Trader Sam's discussion

Coaster3001

Active Member
Original Poster
With all the news about the fountain at the Poly Trader Sam's seems to have gotten lost in the shuffle. Any idea what the time table is on this opening and where exactly at the resort will this be?
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
Latest word from Tikiman that I saw was (1) by February, and (2) where the arcade is/was.

February '15? As in 9 months from now? Is that enough space and time to recreate a Trader Sam's like Disneyland's?
disneyland-hotel-trader-sams-enchanted-tiki-bar-968x450-02.jpg


I've never stayed at the Poly, only walked through or dined there a few times. Does the video arcade have a lanai area to use for Trader Sam's? Or will it all be indoors? At the Disneyland Hotel roughly two-thirds of the seating area for Traders Sam's is found outside on the lanai, and that's where the Hawaiian combo and hula dancer perform in the evening hours, lit by flickering tiki torches and caressed by soft evening sea breezes. (Okay, that was a bit much, but you get the idea) The lanai is an integral part of the Trader Sam's experience!
5978754020_75d871274a.jpg


Where exactly in the Poly is the arcade, and is there space to create a proper indoor/outdoor facility there?
 

71jason

Well-Known Member
I was surprised by that aggressive a time table from WDW as well, but yes, 9 months from now. Whether it will match the level of detail in DLR's in the million-dollar-question. You can see the ship gag and the masks in the concept art, which gives me hope.

The arcade is somewhat behind Capt. Cooks. Now that you mention it, I don't know that I've heard one way or the other, but I kind of assumed there will be an outdoor component, by the marina.
 

tikiman

Well-Known Member
The whole resort was built in 6 months. Sometimes I am more surprised how long it takes for them to do things but I know it has a lot to do with coordinating all the different contractors.

The last plan I heard was they wanted to open in February 2015. The Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto will be larger inside than the one in DL and the patio will be much bigger. I have some more details I will be sharing soon but for now I was asked to keep them to myself. I’m excited about what I heard and I think it will be even better and slightly different than the one in DL. It will for sure be able to handle more guests. I think the outdoor patio will have more of the feel that the old Captain Cook’s Hideaway patio had and with the reduction of the volcano, it will have a nice view towards the lagoon.
 

tikiman

Well-Known Member
I was surprised by that aggressive a time table from WDW as well, but yes, 9 months from now. Whether it will match the level of detail in DLR's in the million-dollar-question. You can see the ship gag and the masks in the concept art, which gives me hope.

The arcade is somewhat behind Capt. Cooks. Now that you mention it, I don't know that I've heard one way or the other, but I kind of assumed there will be an outdoor component, by the marina.

It is going in where the arcade was. It is hard to tell how large that area actually is but Jeff Lange posted a video of the lobby back in 1991 and you can see how large that area is when the video walks through the stores that were there before the arcade. I’m sure some of that area will be access to just the staff but it should be a good size bar inside. The outdoor patio will be much larger and it will go toward the new pool deck area. They are even moving the Marina Rental Building that is there right now.
 

Communicore

Well-Known Member
I hope it's as accessible to anyone just like Disneyland's, I guess people will be unable to park at Poly just to say they are going to Trader Sam's, not like say Boardwalk where you can always say you're eating at ESPN but actually going to Epcot theme park.
 

Bocabear

Well-Known Member
Trader Sam's works so well because of the involvement of the very skilled bartenders...also the quality of the drinks makes it a great experience... I get concerned when I see concept art of kids sitting at the bar...I am afraid that they will make it so family friendly it will cease to be a cool place to go get a cocktail....and in WDW , the bars along the Monorail line are all not too interesting... Outer Rim is less a lounge and more a wide spot in the road, Mizner's Lounge is a bit too small and bland... Tambu Lounge is always packed with people waiting for O'Hana and lacks any real charm except for the Lobby...So I was hoping Trader Sam's Grog Grotto would finally bring the Craft Cocktail to WDW....
 

71jason

Well-Known Member
I hope it's as accessible to anyone just like Disneyland's, I guess people will be unable to park at Poly just to say they are going to Trader Sam's, not like say Boardwalk where you can always say you're eating at ESPN but actually going to Epcot theme park.

My suspicion is parking at the Poly without a hotel reservation or an ADR is done. But it's still a 5 minute walk from the TTC.
 

71jason

Well-Known Member
I get concerned when I see concept art of kids sitting at the bar...I am afraid that they will make it so family friendly it will cease to be a cool place to go get a cocktail....

