Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar

InexorableTash

Active member
If you're averse to anything Disney, leave now!

Trader Sam is well known in some parts as the head salesman on the world famous Jungle Cruise - he's the one who'll always trade two of his heads for one of yours. Well, this past summer he opened up a bar slightly to the West of his usual hunting grounds - Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar, at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim.

The bar sits next to the (also new) Tongaroa Terrace, a no-frills cafeteria. Apart from the faux-Polynesian theme, though, the two bear little in common. Trader Sam's immerses you in the best of Tiki kitsch - rum-laden drinks in tiki glasses, bamboo and tapa cloth walls, knickknacks gathered from the Pacific islands, vintage and new exotica on the sound system, and very happy serving staff. The room earns its moniker by paying loving tribute to the Enchanted Tiki Room; not only is there plenty of decor from Rolly Crump's masterpiece, but the room itself comes alive depending on the libation you order to slake your thirst.

As has been mentioned before, there are a couple of Indy references in the room. Right inside the door is a shadow box, gifted to Sam by Sallah, according to a note.

Here's my lousy photo:


Notes on the Temple of the Forbidden Eye by inexorabletash, on Flickr

I visited this week as part of a family reunion and dragged the whole gang there, so I didn't have much of a chance to take photos. However, I did spot one more Indy reference hanging high up on the wall above the next table over:


Gift for Trader Sam by inexorabletash, on Flickr

The note reads:

Sam,

Mine always seems to get me out of trouble, so I picked up an extra for you. In case someone asks for a special drink you need to whip up.

Running a bar can be tricky. See if you can find Marion if you need any tips!

See you next time,

-- Indiana

Thanks to the flash you can see the whip better in that photo than you can in person; it's a nicely made whip that's had a chance to age well and seen some use. It could use a new cracker and a bit of leather conditioner on the fall, but otherwise looks ready to crack.

I found some slightly better photos and close-ups of the Forbidden Eye shadow box over at the Endor Express blog.
 

Violet

Moderator Emeritus
Those pics just totally made my day and what an awesome little note with a Marion mention. If I ever get to go back, will have to stop by there for a drink. :whip:
 

Le Saboteur

Active member
InexorableTash said:
Trader Sam's immerses you in the best of Tiki kitsch - rum-laden drinks in tiki glasses, bamboo and tapa cloth walls, knickknacks gathered from the Pacific islands...

But can I get a Suffering Bastard or a Missionary's Downfall? Join the Kill Devil Club? Are these guys on the hi-fi? Maybe these guys? Or these?

Seriously though, thanks for the snaps. I'm glad to see that a lot of effort went into bringing Trader Sam's to fruition. I'll have to check it out the next time I'm visiting family.

Oh, and the idea of "drink shows" sounds like a blast.

Check out this thread at Mice Chat for a lot of pictures of the entire complex.

Thanks for the opportunity to name drop. ;)
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Le Saboteur said:
Are these guys on the hi-fi? Maybe these guys?
Sublime tunes, Le Sab. Reverb-drenched, surf guitar = heaven. The Aqua Velvets and The Vanduras get 2 thumbs-up from me!(y)(y)
Violet said:
Those pics just totally made my day and what an awesome little note with a Marion mention. If I ever get to go back, will have to stop by there for a drink.:whip:
Hi, Violet. You may like to know that there is also a letter written by Marion! Take a look at the largest (original) version of Tash's top photo. The centre note appears to be a letter from her to Sallah.:)
Inexorable Tash said:
If you're averse to anything Disney, leave now!
I like my Disney and I like my Indiana Jones but prefer them in seperate glasses...not mixed. Although a pinch (a nod or a wink) is O.K..:p

That said, I wonder if there were any Indy references in the bygone Adventurers Club at Walt Disney World in Florida (from 1989-2008)? It was part of Pleasure Island in the Downtown Disney area and themed after a c.1937 explorers' club. It featured a treasure room plus a mask room and apparently there were cross references between it and the Jungle Cruise so it might have had a nod to Indy somewhere...

