Trader Sam's - Orlando

At DL Trader Sam's bar area is 21 ALL the time.

On 2015-01-29 12:35, Thortiki wrote:
At DL Trader Sam's bar area is 21 ALL the time.

I believe he means the actual interior of the bar (where the bar is located) and not the physical bar counter itself. I've heard different things about kids at the bar counter in Florida and that it's actually allowed, but I would bank on "no kids at the bar counter but tables are cool" until 8pm when the inside then becomes 21+

On 2015-01-29 12:57, kkocka wrote:

On 2015-01-29 12:35, Thortiki wrote:
At DL Trader Sam's bar area is 21 ALL the time.

I believe he means the actual interior of the bar (where the bar is located) and not the physical bar counter itself. I've heard different things about kids at the bar counter in Florida and that it's actually allowed, but I would bank on "no kids at the bar counter but tables are cool" until 8pm when the inside then becomes 21+

After 8:00 PM adults only for all of Trader Sam's is the SAME requirement @ Disneyland. Was at DL several time where I saw them enforce NO kids at the bar rule & they were serious about it.

On 2015-01-29 12:35, Thortiki wrote:
At DL Trader Sam's bar area is 21 ALL the time.

My 9 year old and 2 year old have been inside Trader Sam's many times. Only thing they could not do was sit at the bar and they could not go in after 8:00 PM

This will be the same thing at the Grog Grotto

On 2015-01-29 12:35, Thortiki wrote:
At DL Trader Sam's bar area is 21 ALL the time.

Sorry, this is not correct. No kids sitting at the physical bar at any time. Kids can be inside TS, at a table not the bar, until 8 PM.

On 2015-01-30 11:15, Loki-Tiki wrote:

On 2015-01-29 12:35, Thortiki wrote:
At DL Trader Sam's bar area is 21 ALL the time.

Sorry, this is not correct. No kids sitting at the physical bar at any time. Kids can be inside TS, at a table not the bar, until 8 PM.

GEEZ, that's what I meant!

That's what I meant! ...several posts ago :P

The only thing I see at the bar ALL the time is a lot of pink elephants. Parading down the bar, tiki drinks in hand (er, trunk!) Order a zombie and they come right up to you, too!

:drink:
Cheers!

Can't wait, I'll be staying at the Poly for 5 days starting April 16th.

Was just down in the World for a week with the lady friend, and the bungalows at the Poly look so GOOD! (they look even better after you've had a dole whip at Pineapple lanai!) They're giving out postcards at the check-in counter with concept art for Trader Sam's on them. Pretty cool stuff. Can't wait to see it in person!

The Disney Parks Blog gives us a sneak preview of the drink menu at Trader Sam's Grog Grotto ...
http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2015/02/a-taste-of-the-new-drinks-coming-to-trader-sams-grog-grotto/

Looks like there will be at least five new drinks: Castaway Crush, the Polynesian Pearl, the Nautilus, the Dark & Tropical Stormy, and the Tahitian Torch.

Plus at least three drinks coming over from the Trader Sam's menu at Disneyland: Shrunken Zombie Head, Krakatoa Punch, and Uh-Oa!

Wow, we've come a long way since this thread first started, the opening of Sam's is getting closer and I can feel the excitement!

With the craft cocktail movement firmly-established in the US, I'm hoping that the Disney drink consultants (Yes, they do outsource this important task) will take into account that more and more cocktail drinkers are looking for GOOD drinks instead of the typical crappy-spirits-with-syrupy-mixers resort fare.

Start thinking about visiting Sam's when it opens, and also to hit up Aku-Aku in downtown Orlando that same weekend. I am planning to announce a Tiki Central meetup in this thread soon after Sam's opening is confirmed. Get ready to break out your tropical clothing, pith helmet, and other adventure accoutrements for some fun in the bar with fellow TC members!

I don't want to give up my sources, but a prominent purveyor of oceanic artifacts recently told me that my order had been delayed due to (among other reasons) 3 big completed projects for [insert big company name here] in Orlando. They said that it should be open early March. I am hopeful that they were talking about Trader Sam's Grog Grotto because I will be there late March/Early April. Unless someone beats me there, I will provide a trip report with pics when I get back.

