LisaDKG
A little obsessed...
- Joined
- May 6, 2006
I thought I was working with current information that the wait list went live at 2 pm - meaning you had to be at the doors to Trader Sam's Grog Grotto so that someone manning the hostess desk could put your name on a list even though they don't open the venue until 3 pm. Well, we got there at 2 pm (we were staying at Bay Lake) and there was only another couple ahead of us who said that the door was locked and they were waiting for a hostess to come out. Finally at 2:20, someone came out and told us that the wait time was already 2.5 to 3 hours from 3 pm on!
If it had just been my husband and I we would absolutely have bailed but we were with our adult children (party of 4 adults in total) and it was the first time we were there with our daughter since she had turned 21. We have been coming to Trader Sam's at both Wdw and Disneyland since they opened, with and without our kids, and we have lots of fond memories and quite a collection of their tiki mugs. The last time all 4 of us went was August 2022 and we had a great time and had fairly good service. My daughter was ready with her ID and she and my 23 y/o son had already decided they were going to share the Uh-Oha cocktail as it comes with a great interaction when ordered.
We had prepared ourselves for a wait with our only plan that night to make it to MK for the 9pm fireworks, so we added our name and walked about the lobby and the grounds and the stores, and to check out the new Poly tower construction and then sat outside the quick service location waiting for the text that our table was available. My husband went back to the hostess stand after 2.5 hours had passed just to make sure we hadn't been skipped or missed a text (we are Canadian and I am always concerned that our phone number doesn't 'work' for these types of messages even though it always does.) The hostess apologized and said they had lots of big tables that night and they were turning tables slower than expected and that they had actually started taking names on the waiting list at 1:15 that day. I don't know if that's the new sign up time or if it was just for that day?
We should have bailed then but it was really the number one priority for both my kids when I asked specifically what they wanted to revisit this trip.
Finally after 3.25 hours of waiting we were texted and shown to our spot by one of the friendlier hostesses - to the hightop table in the center of the space with the stool, except all of the stools were in a row on one side of the table! After waiting that long, I definitely wanted to be able to look across and talk to the rest of my party so I said we'd wait for another table and we went back outside to the hallway. 30 more minutes passed (a bridal shower party of 6 were also waiting for a better table ahead of us) and we got called back inside. We had to squeeze past a party of 4 who were being insulted by a different hostess that they should have read up about the waiting system and that if they wanted a drink with an interactive atmosphere they had to follow the rules.
We were shown to a small table right by the door but at least we all had a seat and could look at each other while enjoying our time.
I have always felt that the waitstaff were hired here to suit had a certain 'type' - a little bit surly, and exclusivist like they were actually pretty lucky to have stumbled on to this place but I always wrote it off as part of the charm? and felt that it IS quite a bit exclusive because it is not that well known, there are so few tables and you get yummy-ish drinks AND a fun show. And the very last time my husband and I visited we sat at the bar and were greatly entertained by the bartender whose name I believe is Dustin. I always figured that it was a bit like 50s Prime Time Cafe or Whispering Canyon where you should probably be on board with a little bit of fun 'admonishment' by the wait staff or pick another place to dine at.
We already knew what we were getting (all of the 5 appetizers, and then each our cocktails) so we waited with our menus closed for our waitress. Her name was Valerie/Valery? and we could see that she was pretty busy moving between her section and the back and the computer and the bar all and another table to our left while avoiding any of our attempts at eye contact or flagging her down. There were 2 other tables in her section piled high with glass and plateware and sticky tables. It took 15 minutes for her to glance over and say she'd be with us in a minute and then another 5 until she came over.
If I was reading this review, I'd think we were crazy people to still be committed to this experience but my kids were so invested, we had already waited so long and at this point I wanted to ride it out and see if anything could be done to redeem the evening. For what it's worth, we counted 5 hostesses working that night, 2 bartenders and then 2 waitresses. I used to be a waitress myself for 5 years and I'm always taking stock of the staff and vibe of restaurants. In the past, I've found Trader Sam's to be chaotic but I always chalked this up to part of the atmosphere. I could see that the 2 waitresses were responsible for running their own food from the kitchens and drinks from the bar as well as bussing their own tables. The people at the bar were having a great time as Dustin was there again but we could see lots of other tables either waiting with menus to order or waiting to pay their bills. As I said, a few tables were empty and really dirty. Our own table was sticky from the previous occupants. Not a single one of the 5 hostesses ever cleared or cleaned a table the entire time we were there. I can't quite fathom why there were 5 of them and no bussing staff at all.
