We enjoyed our time here on the balcony. The drinks were very yummy the live music was beautiful Reasonably priced drinks as well! I cannot wait to come back in a few months. Wish I knew about this place sooner. It wasn't super packed, we were able to snag a table. I'd imagine around the time we went, most people are in the parks. Service was quick, fast, and friendly. read more

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If you can't get into the tiki bar, then head outside to the tiki terrace. Hawaiian tunes are being played live by a nice waterfall as you sit under an umbrella at a table. The drink menu looks like it has the same drinks as the bar, and the prices are about the same. Ordered a round of cocktails and a rum flight, Thai chicken flatbread, and some pot stickers. The tapas were great, and the service was great. The drinks, for that price point, came in a regular, unimaginative, clear plastic cup; even the rum flight came in 3 plastic cups for $22. Where's the Disney magic in that? That left me underwhelmed, tipsy but underwhemed. read more

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Not quite the show, but still the glow -- the Tiki Terrace is paradise with a rum chaser. Trader Sam's Tiki Terrace is like getting invited to the afterparty but not the main event. Sure, it's not quite the wild animatronic fever dream inside the enchanted grotto, but it's still one of the coolest spots to sip a cocktail at Walt Disney World. History check: Trader Sam's Grog Grotto opened at the Polynesian in 2015, a spinoff of the original Disneyland Anaheim Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar. The inside is legendary -- bartenders summon volcanoes, krakens, and storms with every cocktail ordered. The Tiki Terrace is the spillover: outdoor seating, live music, and the same killer drinks, minus the indoor theatrics. But don't sell it short. On the Terrace, you still get lapu lapus, hippopoto-mai-tais, and Spikey Pineapples (basically Dole Whip with a rum upgrade, aka the nectar of the gods). Add in Hawaiian music, torches flickering, and the warm Florida night breeze, and it's basically paradise -- without having to elbow 100 people for a barstool inside. Listen--there's something magical about sipping tiki drinks under the stars with Cinderella Castle fireworks in the distance. Is it as over-the-top as the grotto? No. You won't summon a volcano or watch the bar sink when someone orders an Uh-Oa. But sometimes less is more -- especially when "less" comes with a pineapple full of booze. Bottom line: Trader Sam's Tiki Terrace is the laid-back cousin of the Grog Grotto -- no gimmicks, just great drinks, live music, and the Polynesian vibe cranked to eleven. read more

Trader Sam's Terrace is a great spot to grab drinks and soak in the atmosphere. The cocktails were surprisingly good value for the location, especially considering the quality and presentation. The ambience was excellent, and it really shines during the fireworks show -- such a fun and memorable experience with a perfect view. Our server was incredibly friendly and attentive, which made the visit even better. While the food and appetizer options were a bit underwhelming, the drinks, service, and overall vibe more than made up for it. Definitely worth a stop if you're looking for a relaxed place to enjoy drinks and the show. read more

Trader Sam's Tiki Terrace - Electric light parade on the lake - Tiki Bars Near Me - Lake Buena Vista, Florida

So we tried getting into the Grog Grotto/Tiki Bar inside but got turned away unfortunately, which is expected when you come too late. So we just kept walking and literally stumbled upon the Tiki Terrace right outside. We were able to sit down immediately when we walked in. The menu is pretty much the same but the drinks were still great (minus the cool glassware). I got a Spikey Pineapple which was mango rum blended with Dole Whip. My wife got the Krakatoa Punch. Super refreshing and I could've had a There was also a live musician and great view of the lake. Nice place to catch the sunset. The perfect option if you're not able to get into the Grotto but equally as cool. read more

Trader Sam's Tiki Terrace - Krakatoa Punch - Tiki Bars Near Me - Lake Buena Vista, Florida

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We tried to get into the Grog Grotto first--they just opened. We were turned away. We travel to see these Tiki places and to be told that we can only stand at the line on the floor and peer over it to see in was quite disappointing. I get it, but c'mon. It looked great, but who knows... We ended up outside at the Tiki Terrace and were quickly seated. We had some fair drinks. Service was good and attentive. Nice patio ambiance. Overall, a nice place for a drink! The Polynesian Resort is GORGEOUS. read more

A view to die for, friendly service and great drinks. What more could you ask for? The dole whip drink is the BEST thing they have on the menu. We love to come here any chance we can. read more

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This place has drinks that are the exact same price as trader Sam's grog grotto, but served in plastic cups and without any of the ambiance. I would suggest going anywhere else. read more

Located right next to Capt Cook's at the Polynesian resort, Trader Sam's Tiki Terrace is a nice place to grab a drink to end your evening. My friend and I stopped after getting dinner and we made sure to go early so that we could get a seat out on the terrace that would allow us to see the fireworks over the lake. We tried a variety of their drinks. The Tahitian Torch was Tito's vodka mixed with some tropical juices and (apparently) fresh lime juice, although I could not taste it. For $16.50, this was definitely not worth the price. The Spikey Pineapple had great flavor, and since I am not usually a rum person, the DOLEWhip Pineapple nicely cut the taste of the Cruzan mango rum. I also got a Blue Moon and we ordered some of the pan-fried dumplings. There was a man playing cover songs before the fireworks started and he was entertaining and funny as he interacted with the crowd. Overall the setting of Trader Sam's trumps the actual drinks but if you need a relaxing place to watch the fireworks at the end of the night, this could be your spot. read more

