How to Get Into the Most Popular Bar in Disney World

Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort has officially reopened after a long-term refurbishment!

And, the newly re-themed Moana rooms aren’t the only exciting thing to get back to exploring! All of the dining locations at the hotel have reopened — including the popular bar, Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto. But, recently it’s been VERY hard to get in so we’re bringing you some tips and tricks to help you have the chance to grab a drink from the highly themed bar!

How to Get into Trader Sam’s

Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto opens from 3PM to midnight daily, welcoming guests of all ages until 8PM and then only being available for guests over the age of 21 after. And, if you’re not paying attention, you just might pass it up — it’s basically a hole in the wall down the hallway from Capt. Cook’s!

But, the tiki bar is on the smaller side (with seating for only 51 guests), so instead of lining up in the hallway, Disney has opted to use a Virtual Queue.

So, when you first arrive, you’ll find a Cast Member up front who will ask for your name and phone number. You’ll then get a text message saying that you’re on the waitlist (with an estimated wait time) and then you’ll have to wait until you get a second message saying that your table is ready.

And, with Disney fans excited to be in the bar once again, we’ve been seeing the virtual line fill up FAST. On opening day, the virtual queue closed at 5:30PM and had a wait time of almost 5 hours. And, since we’ve seen wait times of 2+ hours right when the lounge first opens and throughout the night.

So, how do you secure a spot in line and eventually inside the bar?

Arrive Early (Like REALLY Early)

One of the best ways to ensure that you’ll have the chance to go inside Trader Sam’s is to arrive early. Recently, we’ve been seeing a line form outside of the door between 12:30PM to 1PM (keep in mind, it doesn’t open until 3PM), with a Cast Member located out front adding names to the virtual line beginning around 2:30PM.

When we spoke with a Cast Member, they said that they likely will be pushing back the beginning of the virtual queue to 3PM in the coming weeks, but for now, they’re starting a bit earlier.

So, if you really want to get into the bar, plan to arrive earlier in the evening, as the virtual line will likely close hours before the bar itself is set to close.

Go During the Week

And, if you’re hoping to avoid waiting hours to get into the bar, try to avoid going to Trader Sam’s over the weekend.

Weekends at Disney World draw many local crowds to the parks and resorts, so we tend to see longer wait times for rides and even for dining locations. And, though Trader Sam’s is certainly a hidden gem in Disney World, there are still a whole lot of Disney fans that know about it and want to visit on a Friday and Saturday night.

Don’t Go With Too Many People

We mentioned earlier that Trader Sam’s only has 51 seats inside, which isn’t a whole lot of space. And, most of the seating areas are made for groups of 2 to 4 people so you’ll likely have to wait a bit longer to get in with a larger group.

Plus, keep in mind that seating is first-come, first-served, and sharing tables is encouraged so you might have your name called to find that there isn’t a spot large enough for your whole party to sit together inside.

So, to keep your wait time down (and to be able to find a seat with your party), try to limit the number of family and friends you’re traveling with.

Opt to SKIP the Wait

Now, we’ve covered all of the ways to increase your chances of getting into this popular bar, but did you know that you can still enjoy all of the drinks from the menu without having to wait in line?

Trader Sam’s Tiki Terrace is located just outside of the indoor lounge on the patio. And, they serve up the exact same menu that you’ll find inside! Want an Uh-Oa? They’ve got it! What about a secret menu drink? They’ve got that too!

The only thing you’ll be missing out on is the extravagant delivery presentations and hilarious Skippers.

So, there you have it — how to get into Disney World’s most popular bar! You can check out what it’s like inside (and other bars on Disney’s Monorail) in our video below!

And, be sure to stay tuned for more Disney planning tips, tricks, and updates!

Check out the Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto Menu HERE!

Have you ever been to Trader Sam’s in Disney World? Let us know in the comments!

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