Trader Sam's Grog Grotto

**Trader Sam's Grog Grotto** is a bar found in Disney's Polynesian Village Resort and is one of two **Trader Sam's** locations found in the Disney Parks, the other being Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar in the Disneyland Hotel.

## History

### Backstory

The Grog Grotto is themed around being one of two tiki bars opened and managed by Trader Sam, a character from the Jungle Cruise who is backed by the Jungle Navigation Company. The Grog Grotto is located in the fictitious village setting of the Polynesian Resort which is found along the Seven Seas Lagoon. It is set sometime between the 1950s and 1970s while its sister-location in the Disneyland Hotel is set sometime between 1930 and 1950.

## Connections

### 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

* One of the drinks is called *The Nautilus* and is served in a mug made to look like the Nautilus from the Disney film. When it is ordered, audio from Submarine Voyage plays, including the voice of Captain Nemo.
* A portrait of the Nautilus in the lagoon of Vulcania is mounted on the wall. It lights up when the Nautilus drink is ordered.
* A photograph of Walt Disney holding one of the Giant Squid's tentacles made as a promotion for the film is mounted on the wall.
* A tentacle belonging to the Giant Squid is mounted on the wall behind the bar-counter. When the Nautilus drink is ordered, it comes to life and assists in serving the drink.
* The turtle-shell guitar of Ned Land from the film is on one of the shelves. There is also an illustration of Ned on the walls.
* The menus have a note from Sam saying that the locals of the village claim the Nautilus used to frequent the island's waters.

### Adventurers Club

* One of the drink-order events at Trader Sam's is a shipwreck in a bottle, which was borrowed from the Adventurers Club.
* The term, "Kungaloosh!" is used in the greeting found in the menu.
* A postcard from Hathaway Browne to Trader Sam can be found which reads "*There is a man, a handsome man. As adventurous as he can be. And our friend Trader Sam, actually knows this man… it’s me*".

### Adventure Trading Company

* Jungle Navigation Company manager Skip Documentary assists Sam in running the grotto and wrote the menu's description.

### Disney films

* **The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad**: The car keys of J. Thaddeus Toad, Esq. from *The Wind in the Willows,* *The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad* (1949), and the Fantasyland attraction *Mr. Toad's Wild Ride* are hung from the rafters of the bar. This being a gag on Mr. Toad being an infamously horrible driver who would not be allowed to drive at all in Sam's establishment where he would be drinking.
* **Lava**: One of the books on the shelves is titled, "Lava; Songs of Hawaii" in reference to the 2014 Pixar short, "Lava".
* **Pete's Dragon**: There is a wood carving of Lampie from the film Pete's Dragon (1977).
* **The Rocketeer**: A menu from the South Seas Club is hung on the wall

### Disney's Polynesian Village Resort

* Trader Sam's is located in this resort and is integrated with its story.
* Merchandise and mugs of the Tiki God known as Maui are sold, Maui being the mascot for the resort.
* The sign for the Samoa shop is hung on the wall, Samoa being a gift-shop that was replaced for the Moana Mercantile.

### EPCOT

* A life-preserver with, "Vesta v gruppen" written on it is mounted on the wall. This is a life-preserver taken from the defunct attraction Maelstrom which was located in the Norway Pavilion of World Showcase. Vesta-Gruppen were the original sponsors of the Norway Pavilion and Maelstrom attraction.

### The Haunted Mansion

* The zombie-head mugs are modelled after the leering-head moulds from the Haunted Mansion, most notably used in the Hitchhiking Ghost known as Ezra and in the Hatbox Ghost.
* Tiki mugs of the Hitchhiking Ghosts, Hatbox Ghost, and Jack Skellington are displayed and sold here.

### The Jungle Cruise

* The Grog Grotto is run by Trader Sam, a character from the Jungle Cruise.
* In the Grog Grotto's predecessor and Disneyland counterpart it is also explained that the franchise was opened with assistance of the Jungle Navigation Company.
* Cast-members of the Grog Grotto are sometimes referred to as, "Skippers" as an allusion to the skippers of the Jungle Cruise.
* Tiki mugs of the Jungle Cruise skippers are sold.
* A sack from the Jungle Navigation Company with, "Amazon Belle" written on it is visible behind the counter.
* A small carving of Shrunken Ned's head is hung from a shelf.

### Pirates of the Caribbean

* Behind the bar is a ship-in-a-bottle resembling *The Wicked Wench* from the original Pirates of the Caribbean attraction which was notably captained by Blackbeard and Captain Barbossa. When a shipwreck on the rocks is ordered, the ship comes to life and sinks as the bartenders imitate sailors on a sinking ship.
* The menu description for the drink Shipwreck on the Rocks mentions Davy Jones.

### Real-world history

* The Krakatoa Punch references the 1883 eruption of the volcano Krakatoa.
* One of the, "House Rules" is to not, "Throw Annette into the sea". This references singer/actress Annette Funicello of the Mickey Mouse Club.

### Sunshine Tree Terrace

* In a case within this bar is a small figurine of the Orange Bird, positioned atop a book of Maori myth.

### Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room

* Uh-Oa from the Enchanted Tiki Room: Under New Management is mounted on the wall. When the Uh-Oa drink is ordered, the skippers chant her name similarly to in the attraction with Uh-Oa then coming to life and lighting up before a line of dialogue from the ride plays.
* Tikis made to resemble those of the Enchanted Tiki Room are scattered throughout the location and sold as mugs.
* The shirt of a Tiki Room cast-member is stuffed behind the counter on a shelf.
* The tiki gods are ornaments on the taps behind the bar.
* A mobile made of clams has Rosita's name on it as a reference to Rosita's name on the mobile from the tiki room.

## References

1. ↑ https://allears.net/walt-disney-world-chronicles-the-trader-sam-story/
2. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/BZMawU1gPdi/
3. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/BsZEi3QgVk1/
4. ↑ http://www.mainstgazette.com/2015/08/management-is-not-responsible.html
5. ↑ https://www.mousesteps.com/2015/03/29/trader-sam-s-grog-grotto-lives-up-to-west-coast-version-with-unique-experiences-drinks-and-decor-150-photos-video/2/