Magical Mosaics: Exploring the Larger-than-life Art Installations at Disney’s Riviera Resort

Posted:  Resorts

When you’re on a trip to Walt Disney World, it’s definitely to be expected that you may get lost in all the excitement that is found around every corner. However, sometimes it’s good to stop, take a break, and soak in all the little details, as you never know what amazing things you may find! 

One of my favorite places to take in one of these moments is Disney’s Riviera Resort, where the walkway from Disney’s Skyliner offers two beautiful mosaics themed after two beloved Disney Classics.

Floral Arrangements in large flower pots sitting in front of Disney's Riviera Resort at night.

Entrance to Disney's Riviera Resort from the Skyliner hub at night. The murals on either side of the walls are lit up with a fountain between them.

At Disney’s Riviera Resort, you can find a plethora of artwork unique to this resort. Among these features are two mosaic murals between the Skyliner Station and Disney’s Rivera Resort, themed after iconic scenes from Disney’s Peter Pan and Tangled. The first mural you see once you hop off the Skyliner is the London, England landscape on one side, showing Peter Pan, Wendy, John, and Michael flying across to Neverland on the other. The second mosaic shows the famous lantern scene from Tangled, with the lanterns traveling across the ceiling to Rapunzel’s tower on the other side. 

Mural of Rapunzel's lanterns flying over her kingdom in the walkway to the Skyliner from Disney's Riviera Resort.

Mural of Peter Pan, Wendy, John, and Michael flying across to Neverland in the walkway to the Skyliner from Disney's Riviera Resort.

These mosaics span the whole tunnel, reaching over twenty feet tall, and each mosaic comprises over 1 million hand-cut tiles. Each tile is a uniquely cut piece of glass, so every piece has a different shape or size to complete the mosaic. Artisans and Disney Imagineers laid all the pieces individually, so these mosaics are truly something to marvel at and stand for a true feat of craftsmanship.

Mural of Rapunzel's Tower in the walkway to the Skyliner from Disney's Riviera Resort.

Tiles in the Peter Pan mural depicting a golden pirate ship flying over Neverland.

An amazing feature of these mosaics is the presence of iconic Disney storytelling. These two particular films featured in the Mosaics are inspired by and based on places in Europe – Peter Pan in England and Tangled in the imagined kingdom of Corona, based on towns and stories in Germany. The original stories that inspired these mosaics were actually included in a collection of over 300 books that Walt Disney sent back to the animation studios while traveling Europe in the 1930s. Walt’s love of Europe is what inspired the creation of these classic films and the theming of this resort! At the Riviera, you’ll see a mix of modern and 20th-century inspired furnishings, with an ode to the artistic stylings of artists along the European Riviera that Walt loved.

Fountain in the walkway lit up at night with the Rapunzel Mural and Disney's Riviera Resort in the background.

Fountain in the walkway lit up at night with the Peter Pan Mural and the Skyliner in the background.

On the topic of Disney storytelling, these two murals share two common themes that are a part of the storytelling; the first is water! In both murals, bodies of water are incorporated into the mosaics internally and externally in the area where they are located. Beside these mosaics in the tunnel are two water fountains. The water fountains not only add aesthetically pleasing elements to the overall design of the resort, but they also provide a soothing atmosphere that introduces you to the overall environment of the Riviera Resort. 

Rapunzel Mural with Disney's Riviera Resort in the background.

The second theme of Disney’s Storytelling in these murals is flight! Both murals feature imagery related to flight, leading to the mosaic connecting from one end of the hallway to the other across the ceiling. For the Peter Pan mosaic, you can see the beloved characters on the ceiling flying overhead to Neverland. Across from the side with the London skyline, you can also spot the Jolly Roger mid-flight. In the Tangled Lantern scene, the lanterns from the kingdom’s celebration can be seen flying across the ceiling over to Rapunzel’s tower. Like the general theme of water, the location of these mosaics is also no coincidence; they are located close to Disney’s Skyliner, where guests can step into one of the themed gondolas and fly across to specific areas of Walt Disney World. The mosaics then act as a precursor to the adventure guests have when they step onto the Skyliner, take flight, and see sights across Walt Disney World.

Fountain in the walkway with the Peter Pan Mural and the Skyliner in the background.

Now that we’ve explored more about these stunning art installations be sure to plan a stop at Disney’s Riviera Resort on your next Disney vacation to check out these gorgeous Mosaics. It’s the perfect place to find a bit of Disney magic during all the excitement that waits for you at the parks. 

 

~Elyse

 

DVC Rentals Magical Hat