Post #739740 by AceExplorer on Fri, Mar 20, 2015 6:27 AM

Good discussions here ahead of the imminent opening of Sam's, it will be fun to see it when it opens.

Hurricane - good catch on the 20,000 Leagues scene in the film with cannibals, etc. I don't recall elements of the film in the Grog Grotto concept art, but am reminded that this is a theme park bar where both the imagineers and a percentage of guests fondly recall the days of the Nemo submarines in the Magic Kingdom. I would not be at all surprised to see nods to 20,000 Leagues, and to other extinct attractions like Adventurers Club, appear in Sam's. This is a good time to note that Trader Sam is himself, in the Jungle Cruise attraction, a native who sells heads. What made Sam decide to go "civilized" enough to open a bar may not be explained to us, unless of course "someone else" opened the bar and used his moniker, or maybe a woman drove him to drink.

EnchangedTikiGoth - I don't see "the concept art makes Grog Grotto look even more tiki than the original Trader Sam's" because I still see more Adventureland and Jungle Cruise in the concept art as you mentioned in your post. The giant snake is one jungle example, I don't think that there are any snakes occurring naturally in the islands of the South Pacific. Maybe it's just me, and that's ok. It would not surprise me to see less tiki than at Trader Sam's in Anaheim and more of a general "jungle" and "adventure" treatment in Grog Grotto. Then also with other almost random stuff thrown in for nostalgia and fun. There is definitely plenty of room to have incorporated tiki stuff into Sam's, but there is also a difference between jungle-style dark-continent stuff (Africana) and tiki. I am expecting an eclectic mix of Trader Sam's jungle stuff and other stuff which may have been "brought to Trader Sam" by other explorers and adventurers. I think all options were wide open to the designers with a hefty emphasis on the immersive fun.

One of the big topics we haven't really touched on in this thread are the animated features coming to Sam's. I have no inside information other than to expect the giant snake in the concept art to come to life, and also the torch-waving native (Sam himself?) to speak to us. What volcanos and other things will be triggered by ordering specific drinks? What gags will be in the place, like the famous sinking bar stools?

I love this analysis and speculation -- we're gonna have a great time seeing it when it's actually open. I claim first dibs on a really painful hangover that will make me want to go and sell "one of mine for two of his."

See you at Sam's -- VERY SOON!