Trader Sam's & Tambu Lounge on the same day

[disneyjr77]

We want to get drinks at Trader Sam's and eat at Tambu Lounge on the same day, and I'm not sure about the best way to go about it. I know for TS, we should be in line by 1ish to be among the first on the list, but then they don't open until 3. I've also seen that for TL, you should get there a little before 4 so there isn't a long wait.

So here are my questions Should we just plan on having a wait at one of the two, is there a way to do it to minimize the wait time, and what is the best day of the week to go (our options are Halloween day before MNSSHP, or Sat-Thurs). We've never been to TS, so we definitely want to go in.

Any and all advice is welcome...TS is a must do on this trip, it's been on my list since they opened and in the 4 trips since we haven't made it there yet

 

[Disnsyncey]

We did it on a MNSSHP day after we left MK.....we went and put our name on the list at TS, did a monorail crawl of....just looking at stuff and gift shops, and then made our way back to the Poly with about an hour left on our TS "waiting time" and found a spot in the lounge, I guess you do have to get lucky though?

 

[Disneylover99]

I’d try to do TS on a weekday, but not before MNSSHP.

 

[HopperFan]

We want to do Trader Sam's and Tambu Lounge on the same day, and I'm not sure about the best way to go about it. I know for TS, we should be in line by 1ish to be among the first on the list, but then they don't open until 3. I've also seen that for TL, you should get there a little before 4 so there isn't a long wait.

So here are my questions Should we just plan on having a wait at one of the two, is there a way to do it to minimize the wait time, and what is the best day of the week to go (our options are Halloween day before MNSSHP, or Sat-Thurs). We've never been to TS, so we definitely want to go in.

Any and all advice is welcome...TS is a must do on this trip, it's been on my list since they opened and in the 4 trips since we haven't made it there yet

Have you been to Tambu Lounge? Just wondering if you are aware it is just a bar sitting in the open lobby upstairs. Maybe 12 barstools then some chair seating next to it with lobby seating across from it. It's more just a place to grab a drink than it is a bar or lounge. Nothing special other than the Lapu Lapus.

We will put our name in at TS ....

... if we plan to eat in TS we'll go up to TL and order a Lapu Lapu and head to the lobby seating to hand out or sit at the bar for a couple drinks.

... if we don't plan to eat in TS we'll get food at Captain Cooks either ... eating there then going to TL for a drink OR we'll grab food to go and take it up to TL to eat with drinks. While TL is open all day their food doesn't start until 4 so no issues bringing food to sit at the bar.

 

[Mazz519]

Put your name in at Trader Sams and go have a drink at Tambu Lounge while you wait.... wouldnt go on nights that there are Halloween ot Christmas nights at the MK... It all about luck and timing how long you might have to wait

 

[disneyjr77]

Have you been to Tambu Lounge? Just wondering if you are aware it is just a bar sitting in the open lobby upstairs. Maybe 12 barstools then some chair seating next to it with lobby seating across from it. It's more just a place to grab a drink than it is a bar or lounge. Nothing special other than the Lapu Lapus.

We will put our name in at TS ....

... if we plan to eat in TS we'll go up to TL and order a Lapu Lapu and head to the lobby seating to hand out or sit at the bar for a couple drinks.

... if we don't plan to eat in TS we'll get food at Captain Cooks either ... eating there then going to TL for a drink OR we'll grab food to go and take it up to TL to eat with drinks. While TL is open all day their food doesn't start until 4 so no issues bringing food to sit at the bar.

We haven't, I've only seen it when we went to breakfast at Ohana. We wanted to go so we could try the Ohana apps, I don't eat enough to justify the dinner price at Ohana, so figured TL after 4 was a good option.

 

[erinch]

Or put your name in at TS and go to Wailulu

 

[Cramden]

We usually put our names on the wait list at TS around 3:30pm and head over to Tambu to get a seat either at the bar or a table before they start serving food at 4:00pm. At 4 the wait list starts getting pretty long. We usually get called back to TS within 2 hours. If you do get tired of hanging at Tambu check out the bar at Wailulu as mentioned above. It's a short walk to Trader Sam's from Wailulu and well worth a stop.

 

[jimmymc]

Definitely prioritize Trader Sam's, getting there at 1 for the waitlist.

Then maybe 30 minutes to an hour before you want to eat, check the Tambu Lounge wait. It might have one, but it won't be nearly as long as TS.

 

[kristennn]

Looking to do the same and didnt want to start a new thread. We are staying at Poly - checking in and want to eat at Tambu for dinner same night as check in (will be at water park during the day) Would like to eat at Tambu at 6-7 and go to trader sams around 8-9 - or later is fine too. Ive been to trader sam's but when i went we got in line at 1 PM and then got in right away. If we go at 4 -5 ish to put our name on a list will the list be full for the full night? We dont really want to go til later. (on a tuesday). Is this even do-able. I know both often have waits but since we are staying on sight - and going to both of these and hanging out at the poly is our full plan for the night - we dont mind waiting around.

