The last time I was at Disney World, they were just starting to build Epcot…
That’s me on the far right. I’m sitting with my sister Holly, my cousin Billy, and my Uncle Bob. The year was 1980 and I was nine years old. I remember that we drove down from Pennsylvania and it took us two days and nights of driving. The question I’m sure your asking is “Why didn’t you just fly down?” Well, air travel back then wasn’t cheap and when you started adding up a plane ticket for one kid, then another, one parent, and so on, it could get really expensive!
For most people that grew up in So-Cal, Disneyland was a big part of their childhood and for many, their gateway into Tiki. I grew up in the Tri-State area, which meant if you wanted to get to Walt Disney World, you were going to have to fly. Only the rich and well-off were able to fly down to Florida, while the rest of us drove to the shore. Sadly, I didn’t have a strong connection to Disney as some of my West Coast friends did growing up. Now I’m older and I have money to burn, so I’m flying to Walt Disney World. I’m not going so I can ride Space Mountain, but so I can drink Tiki drinks at Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto!
There are several resorts to stay at in Walt Disney World. Take your pick: the Grand Floridian, the Contemporary, and the Polynesian Village Resort. The Polynesian is the only one I care about, because Trader Sam’s is there! Fun fact: the Polynesian has been around since the beginning of Walt Disney World. It was built at the same time as the Magic Kingdom in 1971. That’s the same year I was born!
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is located at the south end of the Seven Seas Lagoon below the Magic Kingdom…
The resort has a South Seas theme and it truly feels like you are on a tropical island…
If you want to head on up to the Magic Kingdom, you’re a quick monorail ride away!
You enter Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort through the Great Ceremonial House…
The main lobby is huge!
This is a view from the second floor looking down…
Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto is in the Great Ceremonial House. Just start walking north and veer to the left. As you start walking down the hall, you’ll start hearing voices yelling “Two Shots Of Rum!” When you do, you’re at the right place. Let the fun begin!
Greeting me at the desk was this fine crew…
They were cool and friendly and had more one-liners than Rodney Dangerfield!
There is constant activity at Trader Sam’s. For each drink, there is something that happens whenever someone orders it. For example, something is yelled out like “Two shots of rum!” or “It’s a pearl!”
Some drinks will cause things to start talking, like these shrunken heads…
Or this guy will be awakened…
All the lights in the bar will go dark and change color. This volcano will go from being peaceful…
To turning red and erupting!
It was busy when I was there, so things were happening constantly. This is the closest thing to an amusement ride you could enjoy without being in the Magic Kingdom!
Time to order a drink. I didn’t order a Mai Tai. I got a HippopotoMai-Tai! For a couple extra bucks, I got to keep the mug.
This is Nick and he took care of my drink needs at Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto…
Here’s another fun fact about Disney: all the people who work at Disney are called “Cast Members.” This makes sense. Everyone at Trader Sam’s wasn’t just bartending or severing drinks. They were putting on a performance. I really got the impression that all the Cast Members were having fun while they were doing their thing. In fact, the more I think about it, the Cast Members were more important to my Tiki experience at Trader Sam’s than the special effects!
I only had one drink at Trader Sam’s and it was time for me to take off. I had a date with an old friend…
That’s right: with a serving of Dole Whip. It took me 36 years, but I finally made it back to Disney World!
Here is the Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto website.
And Facebook page.