Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar

References to characters from S.E.A., the Adventurers Club, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and Indiana Jones

**Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar** is a bar at the Disneyland Hotel in California. It was the first of the two **Trader Sam's** bars, the second being Trader Sam's Grog Grotto.

## History

### Backstory

It is themed to a tiki-bar run by the Jungle Cruise character of Trader Sam. The bar is themed to having been active from the 1930s throughout the 1950s while being decorated with memorabilia from Sam's exploring of the globe. The exact setting of the attraction is however c. 1960 due to certain real-life references made within the bar.

## Connections

### 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

* The novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne is seen in Sam's possession.
* The drink the Nautilus is served in a mug modelled after the submarine of the same name. Audio of Submarine Voyage plays when it is ordered.
* The*San Francisco Evening Bulletin* newspaper is taken from this film. Its article talks of a real sea-monster which in reality was a misidentification of the Nautilus.
* There is a photograph of Ned Land identifying him as a friend of Sam's. Beside it is a harpoon from Ned and a letter which says, "Sam, This comes with a whale of a tale! -Ned".

### Adventurers Club

* Zeus' fishing pole is on display.
* The ship in a bottle from the Adventurers Club can be found in the Enchanted Tiki Bar. However the ship within has been modified.
* The Kungaloosh drink is served off of the secret menu.
* A photo of and letter from Hathaway Browne is on Sam's wall.
* Sam has letters from Samantha Sterling, Pamelia Perkins, Hathaway Browne and Fletcher Hodges.
* A photograph of the Colonel is found with a letter mentioning his familiarity with Sam.
* Sam was apparently left in possession of the Adventurers Club's ventriloquist dummy "Slappy".
* There is a photograph of Sam ferrying Otis T. Wren with a message from Otis to Sam saying, "Sam, thanks for keeping me ahead of the rest".
* There is a photograph of Isabella Pleasure (wife of Merriweather Adam Pleasure) attempting to learn poker while riding the Orient Express in 1907.
* A note from Sam mentions that historic US president Theodore Roosevelt was an original member of the Adventurers Club. There are multiple allusions to Roosevelt within the bar, identifying him as a friend of Sam's who he regularly adventured with.
* A figure of the Yakoose's head is on a shelf overlooking the restrooms.
* There are letters which were written by members of the club during the attraction's run, made for guests.
* In Sam's possession is the propeller from the maiden flight of the *Gypsy Moth* airplane. This is a plane belonging to Hathaway Browne.

### Adventureland Bazaar

* On display is a banjo which has writing on it reading, "Banjo lessons contact H. Goff; dock 54". This is an allusion to a window over the Adventureland Bazaar which advertises, "Oriental tattooing by Prof. Harper Goff; Banjo Lessons".
	+ These are both in-reference to imagineer Harper Goff who played the banjo in real life.

### Adventure Trading Company

* There is a letter from a reporter of the Daily Gnus, asking Sam for an interview.

### Disney films

* **Aladdin**: A genie's lamp resembling that from Aladdin is on one of the shelves.
* **Castaway Cowboy**: There is a bottled message from Lincoln Costain from Castaway Cowboy.
* **Lt. Robin Crusoe, U.S.N.**: A photo of Robinson Crusoe from Lt. Robin Crusoe and Tanamashu is framed by Sam with a message in a bottle from Crusoe.
* **Mary Poppins**: There is a letter from a man named Smith who mentions having a peg-leg. This an allusion to the 1964 Disney film *Mary Poppins* where Bert tells a joke about having known a man with a wooden-leg named Smith.
* **Pete's Dragon**: There is a bottled message from Lampie from Pete's Dragon. Said letter reads, "*Sam, I swear I saw a dragon. A green and something monstrous in sight! Nobody believes me! You believe me don't you Sam*? -Lampy".
* **Swiss Family Robinson**: In interviews and promotional materials for this bar, the Swiss Family Robinson are frequently identified as being affiliates of Trader Sam, a character from the Jungle Cruise. The exact references to the family however have yet to be identified at time of writing.
	+ It is possible that the connection is a message-in-a-bottle addressed to Sam where the writer is a member of a group of people who were involved in a shipwreck, leading to them suggesting Sam make the drink, "Shipwreck on the Rocks".
* **Up**: The money bottle for Paradise Falls is on a shelf in the bar.

### Disney's Polynesian Village Resort

* References to Trader Sam's Grog Grotto being built in a village along the Seven Seas Lagoon can be found.
* The HippopotoMai-Tai drink is modelled after the Polynesian Resort's mascot, the Tiki God known as Maui.
* Maui's likeness is carved into the door.

### Expedition Everest

* An Anandapur mask from Expedition Everest (presumably portraying the yeti) is hung on one of the walls.

### Great Movie Ride

* There is a letter to Sam from Humphrey Bogart's character Rick Blaine from the film Casablanca (1942). It reads, "To the only other Sam I trust! Drinks are on me whenever you stop by next. Rick".

