has months, he lasted a week. Definitely decompress and enjoy your trip. (Try the banana bread with warm chocolate chips at the quick service. Yum!)
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Post by Brian5581 on Apr 4, 2023 3:31:04 GMT -5
Dani and Beth, so very sorry to hear about both of your losses. Best wishes at this difficult time.
Dani, continue to enjoy your trip! Low-key is how I do all of mine, definitely much preferable for me.
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Post by annamaria on Apr 4, 2023 6:30:57 GMT -5
Sorry your four legged buddy JC is not with you anymore  . We liked Primo Piatto (tried it while staying at BCV) and have been twice. I had the vegetable skewer but added chicken. I liked it, had it again the second time. My husband had the pizza flatbread. Sometimes we will head over to POR (when staying at OKW) for a change in quick service. We need to try the QS at CBR too. I think it was about 17 years ago when we stayed here. We hop around the resorts all the time for a TS meal or a QS meal. Just finished reading your second post - I see you had the same Vegetable Skewer - it was good. Primo Piatto is the name  Did you have the yogurt parfait? The prepared yogurt with strawberries/granola on top? Love these Also. Years ago at, at BCV Marketplace, they were made fresh to order. Still good and I try to get one every trip. I might have to skip CBR after your comment not worth the trip. So many I don't mind going back to. Enjoy! |
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Post by raspus on Apr 4, 2023 7:51:49 GMT -5
So sorry to hear about the loss of your pet.
Glad your enjoying your low-key trip. We do all our trips that way.
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Post by dmkedm on Apr 4, 2023 18:36:19 GMT -5
Hi, folks....thanks for the sympathy and kind comments about my angel dog, JC...I know time will dull the ache and the memories will become warm and wonderful instead of painful...and truthfully, being here at Disney is helping. It's a very soothing trip.
Thanks too for giving the correct name for Primo Piatto...I just keep forgetting to take note of the name! I did have the banana bread w/choc chips this morning and you're right--it's very good. So is the "egg scramble"--and it has veggies in it so between the banana in the banana bread and the veggies in the egg scramble, I could pretend it was a healthy bfast (emphasis on pretend!)....
Had another nice, low-key day today....started w/a couple of hours of "paid work," and then headed down to swim, which I did for my full 3 miles...then over to Primo Piatto for the aforementioned delicious b'fast...back up to my room (which, by the way, has a clear view of the Epcot fireworks from my balcony--very cool) to get cleaned up to head to the Skyliner to take me to HS to tap in to activate my park reservation....didn't stay long there...by the time I got there mid-day crowds had built up a LOT and it was so crowded it wasn't particularly enjoyable to just wander around. I didn't even try any rides. No stopping of the Skyliner on this trip, altho I did notice several short stoppages while I was swimming/eating at Primo Piatto...
From HS I took the boat over to Yacht/Beach, where I was meeting friends who'd driven over from Tampa to have lunch w/me. Hadn't seen them since before the pandemic, so that was really nice. We had a good lunch at Ale & Compass and sat in the Yacht Club lobby just chatting til around 2:30 when they had to go back to Tampa...Gary (who'd driven) said the drive over was pure-bred misery--said a trip that should have taken 70-75 minutes took 2 1/2 hours! I felt bad for them...but so happy to see them. Hopefully their drive back wasn't as bad....Bill (Gary's husband and a former work colleague of mine--he's retired now, as is Gary) said I-4 is always really bad coming over from Tampa. Makes me all the more grateful they're willing to do the drive to come see me...
After that I went back to Epcot and toured the countries and checked out the Food & Wine booths...wasn't hungry, but did ID a couple of places I may visit tomorrow or Thursday...didn't see anything I wanted to buy....got back to Riviera around 3 and napped til around 4:30....then went to Disney Springs for an Earl of Sandwich tuna melt and a Ghiardelli's hot fudge sundae. No pretending this was a healthy dinner, but it sure was tasty! And after all that fitbit has rewarded me with another 11-mile day...maybe I didn't do any caloric damage w/that tuna melt and hot fudge sundae after all?
