When we recently visited Disneyland for a couple of days, we already had Hawaii on our minds as that was the latter part of the trip. So our family already has a thing for tiki themes. So we had heard about a place called Trader Sam’s, but never really looked all that much into it. That is until we kind of just stumbled upon Trader Sam’s when walking around the magnificent monorail swimming pool at the Disneyland Hotel.

Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar is nestled in a discrete corner of the Disneyland Hotel property adjacent to Tangaroa Terrace. When we saw the sign, Mrs. InACents and I looked at each other and said we had to go in and at least check it out. After all, one of our favorite honeymoon experiences was getting to visit the Adventurers Club at Pleasure Island, and since its closure in 2008, we wondered if some of the “artifacts” were indeed preserved inside the walls of Trader Sam’s.

Once inside the darkened bar, we were transported to our future in the Hawaiian islands in only a couple of days. The walls, columns, and every square inch of the bar was covered in tiki statues and artifacts from Trader Sam’s travels. As we stood inside staring at all the decor, we began to wonder and ask how often the walls would come to life. After being told everything was random, we decided to sit down and have a drink to the start of our multi-week adventure.

Two Piranha Pool (Strawberry Vodka blended with Pineapple Juice, Cream of Coconut, Strawberry Puree, and Blue Curacao) drinks later, we were drowning in our sorrows and waiting for the shows to start. As we walked around the tiki bar, the theming went all the way down to the beer taps, complete with glowing eyed tiki statues.

Eventually we learned the secrets of the Enchanted Tiki Bar. As guests ordered select beverages, they set off the decor for little shows. Sometimes as soon as one show ended, another started up, which created some interesting moments. Our three year old boy (Bug) happened to be a little frightened by the lights dimming, loud sounds, and chattering decor, but the rest of us really enjoyed everything.

Below are some videos of the two shows we were able to see. The first is the volcano eruption scene, where as mountains of lava erupted on adjacent walls inside the bar.

The second video, and my favorite highlighted a ship sinking in a bottle and was wonderfully done.

If ever we get to return to Disneyland again, Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar will for sure be a repeat visit.

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