Riviera Tower Studio vs. Polynesian Island Tower Duo Studio

When Riviera was established, it included a new DVC room type: the Tower Studio. Smaller than the traditional Deluxe Studio, it accommodates up to 2 adults plus a child under the age of 3. The popularity of the Tower Studio led to the inclusion of a similar room type at the Polynesian Island Tower: the Duo Studio.

While the Riviera Tower Studio and Polynesian Duo Studio are similar in capacity and both have a modern, clean aesthetic with subtle Disney touches, what are the key differences between the two?

Location

A clear difference between the two rooms are their locations. At Riviera, the Tower Studio is a Skyliner ride away from EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. At the Polynesian, the Duo Studio is a monorail or boat ride away from Magic Kingdom and a monorail ride away from EPCOT. A preference for the Tower Studio or Duo Studio can depend a lot on where you plan to spend your park days.

Room Layout

This is where the two rooms differ the most. Within the Tower Studio may be the smallest accommodation at Riviera, but its beautiful bathroom is about the same size as those in the other units. In fact, it feels like it takes up about half the square footage of the Tower Studio and includes a large closet that can easily fit all your luggage. The living room space with the Murphy bed can feel tight though the room does have lots of shelves, a built-in desk, and a small shelf space that has all the kitchenette amenities typically found in a Deluxe Studio, minus the extra sink.

At the Polynesian Duo Studio, there is greater emphasis on the living room space. Here, the walk-in shower and toilet are the only parts that are closed off in the bathroom, and the sink is outside. The Duo Studio has a much smaller closet, but it also offer lots of drawers in the dresser below the TV and plenty of counter space and cabinets within the kitchenette. The kitchenette in the Duo Studio is much larger and more similar to the ones in the Deluxe Studios though it has a beverage cooler instead of a true mini fridge like the Tower Studio.

There is no desk in the Duo Studio, but one nice feature is the chaise lounge connected to the Murphy bed. This offers a nice place to sit even when the Murphy bed is pulled down.

Both the Tower Studios and Duo Studios have balconies, but the ones at the Duo Studios are particularly spacious.

Views

As the name implies, the Tower Studios are all located within the tower section of Riviera. Since they are all in the same vicinity, each offers fairly similar views of the resort grounds and parking area with some EPCOT fireworks views at night. The main difference would be the floor on which the studio is located. The higher floors may offer a slightly better vantage point than those on the lower floors.

At the Polynesian, the Duo Studios are divided into 3 different booking categories: Resort View, Preferred View, and Premium View. Resort View includes rooms with views of the resort grounds and parking areas. Preferred gives at least partial views of the lakes, pools, or golf course. The Premium View offers at least partial views of the Seven Seas Lagoon.

Check out the listings for the Polynesian, Riviera, and all the available Disney Vacation Club resale listings, or learn more about buying and selling with DVC Resale Market.