Aloha, Darlene, and welcome to planDisney!
If you're in the mood for some tropical tomfoolery,
Trader Sam's Grog Grotto and Tiki Bar is the perfect place to get it! Now, I'm a HUGE fan of
Disney's Polynesian Village Resort. I love wandering the torchlit pathways in the evenings, indulging in DOLE Whip on the beach, and watching
Happily Ever After right from
the pool. I've stayed there with my family many times over the years, but believe it or not, the first time I experienced Trader Sam's was just this past June!
See, Trader Sam's doesn't take reservations, and until recently, this popular "hidden" gem could be VERY hard to get into. With two kids in tow, my husband and I pretty much wrote this one off, considering it a Disney World bucket-list item we'd get around to someday (spoiler alert: he was pretty jealous when I visited Trader Sam's in
Disneyland with
my planDisney friends last year!).
Well, I am SO happy to report that Trader Sam's now offers a Walk-Up Waitlist. On our recent visit, we used it to snag a table for all four of us, and finally experience Trader Sam's for ourselves! You can find the Walk-Up Waitlist feature in your
My Disney Experience app once you're in the general vicinity of the lounge. Just open your app, click the plus (+) sign at the bottom of your screen, and select "Check Dining Availability." Next, select our party size and click "Join Walk-Up Waitlist." You'll be given an estimated wait time, and you'll receive a text when it's your turn to enter.
Darlene, we had such a great time at Trader Sam's, and I'm so excited for you to get in on the fun, too. I don't want to spoil the surprise, but be ready for some special effects and interactive craziness when guests order certain drinks! And if you have kids in your party, here's something helpful I learned - if you ask, you can order a pizza from
Capt. Cook's next door. My son is a pretty picky eater, so this was a lifesaver for us!
Thanks so much for stopping by with your question, Darlene. I hope your experience at Trader Sam's is just as extraordinary as ours was! If you have any other planning questions as your big adventure draws near, feel free to
contact me directly right here at planDisney!
Adventure awaits,
Allison