Am now back in my room, settling in for the night. Am excited to think Ill be able to sit out on my balcony and watch the fireworks at 9...if I'm still awake by then!
Tomorrow I start my day at Magic Kingdom (and have promised myself coconut meatballs and a Dole Whip at the Poly for lunch)...after that, who knows? Oh, I forgot...a client emailed asking for a zoom meeting tomorrow at 4....of course I said "yes"--as I frequently say, if I couldn't work at Disney I wouldn't be able to come anywhere near as often....so I'm used to working while I'm here...I may make an afternoon of work tomorrow--I have a big writing project due the day I return home, so getting it written while I'm here is a "must"...w/a work call at 4, maybe doing a stint of writing between lunch and the call would be a sensible plan!
I continue to very much like Riviera, but still feel a "pull" to other resorts--especially Beach Club and Saratoga Springs, where I own points. I also really love the Grand, so if I'm in a spot where I can "points splurge" I'm likely to choose the Grand over Riviera. Points here aren't bad for the tower studio, but the room is too small for more than one person and my one-person trips are few & far between (this is only my third one in 18 years!)...
Happy Tues night/Wed morning everyone....will check back in again tomorrow. And thanks again for your kindness regarding JC...it does bring some comfort as I continue to miss my angel dog....Dani
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Post by annamaria on Apr 5, 2023 5:44:00 GMT -5
I must remember to try the coconut meatballs at the Poly.
I also hope the drive back for your friend was not as bad.
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Post by disneyteach on Apr 5, 2023 16:45:31 GMT -5
Now I'm going to swim (to finish doing my daily workout) and after that I think I'll head over to Caribbean Beach....haven't been to a Disney food court in ages (maybe 20 years?) so I thought I'd give it a try. The food at Riviera is fine, but not "exciting" to me so it's worth trying CB to see if I like their choices better. I think I may be spoiled by my last 3 or so trips (to SSR, w/DS right there; and to PVB and GFV, where the coconut meatballs and Dole Whips at the Poly are exciting to me!) But a big advantage of a solo trip is I can head over to MK, and then walk over to Captain Hook's for those coconut meatballs any time I feel like it...maybe for dinner tonight?
This is a "weird" trip for me...I booked it last November when "the miracle" of availability in a tower studio occurred, but had thought I'd cancel when a big trip w/my DIS, DIL, DGS and DIL's family came together for June. But it was hard to think about giving up the tower studio so I never quite pulled the trigger on canceling....then, just about exactly a month ago, my angel dog, JC, took sick. The vet diagnosed him w/end-stage kidney failure (likely cause: aging; JC was 12 1/2 and his breed average lifespan was 8-10 years) and prescribed some treatments that could have prolonged his life, had they worked, for as much as a year or so....unfortunately, the treatments stopped working after about two weeks, and I lost him. At that point, a week on my own to "just be" and remember and heal at Disney seemed like it was "meant." So here I am, not really "having fun," but being soothed and healing and glad I'm here....it is so far and likely will remain a very low-key trip, w/the focus being on just catching my breath and coping....the stress of JC's last 3 weeks of life was substantial and Disney is just what I need to decompress from that. I'm glad to be here.
