Tag Archives: Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto

Who Would Love Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort?

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Hey all you tropical paradise fans!  This one’s for you.  Let’s say you know you want to be close to Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.  You have options!  Those monorail resorts have vastly different personalities, different atmospheres, different dining options!  Today, let’s throw some love across the Seven Seas Lagoon…

Who Would Love Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort?

You’re a South Seas vacation kind of family – Do you love all things Tiki?  This is the place for you!  White sand, excellent pool areas, fancy drinks in pineapples, you get the idea.  From the lush tropical landscaping to the prominent Tiki statue in the expansive lobby, even the Cast Members’ costumes – this place is, as one expects from Disney, well-themed.  The resort’s layout around the Great Ceremonial House invites guest to stroll and explore, relax on the beach with a snack from one of the pool-side snack stands.

Laid Back is your style – The vibe at the Poly is calm, relaxing, and a bit playful.  It’s got two of the coolest lounges on property, if you care to indulge in an adult beverage while on vacation.  The Tambu Lounge, connected to ‘Ohana, offers a great drink menu and comfy seating.  Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto, while teeny tiny and a bit pricy, is completely immersive and tons of fun.  Get there early for the best chance of a seat!

Seafood and American cuisine with a Polynesian flair sound yummy to you.  ‘Ohana is always popular with our family – all-you-care-to-eat, family style dining in a great setting.  Kona Café is also a solid table service eatery with plentiful menu options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For a quick meal, Capt. Cook’s offer up more than a typical burger or hot dog and fries (although you can get those, too).  Pulled pork nachos?  Pan Asian Noodles? Thai Coconut Meatballs over rice?  Step right up!   

You’re a Nostalgic Disney Fan.  Like the Contemporary, the Polynesian has been there since Disney World’s opening day in 1971.  For many Disney geeks like us, that makes this resort a classic!  With great views of both Magic Kingdom’s evening fireworks and the whimsical Electrical Water Pageant, the beach area after dark is a relaxing place to soak up the atmosphere at the end of a busy park day.Disney World's Electrical Water Pageant

Are you a Polynesian Village Resort fan?  Is it still on your to-try list?  What’s the draw for you and your family?

Kid Free Disney

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If your nest is still full and you love Disney vacations, it’s hard to imagine what it would be like to take a kid-free trip to Walt Disney World.  If you fell in love with Disney World before you had kids, you have some idea how that is, and may long for the eventual return of park touring sans stroller, bags full of supplies, and meltdowns.  RM-DuffyTo do what you want to do, go where you want to go…where the only whining you hear is your own on the day you have to leave.  Think about it!  Once the kids are grown, it’s your turn to enjoy Walt Disney World exactly the way you want to.  For us that means we still invite the kids (both adults now) along occasionally, but vacation alone at least once a year.  (If your children still live at home and you can overcome the guilt involved with leaving them behind while going to Disney World, you’re a stronger person than I am!)

Kid Free Disney

So you’ve finally made it.  You’ve booked an offspring-free trip to Disney World.  In order to fully flex your kid-less status, there are plenty of opportunities available to minimize exposure to other people’s children while maximizing your footloose and fancy free vacation happiness.  Here are a few ideas for your consideration…RM-Grand-Floridian-Senses-Sign

Splurge at the Senses Spa – No kids allowed!  With the Spa’s extensive menu, you’ll find something appropriate for pampering yourself at this serene spot at the Grand Floridian.  We’ve enjoyed the Massage for Two on more than one occasion and highly recommend it!RM-California-Grill-Interior

Book a Great Meal – Disney’s Signature Dining options offer an opportunity to dress up a little (or a lot) and dine in Disney splendor.  Citricos-MichaelWe love the California Grill, Jiko, Shula’s Steakhouse and Citricos (just to name a few).  Great service, fewer non-grownups, and excellent food are the draws and while these restaurants are more expensive, it’s worth it for a special evening out.RM-Sunset-Animal-Kingdom-Lodge

Take a Leisurely Stroll – Whether you’re an early bird or a night owl, the early and late hours of the day are both great times to take a walk and explore resort grounds.  Bay-Lake-Tower-SunriseI can attest to the beauty of all the monorail resorts (Contemporary, Polynesian Village, and Grand Floridian), Port Orleans Riverside, and the Boardwalk areas for this highly relaxing activity.  Dawn and sunset are my personal favorite times of the day at Disney World.RM-Mizner's-Lounge

Relax in a Lounge (or a few) – There are so many to choose from!  Whatever your preference – loud and boisterous or quiet and reserved, there’s a pub, bar, or lounge for you.  Mizner’s at the Grand Floridian, the Belle Vue Lounge on the Boardwalk, The Outer Rim Lounge at the Contemporary, Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto at the Polynesian, Victoria Falls Lounge at Animal Kingdom Lodge, and Jock Lindsey’s at Disney Springs are all places we highly recommend.RM-Victoria-Falls-Lounge

Fellow kid-free people! What are your favorite aspects of an adults-only trip to Walt Disney World?