### Indiana Jones

* A map of the Temple of the Forbidden Eye is hung on the wall. It comes with a letter from Sallah who reached out to Sam for him to bring his guests to the temple for tours.
* A letter from Short Round addressed to Trader Sam is found, referencing Sam having assisted Indiana Jones in disposing of an Indiana Jones, "voodoo" doll used by Mola Ram in Temple of Doom.
* A photograph shows Sam in-front of the Temple of the Crystal Skull.
* A bullwhip gifted to Sam from Indiana is hung on the wall.
* A seltzer bottle from the Himalayan bar of Marion Ravenwood is behind the bar.
* A message from Indy tells Sam that if he needed help running the bar, then he should ask Marion.
* There is a sack referencing the Lost Ark.
* A letter from Marcus Brody asking Sam for help on finding Indiana's location can be found.
* There is a letter sent to Sam from Anna Marie Jones, Indiana Jones' mother who died in 1912. The letter thanks Sam for having helped save her life.
* Indy is mentioned in a letter included with a photograph of a Jungle Cruise skipper in-front of a giant snake. The letter says Indy fled at the sight of the reptile and will need a large drink for when he returns.

### The Jungle Cruise

* The establishment is run by Trader Sam, a character from the Jungle Cruise.
* Letters and packages delivered by and from the Jungle Navigation Company can be found, explaining Sam made the establishment with the JNC's help.
* Two photographs of Sam's cousin Chief Nah-Mee are hung on the wall.
* A photo of of Sam and his pet elephant Ellie is hung on the wall.
* There is a photograph of John Lasseter serving as a skipper on the Jungle Cruise with a note saying that he was grabbing a microphone, not knowing it was a black snake.
* The hat which Walt Disney wore while driving the Jungle Cruise boat *The Congo Queen* is on one of the shelves.
* Cast-members are often referred to as, "Skippers".
* A bronze bust of S.E.A. member Dr. Albert Falls is mounted on a shelf in Trader Sam's bar.
* There is a mounted life-preserver from the Jungle Cruise boat the Magdalena Maiden.
* There is a photograph of one, "Captain Kevin" who was one of the Jungle Cruise's original skippers. It has a message to Sam saying, "Sammy, come by my hut later for a " Miehana"- Cap'n Kevin"
* Several letters are from Jungle Cruise skippers such as "Skipper Andrew" and "Jeff W".
* There is a letter from Charlie Allnut, a character from the film the African Queen which inspired the Jungle Cruise. It offers Sam his riverboat services while telling him to avoid a Jungle Cruise boat.

### Kilimanjaro Safaris

* There is a photograph of a Safari including Sam departing from Harambe with an elephant for transportation. On the elephant's howdah is the logo for the Kilimanjaro Safaris company.

### Mickey Mouse Universe

* One of the shelves has a vintage stuffy of Donald Duck.

### Pirates of the Caribbean

* A photograph of Trader Sam and Captain Jack Sparrow on what is presumably the island of Pelegestos with a native warrior is hung on the wall.
* The shrunken head of Jack Sparrow's mother can be found in the bar with a letter from Jack saying that he was leaving her in Sam's care due to her loving the bar.
* The ship in the bottle at the bar is made to resemble *The Wicked Wench,* Barbossa's ship from the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. It comes to life and sinks when a shipwreck on the rocks is ordered.
* In Sam's collection is a telescope with a note from Sam saying he, "Traded this from a mean looking pirate with a black beard...and a pretty daughter". This is clearly referencing Blackbeard as-well-as his daughter Angelica Teach from the Pirates of the Caribbean films.
* One of the two identical musical lockets which belonged to Davy Jones and Calypso are hung in a display case.

### Real-world history

* Krakatoa Punch is named for the infamous volcano Krakatoa.
* Sam is identified as having been friends with Theodore Roosevelt.
* There is an authentic pin commemorating Colonel Charles Lindbergh's historic flight from New York City to Paris, France from the May of 1927.
* A photograph of Walt Disney from his 1941 trip to South America is hung in this bar with a message from Sam saying he was hired to give them a tour.
* On the wall is a wooden mask with a large earring on its left ear and a sign identifying it as, "Joe". This is a tribute to imagineer Joe Rohde.
* There is a photograph of one Captain Brody taking his ship the *S.S. Denali* to Trader Sam's island. This is a historic vessel used to make trips to Alaska but was wrecked in a typhoon in 1942.
* There is a vintage photograph of the *Clifton's Republic* bar of Los Angeles which was a tiki bar which opened in 1935.
* Sam has an album of Annette Funicello's songs of Hawaii.

### The Rocketeer

* There is a coat-check ticket from the South Seas Club.

### Submarine Voyage

* The clamshell resembles the animatronic giant-clam from Submarine Voyage.

