The launch of the Disney Skyliner gondola system introduced a whole new transportation method to Walt Disney World and, in doing so, created a fun way to visit Disney hotels connected to the theme parks by the Skyliner’s route. Just a leisurely ride away from EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, guests can easily explore and dine at hotels representing all three of Disney’s resort categories: value, moderate, and deluxe. The ease of visiting resorts via the Skyliner now stands in direct contrast to the restrictions placed on resort transportation from Disney Springs. There’s one particular resort restaurant on the Skyliner route that I try to visit on each Disney trip.
A relaxing quick service restaurant on the Skyliner route is worth seeking out for its tranquil views and speedy service. Plus, you’ll get to visit an awesome hotel. In this story, I’ll share my recent experience of eating dinner here and tips for visiting. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including Disney World’s Monsters, Inc. land opening in phases and a new menu at our favorite Disney World popcorn location.
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Eating at Disney’s Riviera Resort Quick Service Restaurant
In today’s article, we’re dining at Primo Piatto at Disney’s Riviera Resort, one of the newest hotels to open at Disney World. It’s located on the Skyliner route, so you can access it easily from EPCOT or Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
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When traveling from EPCOT, you’ll exit the park through the International Gateway back entrance, take the Skyliner at the station there, and get off at your first stop. When traveling from Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you’ll take the Skyliner from outside the park entrance to Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, then transfer gondolas and continue your journey to Riviera. The lines for the Skyliner typically move very quickly, even if it looks like there’s a long line.
On your ride over on the Skyliner, you can either relax and take in the view, or mobile order your Primo Piatto food so it will be ready shortly after you arrive. There is one critical exception to mobile order at Primo Piatto, though, which we’ll get to.
Disney’s Riviera Resort is mostly one tall tower. Primo Piatto is on the first floor, adjacent to a central outdoor courtyard area. From the Skyliner station, you don’t even have to step inside the hotel to find it. Just head toward the tower and follow the outdoor signage.
Greeting you upon your arrival to Riviera is a pair of gorgeous tile murals that ascend from the walls and over the ceiling. This is one of my favorite spots in Disney World. The first one you’ll encounter is themed to Peter Pan, with one side showing Never Land and the other side depicting London, with a starry sky connecting them.
Further along in this same corridor is another tile mural, this one themed to Tangled. Get close to notice the craftsmanship of the individual tiles that comprise the artwork.
Across the courtyard, Primo Piatto waits for you.
Seating and Setup
Primo Piatto is a quick service restaurant, so guests either order at a cash register or on their phone via mobile order. A few bakery items and grab-and-go snacks and drinks are also available here, including this restaurant’s famous Riviera Signature Cookie, and these items aren’t available on mobile order. If you want them, you’ll need to stand in line to order them. I’ll have more to say about the Riviera Signature Cookie later.
I was surprised to see prongs were provided for guests to retrieve the bakery items pictured above themselves.
Don’t worry about squinting to read the menu in the photo above. We’ll dive into the full menu below.
Any soda beverages ordered at Primo Piatto are retrieved from a Coca-Cola Freestyle machine rather than from a fountain tap. I was glad I had my Disney RapidFill mug handy. Remember, a RapidFill mug is eligible for refills at any Disney resort, not just the hotel you purchased the mug at.
Guests can choose to sit in a small dining room with booths and tables, or head outside to one of the pleasant courtyard areas.
Primo Piatto and many other areas of Disney’s Riviera Resort display photographs of Walt and Lillian Disney on a European vacation in 1935. So the legend goes, Walt returned to his studio from that trip with a library full of fairytale storybooks that would serve as the inspiration for Disney animated films for decades to come.
If you venture outside with your food, I recommend going all the way to the edge of the Riviera property for a lakeside table overlooking the Skyliner gondolas gliding by.
On the August day I visited, it was much too hot and humid to take my meal outside, but many other times I’ve enjoyed my Primo Piatto meal from this peaceful spot.
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Our Meal at Primo Piatto
Meals at Primo Piatto are mostly $20 or less. The cuisine has some of the Disney food court standards, but many of the items are slightly elevated to match the upscale flamboyance of this deluxe villa hotel‘s theme and of Walt and Lillian’s European trip.
For my dinner at Primo Piatto, I went with the Grilled Chicken Sandwich, which has chicken, arugula, tomato spread, spinach and artichoke spread, and mozzarella on toasted focaccia bread. It comes with a side: your choice of herb fries, salad, or a fruit cup. I went with the fruit cup, which was mostly mandarins and grapes. It’s a pretty good deal for $13.19.
A cast member brought the food directly to my table, which I didn’t expect, since this is a quick service restaurant.
Here’s a look at the inside of the sandwich, showing the chicken portion with the spinach and artichoke dip.
And here’s a look at the other side of the sandwich’s interior, with the tomato spread, mozzarella, and arugula.