On 2015-02-06 06:01, AceExplorer wrote:
With the craft cocktail movement firmly-established in the US, I'm hoping that the Disney drink consultants (Yes, they do outsource this important task) will take into account that more and more cocktail drinkers are looking for GOOD drinks instead of the typical crappy-spirits-with-syrupy-mixers resort fare.

Did you post this same thing on Parks Blog? Frank is that you? :P

As far as the opening date, I would expect early April. The moment the date is announced, consider me booked to visit at opening.

On 2015-02-06 10:12, kkocka wrote:
Did you post this same thing on Parks Blog? Frank is that you? :P

As far as the opening date, I would expect early April. The moment the date is announced, consider me booked to visit at opening.

Yessir, Keith, you got me! :) I wasn't sure they were going to let my comment through since it was a very mild form of criticism intended to come across as a wishful suggestion. I'm glad they posted it. And I also had to resist making some sort of "bring back the Adventurers Club" comment.

As a side note, I have never been a head-over-heels fan of the drinks at the Tambu lounge in the Polynesian, and when I visited Trader Sam's in Anaheim, I also found the drinks somewhat too Disneyfied for my level of tiki cocktail enjoyment. But I always had a great time at both places and certainly enjoyed the great service and the mugs from Sam's. No matter what level of cocktail experience we acquire, it's always a great thing when a place like Sam's introduces so many to the wonderful world of "more than two ingredient" cocktails.

I will try to join you at the opening, however the parks usually do very sneaky soft-openings, so it might not end up being the actual true first opening. It will be difficult to pin down exactly when the place will open. But, just for grins, I'm going to start calling the Poly to see if I can develop a rapport with one of the managers to get some sort of inside track on when THEY are finally told of a soft opening.

If you are looking for a place to get strong drinks, Disney is the wrong location.

A reliable source tells me that the Grog Grotto will use the same tropical drink syrups as Trader Sam's in Disneyland ... the B.G. Reynolds brand. So at the least we'll have our falernum, cinnamon syrup, etc. Now if they would just upgrade their rums at the Disney bars like they seem to have done with other spirits.

Yes Hayward, The Man himself confirmed the syrups. :wink: That's very good news. The rums aren't terrible by any means, in Anaheim. I think the people have done a very good job in selecting decent mixing rums. Just understand its not as easy as saying "we want rum X" because there's a whole giant process at Food & Beverages that determines what can or can't be purchased.

There is a cost/performance profile which these Trader Sam's drink recipes must fit into, and it's very difficult for our preferred rums to make it into a place like a theme park bar. Fortunately, as mentioned earlier, we're seeing some very good falernum and syrups being used, and that's a huge plus. But then again, the alternatives are so weak in comparison, that the beverage consultants/advisors would be hard pressed to pinch EVERY penny without a significant decrease in the desired overall guest experience. There are some thresholds below (and above) which the operators of Trader Sam's are not willing to go. So we end up with a decent balance of ingredients which remains within their desired sweet spot of offerings, and we also get some pretty unique and interesting themed atmosphere. Hardcore tiki drink hounds can drive to Aku Aku across town, or to the Mai Kai further south, if time permits.

On 2015-02-06 20:17, wizzard419 wrote:
If you are looking for a place to get strong drinks, Disney is the wrong location.

Thanks, wiz, I will clarify that I'm not talking about strong drinks but overall quality and flavor at Sam's. They strike an interesting balance. I'll leave it up to each individual whether it's a "good" or "bad" balance. We all have different preferences. But in the end, the Sam's venues are a great place to relax and have a drink. Maybe I'll run into you there sometime. (I will NOT be the guy ordering a Captain & Coke! ha...)

I would like to see this thread expand - later when Sam's Orlando has opened - into what our favorite drinks are, and why we don't like some of the drinks on the menu.