When we finally had Valery come over to take our orders, I asked if there was any special drink being offered that night, not on the menu, since we had tried most of them in the past. She replied "If you think I'm going to list off all the Secret Menu drinks out there on the internet you're crazy", which for one, was not what I asked as a 'special' and a 'secret drink' are different in my opinion and two, made me feel really embarrassed that I even had dared to ask a question.
Once we ordered, we watched a bit of the antics and I could see our drinks sitting at the bar waiting to be delivered. She brought mine over first - both mine and my husband's were drinks that didn't have interactions associated with them and then 5 minutes later she brought over the Uh-Oha and did the spiel. The Uh-Oha probably has the most involved interaction and my kids were happy that they had ordered it. Unfortunately, my husband's drink sat at the bar and wasn't served for another 10 minutes, just as our food started to arrive from the kitchen. We had 4 out of the 5 dishes arrive and the wee table was so crowded we had to hold our drinks in one hand. We thought they were just staggering the dishes due to space but we finished all 4 before Valery came over to see how we were doing. We had actually wanted another order of potstickers and we also mentioned that we were missing the lettuce cups from our first order. She looked at her list and said "Well that's because I didn't order those. Must have missed them". My daughter asked for a new set of chopsticks as hers had dropped and we also asked for a round of water. The last 2 dishes were delivered in about 5 minutes by someone from the kitchen and we never saw Valery for about 10 minutes after that. No waters, no chopsticks and when she did reappear, she had our bill in her hand. She left all the plates and glasses piledup on our table and walked away and I had to write out the bill in my lap. She disappeared again and we didn't see her before leaving.
I'm going to write an email to the manager? head of restaurants? with the same details I've written out here but I wanted to pass our experience on to these boards as well. This place is sadly off our list as I'm still in complete shock at the amount of time and money we wasted that evening ($154.43). Normally we love our time at all the lounges at Disney, as they are unique, with great service and unique small plates. Sam's has been our go to on trips with and without our kids and we have have lots of memories and souvenir cups but I'm done with feeling like I'm doing them a favor drinking and eating there.
Does anyone know to whom exactly I should direct my email?
Thanks in advance!
If it had just been my husband and I we would absolutely have bailed but we were with our adult children (party of 4 adults in total) and it was the first time we were there with our daughter since she had turned 21. We have been coming to Trader Sam's at both Wdw and Disneyland since they opened, with and without our kids, and we have lots of fond memories and quite a collection of their tiki mugs. The last time all 4 of us went was August 2022 and we had a great time and had fairly good service. My daughter was ready with her ID and she and my 23 y/o son had already decided they were going to share the Uh-Oha cocktail as it comes with a great interaction when ordered.
We had prepared ourselves for a wait with our only plan that night to make it to MK for the 9pm fireworks, so we added our name and walked about the lobby and the grounds and the stores, and to check out the new Poly tower construction and then sat outside the quick service location waiting for the text that our table was available. My husband went back to the hostess stand after 2.5 hours had passed just to make sure we hadn't been skipped or missed a text (we are Canadian and I am always concerned that our phone number doesn't 'work' for these types of messages even though it always does.) The hostess apologized and said they had lots of big tables that night and they were turning tables slower than expected and that they had actually started taking names on the waiting list at 1:15 that day. I don't know if that's the new sign up time or if it was just for that day?
We should have bailed then but it was really the number one priority for both my kids when I asked specifically what they wanted to revisit this trip.
Finally after 3.25 hours of waiting we were texted and shown to our spot by one of the friendlier hostesses - to the hightop table in the center of the space with the stool, except all of the stools were in a row on one side of the table! After waiting that long, I definitely wanted to be able to look across and talk to the rest of my party so I said we'd wait for another table and we went back outside to the hallway. 30 more minutes passed (a bridal shower party of 6 were also waiting for a better table ahead of us) and we got called back inside. We had to squeeze past a party of 4 who were being insulted by a different hostess that they should have read up about the waiting system and that if they wanted a drink with an interactive atmosphere they had to follow the rules.
