Trader Sam's - Orlando - General Tiki

T Tiki_Koro Member Orlando, Florida Joined: Feb 18, 2015 Posts: 20	T Tiki_Koro Posted posted on Mon, Mar 23, 2015 1:48 PM I just left the cast open house of the Polynesian Village, and I think they did a great job with Trader Sam's Grog Grotto, possibly even better than the Enchanted Tiki Bar! Here is what I know (not much is new information, just confirmed): It will be open 4pm-midnight, 21+ after 8pm. There will be no reservations, but a host stand will be set up for taking names on a first-come, first-serve basis. Pagers will be given out, so you do not need to wait in a line for a seat to open up. Though there has been some rumbling about the design being more nautical vs. tiki, I felt it was predominately tiki with some 20,000 Leagues influences. There was a book case with all the South Pacific literary influences and other tiki references. Tiki mugs and artifacts from other tiki locations were on display behind the bar and around the lounge. Uh-Oa is perched above a thatched roof over one of the booths, somewhat inconspicuous. When the Uh-Oa bowl is ordered, the chanting and storm begins. The thatch starts blowing with a wind effect, Uh-Oa's eyes light up, and then the rest of her is illuminated when she says, "Who dares disturb the tiki gods!" She does NOT move and is a static figure. The Nautilus has three animated effects when that drink is ordered, but we did not get to see them take place. They involve the diver's mask filled with water, a painting of the nautilus, and the squid tentacle holding a bottle of rum. The Nautilus souvenir bowl will eventually be available to take home (implying it might not be ready to take home when GG opens), and the drink will cost over $50 There are three animated effects (Krakatoa, Uh-Oa, and Nautilus), and all the drinks get some sort of effect, either a sound effect or a "bartender action." I think the pearl is an example of the latter, where the giant clam shell illuminates and the bartender reaches in to pull out the pearl mug for the drink. The Hippopoto-Mai Tai has a sound effect of a hippo on the roof followed by two gun shots and the bartenders yelling, "Two shots of rum!" The souvenir mugs will be distinct to Grog Grotto, although currently the Krakatoa, Uh-Oa, and Zombie mugs are the same as Enchanted Tiki Bar until they get the Grog Grotto order in. The Hippopoto-Mai Tai mug is in (Enchanted Tiki Bar has been waiting for their Hippo mugs for a while). It is a clear mug roughly the same size and shape as the current one, but it has a different face on it. There will be a holiday overlay, just like Enchanted Tiki Bar, and the Imagineer said he has been hoping to someday do a Halloween overlay (at this point, it is just a hope). And finally, the big news we're all waiting for, Grog Grotto will open sometime this week, but it will depend on when the patio is completed. They are hoping for Thursday. We've already heard this, but they said currently the patio is behind schedule (a test meal on the patio had to be cancelled). The goal is still Thursday.

I just left the cast open house of the Polynesian Village, and I think they did a great job with Trader Sam's Grog Grotto, possibly even better than the Enchanted Tiki Bar! Here is what I know (not much is new information, just confirmed):

It will be open 4pm-midnight, 21+ after 8pm. There will be no reservations, but a host stand will be set up for taking names on a first-come, first-serve basis. Pagers will be given out, so you do not need to wait in a line for a seat to open up.
Though there has been some rumbling about the design being more nautical vs. tiki, I felt it was predominately tiki with some 20,000 Leagues influences. There was a book case with all the South Pacific literary influences and other tiki references. Tiki mugs and artifacts from other tiki locations were on display behind the bar and around the lounge.
Uh-Oa is perched above a thatched roof over one of the booths, somewhat inconspicuous. When the Uh-Oa bowl is ordered, the chanting and storm begins. The thatch starts blowing with a wind effect, Uh-Oa's eyes light up, and then the rest of her is illuminated when she says, "Who dares disturb the tiki gods!" She does NOT move and is a static figure.
The Nautilus has three animated effects when that drink is ordered, but we did not get to see them take place. They involve the diver's mask filled with water, a painting of the nautilus, and the squid tentacle holding a bottle of rum. The Nautilus souvenir bowl will eventually be available to take home (implying it might not be ready to take home when GG opens), and the drink will cost over $50
There are three animated effects (Krakatoa, Uh-Oa, and Nautilus), and all the drinks get some sort of effect, either a sound effect or a "bartender action." I think the pearl is an example of the latter, where the giant clam shell illuminates and the bartender reaches in to pull out the pearl mug for the drink. The Hippopoto-Mai Tai has a sound effect of a hippo on the roof followed by two gun shots and the bartenders yelling, "Two shots of rum!"
The souvenir mugs will be distinct to Grog Grotto, although currently the Krakatoa, Uh-Oa, and Zombie mugs are the same as Enchanted Tiki Bar until they get the Grog Grotto order in. The Hippopoto-Mai Tai mug is in (Enchanted Tiki Bar has been waiting for their Hippo mugs for a while). It is a clear mug roughly the same size and shape as the current one, but it has a different face on it.
There will be a holiday overlay, just like Enchanted Tiki Bar, and the Imagineer said he has been hoping to someday do a Halloween overlay (at this point, it is just a hope).
And finally, the big news we're all waiting for, Grog Grotto will open sometime this week, but it will depend on when the patio is completed. They are hoping for Thursday. We've already heard this, but they said currently the patio is behind schedule (a test meal on the patio had to be cancelled). The goal is still Thursday.

Post #739928 by Tiki_Koro on Mon, Mar 23, 2015 1:48 PM