One among Walt Disney International’s hottest lounges is now opening a number of hours previous every day, with Dealer Sam’s Grog Grotto now greeting visitors beginning within the morning! Listed here are complete main points at the overdue 2025 and early 2026 agenda exchange, together with what we are hoping occurs with this common Poly bar going ahead.
As elementary background, Dealer Sam’s Grog Grotto is a themed tiki bar at Disney’s Polynesian Village Hotel. The “secret spot” (air quotes) is tucked away at the back of a nondescript door at the decrease degree of the Nice Ceremonial Space. Secret as it doesn’t draw consideration to itself with a distinguished marquee and isn’t simple to seek out should you’re unfamiliar with the foyer format, however air quotes since the location is however insanely common and has a devoted following amongst lovers.
Dealer Sam’s Grog Grotto is common for just right explanation why. It’s close to the highest of our Record of the 25 Best possible Bars & Lounges at Walt Disney International, and we view Dealer Sam’s as a must-visit for first-timers or lovers of themed design. It’s in point of fact well-themed and a a laugh revel in, so it’s unsurprising that Grog Grotto is taking part in such a lot good fortune a complete decade (needed to double-check that; can not imagine it’s been see you later) after opening!
The most recent replace comes by the use of the Walt Disney International working calendar, which signifies that Dealer Sam’s Grog Grotto is now open day by day from 11:00 am to twelve:00 am (middle of the night), efficient right away for the center of the Christmas 2025 season and lengthening till a minimum of February 15, 2026.
The one explanation why it “ends” then is as a result of that’s as a ways out because the calendar is going. In reality, hours are at all times matter to switch (therefore this last-minute extension when in the past the hours for those identical dates have been shorter). If this ‘experiment’ is going properly, Walt Disney International will make 11 am to middle of the night the brand new customary for Dealer Sam’s Grog Grotto.
In all probability, it’s contingent upon staffing and the bar with the ability to duvet shifts. Our wager is that gained’t be an issue. From what we perceive, this is without doubt one of the extra fascinating positions at Walt Disney International. Typically talking, servers and bartenders have a tendency to do properly.
Previous to this alteration, Dealer Sam’s Grog Grotto in the past opened at 3 pm day by day. This was once in reality an extension of its authentic working hours. Afternoon hours have been already added because of the strains that might shape within the hallway, clogging up the walkway resulting in Capt. Prepare dinner’s. Our wager is that the ones will nonetheless shape, however a couple of hours previous.
With this alteration, Dealer Sam’s Tiki Terrace has additionally noticed its hours prolonged. That is the outside counterpart to the indoor bar positioned at the ‘again’ of Grog Grotto, adjoining to the outside seating for Capt. Prepare dinner’s by way of the function pool. Dealer Sam’s Tiki Terrace will now perform from 11 am to 11 pm day by day (additionally recently thru mid-February 2026).
The age requirement for Dealer Sam’s Grog Grotto now not modified. Visitors of every age are welcome from 11 am till 8 pm, at which level access is proscribed to visitors 21 years of age and older are allowed into the tiki bar from 8 pm till middle of the night. On the other hand, the open-air Dealer Sam’s Tiki Terrace stays all-ages at all-hours.
Some other non-change is that Dealer Sam’s Grog Grotto (fortunately) does now not settle for Advance Eating Reservations…for now? The similarly-popular Wailulu Bar & Grill “subsequent door” to Grog Grotto within the Island Tower simply began providing ADRs. We sincerely hope that doesn’t turn into a pattern, as something that makes lounges extra horny is their laid again and informal nature.
Moreover, vehicular get entry to to Disney’s Polynesian Village Hotel is mechanically limited to just visitors of the resort, or the ones with ADRs. Which means should you’re now not staying on the Poly, you wish to have to take Walt Disney International transportation to the hotel with the intention to drink at Grog Grotto.
You may have good fortune with safety that guards the car parking zone, however don’t financial institution on it. We’ve heard from numerous visitors who’ve mentioned they’re going to Grog Grotto and feature been rejected. We don’t suppose it’s even definitely worth the gamble.
With that mentioned, we do counsel making the hassle to recover from to Dealer Sam’s Grog Grotto. It is a destination-caliber bar. We’d pass so far as to mention that Dealer Sam’s Grog Grotto is without doubt one of the easiest additions to Walt Disney International within the final decade or so.
The internal is a treasure trove of main points, and references just about the whole lot in Adventureland, together with Swiss Circle of relatives Treehouse, Jungle Cruise, or even the Enchanted Tiki Room: Underneath New Control. Additionally represented are Walt Disney technology motion pictures, amongst a lot of different issues.
There also are numerous a laugh results and only a most often nice environment. Grog Grotto isn’t for everybody, however the themed tiki bar is exclusive and it’s price experiencing for your self at least one time. With those previous hours, now it’s more uncomplicated than ever to strategize a go to and keep away from the crowds at Dealer Sam’s Grog Grotto. We’d extremely counsel giving it a shot–it’s possible you’ll like it!
