Trader Sam's, Cali Grill, and fireworks

[singingpixie]

I'm taking a quick solo trip to see a Spring Training game- 2 park days on an old non-expiring park hopper, and one day out of the parks for the game. I should be done with baseball stuff around 4, and figured that would be a good night to spend on the monorail loop since I will be spending a morning in the MK but won't have a chance to be inside the park for evening entertainment.

I know I want to watch the fireworks (at 8PM) from somewhere that I can hear the soundtrack well (that really makes a Disney fireworks show for me). I know I'll miss the projections, which is too bad, but better than not seeing the show at all. I also know I want to check out Trader Sam's Grog Grotto after loving the Enchanted Tiki Bar at Disneyland. I've watched fireworks from the Poly beach (ok, but hard to hear) and California Grill (amazing) before and imagine both are my best options this time. I'd prefer to watch from CG I think, but don't want the formality or expense of a whole meal there, so the lounge is my best bet.

If I go the CG Lounge route, I could get there at opening and be most likely to get a seat, but I think that's a long time to camp out at a table (after only ordering 1-2 drinks and some sushi). I know I could save my receipt and come back, but I don't know if there would be time to get there when they open at 5, eat, go to Trader Sam's and actually enjoy that experience, and then get back in time for fireworks. Plus, I imagine Trader Sam's is more fun later in the evening.

In my ideal world, I'd probably get to CG at 6 or a little bit after, and then done in time for fireworks and go to Trader Sam's afterward. But is the risk huge that I wouldn't be seated in the lounge that late?

 

[gwb]

was at trder's sams last week won't return price of drinks are outrageous even for disney . expect to pay $50-60 for 1 round of drinks. They don't tell you that when your order the specialty drinks the cost so called entertainment on walls is so so at best. Far better entertainment at Piano Bob's

 

[Keels]

So, on 8 p.m. fireworks nights, I usually get there by 7 to get a seat at the bar - I've noticed that the dining room starts slowing down after people start being seated at 6-6:30, mostly trying to drag out their meals through fireworks at 8 or so. Because of that, the lounge and the bar itself will be pretty full with people waiting out their reservations for tables to become available.

That said, as a solo person I've never been denied admission to the lounge - even if the bar/lounge area has been full, I'll order a glass of wine and then go out and watch fireworks. Then, I'll come back in to an empty bar and have a seat to order sushi.

If you're going during Spring Training, you should have no problem showing up about an hour before fireworks to get a seat at the bar.

 

[singingpixie]

was at trder's sams last week won't return price of drinks are outrageous even for disney . expect to pay $50-60 for 1 round of drinks. They don't tell you that when your order the specialty drinks the cost so called entertainment on walls is so so at best. Far better entertainment at Piano Bob's

Thanks, but I know what I'm expecting there I imagine, having been to the Disneyland equivalent. I don't plan to do any of the "souvenir" glasses, so while I know I'll pay a bit of a premium for the location over the normally-inflated price of Disney drinks, it's not going to be $50 for one. And honestly, the chance to check out Grog Grotto was one of the things that cemented the decision to make this trip, as weird as that is!

So, on 8 p.m. fireworks nights, I usually get there by 7 to get a seat at the bar - I've noticed that the dining room starts slowing down after people start being seated at 6-6:30, mostly trying to drag out their meals through fireworks at 8 or so. Because of that, the lounge and the bar itself will be pretty full with people waiting out their reservations for tables to become available.

That said, as a solo person I've never been denied admission to the lounge - even if the bar/lounge area has been full, I'll order a glass of wine and then go out and watch fireworks. Then, I'll come back in to an empty bar and have a seat to order sushi.

If you're going during Spring Training, you should have no problem showing up about an hour before fireworks to get a seat at the bar.

Thanks, that's perfect! I think I'll ideally want to be finishing dinner by fireworks time so I can move on to Trader Sam's afterward without making my night super late (planning to be at the MK at rope drop the next morning), but it's good to know that even if things are unusually busy, the affect should just be a later night, not a complete unraveling of plans . I think I'll shoot arrive at the Contemporary around 6 after parking at the Poly (so I can make an easy exit at the end of the night). Should give me plenty of time to get up to the lounge, have a relaxed sushi dinner, pay, walk out to the deck for the show, and then move on. Heck, if I am running early after baseball stuff, I could potentially even stop off at the GF before dinner and make it a true monorail bar-hop experience.

 

[Moliphino]

was at trder's sams last week won't return price of drinks are outrageous even for disney . expect to pay $50-60 for 1 round of drinks. They don't tell you that when your order the specialty drinks the cost so called entertainment on walls is so so at best. Far better entertainment at Piano Bob's

The drink prices are no different than any other decent bar on property (Nomad Lounge, La Cava, Hangar Bar, etc) unless you're buying the mugs. The Uh-Oa and Nautilus are two person drinks, so about double the price of a regular drink.

 

[gharter]

Trader Sams is a lot of fun. Its not cheap, but also didn't seem to be any more expensive than any other lounge at WDW. The bartenders were a lot of fun and the specialty drinks were really good.
If you plan to be there at opening, be sure to be there at least 30 minutes before opening. Not sure how busy it is later in the night.
I liked seeing Wishes from CG. The new show has so much projection on the castle that you can't see unless you are on Mainstreet.