Trader Sam's - Orlando - General Tiki

K kkocka Tiki Socialite Joined: Jul 23, 2013 Posts: 887	K kkocka Posted posted on Mon, Aug 19, 2013 10:48 AM I find it hilarious that so many people are butthurt over nothing-comments. For those who are huge Disney people such as myself, you'll know there is a huge difference in quality between FL and CA. From a lot of Floridians, they'll tell you the same thing - Team Disney Orlando has a reputation for taking short cuts, or cheapening experiences. Now that's a generalization sure, but its pretty true. I have a bartender friend who works at the resorts in FL, and after spending several years out in CA has really grown to appreciate the charm that the CA resorts have and that FL doesn't. Now the reason why I don't want it in FL is because CA finally has the upper hand on something that Florida doesn't. Consider that WDW has a 30,080 acres of land where as Disneyland has like 160 acres + 67 for California Adventure (quick research), a multitude more of everything - attractions, hotels, etc. Along with Cars Land in DCA, Trader Sam's is a gem. Its small - as it should be - and has an EXTREME amount of detail and hand-made recreations of various props from the Adventureland attractions. A Sam's of the same size in Florida, be it in the Poly Resort or wherever, will not work given the number of visitors. A larger restaurant-heavy Sam's could work, much like a Don the Beachcomber's, but that's not likely to happen. Florida caters to giant crowds and is a prime location among other theme parks - they're competing with a lot of other destinations. They're trying to beat Universal in FL, where in CA Universal Citywalk/Studios is a complete joke. The locals populate Disneyland, not tourists and foreigners. When you chill at Sam's, there's a lot of feeling of exclusivity. It was built as part of the 2011 Disneyland Hotel renovation and has ties to not only Adventureland and Disneyland, but to the strong tiki movement that was ESPECIALLY popular in SoCal. You'll see mugs that are from Bali Hai, notes to Tiki Ti, Don the Beachcomber, and more as a nod to them. It was intended to be the hotel pool bar. When you look on one of their swizzle sticks, you'll see "The Disneyland Hotel" on them not in the current typeface, but the original hand-set type of when the hotel opened in 1955. So when Florida gets their Trader Sam's, the bottom of the souvenir mugs are going to say "DisneyParks/ Disneyland, Walt Disney World" on them like ay other piece of generic merchandise because its cheaper on production costs? There's a very cool story about how Disney worked with MarkeTeam to develop the bar and how Disney was given a "safari" of various Southern California tiki bars in part of the research and production. The bar has a strong and well fitting relationship to the culture here. It was a risk, and it proved to be a success. Now Florida is gonna get a carbon copy? Please. They have EPCOT. Let us keep one stinkin little bar please. Follow me on Instagram http://www.instagram.com/keithkocka [ Edited by: kkocka 2013-08-19 10:50 ]

I find it hilarious that so many people are butthurt over nothing-comments. For those who are huge Disney people such as myself, you'll know there is a huge difference in quality between FL and CA. From a lot of Floridians, they'll tell you the same thing - Team Disney Orlando has a reputation for taking short cuts, or cheapening experiences. Now that's a generalization sure, but its pretty true. I have a bartender friend who works at the resorts in FL, and after spending several years out in CA has really grown to appreciate the charm that the CA resorts have and that FL doesn't.

Now the reason why I don't want it in FL is because CA finally has the upper hand on something that Florida doesn't. Consider that WDW has a 30,080 acres of land where as Disneyland has like 160 acres + 67 for California Adventure (quick research), a multitude more of everything - attractions, hotels, etc. Along with Cars Land in DCA, Trader Sam's is a gem. Its small - as it should be - and has an EXTREME amount of detail and hand-made recreations of various props from the Adventureland attractions. A Sam's of the same size in Florida, be it in the Poly Resort or wherever, will not work given the number of visitors. A larger restaurant-heavy Sam's could work, much like a Don the Beachcomber's, but that's not likely to happen. Florida caters to giant crowds and is a prime location among other theme parks - they're competing with a lot of other destinations. They're trying to beat Universal in FL, where in CA Universal Citywalk/Studios is a complete joke. The locals populate Disneyland, not tourists and foreigners.

When you chill at Sam's, there's a lot of feeling of exclusivity. It was built as part of the 2011 Disneyland Hotel renovation and has ties to not only Adventureland and Disneyland, but to the strong tiki movement that was ESPECIALLY popular in SoCal. You'll see mugs that are from Bali Hai, notes to Tiki Ti, Don the Beachcomber, and more as a nod to them. It was intended to be the hotel pool bar. When you look on one of their swizzle sticks, you'll see "The Disneyland Hotel" on them not in the current typeface, but the original hand-set type of when the hotel opened in 1955. So when Florida gets their Trader Sam's, the bottom of the souvenir mugs are going to say "DisneyParks/ Disneyland, Walt Disney World" on them like ay other piece of generic merchandise because its cheaper on production costs?

There's a very cool story about how Disney worked with MarkeTeam to develop the bar and how Disney was given a "safari" of various Southern California tiki bars in part of the research and production. The bar has a strong and well fitting relationship to the culture here. It was a risk, and it proved to be a success. Now Florida is gonna get a carbon copy? Please. They have EPCOT. Let us keep one stinkin little bar please.

Follow me on Instagram
http://www.instagram.com/keithkocka

[ Edited by: kkocka 2013-08-19 10:50 ]

Post #690611 by kkocka on Mon, Aug 19, 2013 10:48 AM