Trader Sam's Grotto

[orion2185]

Hi everyone

Just wondering what are the current wait times like for Trader Sam's Grotto?
We want to sit inside to enjoy the "shows"...as we have never been before.

All the online reports/reviews we can find- were only when TS recently opened and wait times were long.

In addition, we read one blog a few days ago...saying that they no longer allow people to wait outside for TS to open. A Cast Member comes out a stamps the hands of those who were waiting in line...and told to return once open. Those with the stamps were allowed entry first.
Is this still the case?

Just trying to figure out what time we should be ready.

Don't have any other plans for this day (as it's post DCL cruise) and just want to relax and get the full TS experience.
We have a room at the Poly...so we don't have to worry about travel time.

any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks

 

[wilkeliza]

We went at midnight and had no wait. When are you going? They extended the hours for November and December and most people don't realize so it empties out.

 

[SunDial]

I will have to check this out next trip. There was no extra time during Wine and Dine Half of a half weekend.

 

[orion2185]

We went at midnight and had no wait. When are you going? They extended the hours for November and December and most people don't realize so it empties out.

We are going Dec 19 2015

did not know that they extend the hours....what are the extended hours?

thanks

 

[wilkeliza]

We are going Dec 19 2015

did not know that they extend the hours....what are the extended hours?

thanks

During the week they close at 1am instead of midnight and on the weekend it is open until 2am. The door still says midnight so just go in and see if they are seating people.

 

[Micca]

We were there at the end of September. I think we arrived around 7pm on a weeknight and were given the pager, they told us it would be about an hour. We browsed around the Poly and near the one hour mark we headed back to TS, about 5 minutes later we were admitted. I think they have the best mixed drinks on property, and if you like the Tiki theme, you'll love it. I hope you get to go.

 

[drea21]

In July my husband went down 30 minutes prior to opening while the kids were napping and got a pager, I was worried that all 4 of us needed to be there to get the pager but they said no, just DH was fine.

I came down 5 minutes before they opened with the kids, our beeper went off and we went in and got a table.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Expanded hours are 2PM through 2 AM on Fridays and Saturdays in November and December.

 

[orion2185]

Expanded hours are 2PM through 2 AM on Fridays and Saturdays in November and December.

Thank you for that!
Good to know that it opens earlier at 2PM -as well

 

[EKKloppers]

I was recently at Tbe Poly, and - on Sunday, November 1st, my sister and I did a walk-up at 3:45, with three small parties standing ahead of us in the hallway. We were given a beeper, and - at precisely 3:58 PM - we were buzzed [I mean, the beeper buzzed], and we were allowed in, with ample seating available. The place did fill up quite quickly thereafter.

I'd been there [again, quite early and spontaneously, but walking in to a nearly full house] with my niece back in May, 2015, and had, eventually, warmed enough to the place that I could find the novel charm I'd heard so much about, but I wasn't planning or clamoring to go back. This past November experience was just a last-moment happenstance occurrence that I was happy I could share the novelty of with my sister...

Hope you have luck getting in, and enjoy the experience!

 

[nkereina]

We were there two weeks ago and got there around 3:30pm. They open at 4pm. They handed us a pager and said it would go off when they were ready for people to enter, so we went around to the outside patio which was already open and had a drink while we waited. Our pager went off around 4:03 and we were one of the last groups to get a seat together when we walked in.

 

[kastoney]

We arrived at opening in Septmber and the wait was 45 minutes at that point. We ended up sitting outside which we enjoyed

 

[orion2185]

Thanks everyone for posts

Hopefully we can get in and get a seat inside. At least we now are fully prepared with the new hours.

If anyone is going to be around Dec 19th
That's when we are going.

I'm allergic to alcohol and I want all the collectable mugs.

So you might just be offered a free drink or two. As long as I can keep the glasses.

 

[Micca]

Thanks everyone for posts

Hopefully we can get in and get a seat inside. At least we now are fully prepared with the new hours.

If anyone is going to be around Dec 19th
That's when we are going.

I'm allergic to alcohol and I want all the collectable mugs.

So you might just be offered a free drink or two. As long as I can keep the glasses.

It's a very social atmosphere at TSG, you won't have any trouble giving the drinks away. You might even get someone to share the cost with you. When you opt to pay for the glass, they give you a new one in a box when you leave for the evening.

 

[DisneyHardin]

We were there two weeks ago on a weekday about 930 and God right in with no wait.