ColonelCritchlowSuchbench.jpg
 

Le Saboteur

Active member
Stoo said:
Sublime tunes, Le Sab. Reverb-drenched, surf guitar = heaven. The Aqua Velvets and The Vanduras get 2 thumbs-up from me!(y)(y)

Thanks Stoo. As you may know, California was the epicenter of the tiki bar craze. Don the Beachcomber was the first, opening in 1933(?) in Los Angeles.

Several others followed, but the most notable one was Trader Vic's. It originally opened in 1936 in Oakland before eventually relocating to Emeryville, and now spans the globe. The Mai Tai was invented here.

Interesting factoid: the very first China Clipper took off from Alameda Island in 1935. Which probably helped spur the Polynesian craze.

I mention this, because it's about the same same time Uncle Walt came to California; and I've long suspected - much to my chagrin - that the tiki craze played a significant role in the development of Adventureland.

And finally, there's a Trad'r Sam's in the Richmond District of San Francisco that's about seventy(?) years old now. This new Trader Sam's has a lot to live up to.

4944602078_0369de65eb_z.jpg




Stoo said:
That said, I wonder if there were any Indy references in the bygone Adventurers Club at Walt Disney World in Florida (from 1989-2008)?

Sadly it's a task now relegated to the Disney obsessives. Though, I wouldn't doubt that there was something. Of course, Dr. Jones does not have a ride at Disneyworld. Yes, there's the stunt show but I believe it's portrayed as a behind the scenes thing? I've never seen it.
 
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InexorableTash

Active member
Le Saboteur said:
Thanks Stoo. As you may know, California was the epicenter of the tiki bar craze.

Mostly SoCal, of course, although as LeSab points out Trader Vic's got started in the Bay Area. In addition to Trad'r Sam's, SF is home to one of the remaining over-the-top faux-Polynesian experiences - the Tonga Room (indoor rainstorms every 30 minutes! a band on a boat!) - as well as Smuggler's Cove, a brand new retro-themed tiki bar featuring peacock chairs and a rum appreciation society. Across the Bay and down the peninsula are a few more highlights, of course, but La La Land still trumps us on the tikis-per-square-foot density metric.

Le Saboteur said:
Interesting factoid: the very first China Clipper took off from Alameda Island in 1935. Which probably helped spur the Polynesian craze.

...and from Treasure Island, future filming location for Last Crusade. (See, this is on topic!)

Le Saboteur said:
I mention this, because it's about the same same time Uncle Walt came to California; and I've long suspected - much to my chagrin - that the tiki craze played a significant role in the development of Adventureland.

Adventureland merits a multi-page mention in Sven Kirsten's Book of Tiki, along side the long vanished Pacific Ocean Park in Venice. And speaking of Sven, he hangs out with like-minded Tikiphiles over at Tiki Central, the online hub of "Polynesian Pop". Do stop by and share a drink!

...

Back on topic - I was just watching the hilariously bad Disney TV special put together for the opening of the Forbidden Eye at Disneyland starring Karen Allen and John Rhys-Davies. The drawing from the shadow box (first image up top) is seen in the special, as is the detailed map I've mentioned recently in another thread.
 

Le Saboteur

Active member
InexorableTash said:
And speaking of Sven, he hangs out with like-minded Tikiphiles over at Tiki Central, the online hub of "Polynesian Pop". Do stop by and share a drink!

I'll stop by, but I think I'll pass on the drink. Inspired by this thread, a buddy and I swung by Forbidden Island over the weekend and sat in on a pair of Virgin Sacrifices followed by a Painkiller and the aforementioned Missionary's Downfall. I think I've had enough rum for a while. :dead:

Speaking of drinks though, I did find a decent image of Trader Sam's drink menu. (And if this it, I hope they eventually expand.)

4612_jumbo.JPG


And the proprietor of the Disney Designerland blog has put together an unofficial soundtrack for Trader Sam's. Click the link, then click the image on the site to get to the tunes!

Trader%2BSams.jpg
 

InexorableTash

Active member
Le Saboteur said:
Speaking of drinks though, I did find a decent image of Trader Sam's drink menu. (And if this it, I hope they eventually expand.)

That's only the last of about 8 pages (one of which is the food selection), so don't worry - Sam can keep your palette entertained!

(The drinks were average, honestly. Too much syrup, not enough appreciation for the layering of liquor.)
 

InexorableTash

Active member
I paid another call on Trader Sam's earlier this week. There was a less-than-tropical downpour going on outside - the gods had been angered by all the celebratin' or something. Ducking inside to get out of the rain was a welcome respite.

I snapped a few more photos relevant to the thread. Apologies for the poor lighting - Sam keeps it dark inside, photos are framed under glass, and there are bar lights and safety signs that mean a choice between bad and worse reflections.

First off, Adventurer's Club references:


Colonel Critchlow Suchbench photo, in Trader Sam's by inexorabletash, on Flickr


Colonel Critchlow Suchbench to Trader Sam by inexorabletash, on Flickr


Fletcher Hodges to Trader Sam by inexorabletash, on Flickr

Off topic, unless Ed stops by:

One for the ladies (and Ed) by inexorabletash, on Flickr

One of the Jungle Cruise skippers saw Indy stop by but something sent him running:


Indy just left by inexorabletash, on Flickr

Side note: the JC skippers have found a new pool of jokes to draw from. Perhaps it's this pool:


Trader Sam / Temple of the Forbidden Eye by inexorabletash, on Flickr
 

WilliamBoyd8

Active member
Here's a drink menu from a real Tiki Bar, Trader Vic in Oakland, California.

My grandmother saved it.

post_tradervicsmenu_1943_a.jpg

Trader Vic drink menu page 1

post_tradervicsmenu_1943_b.jpg

Trader Vic drink menu page 2

:)
 

InexorableTash

Active member
Another trip to Anaheim, another visit to Sam's.


Sallah Tours by inexorabletash, on Flickr

Note that it reads:

SALLAH TOURS
BAGGAGE CLAIM
FROM
LOST DELTA REGION
TO
AMAZON BASIN
TB-0201
If the Lost Delta is in Asia, that's a heck of a tour! They must take the same shortcut the Jungle Cruise skippers use.



Tourists Lost In Temple by inexorabletash, on Flickr

Basically, the preshow newsreel blurb, "Riddle of the Lost Tourists", but the wording is slightly different. (Speaking of which, I need to send Moedred some corrected transcripts.)


Short Round to Trader Sam by inexorabletash, on Flickr

Finally, a letter from Shorty! It wasn't obvious what the note was referring to. I'm guessing there's a voodoo doll somewhere in the bar that I wasn't able to spot.
 

Le Saboteur

Active member
InexorableTash said:
SALLAH TOURS
BAGGAGE CLAIM
FROM
LOST DELTA REGION
TO
AMAZON BASIN
TB-0201

(y)

I was there about a month ago for the first time. I thought I saw something with Sallah's name on, then somebody ordered an Uh Oh'a and I thought I was imagining things.

Nice place overall. Ain't nobody getting drunk off what those bartenders think they're pouring, but the theming is marvelous. Plus, they don't seem to have anything besides Bacardi. Pusser's 108-proof is a must in any Tiki bar's arsenal.
 

Le Saboteur

Active member
Stoo said:
That said, I wonder if there were any Indy references in the bygone Adventurers Club at Walt Disney World in Florida (from 1989-2008)?

The Ship in a Bottle @ the Adventurer's Club

<iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-RnYiidGI1I" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

While not Indy related, this effect has been carried forward to Trader Sam's. So there's a tie-in. And according to the guy who sourced all of these knick knacks, that's the original bottle from the Adventurer's Club! The bulk of the club's artifact's have ended up in Mystic Manor in Hong Kong.

IMG_78181-650x433.jpg


Look familiar? It should. That's Trader Sam himself standing in front of Tokyo's Temple of the Crystal Skull! Now I'll need to find it during my next visit.

Full article here.

If the yutz in the photo looks familiar... well, remember that Indy Fans "documentary"? Same guy. Nice promotion.

There's a harpoon from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea in here somewhere as well.

Before I forget, Trader Sam's is getting new branded mugs!

watermark.php


Trader-Sams-Souvenir-Barrel-Mug.jpg
 
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InexorableTash

Active member
Le Saboteur said:
Look familiar? It should. That's Trader Sam himself standing in front of Tokyo's Temple of the Crystal Skull! Now I'll need to find it during my next visit.

Dang... we should never underestimate how obsessive employee-fans can be.

Le Saboteur said:
Full article here.

Nice pix. More stuff hidden in there than I'd noticed so far. Must go back...

Oh, hey, in the article...

Brandon Kleyla said:
What?s fun about that is that the Temple of the Forbidden Eye falls after the Temple of Doom...

Attention to timeline detail, nice.

Le Saboteur said:
Before I forget, Trader Sam's is getting new branded mugs!

I have the Shipwrecked barrel and the Uh Oa! bowl, need the zombie head (which is brand new)
 

Le Saboteur

Active member
InexorableTash said:
I have the Shipwrecked barrel and the Uh Oa! bowl, need the zombie head (which is brand new)

Ditto. Just acquired in the past couple of days. Per the bartender, however, they're still out of the zombie mugs. He believes they'll have them in time for Christmas.

InexorableTash said:
First off, Adventurer's Club references:

The Club continues to be well represented with the Friendly Confines of Trader Sam's. (I really need to buy a new camera!) There's a postcard from Samantha Sterling just above the second table, and a photo of Otis T. Wren traveling in deepest, darkest Somewhere a bit closer to the door. I'm sure there's more hidden throughout.

Kungaloosh! even appears on the greeting from "Skip" regarding the bar's founding.

With the various Adventurelands themed to the late 1930's, it'll be interesting to see how Mystic Point's Society of Explorers and Adventurers fits into the whole thing considering it's set about thirty years early.

Mm.jpg
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Wanna Go For a Rip?

InexorableTash said:
Mostly SoCal, of course, although as LeSab points out Trader Vic's got started in the Bay Area. In addition to Trad'r Sam's, SF is home to one of the remaining over-the-top faux-Polynesian experiences - the Tonga Room (indoor rainstorms every 30 minutes! a band on a boat!) - as well as Smuggler's Cove, a brand new retro-themed tiki bar featuring peacock chairs and a rum appreciation society. Across the Bay and down the peninsula are a few more highlights, of course, but La La Land still trumps us on the tikis-per-square-foot density metric.
Bay Area Indy Fans,

February 18-27, I'll be in San Francisco (and possibly San Rafael & Palo Alto). How about a Raven Evening/Night at one of these Tiki bars in the SF area? Needless to say, we share common interests and it'd be a blast to all meet up face-to-face at such a place. I think it would be fun!(y)

Tash's description of the Tonga Room makes it sound like a Tiki version of that tacky, Rainforest Cafe chain. I'd stop into Tonga for a drink & a laugh (& a rain shower) but am really stoked to check out some of the more "authentic" Polynesian places. (My first trip to SF was too short so this time I'm want to make the most of it. Such a cool city.;))

Anyone interested in a gathering?

"Are you go-o-oing to Sa-a-an Fra-a-ancisco-o-o-o?":)
 

InexorableTash

Active member
On topic - I'll be visiting the DL next week. Must visit Trader Sam's and pick up some new mugs. Now to the important stuff...

Stoo said:
February 18-27, I'll be in San Francisco (and possibly San Rafael & Palo Alto).

Hells yeah!

Stoo said:
Tash's description of the Tonga Room makes it sound like a Tiki version of that tacky, Rainforest Cafe chain. I'd stop into Tonga for a drink & a laugh (& a rain shower) but am really stoked to check out some of the more "authentic" Polynesian places.

Among the tiki set (e.g. Tiki Central) the Tonga Room is one of the few remaining "high holy places" of tikidom.

Also in SF is the new high-class rum joint Smuggler's Cove in the city itself, and Forbidden Island across the bay in Alameda (where they keep the nu-cle-ar wessels) - those are the high "tikis per square yard" (TiPSY) rated places. There's Trad'r Sam's (no relation to the Disney joint), slinging drinks in SF since the 30's and some dive bars with the right name but the wrong music.

We can definitely arrange some outings, tiki or otherwise. Need to get you to the Presidio to see some Indy-related sights, too. (What size helmet do you wear?)
 

roundshort

Active member
What a fun thread. I did actually make to the adventures club back in the 98 or 99 or so. Fun to see the pics of it again.

Why not Trader Vic's in Emeryville?
 
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