I also would like to know who will be the first to be able to claim having drank through the entire menu. Just remember, when you're not able to drive, make sure you stumble up to the front desk and whip out your credit card and sleep it off in one of their nice bungalows. You'll get extra points in my book for doing that!

On 2015-01-30 17:15, finky099 wrote:
The only thing I see at the bar ALL the time is a lot of pink elephants. Parading down the bar, tiki drinks in hand (er, trunk!) Order a zombie and they come right up to you, too!

:drink:
Cheers!

I had too many one time and everyone's head looked like a zombie mug. I tried to put my straw in one of the heads and got kicked out.

On 2015-02-06 07:48, Tiki Mocamele wrote:
I don't want to give up my sources, but a prominent purveyor of oceanic artifacts recently told me that my order had been delayed due to (among other reasons) 3 big completed projects for [insert big company name here] in Orlando. They said that it should be open early March. I am hopeful that they were talking about Trader Sam's Grog Grotto because I will be there late March/Early April. Unless someone beats me there, I will provide a trip report with pics when I get back.

If you are referring to Oceanic Arts, yes Bob said last year they had made many things for Grog Grotto but they completed that work last year and it already shipped from Disney out in California a while ago. Disney has quite a collection of things going into Grog Grotto.

On 2015-02-09 08:04, AceExplorer wrote:
I also would like to know who will be the first to be able to claim having drank through the entire menu.

Hello. I will be visiting upon opening to do just, that as well as grab the playlist.

On 2015-02-09 10:56, kkocka wrote:
Hello. I will be visiting upon opening to do just, that as well as grab the playlist.

Excellent! The liver must be punished! heh...

I'm excited to see if there's going to be more interactive things like they have over in Anaheim, and what their playlist will be filled with! Ooooh I'm so excited I could pee!

On 2015-02-09 14:41, PockyTiki wrote:
I'm excited to see if there's going to be more interactive things like they have over in Anaheim, and what their playlist will be filled with! Ooooh I'm so excited I could pee!

So... Is "playlist" new slang for a bar's drink menu? That's twice you guys have snuck that word into this thread, I figure it's fair game now to ask, heh!

On 2015-02-09 16:09, AceExplorer wrote:

On 2015-02-09 14:41, PockyTiki wrote:
I'm excited to see if there's going to be more interactive things like they have over in Anaheim, and what their playlist will be filled with! Ooooh I'm so excited I could pee!

So... Is "playlist" new slang for a bar's drink menu? That's twice you guys have snuck that word into this thread, I figure it's fair game now to ask, heh!

I was actually talking about the music playlist....but that's a great name for a drink menu! A little punk...a little hard rock?

No, kkocka is talking about the actual songs played in the joint.

On 2015-02-09 10:56, kkocka wrote:
Hello. I will be visiting upon opening to do just, that as well as grab the playlist.

Keith, for real? Please do document EVERYTHING when you do.

On 2015-02-09 18:35, finky099 wrote:
Keith, for real? Please do document EVERYTHING when you do.

For realsies! I got the solo travel blessing from the wife. :D I will document the hell out of as much stuff as humanly possible with my doesn't-do-it-justice Nexus 5.

On 2015-02-09 14:41, PockyTiki wrote:
I'm excited to see if there's going to be more interactive things like they have over in Anaheim, and what their playlist will be filled with! Ooooh I'm so excited I could pee!

Based on what has been released from concept art, and lots of discussion, I would assume something to this effect:

-The Uh Oa (the Goddess of Disaster) on the wall will come to life upon ordering the drink of the same name.
-Some sort of pearl/clamshell animation, as there is a pearl-based drink name as well as pearl mugs, and a giant clamshell.
-Some sort of reaction to ordering a Nautilus, a group drink served in a replica of The Nautilus from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Holy crap I can't wait! I will be there in a couple of weeks but again in November. Hoping by the fall it will be open!

ohh you're right. The Uh-Oa concept art totally makes sense now.