Trader Sam's Tiki Terrace - Spikey Pineapple - Tiki Bars Near Me - Lake Buena Vista, Florida

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Trader Sam's was stop one of many on our Disney resort bar crawl! The grotto had a long wait so we stepped out to the terrace instead, which was pretty lively as well but at least we could easily make an order. As you do during any bar crawl you make reckless decisions, and mine was ordering the Polynesian Pearl which cost way too much but I wanted the Pearl cup that it came in so why not right? It was absolutely delicious and STRONG (RumChata, Grand Mariner, fruit juices) so it was right up my alley! Some of the other members of the group had margaritas or the Krakatoa Punch which were also great choices! The live music on the terrace was a nice touch as well! I'm not sure if it's just for the weekend or an every evening thing but I'd love to go back and spend some more time here! read more

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It's Disney so you expect it to be expensive but I feel $19 (each) for two small plastic cups of alcohol is a little extreme. However, it was delicious and Rob is the most charismatic person you will ever meet. He was so fun. We have eaten at the Tiki Terrace in the past and loved the food as well. The Polynesian Resort is a very beautiful place to visit and stroll around. read more

This was stop number two on our monorail crawl. I loved the ambiance of the resort from the moment you step off the monorail to the view of the lobby from upstairs. The resort was very busy and the first restaurant we hoped to eat at had a 90 minute wait time. We were directed downstairs to quick service dining but happened upon Trader Sam's which had been suggested by our great bartender Ray at the Contemporary, stop #1. We found the Grotto Bar and it looked amazing but there was another long wait time. Around the corner was the real find...a sit down quick service outdoor dining experience as part of Trader Sam's. This wasn't mentioned by any of the staff but I am so glad we stumbled upon it. We ordered tacos and lettuce wraps. They also had flatbreads on the menu. It was very limited but perfect for us. The outdoor seating was picnic style overlooking the water. There was live music playing and the tiki torches were lit, not to mention both the food and our server were pretty great. We high fived another great find and were off to stop #3! read more

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Trader Sam's is a lovely outdoor bar at the Polynesian resort- it is quite large and had no wait at all on the summer weeknight when we visited. We stopped here 1st on our Monorail cocktail tour- what a fun experience. There was live music when we visited which only added to the atmosphere. There were lots of beverage choices, but I had to go with the alcoholic Dole Whip as I had a Dole Whip on my Disney bucket list. It was absolutely delicious and I will definitely go back for another in the future. The bartender was friendly, efficient, and dodging lots of bees which made it even more impressive. Definitely come check this place out. If you are looking at this place as a substitute for Trader Sam's Grog Grotto- I really don't think it compares- completely different experience. read more

SERVICE: 5 FOOD QUALITY: N/A DRINK QUALITY: 5 ORDER TIME: 5 AESTHETICS: 5 NOISE LEVEL: 5 MENU SELECTION: 3 OVERALL EXPERIENCE: 4.7 On day one of our Disney adventure we decided that we wanted some tiki drinks before heading home. We originally wanted to go to Trader Sams Grog Grotto, but the hostess informed us that it was a 2 hour wait. She did direct us to their terrace. After browsing through Yelp I realized that the terrace didn't exist so I spent time making a thread to help people who want to experience good tiki drinks, but are deterred from a wait of the grotto. The outdoor bartenders were super fun, and looked like they loved working there. They have a huge waterfall right next to the tables with a view of the lake, and even had live music. I wound up choosing the HippopotoMai-Tai tiki drink. It was mixed to perfection with the perfect amount of alcohol to juice ratio. I do enjoy the tiki glasses, but it looked like they only served in the plastic cups due to being outside. My partner had the tiki tiki tiki tiki tiki rum drink, and it was my favorite. I had to drive home so I didn't order another drink, but I want one so bad now. Overall, this place was perfect to get an idea to what they serve in the Grotto. The drinks are amazing, and we are looking forward to going back. The Grotto is first come first serve so expect a wait when you go, but the terrace seems to be open. Just grab a table and enjoy the scenery with drinks. read more

Trader Sam's Tiki Terrace - HippopotoMai-Tai - Tiki Bars Near Me - Lake Buena Vista, Florida

