Trader Sam's is a tiki bar franchise with locations at the Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World. The first location, Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar, opened at the Disneyland Hotel as part of their 2011 refurbishment. The second location, Trader Sam's Grog Grotto, opened at the Polynesian Village Resort in 2015.
Based around Head Salesman Trader Sam from the Jungle Cruise, the atmosphere of the bar draws on the atmosphere of Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room, the sense of humor of the Jungle Cruise and the Adventurers Club, and through the memorabilia on the wall, references numerous Disney adventure films and other attractions. The specialty drinks featured in the bars come in souvenir mugs and when ordered, activate special effects within the bar.
Special Effects[]
Ordering certain drinks activates special effects and events in the bar. Examples include:
- HippopotoMai-Tai - The room goes milk as a skipper pulls out a revolver and takes two gunshots into the air as the room flashes red. In Florida, the mug is modeled after Maui from the Polynesian Village Resort while in California it resembles the Gill-Man from The Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954).
- Krakatoa Punch - Causes the volcano in faux-windows to start erupting.
- Mosquito Mojito: The noise of mosquitos play throughout the bar as the skipper runs around with a fly-swatter.
- Nautilus - Exclusive to Grog Grotto, the bar begins "diving underwater" through the use of blue lighting and sound effects from the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage attraction. Additionally, the squid arm begins stirring from its rest and bartenders don snorkeling gear.
- Polynesian Pearl - Skippers take a pearl shaped mug out of an animatronic clam which opens.
- Shipwreck on the Rocks - Causes a miniature Wicked Wench in a bottle to sink. This was saved from the Library of the Adventurers Club.
- Zombie Head: The room goes dark as shrunken heads begin to glow and ghostly ambience plays. Skippers use tissue ghosts on rods to imitate spirits.
- Uh-Oa: At the Enchanted Tiki Bar when the thunderstorm erupts, the cast members and the customers begin chanting Uh-Oa's name after the water spray as if to start to rain. At Grog Grotto, this culminates in the Uh-Oa animatronic waking up and speaking her "If you mess with Polynesia, the Tiki Gods will squeeze ya!" line.
Easter Eggs and Trivia[]
- The HippopotoMai-Tai mugs appear in the episode Lamentis of Loki within an illusion created by Sylvie Laufeydottir.
- The bars used to contain many references to shrunken heads which were removed in a 2021 refurbishment due to racist connotations.
- Both versions of the bar are filled with references to different films, historic figures and theme-park attractions.
- The ship in the bottle depicts the Wicked Wench from Pirates of the Caribbean.
- The Zombie Head mug is modeled after the, "Leering Head" mould from the Haunted Mansion, most notably used for the characters of Ezra, the Grim Reaper and the Hatbox Ghost.
- The greetings and descriptions for the bar are written by Skip Documentary, a character from the Adventure Trading Company.
- The Tropical Snowstorm drink might be a reference to Disney's Blizzard Beach's backstory. The drink description mentions spending time on shores.
- The drink "La Florida" references Sam having possibly found the Fountain of Youth.
Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar[]
- One of the house-rules says to alert management if, "Schweitzer falls", alluding to the waterfall Schweitzer Falls from the Jungle Cruise. The phrasing implies Sam had a patron by the name of Schweitzer who was regular to the bar, likely Dr. Albert Schweitzer who the falls were named for in real-life.
- There is a photograph of Sam with Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl together on Isla Pelegestos from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.
- On a shelf is the shrunken head of Jack Sparrow's mother from Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.
- Sam has a spyglass with a note mentioning how he traded it from the historic pirate Blackbeard and how he also met his fictitious daughter Angelica from Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.
- One of the musical lockets belonging to Davy Jones and Calypso from Pirates of the Caribbean is hung in the display case.
- There is a framed post-card for, "Ukulele Island" with an image of the volcanoes Uku and Lele from Lava.
- Sam has a photograph of himself outside the Temple of the Forbidden Eye.
- There is an airway ticket to San Francisco belonging to Henry Jones, Jr..
- There is a newspaper clipping titled, "Grave Robber or Archaeologist?, Dr. Indiana Jones Wanted by Honduran Government" which details some of the events of the book Indiana Jones and the Philosopher's Stone.
- On one of the shelves is a plushy of Donald Duck.
- Sam has a record of Annette Funicello's Hawaiinette (1960).
- In a display case is the San Francisco Evening Bulletin newspaper from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea referencing a misidentified Nautilus submarine.
- Sam has a copy of Jules Vernes' 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
- Sam has a photograph of Ned Land from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea along with a harpoon from the sailor and a note saying it comes with a, "Whale of a Tale".
- Sam is shown to be in possession of the Genie's lamp from Aladdin.
- There is a bronze bust of Dr. Albert Falls, the founder of the Jungle Navigation Company.
- There are several props from the Adventurers Club on display including Zeus' fishing pole and Slappy the dummy.