I don't have any complaints regarding the drinks at Trader Sam's.. They look and taste great.. They have a drink off the menu that's very good and what I seem to order at every visit.. Can't remember the exact name but ask for the King something, something and they'll know exactly what you're talking about.. That's what I always say to the bartender and they laugh and mix it up.. It contains some pineapple juice and comes in a tall glass and gives me a slight buzz.. The playlist is always cool.. Just wish they'd turn it up a bit more.. Great Tiki bar!.. Very much looking forward to all the pics and reviews from Orlando!

[ Edited by: cvcgolf 2015-03-02 17:37 ]

On 2015-03-02 17:35, cvcgolf wrote:
They have a drink off the menu that's very good and what I seem to order at every visit.. Can't remember the exact name but ask for the King something, something and they'll know exactly what you're talking about...

Nooooooooo! That's Mike's "King Kamehameha Mai Tai" which just has pineapple juice and Sailor Jerry's (maybe amaretto too) and is an otherwise butchered mai tai. It's somewhat of an inside joke to order it, though if you enjoy it I won't bash you for it - to each their own. Mike's a good guy but not quite so humble when somebody orders his drink and LOVES to push it as though it's the greatest thing anybody's ever made or that it's the world's highest demanded drink.

Back to Grog Grotto news, Tikiman has reported that Trader Sam's expects to open March 26th. Now that's no guarantee but I believe he feels pretty safe on that date, so I think I'm going to book all my reservations etc for March 31 - April 2.

I am surprised you wouldn't wait until you know it is open just to make sure it is actually there and they have the bugs worked out.

Keith, whenever you end up booking it for, it will undoubtedly be a fantastic time.
...and we'll all wait with baited breath for your photos and commentary. :wink:

Cheers!
:drink:

I think this is when GROG steps in and says: the phrase is with "Bated" breath. A common mistake.

On 2015-03-03 12:34, wizzard419 wrote:
I am surprised you wouldn't wait until you know it is open just to make sure it is actually there and they have the bugs worked out.

Flight costs are a bitch last minute, not to mention flight availability.

Well, I meant visit after the summer rush. It isn't like they are going to be gone in 5 weeks after opening. That is unless they get caught serving minors.

I have baby #2 coming so time is limited. Anyway I'll update everybody once I hear of the official opening date and all the pic spam to follow.

On 2015-03-04 19:38, wizzard419 wrote:
Well, I meant visit after the summer rush. It isn't like they are going to be gone in 5 weeks after opening. That is unless they get caught serving minors.

Then they will turn it into the new kids club since they will be removing the building that the current kids club is in now for future construction.

Can anyone confirm the March 26th date?

I spoke to Tikiman and he feels his sources are very reliable. Of course, it's possible there could be a snag that delays things a day or two. But I think you can definitely count on April 1. That's when they have the grand opening ceremony for the DVC units, and they're pushing to have everything possible done and open by then. I'm working on a full report and will post a link soon.

The only problem with traveling to WDW during that time is it's peak spring break and Easter season. Expect high crowds and hotel costs.

Here's my full report, along with lots of photos of the new lobby and Trader Sam's construction ...

Disney World rushes to finish Polynesian Village Resort renovations, Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto

Though an official announcement has not yet been made, fans of Disney World’s Polynesian Village Resort are salivating at the prospects of the long-awaited Tiki bar Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto opening as early as the end of March.

http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2015/03/09/disney-world-rushes-to-finish-polynesian-village-resort-renovations-trader-sams-grog-grotto/

Thanks, HH!

On 2015-03-04 16:14, MaukaHale wrote:
I think this is when GROG steps in and says: the phrase is with "Bated" breath. A common mistake.

Mauk, Grog probably hasn’t heard about the cat that ate cheese and waited by the mouse hole with baited breath.
: )

I've been told there's a cast member preview set for the 23rd of March...I'd say that supports Tikiman's theory of it being open on the 26th; certainly by April 1.

Tikiman is getting reports that the pool won't be done until mid-April. Not sure what that means for the patio area. But perhaps they'll just open Trader Sam's inside first. They'll need something to schmooze the DVC folks on April 1.