Trader Sam's

[Peachy0118]

Getting all our ADRs for our August trip and everything has gone alright except Trader Sam's. I know we can do walk up but we have never been so would like to sit inside...

Is this common for it to be so hard to get into? Any luck being seated inside for walk-up? Basically any experiences in general...

 

[sophy1996]

Yes, it’s common. Trader Sam’s reservations go the first minute reservations are open.

 

[longboard55]

Its much easier for two to walk in, there are not many tables for more than 2. We give our name and go to Downtown Disney but they only give you so much time to get back. If you go on off hours like 3pm we have has a lot of luck

 

[BriannaRuth]

We've definitely done walk up and have been able to sit inside. We just hung out around the DLH.

 

[ahhhshmatthew]

On our 2nd to last visit, the CM at the front of Trader Sam's told us that most (if not all) ADRs are saved for the tables inside the bar, and if you have seen photos or been, that is a grand total of like 5-7 tables. Basically: impossible to get. I have also been on at the exact moment in the morning, maybe 9 or 10 times, looking and haven't ever even seen them.

BUT! My wife and I went to DLR just last week. We wandered up to Trader Sam's at around 2:00. We joined Walk-Up and they asked preference - we said whatever was fastest, and they said "we have 2 seats at the bar inside." That has NEVER happened to us, especially later in the day. Not sure how big your party is, but I'd imagine the best shot is "rope dropping" at opening (usually 11, maybe 10 - not sure) and putting name in for inside.

GL!

 

[Peachy0118]

On our 2nd to last visit, the CM at the front of Trader Sam's told us that most (if not all) ADRs are saved for the tables inside the bar, and if you have seen photos or been, that is a grand total of like 5-7 tables. Basically: impossible to get. I have also been on at the exact moment in the morning, maybe 9 or 10 times, looking and haven't ever even seen them.

BUT! My wife and I went to DLR just last week. We wandered up to Trader Sam's at around 2:00. We joined Walk-Up and they asked preference - we said whatever was fastest, and they said "we have 2 seats at the bar inside." That has NEVER happened to us, especially later in the day. Not sure how big your party is, but I'd imagine the best shot is "rope dropping" at opening (usually 11, maybe 10 - not sure) and putting name in for inside.

GL!

We're only a group of 2 so fingers crossed!

 

[DizMe]

We're only a group of 2 so fingers crossed!

I've rarely (never?) been unable to get inside if I was willing to wait. But I have also signed up for notifications to alert me when someone cancels and have been able to grab one several times that way. The site I've used is Mouse Dining. There is a free and a paid version. You have to be able to grab it quickly when you get the notice. Much easier if you are notified by text but I'm cheap and use the free version which only allows email notification, but there is a way to make email notifications arrive as texts.

 

[Peachy0118]

I've rarely (never?) been unable to get inside if I was willing to wait. But I have also signed up for notifications to alert me when someone cancels and have been able to grab one several times that way. The site I've used is Mouse Dining. There is a free and a paid version. You have to be able to grab it quickly when you get the notice. Much easier if you are notified by text but I'm cheap and use the free version which only allows email notification, but there is a way to make email notifications arrive as texts.

Awesome! Thank you!
I am also cheap (and since I travel from outside the country generally can't get texts anyway) so I will try to free one as well. It's excellent to know you have had luck that way!

 

[DizMe]

Awesome! Thank you!
I am also cheap (and since I travel from outside the country generally can't get texts anyway) so I will try to free one as well. It's excellent to know you have had luck that way!

You might look into a monthly plan and just cancel if you get a reservation! It's $9 for a month but I'm not sure if it's different for international. Might be worth it if it allows you to get text messages.

 

[LKing]

I don't understand the appeal of Trader Sams. To me, the food isn't anything special. Is it the ambiance? The drinks?

 

[ahhhshmatthew]

I don't understand the appeal of Trader Sams. To me, the food is anything special. Is it the ambiance? The drinks?

Fair question! It has definitely developed a big lore of its own in the Disney spectrum. I honestly think part of its popularity (FL's location too) is that relatively speaking, neither of them have much seating inside, making them de facto hard to get ADRs for throughout the year. Feel like anything "hard" to get an ADR for, regardless of why, seems to propel popularity in the Dis community.

We do really enjoy the drinks and ambiance - it's fun, goofy, and much easier to "let go" there IMO vs. other places, esp. as they have age restrictions after certain hours. I tend to recommend it for first timers, and then we treat it as a "if we get to it great, if not no biggie" otherwise.

I think the food at TS at DLR is actually very decent. We really enjoy some of the items, but can see it being hit and miss.

 

[irlandaise]

I don't understand the appeal of Trader Sams. To me, the food is anything special. Is it the ambiance? The drinks?

I think part of it is nostalgia for folks who remember the Adventurers Club at WDW.

 

[DizMe]

I don't understand the appeal of Trader Sams. To me, the food is anything special. Is it the ambiance? The drinks?

Yes and yes. The ambiance can be fabulous or meh and anything in between. It all depends on how lively it is, the crowd vibe, the bartenders/servers, and your own mood going in.

I've been there when it was absolutely the best and had so much fun. I've also been there when I just wasn't feeling it and left disappointed. Sometimes that's me and my mood and sometimes I just don't feel a connection with the crowd or the staff.

I've always enjoyed the food but I've not been since they changed the menu. I was really disappointed to learn about that.

 

[Jperiod]

We've done walk up for a table of 4 inside twice. We had to wait 30-45 minutes each time. One was a sunday early evening and one was a lunch.

 

[BriannaRuth]

I don't understand the appeal of Trader Sams. To me, the food isn't anything special. Is it the ambiance? The drinks?

Definitely the ambience for us, although I do like the food and the drinks. Actually, the ambience is pretty much the reason any of my favorites at DL are my favorites, Blue Bayou being my other favorite.

My DD20 loves Trader Sam's so much she wants to go to DL for her 21st birthday solely for the purpose of having a cocktail at the bar at Trader Sam's! And we're a 3 hour flight from Anaheim.

 

[DizMe]

I took my daughter there when she turned 21!! She had a BLAST!! We sat at the bar and the bartender made her a special drink that flamed and sparked and everyone around us sang to her. It was awesome!!

She'll be 24 tomorrow.

 

[DizMe]

I took my daughter there when she turned 21!! She had a BLAST!! We sat at the bar and the bartender made her a special drink that flamed and sparked and everyone around us sang to her. It was awesome!!

She'll be 24 tomorrow.

 

[disneychrista]

I don't understand the appeal of Trader Sams. To me, the food isn't anything special. Is it the ambiance? The drinks?

I didn't eat when I went. And the drinks were not all that great, maybe I picked the wrong ones. But I had a great time, it was a fun place to end the day at.

 

[Jperiod]

My kids like the shenanigans that happen inside when someone orders a drink. We don't drink anymore, so we just order food and enjoy others' fun.

 

[AndrewC]

I don't understand the appeal of Trader Sams. To me, the food isn't anything special. Is it the ambiance? The drinks?

Both. It’s legitimately a good bar when it comes to drinks. They have some fun collectible cups that people love to get. The ambience is great, it’s really hard to find an actual tiki bar nowadays, and honestly that’s why a lot of locals love the place. Strong Polynesian flare from the music and theming.

I’m surprised Disney hasn’t converted reservations there to lightning lane as a $20/pp cover or something just to get a seat inside!