### Sunshine Tree Terrace

* Sam has a figure of the Orange Bird from Sunshine Tree Terrace with a label saying he found it, "A-peeling".

### Tarzan of the Apes

* A photo framed on the wall is of Professor Porter and Jane Porter from Tarzan on their search for gorillas.

### Tower of Terror

* Managing Director Vanessa Capshaw of the New York Preservation Society sent a letter to Trader Sam about Billamongawonga, or Trader Bill, one of Harrison Hightower III's associates. She believes that he was Sam's grandfather, and gifted him a painting of him found in Hotel Hightower.
* A tiny Shiriki Utundu figure is located on the shelved behind the bar.

### Typhoon Lagoon

* There is a post-card from the crew of the *Miss Tilly* shrimping vessel addressed to Sam with a photo showing the ship impaled on Mount Mayday in Blustery Bay. The message contained reads, "*Sam- That was the strongest dark and stormy' we've ever had! What happened? -Crew of the Miss Tilly*" which might imply that Sam was present during the hurricane that hit the lagoon.

### Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room

* The bar's name is inspired by the Tiki Room.
* The tiki drummers from the attraction are found on display in this bar.
* One of the totems in the bar is modelled after one from the Tiki Room.
* The tiki gods are ornaments on the taps behind the bar.
* A letter from Jose to Trader Sam inquires on if Sam knows Rosita's whereabouts due to the birds of the Tiki Room trying to settle a bet.
* An idol of Uti is on one of the shelves.
* There is a tiki of the god Koro on one of the shelves.

### Other/unidentified

* There is a straw hat on the wall of unknown origin. It could potentially be an allusion to Tom Sawyer who was notably featured in *Tom Sawyer Island*. Another possibility is that it references Booton 'Little Maca' MacAvoy from Castaway Cowboy.
* During the holiday seasons, a stocking for one, "Otis" is hung on the wall. This could be referring to Otis T. Wren from the Adventurers Club or Otis Bigelow from the Rocketeer.

## References

1. ↑ https://allears.net/walt-disney-world-chronicles-the-trader-sam-story/
2. ↑ https://www.disneytouristblog.com/trader-sams-backstory-details/
3. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/B8NSILKAkxM/
4. ↑ https://insidethemagic.net/2016/07/five-years-of-adventuring-at-trader-sams-enchanted-tiki-bar/
5. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/B427Gc2gzOt/
6. ↑ https://www.mousesteps.com/2011/09/25/detailed-look-at-trader-sams-enchanted-tiki-bar-disneyland-hotel-from-august-2011/
7. ↑ https://twitter.com/SocietyofEandA/status/1159647485842690048
8. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/Bg\_rNQflO7S/
9. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/BeKke44FPhb/
10. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/BdK88XzFdXc/
11. ↑ https://www.mouseplanet.com/9037/Letters\_From\_the\_Adventurers\_Club
12. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/Bd8IDZSFqvJ/
13. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/Bdniwyml3TH/
14. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/BwKlgwAAiKD/
15. ↑ https://www.disneytouristblog.com/christmas-trader-sams/
16. ↑ https://www.mousesteps.com/images/stories/Disneyland/Disneyland%202011/Trader%20Sams/IMG\_7357.jpg
17. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/BhNpJ8qlFnu/
18. ↑ https://www.endorexpress.net/parks/disneyparks/disneyland-disneyland/2011/11/trader-sams-enchanted-tiki-bar/
19. ↑ https://i2.wp.com/www.tikicalifornia.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/trader-sams\_010.jpg?ssl=1
20. ↑ https://www.endorexpress.net/parks/disneyparks/2011/08/trader-sam-meet-indiana-jones/
21. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/Bg9EEo3lojm/
22. ↑ https://jefflangedvd.com/2011/09/trader-sams-enchanted-tiki-bar-at-the-disneyland-hotel-tour-of-decorations-and-effects-photos-and-video/
23. ↑ https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2011/07/inside-trader-sams-at-the-disneyland-hotel/
24. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/Bht93FSDvDG/
25. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/BZcEgKllDSx/
26. ↑ https://www.mousesteps.com/2011/09/25/detailed-look-at-trader-sams-enchanted-tiki-bar-disneyland-hotel-from-august-2011/2/
27. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/Bem3CQMFiDj/
28. ↑ https://foroparquesdisney.foroactivo.com/t2093-trader-sam-s-enchanted-tiki-bar-disneyland-hotel
29. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/groups/1888833644766222/permalink/1892806417702278/
30. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=866033770407&set=oa.1892801001036153
31. ↑ https://www.mousesteps.com/images/stories/Disneyland/Disneyland%202011/Trader%20Sams/IMG\_7374.jpg
32. ↑ https://www.tikicalifornia.com/bars-restaurants/tiki-bars/trader-sams-enchanted-tiki-bar/