I studied that picture like the Torah and I'm convinced the "kid" is really supposed to be a woman with short hair. Hard to tell with cartoony graphics vs. angular people, but there's WDW policy and Florida law against kids sitting at a bar.

That said, no guarantee we'll get craft cocktails in Orlando, and I agree that is a huge aspect of the experience.

Mizner's Lounge is a bit too small and bland.

Well now we're just going to have to fight ...

(With you on Tambu and Outer Rim, tho--you should try Wave. Mediocre restaurant, great bar.)
 

tikiman

Well-Known Member
Trader Sam's works so well because of the involvement of the very skilled bartenders...also the quality of the drinks makes it a great experience... I get concerned when I see concept art of kids sitting at the bar...I am afraid that they will make it so family friendly it will cease to be a cool place to go get a cocktail....and in WDW , the bars along the Monorail line are all not too interesting... Outer Rim is less a lounge and more a wide spot in the road, Mizner's Lounge is a bit too small and bland... Tambu Lounge is always packed with people waiting for O'Hana and lacks any real charm except for the Lobby...So I was hoping Trader Sam's Grog Grotto would finally bring the Craft Cocktail to WDW....

I don’t think Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto will be any more or less family friendly than the one in DL. I don’t know that the concept art was supposed to represent a kid. Tambu will be the support bar for ‘Ohana and Kona as it really should be. When you hear what they are going to do with Trader Sam’s I think you will be happy but keep in mind, Disney’s objective is not to please the Tiki bar aficionados, it is to make the guests of the resort happy. If that means allowing kids to be in the bar area or hang out on the patio than I think that is how it should be. People have kids with them and can’t just go lock them in the room. My kids ended every night at Disneyland lounging on the patio and enjoying the music with us at Trader Sam’s. It was our favorite way to finish the day.
 

PolynesianPrincess

Well-Known Member
I am looking forward to this greatly! I went to the Trader Sam's at Disneyland earlier this month and I loved the relaxing atmosphere. The patio area was super nice! To just be able to sit and enjoy the drinks and time with friends was great!

Correct me if I'm wrong but WDW doesn't have many bars with patios do they? I mean, I know you can take your drink from Tambu out into the seating area outside or onto the beach, but it doesn't seem like any of the resorts have a Trader Sam's like seating plan (a dedicated patio for the bar) so that will be something new!
 

Bocabear

Well-Known Member
All the resorts have pool bars, but I don't think any have an actual patio for seating...so that will be great, and the Patio at Trader Sam's is a great space...Love that... I wish they would bring a little more of the indoor Whimsy into the outdoor patio though...Although it did have lovely torches, it could have used a lot more decor to make it a more engaging atmosphere....especially since the indoor bar area is so small... I am hoping they do a little more with the Grog Grotto patio...
 

Bocabear

Well-Known Member
and Mizner's Lounge... Well...when the band is not playing, it just isn't that interesting an environment...sort of "any hotel cocktail lounge" USA...and Addison Mizner whom the lounge was named for was an extremely colorful character... He was an architect and designer and had a very unique style... I would think that naming the Lounge after him, they would have infused the interior with a little of his signature style... Which would have made it a really beautiful environment to hang out in before or after dinner.
 

kkocka

Active Member
I think we maybe jumped to conclusions about Grog Grotto and children. From what I understand it should be no different than Trader Sam's at the Disneyland Hotel - open until 2 nightly, likely with no children at the bar.

@Bocabear makes some good points of concern regarding the bartenders - they can indeed really aid the experience both in the atmosphere and the quality of drink you're enjoying. There's a chance that some of the leads in California will swing by Florida to help train the bartenders there. I also believe that Disney does understand what makes Sam's successful and that the bartenders will have to take a step up from pouring sweet & sour and Rose's lime cordial and be trained accordingly. Don't worry!

What I don't like, from what we've seen, is that Grog Grotto is going to be more nautical-themed. After all, the original is Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar - so you know you're going to a tiki bar. There are tiki bars all around the world. Where in the world is there a grog grotto? When I hear that, I don't automatically get the tiki connection at all, but a waterfront or damp location. Heck, I think of Ariel's Grotto. :p In this sense I wish that the Poly was getting a carbon copy of California.
 

The Visionary Soul

Well-Known Member
Also, WDW allows children to sit at bars. This has been the policy for ages, as long as I can remember. I remember kids loving to ride the bar stools at the Adventurer's Club.
 

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