Trader's Sams if I am not buying souvenir glasses?

[Cayaco]

I want to have a cocktail or 7 but also don't want to walk out with a suitcase of glasses.

If we are just going to enjoy the room but not get the fancy glasses, is it worth going to? Will other people be there on a Wednesday at opening doing anything fun?

 

[bumbershoot]

Most drinks can be purchased without buying the glasses. I *think* that it's just the Pearl that cannot be purchased without a glass.

 

[hopeful4fl]

We just came back. You can buy all the drinks with or without glasses. If you buy the glass, they will give you a clean one.
We tried all the drinks over 2 nights and stumbled out both nights. Wooooh,...... they are STRONG....... good, but strong.....and expensive (but worth it)
BTW..... IF you can, try to do one night in and one out. The Halloween firework show is awesome from the patio with the music streamed in. The inside (as I am sure many would know) is an absolute hoot.
Slainte........

 

[Cayaco]

I mean, if you just go for the drinks without the glasses, is it still fun? I know the animitronics wont happen for me but how is the experience of being inside the bar without getting $52 dollar mugs?

 

[hopeful4fl]

I mean, if you just go for the drinks without the glasses, is it still fun? I know the animitronics wont happen for me but how is the experience of being inside the bar without getting $52 dollar mugs?

It is still fun if you drink without the glasses. PLEASE NOTE that the drinks can "still" be served in the glasses, with no obligation for you to buy them. I would recommend that.
I do not want to give away too much, but will say that the experience inside and outside is VERY different. If you can, try to experience both. I could tell you about the inside experience, but would rather you went in cold turkey and enjoyed it. The people there are simply awesome.
If you are going Wed, I would recommend going there at 3:45 and putting your name in. That would more or less get you a seat inside.
Have fun.

 

[Cayaco]

This isn't like the parks then? I know sort of what happens inside, which is what makes us want to go, but i was under the assumption that like in the park if you dont want a souvenir glass they give it to you in a plastic cup type of thing and nothing happens. I can still order, say, The Nautilus and still have a fun experience but not have to buy the big old thing itself?

 

[hopeful4fl]

This isn't like the parks then? I know sort of what happens inside, which is what makes us want to go, but i was under the assumption that like in the park if you dont want a souvenir glass they give it to you in a plastic cup type of thing and nothing happens. I can still order, say, The Nautilus and still have a fun experience but not have to buy the big old thing itself?

Correct, or at least that was our experience.
We went in and had all the drinks over a couple of nights and told them we were not buying the cups. We were still served in the souvenir cups both inside and outside. Inside, they still did "that which should not be named".
We did see someone buy a cup. They had to take their receipt inside to get a clean, pre-packaged cup.

 

[Cayaco]

Hmm, well then I guess i will be ordering some fancy drinks then and waiting to see what happens.

Which do you think is the strongest?

 

[NephieRN]

You will get the drinks in the fancy glasses even if you don’t want to buy them. We have never bought any of the glasses and always get them served in their proper glasses. I’ve been numerous time to both trader sams in California and Florida. All of the drinks are strong! I used to go for the uh-oa but after too many not so enjoyable mornings after visiting I’ve opted to go with non-rum drinks from now on. The Tahitian torch is my go to drink there now!

 

[tweedletwin]

Hmm, well then I guess i will be ordering some fancy drinks then and waiting to see what happens.

Which do you think is the strongest?

I am a tiki bar regular, so I am used to drinks that tend to knock people on their butts , and in general I find that the Trader Sam's drinks are a bit of a tamer version of what I can get at my local bar. That being said- Zombies in general, are a good choice if you are looking for "bang for your buck" alcohol-wise.

I also think that sharing a bowl drink is one of those classic "you gotta do it" parts of going to a tiki bar. You can't go wrong with either the Nautilus or the Uh Oa in that respect...so just decide what you like more, water or fire.

Finally, even if you don't end up trying every fun drink on the menu, if you stay long enough, you'll usually get a great view of other people enjoying their drinks- and everything that's involved! Have so much fun! It is the best kind of Disney magic.

 

[Moliphino]

This isn't like the parks then? I know sort of what happens inside, which is what makes us want to go, but i was under the assumption that like in the park if you dont want a souvenir glass they give it to you in a plastic cup type of thing and nothing happens. I can still order, say, The Nautilus and still have a fun experience but not have to buy the big old thing itself?

If you order the Nautilus without buying the glass they'll still bring it out in the glass and you get the effects. When you do buy glasses they give you a clean one in a box on the way out, not the one you drink out of.

I did notice in CA that we didn't always get our drinks in the themed glasses, but you do get whatever effects go with it.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

Oh, that's so cool that they still serve them in the themed glasses. I don't want to have to ship a bunch of cups home but I was hoping to have the tiki bar experience. If you put your name on the list at 3:45, at what time about will you be seated? We would love to try to time it so we get seated at 5.

 

[Micca]

I think TS has the best cocktails on property. Very cool experience.

 

[hllb]

How does it work to get a table? I'd like to go maybe around 9:30 or 10 PM after we get back from the parks. Will I be able to do that, or no?

 

[bumbershoot]

I mean, if you just go for the drinks without the glasses, is it still fun? I know the animitronics wont happen for me but how is the experience of being inside the bar without getting $52 dollar mugs?

Of course.

Finally, even if you don't end up trying every fun drink on the menu, if you stay long enough, you'll usually get a great view of other people enjoying their drinks- and everything that's involved

Exactky.


It's a small room. You could go and order nothing and eventually you'll exoerience all the things.


Two long visits and we have yet to get them to serve us a Pearl without buying the mug. We don't need more of them; one is enough. But it's sooo delicious.

 

[tzolkin]

If you put your name on the list at 3:45, at what time about will you be seated? We would love to try to time it so we get seated at 5.

How does it work to get a table? I'd like to go maybe around 9:30 or 10 PM after we get back from the parks. Will I be able to do that, or no?

It really just depends on the day.

It is a very small place. (Maybe 100 max occupancy?) If it’s full they will give you a pager and you just have to wait until people leave.

One evening DH and I showed up around 8pm and waited over an hour before two people left so we could get in. (The pagers work all over the resort so we took a walk and sat on the beach to watch the water light parade). There were several large groups inside celebrating birthdays. They had been there for quite some time and did not look like they were leaving anytime soon even when we were done.

Another evening we went around 4:30 and there were only between 4-10 people the entire time we were there.