Trader Sam's Tiki Terrace is located at the Polynesian Resort. It is the sister bar of Trader Sam's, which is the bar located inside the resort. They actually are back-to-back, and have the same exact menu, both food and drinks. This location outside, does not include the effects and atmosphere that Trader Sam's has. This is a good stop to wait for your table at Trader Sam's. I prefer the Trader Sam's inside, but the outside was fine. The tables are seat yourself, but people did end up lining up, if you come from the other side, I could potentially see problems arising. We also did not know it was a server type place as there are a few tables and a bar. The bar we learned rudely from the cast member aka our server, is for to-go drinks only. We truly did not know there was servers assigned to the tables. We ordered a couple drinks since we were waiting for our table inside. What I didn't like is that the second she put our drinks down, she also put our bill down. She did not want us here long, even though we did not tell her anything about waiting for a table inside, and we were buying things. We felt totally rushed and she made us completely uncomfortable. We decided we were going to take our time and enjoy the music and our drinks and the atmosphere. I noticed that every other table was sipping slowly on their one cocktail, but our server kept asking if we wanted anything else. Usually cast members are very friendly, but this was not the case. She rushed us so much to the point I asked if we had a time limit. Every other table was doing the same thing as us. I really did not enjoy this experience. For drinks I ordered the whisky flight which was actually a great value and had really decent pours for Disney. The 3 different whisky's did not come on anything special, just three plastic cups. I also thought this was weird as every other drink came in an actual glass. My wife ordered the margarita, which was great, it is her favorite drink at Trader Sam's. All in all, I would say if you came here, take your time, enjoy the armosphere, enjoy the drinks and the food. Ignore the rude cast members because you are spending a lot of money to be there. I do prefer the Trader Sam's inside due to the atmosphere and better service but this is a decent place. I would probably in the future just grab a drink to go and leave the area. read more

Trader Sam's Tiki Terrace is located at the Polynesian Resort. It is the sister bar of Trader Sam's which is inside the resort. They actually are back-to-back, this just being outside. This is a good stop, if you have to wait for your time at Trader Sam's or just want to sit outside. We have only been here once because we prefer the inside Trader Sam's. I thought it was a confusing situation. When we went over, there was a sign that said seat yourself, we were able to grab a table. But soon after a line formed of people waiting and servers kept going over to, I guess help them. I wasn't very sure. There definitely is not a set line, because you can enter from multiple sides. I could see this becoming an issue on busy days. We also did not know it was a serve type place. They have a bar here as well, where there was also a line. We just assumed you had to go up and order, which is what my husband did. As he was in the line, the server came over. I said that he had gone up to order and she very rudely told us that bar was just for to go. I explained we did not know that and ordered with her. Their menu is 100% the same as inside. Same drinks, same food options. We ordered a couple drinks since we were waiting for our table inside. What I didn't like is that the second she put our drinks down, she also put our bill down. She did not want us hanging out here long and I completely felt rushed. We decided we were going to take our time and enjoy the music and our drinks and the atmosphere. I noticed that every other table was sipping slowly on their one cocktail, but our server kept asking if we wanted anything else. I think we offended her but going up to the bar instead of waiting. But we didn't know. Usually cast members are very friendly, but this was not the case. She rushed us so much to the point I asked if we had a time limit. Every other table was doing the same thing as us. I really did not enjoy this experience. For drinks I ordered the margarita which was great. It is my favorite drink at Trader Sam's. My husband ordered the whisky flight which was actually a great value. The pours were pretty good, and he enjoyed it. All in all, I would say if you came here, take your time. Enjoy yourself, enjoy the music and don't let a rude cast member ruin your time. It is a great place to sit and get drinks. The food is also really good, you could have some snacks or even a full meal. We would go back here for sure, now that we know how it works. read more

Food was really solid, especially with nothing else being open and being finger foods, surprisingly left me satisfied and full. Staff is fun and the view by the water is nice. I recommend the flat bread and tacos, the chicken flat bread is sooooo good. For drinks, if you are like me and prefer something sweeter and fruity I recommend their Mele Kaliki-Mai Tai was so yummy read more

Trader Sam's Tiki Terrace - Thai chicken flatbread, Kalua pork tacos, Mele Kaliki-Mai Tai - Tiki Bars Near Me - Lake Buena Vista, Florida

So many people recommended this place if you couldn't manage to get into the indoor Trader Sam's bar. Alas I found the drinks to be just okay, and the food to be a complete letdown. I mean, the ambiance is nice, with plenty of pretty flowers surrounding you, and in the evening live music, but nobody goes to a bar just for that! In terms of the food, the tuna sushi was absolutely terrible. I think I've gotten better sushi at a gas station. The chef's knife cuts were abysmal, and it was impossible to separate the pieces of sushi without them completely falling apart. The thai peanut flatbread was middle of the road. Half of it tasted like peanut sauce, the other half was nearly devoid of any flavor. Definitely a disappointment. My goal was to drop by this place as a vantage point to see the fireworks, but it was a huge disappointment, and I regret spending the arm and a leg I did for less than mediocre bar food. read more

This is a hidden gem. The same drinks in Trader Sam's are also served on the terrace. (In plastic cups) This is outside, with a water fall ambiance. Here's a tip... they open the bar at 3pm. Grab a Dole Whip (around the corner) and get an outdoor bar table at 2:30. Then when the bar opens get table service outside for your drinks and snacks. We were there on a Friday and even had live music. So much better than waiting in the long bar line. Definitely our future place for drinks. (In the winter) read more