 

[Disnsyncey]

Looking to do the same and didnt want to start a new thread. We are staying at Poly - checking in and want to eat at Tambu for dinner same night as check in (will be at water park during the day) Would like to eat at Tambu at 6-7 and go to trader sams around 8-9 - or later is fine too. Ive been to trader sam's but when i went we got in line at 1 PM and then got in right away. If we go at 4 -5 ish to put our name on a list will the list be full for the full night? We dont really want to go til later. (on a tuesday). Is this even do-able. I know both often have waits but since we are staying on sight - and going to both of these and hanging out at the poly is our full plan for the night - we dont mind waiting around.

we went on a party night, probably around 6ish (leaving our friends in MK for the party during the overlap time), put our name in and our "estimate" was 2.5 hours, did monorail exploring, came back at "an hour left" in the estimate, snagged a Tambu seat, ate and then got to TS around 8:45ish, was able to drink 2 drinks and managed to get out and dole whipped (before they closed at 10!) before the fireworks

 

[kristennn]

we went on a party night, probably around 6ish (leaving our friends in MK for the party during the overlap time), put our name in and our "estimate" was 2.5 hours, did monorail exploring, came back at "an hour left" in the estimate, snagged a Tambu seat, ate and then got to TS around 8:45ish, was able to drink 2 drinks and managed to get out and dole whipped (before they closed at 10!) before the fireworks

Nice. I am not sure if our night is a party night or not, I'll have to check but I don't think it will change our plans either way. We are going to the party on the 28th but hoping to do tambu and trader Sam's and maybe watch fireworks from the beach on the 26th. I never hear people talk about arriving later so I wasn't sure if that was an option or if they filled up the waiting list for the whole night by like 3.

 

[Disnsyncey]

Nice. I am not sure if our night is a party night or not, I'll have to check but I don't think it will change our plans either way. We are going to the party on the 28th but hoping to do tambu and trader Sam's and maybe watch fireworks from the beach on the 26th. I never hear people talk about arriving later so I wasn't sure if that was an option or if they filled up the waiting list for the whole night by like 3.

it wasn't our experience, but I bet that as people waited, they didn't want to wait as long and stopped responding to their text messages, so people moved up quickly nearer to the end of the night....(though I think that SINCE it was a party night, the 2.5-3 hours stretched to 3 VERY quickly)

 

[PAGA2003]

Nice. I am not sure if our night is a party night or not, I'll have to check but I don't think it will change our plans either way. We are going to the party on the 28th but hoping to do tambu and trader Sam's and maybe watch fireworks from the beach on the 26th. I never hear people talk about arriving later so I wasn't sure if that was an option or if they filled up the waiting list for the whole night by like 3.

You just never know. We just did a short resort only stay so after we dropped our things in our room I headed to Trader Sam's to see if we would get lucky. I got on the list at 4:30 and we got the text to come back at 6:50 on a Friday night in August so I was shocked! I've never been one of the first in line though to get on the list. Previously the earliest I've gone was 2-2:30ish.

Also, do consider Wailulu for dinner over Tambu. The food there I think is the best at the Poly and it is a lovely restaurant. The 'Ohana apps are fine but I wouldn't plan my night around them. That said I absolutely love Trader Sam's so that would definitely be my priority. You can also get apps there. We always get sushi, lettuce cups and the dumplings.

 

[kristennn]

You just never know. We just did a short resort only stay so after we dropped our things in our room I headed to Trader Sam's to see if we would get lucky. I got on the list at 4:30 and we got the text to come back at 6:50 on a Friday night in August so I was shocked! I've never been one of the first in line though to get on the list. Previously the earliest I've gone was 2-2:30ish.

Also, do consider Wailulu for dinner over Tambu. The food there I think is the best at the Poly and it is a lovely restaurant. The 'Ohana apps are fine but I wouldn't plan my night around them. That said I absolutely love Trader Sam's so that would definitely be my priority. You can also get apps there. We always get sushi, lettuce cups and the dumplings.

Ive been wanting to try Tambu instead of Ohana - I like the sides there the best anyway - and that bread pudding. My boyfriend has a bigger appetite than me - but I am thinking maybe we will get a couple things at tambu - and then maybe a couple apps at traders sam's as well. This is my first DVC trip, first trip with no kids, and first trip where I didnt go to the parks every single day - oh - and first time staying at the Poly! We are staying 4 nights and doing one park day - and one halloween party day, and going to the water park for a bit. Otherwise just enjoying the resort pools and atmosphere. I'm super excited about it!