I enjoyed the whole sandwich. The spinach and artichoke dip was a great touch and added something different to the traditional tomato spread. The bread was toasty, but not too crunchy to handle with your hands.
As mentioned earlier, Disney RapidFill mugs can be used at Primo Piatto, even if you purchased your mug somewhere else. Since I was staying at Disney’s Pop Century Resort this trip, which has fountain taps instead of a Coca-Cola Freestyle machine, I took advantage of Primo Piatto’s Freestyle service to try some orange cream soda.
The current design for the refillable mugs is very cute and features Pixar characters illustrated in the style of a children’s storybook.
I also tried the Riviera Signature Cookie, which I’d heard incredible things about but had never ordered myself. It’s $4.79, and contains semisweet chocolate chips, ground oats, California walnuts, toasted pistachios, dried cherries, and sea salt.
Maybe I hyped this up too much in my brain before trying it, but this seemed like a pretty standard oatmeal cookie to me. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed it, but for this to be called the Riviera Signature Cookie, I expected to taste something different.
Full Menu at Primo Piatto
Upon entering Primo Piatto, you’ll see a refrigerator with bottled beverages and grab-and-go items, like Uncrustables or pre-prepared salads.
There is also a case of bakery items, most of which are $5 or less.
Now onto the menu proper. Here are all the menu items at Primo Piatto, their prices, and their official descriptions.
Salads and Soup
- Soup of the Day | $4.79
- Tuna Niçoise Salad | $14.99 | Seared rare tuna, crispy greens, potatoes, egg, champagne vinaigrette
- Chicken Caesar Salad | $11.99 | Crisp romaine, Caesar dressing, croutons, parmesan
- Add shrimp or salmon for $2
Entrées
- Beef Bolognese | $14.99 | Red wine-braised beef bolognese, pasta, herbs, parmesan
- Grilled Vegetable Pita | $13.79 | Hearth-baked pita, quinoa salad, plant-based cucumber yogurt
- Pepperoni or Margherita Pizza | $13.29
- Citrus-glazed Chicken Strips | $12.99 | Served with choice of Side
Sandwiches – Served with choice of soup, parmesan-herbed French fries, side salad, or fresh fruit
- Spicy Italian Sandwich | $12.49 | Sliced capicola, salami, ham, pepperoni, provolone, vegetable giardiniera, garlic mayonnaise
- Croque Monsieur | $13.69 | Classic French white wine béchamel, ham, cheese
- Bacon Cheddar Burger | $14.69 | Signature blend brisket and chuck burger, bacon, aged cheddar, garlic mayonnaise
- Grilled Chicken Sandwich | $13.19 | Tomato spread, spinach and artichoke spread, mozzarella, toasted focaccia
- Meatball Sandwich | $13.19 | Signature beef blend, provolone, mozzarella, tomato sauce on artisanal bread
- Three Cheese Panini with Prosciutto | $11.19 | Mozzarella, fontina, provolone
Kids’ Meals – All served with strawberry-flavored yogurt smoothie, apple slices, and choice of small lowfat milk or small DASANI bottled water
- Pasta with Tomato Sauce | $7.99
- Sautéed Shrimp | $9.49
- Grilled Chicken Breast | $9.29
- Cheeseburger | $8.99
- Cheese Pizza | $7.99
- Chicken Strips | $8.99
Small Minute Maid apple juice, small chocolate milk, or fountain beverage may be substituted upon request.
Desserts
- Seasonal Cheesecake | $6.49
- Classic Tiramisù (contains alcohol) | $7.29
- Italian Buttercream Cupcake | $6.79
Beverages
- Coca-Cola Freestyle Beverage | $4.79
- Iced Tea | $4.79
- Joffrey’s Cold Brew Coffee with Sweet Cream | $5.99 / $6.49
- DASANI Bottled Water | $4.25
- smartwater | $6.25
- Freshly Brewed Joffrey’s Coffee | $4.79 / $5.19
- Twinings Hot Tea | $4.79 / $5.19
- Hot Cocoa by Joffrey’s | $4.79 / $5.19
- Disney RapidFill Refillable Mug | $22.99
Beer, Hard Cider, & Wine
- Beer (16-oz Can) | $9.75 – $12.50
- Bud Light Lager
- Michelob Ultra Lager
- Stella Artois Lager
- Blue Moon Belgian White Ale
- Goose Island IPA
- Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Hard Cider
- Wine (187 – 750 mL) | $12 – $62
- Copa di Vino Pinot Grigio
- Copa di Vino Chardonnay
- Copa di Vino Merlot
- Copa di Vino Moscato
- McBride Sisters Chardonnay
- Charles Woodson’s “Intercept” Cabernet Sauvignon
- Cocktails
- Canella Bellini (250 mL Can) | $13
- Cutwater Cocktail (12-oz Can) | $12.25
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