Meals is served day by day from 11:00 am to ten:00 pm at each Dealer Sam’s Grog Grotto and the outside Tiki Terrace.
On the other hand, we might warn that Dealer Sam’s is a bar for consuming, now not for consuming. We adore lounges and revisit our favorites steadily, which might recommend we’re regulars at Grog Grotto given its score on our listing. However as famous above, that’s for first-timers and rare guests.
We haven’t dined or drank at Grog Grotto in a couple of years. Simplest as soon as within the post-COVID technology. We’ve made a few temporary visits to catch up with buddies, however have another way spent extra time on the outside Tiki Terrace (the vibe is healthier for socializing). The cause of that is easy: the meals at Grog Grotto leaves so much to be desired.
Dealer Sam’s Grog Grotto is considered one of a number of bars at Walt Disney International the place meals is an afterthought, and even though an appetizer menu is obtainable, it’s a brief listing of chilly pieces or dishes that may temporarily be heated up in a small toaster oven. It is a distinction to the family-friendly lounges we widespread, that have considerable meals menus because of sharing a kitchen with every other eating place or having considered one of their very own.
From our point of view, this is the most efficient exchange that Dealer Sam’s may just make–a extra bold meals menu. Capt. Prepare dinner’s is true there, and provides supply to tables, so the logistics of this are hardly ever insurmountable. If anything else, this may well be a web certain in serving to relieve call for from the strained eating scene on the Poly, a minimum of with regards to the outside tables on the Tiki Terrace. The ones tables already are continuously occupied by way of visitors with Capt. Prepare dinner’s meals since that seating house is undersized, and counter provider visitors finally end up being shooed away like pigeons.
There’s most certainly now not any inclination to supply a larger meals menu inside of Dealer Sam’s Grog Grotto, because the bar is already busy maximum afternoons and evenings. Those prolonged hours will assist with that to a point, however we doubt it’ll materially exchange–maximum visitors will proceed favoring the 8 pm to middle of the night time-frame. The flipside of this is you’ll come upon decrease crowds when preventing in Dealer Sam’s within the morning or early afternoon.
The actual approach to this drawback, as lately mentioned in Deserted Spaces at Walt Disney International, is including every other eating place at Disney’s Polynesian Village Hotel. Or quite, restoring one who’s already there.
The resort was house to Tangaroa Terrace, which is a stout construction over by way of the monorail tracks and near-ish the bus stops. Despite the fact that Tangaroa Terrace closed long ago in 1996, the construction was once nonetheless used after that for team occasions and, extra particularly, the Neverland Membership and Lilo’s Playhouse till 2018. It now serves as an area for Solid Participants, together with garage and places of work.
Even ahead of the outlet of Island Tower, the Poly necessary extra eating capability. Now the resort badly wishes every other eating place, as Wailulu will not be sufficient for the rooms added. Restoring Tangaroa Terrace as every other counter provider eating place, front room, dinner display, or Moana personality eating revel in could be an enormous win. Island Tower will have to’ve been constructed with a rooftop eating place, however since that send has sailed, that is the most efficient comfort prize.
Given the recognition of actually each and every eating choice on the Polynesian and the way Nice Ceremonial Home is bursting on the seams with call for and crowds, having Tangaroa Terrace as a unlock valve at the different aspect of the hotel simply is smart. The hotel has way more eating call for lately than it did again in 1996.
Extending the hours of Dealer Sam’s Grog Grotto is a superb get started, however a good higher one could be transferring that call for to a venue outdoor of GCH. Frankly, Grog Grotto will have to’ve been constructed over in Tangaroa Terrace within the first position, and I will’t assist however wonder if Walt Disney International regrets the short-sighted resolution of hanging it within the foyer. Shifting Grog Grotto over there would liberate area within the foyer, taking into account a much-needed enlargement of Capt. Prepare dinner’s. Win-win!
Making plans a Walt Disney International travel? Find out about resorts on our Walt Disney International Resorts Opinions web page. For the place to consume, learn our Walt Disney International Eating place Opinions. To economize on tickets or resolve which kind to shop for, learn our Pointers for Saving Cash on Walt Disney International Tickets put up. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys put up takes a singular have a look at artful pieces to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney International Experience Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the most efficient position to begin is our Walt Disney International Go back and forth Making plans Information for the whole lot you wish to have to grasp!
Your Ideas
Have you ever skilled Dealer Sam’s Grog Grotto? Is it deserving of the hype and our enthusiastic advice? Or do you view Grog Grotto as a one-and-done? Will you be making an attempt to revel in the tiki bar all over those previous hours? Assume the Poly wishes every other eating choice? Do you compromise or disagree with our evaluate? Any questions we will be able to can help you solution? Listening to your comments–even whilst you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please percentage your ideas underneath within the feedback!
