Trader Sam's - First Time

[nkereina]

I've heard it fills up really fast in the evening... is it also busy closer to closing? For example, could we spend a day at the parks, have dinner, then go to Trader Sam's without a huge wait? Or is mid-afternoon really the way to do it? It's something we've wanted to try on the past couple trips but haven't really known enough about it to do it at a decent time...

The crowds die down a bit later in the evening, but its 21+ only after 8pm.

 

[hereforthechurros]

One of the non-alcoholic drinks has a souvenir cup, but I think it's plastic. Not the nice ceramic mugs you can get with the alcoholic drinks.

See we asked about that during our visit for our son and the CM was adamant that they weren’t allowed to serve any of the nonalcoholic drinks in the fun glasses because of rules about it being mistaken for booze or something to that effect. Could be a different story if you get another CM I guess!

 

[Moliphino]

See we asked about that during our visit for our son and the CM was adamant that they weren’t allowed to serve any of the nonalcoholic drinks in the fun glasses because of rules about it being mistaken for booze or something to that effect. Could be a different story if you get another CM I guess!

It even says on the menu!

Polynesian Punch
Sam’s Gorilla Grog and Hibiscus Grenadine. Served in a Souvenir Sipper

 

[rosiebean]

We have been lucky and walked up without a wait to get a table(s) with a party of 5 the Tuesday after Thanksgiving 2016 and a party of 7 (including 2 kids) the last week of August 2017. We went around 5/5:30 both times, and got the same table(s) both times. We were to the right of the bar, the first time sharing a table against the wall and the second time, sharing the two tables against that same wall. The crowd ebbed and flowed both times we were there, sometimes swelling so that most seats were filled but sometimes emptying so that quite a few seating areas were available for a few minutes. There was not a line to get in either time.

Obviously, we were traveling when crowds were at a very low capacity (the bartender said the Sunday through Wednesday after Thanksgiving were the slowest times of the year). It's possible at some points of the year to just walk in, and I imagine that if we were able to do so with a larger party that it would be even easier for a smaller one to do so.

 

[hereforthechurros]

It even says on the menu!

Polynesian Punch
Sam’s Gorilla Grog and Hibiscus Grenadine. Served in a Souvenir Sipper

Well wth! Swear we tried to get something in February and were told no with a whole spiel. Oh well. Good news for going in the future!

 

[FSU Girl]

Where in Poly is Trader Sam's exactly located? The last time I was there I wandered around and never found it.

 

[hereforthechurros]

Where in Poly is Trader Sam's exactly located? The last time I was there I wandered around and never found it.

First floor of the lobby down the hall from Capt. Cook’s. Right before you exit outside there’s a door on your right. It’s pretty discreet!

 

[chloelovesdisney]

We went last week after a rain storm forced us to leave the pool. I gave our names about 5p I think, they told me it would be a 3 hour wait. We left to check out the gift shops and hang out. At 6:30p I got a text and we ran over there (they told me we had 10 minutes after they send the text or we lose our spot). We got a table no problem, and the other tables all turned over while we were there. The chicken flatbread was really good (we got a second one to share we liked it so much), the chicken lettuce wraps I wouldn't order again. My sister enjoyed the rainbow roll. My son got a non-alcoholic drink with a souvenir cup but he didn't care for it too much. The hippopotomai and zombie head drinks were very good. At 7:45p the bartender made an announcement those under 21 had to leave soon. Not sure that was necessary, my son was the only kid in there and I was paying the check but I assume that is a regular thing they do there.

We enjoyed the atmosphere, it was fun to check out at least that one time.

 

[tzolkin]

It even says on the menu!

Polynesian Punch
Sam’s Gorilla Grog and Hibiscus Grenadine. Served in a Souvenir Sipper

Well wth! Swear we tried to get something in February and were told no with a whole spiel. Oh well. Good news for going in the future!

Did you try to order the Polynesian Punch in it's signature plastic cup (what Moliphino posted above) OR were you asking to get something non-alcoholic in one of the other souvenir cups? Ex. Wanted the Tiki glass, but didn't want the HippopotoMai-Tai in it.

If the latter was the case, they won't do that. You have to get the drink that comes in that particular cup. You can't substitute a different drink regardless of whether it's alcoholic or non-alcoholic.

 

[wcw57]

How hard is it to just get a seat at the bar? I'm talking 2 adults here....very adult.

 

[FSU Girl]

First floor of the lobby down the hall from Capt. Cook’s. Right before you exit outside there’s a door on your right. It’s pretty discreet!

Thank you!

 

[Ladyfish77]

How hard is it to just get a seat at the bar? I'm talking 2 adults here....very adult.

It really just depends. I went in March with my DS. Don't remember the time but probably around 4:30pm. We gave our name and phone number and were told it would be about 45 minutes. We got the text 10 minutes later. When we went in there was only one seat open at the bar. We went up and grabbed it and one of us stood while the other sat. Ordered drinks. After a bit, one of the tables for 4 opened up so we moved to it. After a bit a Mom and daughter came in. Again--no seating (maybe one stool again at bar). I invited them to sit with us and we had a nice chat and enjoyed the atmosphere. We left after about an hour.
So be prepared to not have anywhere to sit if there are just 2 of you, but go ahead and grab a drink and keep an eye out for some seating to open up.

 

[hereforthechurros]

Did you try to order the Polynesian Punch in it's signature plastic cup (what Moliphino posted above) OR were you asking to get something non-alcoholic in one of the other souvenir cups? Ex. Wanted the Tiki glass, but didn't want the HippopotoMai-Tai in it.

If the latter was the case, they won't do that. You have to get the drink that comes in that particular cup. You can't substitute a different drink regardless of whether it's alcoholic or non-alcoholic.

We asked if there were any drinks we could order in a fun glass for our son and the CM was firm that nonalcoholic drinks weren’t allowed in special glasses. Wouldn’t be the first time to get bad info from a CM but we thought it sounded legit and didn’t push the issue. I can’t remember what we ordered for him but it came in a normal pint looking glass with a bendy straw.

 

[Anthony1971]

You can always sit outside... there was seating on those 2 nights below plus another weeknight that we did not ask the wait time.
Saturday night 2 weeks ago at 9:30PM was a 1 hour wait.
Monday night around same time was a 30 minute wait.
Be aware this bar does not have a blender so if you prefer frozen drinks you will not get one here.... some of the specialty drinks have spiced rum which some people can not stand so be careful when ordering...