We were shown to a small table right by the door but at least we all had a seat and could look at each other while enjoying our time.
I have always felt that the waitstaff were hired here to suit had a certain 'type' - a little bit surly, and exclusivist like they were actually pretty lucky to have stumbled on to this place but I always wrote it off as part of the charm? and felt that it IS quite a bit exclusive because it is not that well known, there are so few tables and you get yummy-ish drinks AND a fun show. And the very last time my husband and I visited we sat at the bar and were greatly entertained by the bartender whose name I believe is Dustin. I always figured that it was a bit like 50s Prime Time Cafe or Whispering Canyon where you should probably be on board with a little bit of fun 'admonishment' by the wait staff or pick another place to dine at.
We already knew what we were getting (all of the 5 appetizers, and then each our cocktails) so we waited with our menus closed for our waitress. Her name was Valerie/Valery? and we could see that she was pretty busy moving between her section and the back and the computer and the bar all and another table to our left while avoiding any of our attempts at eye contact or flagging her down. There were 2 other tables in her section piled high with glass and plateware and sticky tables. It took 15 minutes for her to glance over and say she'd be with us in a minute and then another 5 until she came over.
If I was reading this review, I'd think we were crazy people to still be committed to this experience but my kids were so invested, we had already waited so long and at this point I wanted to ride it out and see if anything could be done to redeem the evening. For what it's worth, we counted 5 hostesses working that night, 2 bartenders and then 2 waitresses. I used to be a waitress myself for 5 years and I'm always taking stock of the staff and vibe of restaurants. In the past, I've found Trader Sam's to be chaotic but I always chalked this up to part of the atmosphere. I could see that the 2 waitresses were responsible for running their own food from the kitchens and drinks from the bar as well as bussing their own tables. The people at the bar were having a great time as Dustin was there again but we could see lots of other tables either waiting with menus to order or waiting to pay their bills. As I said, a few tables were empty and really dirty. Our own table was sticky from the previous occupants. Not a single one of the 5 hostesses ever cleared or cleaned a table the entire time we were there. I can't quite fathom why there were 5 of them and no bussing staff at all.
When we finally had Valery come over to take our orders, I asked if there was any special drink being offered that night, not on the menu, since we had tried most of them in the past. She replied "If you think I'm going to list off all the Secret Menu drinks out there on the internet you're crazy", which for one, was not what I asked as a 'special' and a 'secret drink' are different in my opinion and two, made me feel really embarrassed that I even had dared to ask a question.
Once we ordered, we watched a bit of the antics and I could see our drinks sitting at the bar waiting to be delivered. She brought mine over first - both mine and my husband's were drinks that didn't have interactions associated with them and then 5 minutes later she brought over the Uh-Oha and did the spiel. The Uh-Oha probably has the most involved interaction and my kids were happy that they had ordered it. Unfortunately, my husband's drink sat at the bar and wasn't served for another 10 minutes, just as our food started to arrive from the kitchen. We had 4 out of the 5 dishes arrive and the wee table was so crowded we had to hold our drinks in one hand. We thought they were just staggering the dishes due to space but we finished all 4 before Valery came over to see how we were doing. We had actually wanted another order of potstickers and we also mentioned that we were missing the lettuce cups from our first order. She looked at her list and said "Well that's because I didn't order those. Must have missed them". My daughter asked for a new set of chopsticks as hers had dropped and we also asked for a round of water. The last 2 dishes were delivered in about 5 minutes by someone from the kitchen and we never saw Valery for about 10 minutes after that. No waters, no chopsticks and when she did reappear, she had our bill in her hand. She left all the plates and glasses piledup on our table and walked away and I had to write out the bill in my lap. She disappeared again and we didn't see her before leaving.
I'm going to write an email to the manager? head of restaurants? with the same details I've written out here but I wanted to pass our experience on to these boards as well. This place is sadly off our list as I'm still in complete shock at the amount of time and money we wasted that evening ($154.43). Normally we love our time at all the lounges at Disney, as they are unique, with great service and unique small plates. Sam's has been our go to on trips with and without our kids and we have have lots of memories and souvenir cups but I'm done with feeling like I'm doing them a favor drinking and eating there.
Does anyone know to whom exactly I should direct my email?
Thanks in advance!
email and report back here.