 

 

Trader Sam’s or Jock Lindsey’s?

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When there’s something new at Walt Disney World, be it restaurant, show, attraction, or lounge, we are anxious to check it out!  Recently we had the opportunity to stop in for refreshments at two new (to us) Disney pubs – Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto (Polynesian Village Resort) and Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar (Disney Springs).Trader-Sam's-Wall-Decor

Since we were staying at the Polynesian in the new DVC Villas, we hit Trader Sam’s first. Having heard it was small and filled up fast in the evenings, we decided to get there right at opening time (4:00 pm).  It is indeed very small – a hole in the wall almost literally.  It’s located behind an unassuming door near Captain Cook’s on the ground floor of the Great Ceremonial House.  Trader-Sam's-Volcano Trader-Sam's-Menu-PageTrader-Sam's-Interior Trader-Sam's-DetailsWe ducked inside and were immediately impressed by a million details and no small amount of ambient noise.  It’s dark inside and feels very closed-in due to the many artifacts and items used to create the theme.  The bar was wide open, so be bellied on up and took our seats.Trader-Sam's-Raymond Trader-Sam's-Tentacles

What to order?  The menu was large and contained a wide variety of drink choices as well as some delicious sounding snack options.  I wanted a specialty drink, but knew that some of them could be quite pricey, so I chose the relatively economical Polynesian Pearl.  Raymond ordered the Kona Beer Flight and we decided on the Pan-fried Dumplings with Soy-Sesame Dipping Sauce to snack on.Trader-Sam's-Kona-Beer-Flight Trader-Sam's-Dumplings

Like many of the signature drinks, the Polynesian Pearl was made with quite a bit of ceremony and flair (no spoilers here).  Raymond’s beer flight was delivered in the customary way.  Not a fan of mixed drinks, I wished I’d have ordered something with fewer ingredients than the Pearl, but I enjoyed the presentation if not the actual drink itself (I did keep the drink container, but consumed less than half the contents).Trader-Sam's-PearlTrader-Sam's-Drink-CeremonyThe dumplings were very delicious.  Our take-away?  Service:  Adequate, not overly friendly. Mixed drink: so-so.  Beer flight: thumbs-up. Snacks: A-OK!  Atmosphere:  Cave-like and noisy from both people and special effects.   (Read all about Trader Sam’s theme and backstory plus many more details here.)Jock-Lindsey's-Sign

We found Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar just opening for the day when we happened to have a few spare minutes before our lunch reservation at Morimoto Asia.  Upon entering, we found a bright, very well-themed lounge with soaring ceiling, smiling servers and plenty of seating.  Jock-Lindsey's-Interior Jock-Lindsey's-Shelves Jock-Lindsey's-Flight-JacketLike Trader Sam’s, the details are absolutely incredible.  We became totally immersed in the theme.  Also like at Sam’s, seats at the bar were open, so we sat on down and were immediately greeted by our very friendly server, “Howdy” (a nickname she was given due to being from Texas).  She was full of interesting facts about the bar and was ready with suggestions about what we should order to eat.  When we told her we’d just stopped in for a beer and were headed to lunch across the way at Morimoto Asia, she was happy to offer her recommendations on what we might like to eat there.Jock-Lindsey's-Howdy Jock-Lindsey's-Bar-Seating Jock-Lindsey's-Beers Jock-Lindsey's-Bar

The menu is an entertaining book full of clever add-ins along with the bar’s selection food and beverages.  We ordered Orlando IPAs and, since there was hardly anyone else there, I wandered around looking at all the neat stuff – and there are a LOT of cool artifacts.  Jock-Lindsey's-Menu-Cover Jock-Lindsey's-Menu-Page Jock-Lindsey's-MenuAgain, no spoilers – you really need to see this place and discover all the fantastic surprises for yourself!  It’s sort of a cross between a museum and a hoarder’s garage, but the combo definitely works!Jock-Lindsey's-Details Jock-Lindsey's-Cast-Member Jock-Lindsey's-Reggie's-Revenge Jock-Lindsey's-Swizzle-Sticks

Between the two…Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto or Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar…which one do we most want to visit again?  It’s Jock’s, absolutely.  The atmosphere, service, and overall experience trumped Trader Sam’s (our opinion).  While we enjoyed both locations and were pleased with how well-themed and kind of funkily (is that a word?) retro they both are.  Jock’s left us wanting more and we are even now planning how to squeeze in another stop there on our next Walt Disney World vacation (two weeks to go!).

Have you been to Trader Sam’s or Jock Lindsey’s?  I’d love to hear your thoughts on them!