Seeking advice for our upcoming Disneyland trip?

My wife and I have been wanting to go to Disneyland for a while. We've been twice before and have had the itch to go back recently. We have tried to plan, but due to managerial bumbling at work and some health issues, we only found out on Tuesday that we are clear to go on the weekend we wanted, October 13-18. We have a hotel room near the park booked, tickets purchased, and found reasonable flights, but now comes the hard part...all the other incidentals. We of course will end multiple nights at Trader Sam's. That is already part of the plan, but this will be our first time in Anaheim/LA with a rental car which gives us the freedom to check out a couple other places. Therefore, I want to go to Don The Beachcomber for dinner one night and a quick trip to see Oceanic Arts on one of the days (as well as hit a couple Disney collectibles stores that our fellow Disnerds have informed us about).

Here is where I plead to the Tiki masters for advice! Is this the best plan? Is there somewhere else we should check out instead? Mind you, we don't want to venture too far from Anaheim due to time constraints. Also I don't see any tiki events that weekend (and pissed we miss the Tiki Marketplace by only a couple days), but am I missing anything? If we do go, which night would be the best to go to Don?

Thanks in advance!

Be sure to hit up The Purple Orchid in El Segundo, nice place with custom mugs, minutes from LAX.

Don's usually has a band in the Dagger Bar Fri. & Sat. nights starting at 9pm
and a good crowd, don't go late afternoon on the weekends or you will have to deal with karaoke.

http://www.donthebeachcomber.com

Second Thursday of every month is Tiki night at the Exhibition room in Long Beach as well. The bar itself is more of a speakeasy vibe (you enter through a phone booth), but their bartenders are amazing. It's become my go to spot for craft cocktails.

http://www.theexhibitionroom.com/

Hero, You might like Billys at the Beach (Newport Beach). Only bout 20 miles ,1/2 hour away. Caution-don’t try to go during the commute hours. Billys has some nice tiki touches, the chow is good if somewhat pricey and most of the drinks are ono. I would ask for a Billys Mule (rum. lime juice, ginger beer and ???) instead of the Mai Tai most of the bartenders seem to push.Parking is Valet only. Bonus: Hi-Times Wine Cellars is only minutes away on your way back. Btw, Billys happy hour is killa but so is coming in from anaheim at that hour.
Have fun!
edit to add: Since you’re here on a weekend the drive to Bills is a easy-peasy

[ Edited by: nui 'umi 'umi 2015-09-19 17:25 ]

Thank you guys for the ideas. It seems that we will probably be sticking to the original plan that I had due to the time constraints, but we might try to hit the Purple Orchid as well if possible. We are thinking we will go to Don on Friday night. I really cannot wait!

If you are a cocktail fan, you may want to consider giving one of your multiple nights at Trader Sam's a miss for Tiki-Ti. The Tiki-Ti is about a 5 minute walk to Wacko, giving the whole excursion a little more bang for the buck (as if Tiki-Ti needed more). Tiki-Ti just took the number 4 spot on Critiki's list of the Best Tiki Bars; I think Trader Sam's is number 10, so in one weekend you could drink at two of the top 10 - you lucky kids.

On 2015-09-25 12:15, Captainwhoopass wrote:
If you are a cocktail fan, you may want to consider giving one of your multiple nights at Trader Sam's a miss for Tiki-Ti. The Tiki-Ti is about a 5 minute walk to Wacko, giving the whole excursion a little more bang for the buck (as if Tiki-Ti needed more). Tiki-Ti just took the number 4 spot on Critiki's list of the Best Tiki Bars; I think Trader Sam's is number 10, so in one weekend you could drink at two of the top 10 - you lucky kids.

Could not agree more with that suggestion, Tiki-Ti should not be missed. You mentioned wanting to hit Oceanic Arts, I recommend you depart Disneyland area around 1:00, it's a 20 minute drive to OA. Give a solid hour for OA, to look around, and talk to Leroy and Robert if they're there. Leave OA 2:30(ish) and head to Wacko/Soap Plant. This will be about 30 mins, and should be a good drive traffic-wise. Park near Tiki-Ti, and walk to Wacko. Browse there until 3:45, walk over to Tiki-Ti which opens at 4. Enjoy a drink (or two, or three), and have dinner nearby. Driving back to Disneyland area around 8, traffic should be light again.

Tiki Ti would be #1 on my list. Have fun!

You mention ending nights in Trader Sam's... I would highly suggest, if you are there during the week (M-F), that you go in during the day. Kelly is the bartender you want and that's when he's in. Yeah you can order from the "secret" menu anytime, but might as well get the goods from the source. Plus, I usually just ask him to make me something new that he's been working on, and I keep coming back. Otherwise it's hit and miss, they literally have a bartender who works there sometimes who doesn't drink alcohol... you can imagine how well that round went. Cheers and have a great one!

On 2015-10-10 01:29, Tiki Dub wrote:
...if you are there during the week (M-F), that you go in during the day. Kelly is the bartender you want and that's when he's in...Otherwise it's hit and miss, they literally have a bartender who works there sometimes who doesn't drink alcohol... you can imagine how well that round went. Cheers and have a great one!

Yes, Kelly is one of the absolute bests and I always pretty much ask him for the same thing when I see him there (make whatever he feels like with X,Y, and/or Z), but I must take exception with the insinuation that a non-drinking bartender can't mix. Ron Watts was a fantastic skipper and he did not drink. Still miss him there.

If Kelly's not working, you'll be in good hands with Christian, Rhonda, or Bernardo.
Cheers!
:drink: