And so, a head s up : for at least the first months of operation, we can all expect longs lines to b

Many thanks to Lori Hope Fries, DFB Reader and co-founder of  TheMainStreetMoms.com , for sending discount one way car rentals in some awesome pics for us to share with you, along with her review! We re also suuuuuper grateful to our friend David Shearer for sharing his incredible photos as well! We ll be using the collection of both of their pictures along with a few of ours to tell the story of the very first days of Trader Sam s Grog Grotto.
But before we go in… what is a “soft opening,” exactly ? Basically, a soft open means that guests may find Trader Sam’s in operation during a visit to the Polynesian from now until it’s official opening (expected for late April ), BUT it can be closed at any given time to continue any necessary discount one way car rentals work. So, fair warning.
Take, for instance, this anecdote from our good friend, Mealtrip:  The system is, you get a pager, then they call you in. So there was a 3 hour wait to get a pager and then another 3 hour wait once you had the pager. There is no pager waiting line , and you can t just wait in the hallway for a pager.
And so, a head s up : for at least the first months of operation, we can all expect longs lines to be rule, not the exception. Anyone who s had experience with Trader Sam s in Disneyland will be fully aware of this gigantic problem.  Okay, with that out of the way, NOW let s step inside and see what treasures await!
We have been on watch for months, waiting for Trader Sam to land at the Polynesian Village Resort. Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Room , at the Disneyland Resort, is a favorite stop when we go, and have been there many times. My middle son, Dennis, is an avid tiki mug collector, so we watched as the lobby walls came down around the fountain and a cast member showed us the door leading to Trader Sam’s new location. We watched and waited.
When you go on the Jungle Cruise in each Adventureland, Trader Sam, the head salesman of the jungle, will greet you. From coast to coast, these two men share a name and a job (and some jokes), but each coast has their own Sam. We were excited to see how the tiki bars of the same name differed.
We were in the Magic Kingdom when we learned that Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto was holding a soft opening. We hopped on a monorail and headed for the Polynesian Village Resort. The wait time was up to four hours to get in! Luckily, we got a pager from a friend who couldn t stay, and combined the wait.
He also ordered the HippopotaMai-Tai , a fruity rum drink served in a tiki glass that resembles the new statue in the lobby. For around $15, he got the delicious drink and was able to keep the glass as a souvenir, too.
I got one of Sam’s No-Booze Brews , the Polynesian Punch , served in a plastic souvenir sipper. You cannot order a non-alcoholic substitute if you want a specific souvenir mug; they do not want to confuse serving alcoholic drinks to minors.
It is themed similarly to the Enchanted Tiki Bar at the Disneyland Hotel, with tiki statues, shrunken heads, and a volcanic view out the “windows”; but this one has a nautical twist. ( Editor s Note: This Trader Sam s has themeing elements dedicated to the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ride once found in Magic Kingdom.)
discount one way car rentals Bar patrons join the cast members in celebration discount one way car rentals of tiki gods and tiki drinks. Disneyland guests will recognize familiar chants, “Uh-oh-ah! Uh-oh-ah! Uh-oh-ah Oh-ah Oh-ah!”  Check out this video from  Mousesteps.com  to see what happens when you order it!
The cast members don’t just make the Grotto fun; they ensure your service is of the same high standards across Walt Disney World. I have food allergies so our server called the chef out to discuss my options. He also told me his favorites.
We ordered the Chicken Lettuce Cups with Hoisin Ginger Sauce and the Roasted Chicken and Pork Paté Bán Mì Sliders . We liked them both. You assemble the wraps yourself with pickled slaw and diced chicken in a thick sauce.
( Editor s Note: When the Pearl is ordered, the shell behind the bar lights up and opens as the Bartenders discount one way car rentals grab the vessel. FYI One out of every 100 comes out black! Check out this video from laughingplace.com to see what happens when you order it!
We d also love to share a few more of the fantastic pictures from David Shearer. He and his wife, Stephanie, enjoyed the Tahitian Torch (ByeJoe Dragon Fruit Spirit, Tropical Juices, Passion Fruit and fresh lime juice) and they also tried the Kalua Pork Tacos .
Our Facebook friend Casey N. kindly shared few prices with us (notice they re not on the menu ;). The Spikey Pineapple (a Dole Whip with rum) is $10.25. The non-alcoholic Polynesian Punch in a souvenir cup is $9.49. The Polynesian Pearl (pictured in white from Lori above) runs around $16. The Shrunken Zombie Head , which comes in its own very special souvenir glass, discount one way car rentals rings up at just over $20.
And, hey, let s take one more look at that Nautilus while we re at it! At the time of this writing, it is currently NOT available discount one way car rentals to take home, but it will be once the official opening takes place in late April.
Once it is available, this completely awesome tribute to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea can be yours for the low, low price of 52 smackers discount one way car rentals ! (Yep, you read that right!). It s filled with Barbancourt Pango Rhum, Appleton Estate Reserve Rum, Combier discount one way car rentals Creme de Peche de Vigne Liqueur, tropical juices, and Falernum , and made to serve two. For the time being, you are able to order the drink and enjoy it in a Nautilus, only without taking it home.
And there you have it, folks! The first days at the Grotto are in the books, and just like Trader Sam s Enchanted Tiki Bar on the west coast, discount one way car rentals it appears we have another huge hit on our hands! We can t wait to bring you more fun from Trader Sam s Grog Grotto in days to come!
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discount one way car rentals Hopefully, I ll get inside in April, provided the lines are short enough. discount one way car rentals (I m not waiting hours to get in; I don t care how cool it is.) I really like what I ve seen, although that souvenir cup for the non-alcoholic drink can be had at Sunshine Tree Terrace for less money.
I have never been to the Polynesian but now I definitely have to go. I love all the souvenir glasses. Were you able to keep the rum flight glasses? How much are those going for? I wanted the Nautilus when I first saw it but $52!!! I don t want it that bad.
Kim, I too have a juice issue. I am on prescription medication. Most people do not know that you cannot consume grapefruit in any form when you take prescription medications. Everything you see that says tropical juices can be one of two types of juices. The bartender Cris was very helpful to me yesterday and even spoke with the Chef before serving me. The Chef and bartender said most of their blends are grogg juice which is guava, orange, and grapefruit juice. You can ask for the pog blend which they said was passion fruit, orange, and guava. Just make sure you discuss your allergies when you arrive. They will help you out!
I ve been wondering if the Tambu Lounge will remain open after this one officially opens? I am hoping it will b/c this one seems really fun but I will miss Backscratchers Lapu Lapus to go while roaming around the Poly grounds!
Don t think Tambu lounge is going anywhere from what I ve heard. It services all those waiting for Kona Cafe Ohana, which remain very popular, so I imagine the demand won t be going anywhere for Tambu! You can order the drinks without purchasing the souvenir mugs. They re served in those mugs, but if you purchase the mug as well, you get a clean one when you leave!
Can t wait to drop in! We love Trader Sam s at Disneyland in CA, and are so happy that we ll have our own right across the street. I think it s so neat that there are unique effects drink items here in FL too makes it special! =) =)
@Nicky and anybody else who wants a vegetarian option I spoke with a Disney Special Diets rep and they did confirm that there is NOT a veggie option at Trader Sam s here in FL yet. They went on to say that if enough interest is shown, they may add one later in time for the grand opening (as opposed to the current soft opening).
Please any veggies out there if you email specialdiets@disneyworld.com and let them know you are missing a meatless option at Trader Sam s here in Florida that would help a lot! I think it s important to have at least one food item (like the deep fried green beans at Traders discount one way car rentals Sam s in CA, or the off-menu Coconut Crusted Tofu salad, or the off-menu margherita flatbread they also offer there, but not here in FL,) and it s usually Disney s policy to have at least one.
If anything I know personally I can t have more than one or two large tropical alcohol-based drinks unless there s at least a little food in my belly to soak things up a bit Since they ve removed the Adult Grilled Cheese sandwich at Captain Cook s too (argh!!) that has ruined my backup plan, hehe.
We went expressly for the souvenir Nautilus on day 2. We were not aware that the Nautilus was not available for a souvenir and our waitress did not mention this. If we had been aware we would not have ordered the drink, as it is $29 just for the alcohol and $52 with the souvenir Nautilus. Plan on arriving at least 45 minutes before opening.
Gosh, it s so small. Talk about leaving money on the table. I suppose they think demand will die down but I doubt it. Maybe the step prices will keep people away, however I m not a drinker and even I would go to pick up some of the souvenirs.
Oh gosh, there are so many drinks I want to try and so many souvenir mugs/glasses I want to get that my liver has just left my body! Seriously this place looks and sounds amazing and is something we don t have in the UK. I can see this being very popular for ov