Disney's Polynesian Village Resort

**Disney's Polynesian Village Resort** is a hotel-resort found in Walt Disney World.

## Summary

The resort is themed to being a resort in the isles of Polynesia found alongside a fictional village along the Seven Seas Lagoon. The mascot for the resort is the Māori folk-hero Maui as represented by a wooden statue.

## Attractions

### BouTiki

This is a clothing store filled with large tikis placed in comedic vignettes.

### Moana Mercantile

This is a gift-shop themed to the film Moana which is decorated with South Seas sailing equipment.

### Nanea Volcano Pool

In the resort, the Nanea volcano is the setting for the resort's pool and water-slide which connect to streams and waterfalls.

### Trader Sam's Grog Grotto

Trader Sam's Grog Grotto is a bar found in the Polynesian Resort run by Jungle Cruise character Trader Sam. Along with containing references to the history and details of the resort, it has many allusions to other Disney properties such as the Adventurers Club, Pirates of the Caribbean, Fantasyland, and the Rocketeer to name a few.

## Appearances and allusions

### Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar

Details in this bar mention Trader Sam opening up a bar in a Polynesian village along the Seven Seas Lagoon. This is in-reference to the fictional village of the Polynesian Resort, establishing it as taking place along an in-lore seven seas lagoon.

### Tales from Adventureland

In the Keymaster's Quest, the Nanea volcano is a pivotal location for the book's climax where it is an active volcano used by a tiki god of destruction. In the resort, the Nanea volcano is the setting for the resort's pool and water-slide which connect to streams and waterfalls.

## Connections

### 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

The menus for the Grog Grotto have a note from Sam saying that the locals of the village claim the Nautilus used to frequent the island's waters. The arm of the giant squid from the film is also mounted in Trader Sam's Grog Grotto and will come to live via its magic.

### Adventure Trading Company

Jungle Navigation Company manager Skip Documentary assisted Sam in opening the Grog Grotto and wrote the establishment's description. It is possible that Kiki Tikis Water play area is connected to the character of Tiki Kiki Serbano from the Adventure Trading Company.

### Disney films

* **The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad**: One of the past patrons of the Grog Grotto was J. Thaddeus Toad from *Mr. Toad's Wild Ride*.
* **Lilo & Stitch**: Many of the shows and features of this resort are themed to Lilo & Stitch with both Lilo and Stitch being regularly encountered characters at the resort. Lilo's Playhouse is also a play-place in this resort which is named after Lilo.
* **Moana**: Certain rooms of the resort are themed to Moana with artwork of characters from the film. The store, "The Moana Mercantile" is also named for the film and contains nautical equipment similar to that used by Moana and her people in the film.

### Jungle Cruise

Trader Sam is a character from the Jungle Cruise and was assisted in opening the Grog Grotto by the Jungle Navigation Company with references to the JNC and Jungle Cruise being found in the bar.

### Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room

The tiki gods from the Enchanted Tiki Room are found scattered throughout the resort. The mascot for the park is Maui, a god also depicted in the Enchanted Tiki Room. An idol to Uh-Oa from Under New Management is mounted in the Grog Grotto and will light up and speak when her drink is ordered and name chanted.

## References

1. ↑ 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. ↑ http://www.dressingfordisney.com/2015/03/dressing-for-trader-sams-grog-grotto.html