Will check back in as the week wears on...happy spring break, Easter, Passover, spring to all...Dani
Sorry about your dog 🥲 Hope you can find some healing at Disney. It's interesting to me that you don't find Primo Piatto too exciting. It's one of our favorite quick services! We will even leave Hollywood Studios via the Skyliner to go get lunch there. We really like the italian sandwich. The blueberry lemon pancakes at breakfast are also delicious! From HS I took the boat over to Yacht/Beach, where I was meeting friends who'd driven over from Tampa to have lunch w/me. Hadn't seen them since before the pandemic, so that was really nice. We had a good lunch at Ale & Compass and sat in the Yacht Club lobby just chatting til around 2:30 when they had to go back to Tampa...Gary (who'd driven) said the drive over was pure-bred misery--said a trip that should have taken 70-75 minutes took 2 1/2 hours! I felt bad for them...but so happy to see them. Hopefully their drive back wasn't as bad....Bill (Gary's husband and a former work colleague of mine--he's retired now, as is Gary) said I-4 is always really bad coming over from Tampa. Makes me all the more grateful they're willing to do the drive to come see me... We're in Clearwater visiting family this week. We flew into Sanford as it had a cheaper flight and one that worked better with our schedule. Our flight was delayed about an hour leaving Columbus and it took my parents over 3 hours to drive there to pick us up. The drive home was only about 2, though. I-4 is terrible, especially around the Disney exits! |
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Post by dmkedm on Apr 5, 2023 20:06:00 GMT -5
It's now the end of Day four here at the Riviera....and I find Primo Piatto is growing on me...have found a number of interesting choices over the past 24 hours or so....maybe I just wasn't in the mood for their offerings on Days 1 & 2? Or maybe because I hadn't really looked at the case of food choices (just looked at the menu) next to the cashier on my first day? (By the way, altho I haven't had them this trip, I agree that the lemon blueberry pancakes are wonderful!).
Day four has been great...started w/a swim, then a bit of paid work, then hopped over to MK....took a ride on the Mickey RR--it had been years since I did that even before the years ago that it closed,,,,it was fun, in a nostalgic sort of way.
Crowds are HUGE this week...did not get a BG for Tron, not at 7, not at 1 and not at 6....didn't try for an ILL--don't want to ride it "right now" that badly! Genie+ was $34 today (new record, per a Disney blogger) so I imagine it was around that much for an ILL for both Tron and GotG...
Went over to the Poly for my coconut meatballs and Dole Whip lunch (and how good it was!) and wandered into the Polys big first-floor gift shop....saw a swim suit that I just love...but it was $178! And the biggest size they had was a 10--I can and do wear some Size 10s, but in a swim suit I thought I'd need a 12, so in a fit of self-control, I left it behind. Went back to the Riviera, but just couldn't stop thinking about that darn swimsuit. So, after my work-zoom call, around 5 p.m, I decided to go back to MK/the Poly and at least try it on....it'd probably be too small, anyway. So I did, and it wasn't....it fit like a dream (is that a sign?)....so I threw financial wisdom to the winds and bought it--and to my delight, I discovered I'd get a 20% discount (choice of DVC, AP or Disney Visa...I have all 3)....that brought the price down to a "mere" $150 or so (I forget the exact amount), so now I'm the proud and VERY pleased owner of an outrageously expensive swim suit and couldn't be happier. In the grand scheme of things, that $150 won't make a material difference, and I really do love that swim suit! Plus, it's a size 10!!! (I'm four years into "Project Healthy Eating," which resulted in me losing around 85 pounds, so things like a size 10 swim suit are still a real thrill)....And who knows: maybe acquiring that size 10 swim suit will keep me from over-indulging in things like those lemon-blueberry pancakes and the Primo Piatto's utterly wonderful chocolate-banana bread???!!!
Gonna wear my new swimsuit to swim tomorrow morning....am crazy-pleased w/it....hurray for me! (Grin)
So, another good day in my quest for some 'soul-level peace"....I truly am healing a bit...still sad (of course) over knowing JC won't be there to greet me paroxysms of joy when I get home....but definitely calmer than I was when I first got here. Disney magic in full swing here, for me....happy Wednesday night....Dani
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Post by stellabutterman on Apr 6, 2023 8:30:31 GMT -5
Congrats on the swimsuit!!!! Woohoo!
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Post by Adelard of Bath on Apr 7, 2023 9:50:39 GMT -5
I don't understand swimsuit prices: wife recently came home with a gift swimsuit she bought for a little girl who was turning two. A little two-piece and it was $45!
Perhaps ten years ago when I was a thinner man, we were going on a cruise and I bought a little pair of trunks, basically a Speedo except with square-cut legs. So small...and it was a little over $50. Crazy, I know.
So those Poly prices don't sound too bad.
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