 

[Whatsthegoodword]

Just the facts: I walked through Trader Sam's after the Luau two Fridays ago (10:30pm?). There was a 30 minute wait for a drink/table. My group didn't care to wait that long for a drink. It was a much smaller room than I expected, including eight tables plus the bar. I'm guessing that there is seating for 30-35 in the whole place? If 50 people are in the room it would be crammed.

Now the opinion: Being a fan of the Tiki Room and The Adventurer's Club, I was excited to get in Trader Sam's. I was willing to send the rest of my crowd on home if I had gotten in and found what I expected. Instead, I was disappointed in Trader Sam's. My first reaction was, "This is IT??" It's just a small hotel bar with a jungle/adventure theme. The employees were just that: hosts & bartenders, not "cast members" in that I saw no sign of a show like Tiki Room or Adventurer's Club. It's a cool room, a neat place to grab a drink with friends - but not a destination, and certainly not worth waiting more than 15 minutes or so for.

Disclaimer: I walked in and out in three minutes. Maybe I missed the big deal, but it certainly wasn't apparent if I did.

 

[wilkeliza]

Just the facts: I walked through Trader Sam's after the Luau two Fridays ago (10:30pm?). There was a 30 minute wait for a drink/table. My group didn't care to wait that long for a drink. It was a much smaller room than I expected, including eight tables plus the bar. I'm guessing that there is seating for 30-35 in the whole place? If 50 people are in the room it would be crammed.

Now the opinion: Being a fan of the Tiki Room and The Adventurer's Club, I was excited to get in Trader Sam's. I was willing to send the rest of my crowd on home if I had gotten in and found what I expected. Instead, I was disappointed in Trader Sam's. My first reaction was, "This is IT??" It's just a small hotel bar with a jungle/adventure theme. The employees were just that: hosts & bartenders, not "cast members" in that I saw now sign of a show like Tiki Room or Adventurer's Club. It's a cool room, a neat place to grab a drink with friends - but not a destination, and certainly not worth waiting more than 15 minutes or so for.

Disclaimer: I walked in and out in three minutes. Maybe I missed the big deal, but it certainly wasn't apparent if I did.

The shows only happen if someone orders a special drink while you are there. If you were only there for 3 minutes you probably didn't witness anything. If someone orders the Nautalis (like I did for $52) there is a show that goes with it. The show is how they can charge that much and well the amazing souvenir cup that comes with the alcohol. It was enough for 3 of us to drink it and get a little tipsy.

 

[Whatsthegoodword]

The shows only happen if someone orders a special drink while you are there. If you were only there for 3 minutes you probably didn't witness anything. If someone orders the Nautalis (like I did for $52) there is a show that goes with it. The show is how they can charge that much and well the amazing souvenir cup that comes with the alcohol. It was enough for 3 of us to drink it and get a little tipsy.

Ahh ok. That explains a little - but not the size of the place. We fans tend to take a small announcement like this bar and turn it into something it was never meant to be. I expected something really cool in Trader Sam's - and was let down by my own expectations.

I have no gripe with the prices in TS's. It's a resort. ...and you're getting a very cool take home if you decide to make the purchase. I prolly would have bought the Nautilus if time had permitted me to do so, but the underwhelming space caused me to move on...

 

[wilkeliza]

Ahh ok. That explains a little - but not the size of the place. We fans tend to take a small announcement like this bar and turn it into something it was never meant to be. I expected something really cool in Trader Sam's - and was let down by my own expectations.

I have no gripe with the prices in TS's. It's a resort. ...and you're getting a very cool take home if you decide to make the purchase. I prolly would have bought the Nautilus if time had permitted me to do so, but the underwhelming space caused me to move on...

Oh I'm fine with the price. The 52 was just a shock because there are no prices on the menu so when the bill came it was a quick sticker shock. The mug is currently our center piece and I'm trying to figure out how to make it look even better. Someone suggested I put an aloe plant in it which isn't a bad idea. 52 was just a lot for non-drinkers is all. I believe that and the Uh-Oh are the most expensive drinks on the menu.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I believe the maximum capacity of Trader Sam's is 51.

Don't be expecting the Adventurers Club - there are just some sound and lighting effects plus maybe chants and utterances (depending on the drinks) that happen when someone orders certain drinks. There really isn't a "show." You'd have to stay awhile to see most of it.

but in the days of the AC there were guests who would just walk in, figure nothing was happening, then walk out. They didn't realize that sometimes there were shows, or that actors might be out in the salon a bit later.

Best thing I have seen at TS is when a bartender made Olaf out of some crushed ice and cocktail picks, and then melted him.