- Photographs and letters from Adventurers Club members are found throughout the bar. There are also three photos of historic president Theodore Roosevelt depicted as having been a friend of Sam who is revealed to have been one of the original members of the Adventurers Club. There is also a photograph identified as being of Isabella Pleasure, the wife of club founder Merriweather Adam Pleasure.
- Carl and Ellie's, "Paradise Falls" coin jug is on one of the shelves.
- There is a banjo hung on the wall with a message reading, "Oriental tattooing by Prof. Harper Goff; Banjo Lessons". This references Imagineer Harper Goff and his tribute in the Adventureland Bazaar.
- There is a Yeti mask on the wall taken from the Serka Zong Bazaar of Expedition Everest.
- There is a photograph of Sam in the port of Harambe from Disney's Animal Kingdom, travelling with Kilimanjaro Safaris.
- There is a letter to Sam from Rick Blaine, a character from the non-Disney film Casablanca. Blaine was however featured in the Great Movie Ride of Disney's Hollywood Studios.
- There is a coat ticket from the South Seas Club from the film The Rocketeer.
- There are letters to Sam from several Indiana Jones characters such as Indiana Jones himself, Sallah, Indiana's mother Anna Mary Jones, Marcus Brody and Short Round. These letters also reference Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
- There is a photograph of Sam in the Lost River Delta of Tokyo DisneySea, standing in-front of the Temple of the Crystal Skull from Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull.
- Sam has a map of the Temple of the Mara sent to him by Sallah. He also has Mola Ramm's, "Voodoo" dolls from Temple of Doom. At the bar is a seltzer bottle to Sam sent by Marion Ravenwood from Raiders of the Lost Ark.
- There is a letter to Sam from the New York City Preservation Society from Tower of Terror. The letter mentions how Sam's grandfather Billamongawonga was the right-hand man of Harrison Hightower III and comes with a portrait of "Trader Bill" recovered from the Hotel Hightower.
- Sam has a toy of the Orange Bird from Sunshine Tree Terrace on a shelf.
- There is a letter from a man with a wooden leg named Smith, referencing a joke from Mary Poppins.
- There is a photograph of the Adventurers Club headquarters.
- Sam has a letter from Charlie Allnut, a non-Disney character from the film The African Queen which inspired the Jungle Cruise.
- There are two photographs showing Walt Disney. One identifies Sam as having been hired to give Walt a tour of South America in 1941 (while also alluding to Saludos Amigos) while the other identifies Walt as having been Sam's best customer and a fellow adventurer.
- The hat which Walt Disney wore during his time as a Jungle Cruise captain is on a shelf.
- There is a post-card from Typhoon Lagoon with a photo of the Miss Tilly beached atop Mount Mayday. The message on the card identifies Sam as having been present during Typhoon Lagoon's hurricane.
- There are several tikis from the Enchanted Tiki Room.
- There is a letter asking Sam if he knows the location of Rosita from the Enchanted Tiki Room and Tropical Hideaway.
- There is a photograph and message-in-a-bottle from Robin Crusoe.
- There is a message sent to Sam in a bottle by Lampie from Pete's Dragon, neurotically telling Sam about there being a dragon in Passamaquoddy.
- There is a large mask on the wall labelled, "Joe" made to resemble Joe Rohde.
Trader Sam's Grog Grotto[]
- Car keys with the name, "J. Thaddeus Toad" are hung over the counter, referencing Mr. Toad from the Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad who was featured in the defunct attraction Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.
- There is a hung up menu for the South Seas Club, a location from the film The Rocketeer.
- Hung on a wall is a life-preserver labelled, "Vesta Gruppen" which is a recycled prop from Maelstrom.
- The squid arm hung over the counter is inferred to belong to the Giant Squid from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
- There is a portrait of the Nautilus in the Submarine Lagoon of Vulcania, made to resemble the Fantasyland version of Submarine Voyage.
- In the display case is a figurine of the Orange Bird and a wooden sculpture of Lampie from Pete's Dragon.
- There is a photograph of Walt Disney holding the giant squid tentacle from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
- Uh-Oa is a character from the Enchanted Tiki Room: Under New Management.
- Ned Land's turtle-shell guitar from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is on a shelf.
- Tiki Gods from the Enchanted Tiki Room are littered throughout the bar.
- There is a post-card addressed to Sam from Hathaway Browne, a character from the Adventurers Club.
- The sign for the defunct Samoa shop is hung in the rafters.
- One of Sam's books is, "Lava; Songs of Hawaii", referencing the Pixar short film Lava.
- There is a mobile with Rosita's name written on it.
- One of the house-rules is to not "Throw Annette into the sea" again referencing Annette Funicello.
Gallery[]
Uh-Oa at Grog Grotto
Trader Sam's old mask at Enchanted Tiki Bar
Drinks[]
The Nautilus cocktail served at Grog Grotto
The Shrunken Zombie Head cocktail served at the bar
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