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Trader Sam's - Orlando |
AceExplorer
Grand Member (3 years) 
Joined: Apr 03, 2008
Posts: 929
From: Deep in the Jacksonville Florida jungle.
|  Posted: 2013-03-14 04:53 am Permalink
I understand that Trader Sam's will be built in Orlando as a result of the popularity of Sam's in Anaheim. This would address the need for more options which appeal exclusively to adults. Disney is slowly releasing information about re-development of their Orlando Downtown Disney/Pleasure Island property with various new themes, shopping, dining, and restaurants. I understand that an announcement to the press is imminent. This is the result of planning which has been underway for quite a while and will be fleshed-out under the leadership of a new executive-in-charge who came from the Disney Cruise Line. This executive has a very good grasp of how to create and blend things for families, adults and children.
Portions of the Downtown Disney complex will be renamed to "Disney Springs." Pleasure Island will be renamed to "The Landing" and will have nautical elements and theming. The extent of renaming is not entirely clear yet - at this time we expect to see Downtown Disney, Disney Springs, and The Landing. More "official" details are coming soon, and leaks have started happening here-and-there. These are highly anticipated changes due to the 5-year dormancy of Pleasure Island.
Schussler Creative is widely expected to be involved in developing one or more of the new venues. They are known to have had a fair amount of success with Disney execs and planners over the past 10 years and both companies have a good and well-established relationship.
Here is a photo of the second of two logo boards for the project. There are some "placeholder" names in here, and some things will certainly change. But note the presence of the Trader Sam's logo. This is certainly something we can be excited about.
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Hale Tiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 19, 2004
Posts: 1798
From: Pittsburgh
| Posted: 2013-03-14 08:41 am Permalink
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! What are the chances it'll be done by Hukilau? haha That would be amazing.
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lucas vigor
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 12, 2004
Posts: 3985
From: SOCAL
| Posted: 2013-03-14 08:48 am Permalink
Awesome! Trader Sam's is one of the only fully modern tiki bars around, and I think the one at Disneyland gets it right....perfect decor, lighting, drinks, etc...and they have Tikiyaki Orchestra music playing quite frequently!
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AceExplorer
Grand Member (3 years)
Joined: Apr 03, 2008
Posts: 929
From: Deep in the Jacksonville Florida jungle.
| Posted: 2013-03-14 09:17 am Permalink
They just started filing permits. Then they have to complete design reviews, if not already completed. Then demolition. Build parking garages. Move and install utilities. Build stuff. And on and on and on. It sounds like they have enough work to take them well into 2014. It may be done in phases. The good news is that WDW is their most profitable of all the parks and the current location, despite how little it offers, is always jam-packed with people looking for things to do. So the development will follow the crowds in this case. And time is money. So I suspect they will move as quickly as they can starting in the next month or so.
I'm looking forward to the possibility of unique "Florida-only" mugs. 
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thePorpoise
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 23, 2011
Posts: 1162
From: Tampa Bay
| Posted: 2013-03-14 10:42 am Permalink
dang, too bad Jimmy Buffet is already signed up with Universal Studios... :::ducks:::
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finky099
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 15, 2012
Posts: 155
From: Orange County, CA
| Posted: 2013-03-14 11:09 am Permalink
Wow! I'm not terribly surprised, but I AM looking forward to seeing it when it's open. Just like Disneyland though, I'll always have a special fondness for the original...
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AceExplorer
Grand Member (3 years)
Joined: Apr 03, 2008
Posts: 929
From: Deep in the Jacksonville Florida jungle.
| Posted: 2013-03-14 11:20 am Permalink
I agree. But this would likely be very different -- WDW draws more visitors than the Disneyland Resort, so we should expect larger, splashier, and distinctly unique from its California counterpart. Personally, I enjoy the smaller and more intimate-feeling tiki environments, and I am hoping that with "largeness and profitability" we will also see intimacy preserved or at least available in certain sections for those who desire to have conversations without yelling. Especially for those times when you want to slow down and relax and savor a good cocktail.
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xtine
Tiki Centralite
Joined: May 26, 2009
Posts: 57
From: Boston, MA
| Posted: 2013-03-14 12:33 pm Permalink
YES!
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Thortiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 29, 2006
Posts: 257
From: Maryland (Land of Pleasant Tiki Living)
| Posted: 2013-03-14 3:10 pm Permalink
After having a terrible undrinkable "so called", Mai-Tai @ WDW OHana's then going to Trader Sam's @ DL for a Zombie. Well, they can not build a Trader Sam's fast enough in Orlando, because the bar at OHana's needs to sink into the quick sand! Thortiki
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MaukaHale
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 07, 2012
Posts: 329
From: The base of the Volcano
| Posted: 2013-03-14 3:46 pm Permalink
Here is a recent press release about Disney Springs:
http://d23.disney.go.com/news/2013/03/disney-unveils-vision-for-disney-springs/
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AceExplorer
Grand Member (3 years)
Joined: Apr 03, 2008
Posts: 929
From: Deep in the Jacksonville Florida jungle.
| Posted: 2013-03-14 3:56 pm Permalink
And here's the "official" announcement by Disney's Tom Staggs on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=oxcAhYEDm3s
The real question to me, given the themed areas shown in the video, is WHERE would such a place fit? It seems that it would have to be different in some ways from the Anaheim version.
Nothing is official until it's built, and it would be a shame-on-them to show those logos especially when the logo boards depict several trademarked names. Still, things can change at any time. But Trader Sam's has many fans within The Walt Disney Company, including within Imagineering. So there is hope.
I'm going to sit back and watch and wait -- with fingers crossed. Only time will tell what REALLY happens. Good cocktails on Disney property would be a pleasant development, and even more so with their incredible talent for theming.
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Hale Tiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 19, 2004
Posts: 1798
From: Pittsburgh
| Posted: 2013-03-14 4:16 pm Permalink
I loved the model. I have a soft spot for architectural models, and they really did a bang up job.
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LostIsland
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Jul 27, 2012
Posts: 88 | Posted: 2013-03-14 4:45 pm Permalink
Nice model, I think. It would have been nice if they would have showed it a bit rather than focusing on people talking. Low volume and poor camera work make it seem kind of like a wasted opportunity. It does look to be a nice addition to the resort though..
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AceExplorer
Grand Member (3 years)
Joined: Apr 03, 2008
Posts: 929
From: Deep in the Jacksonville Florida jungle.
| Posted: 2013-03-15 08:51 am Permalink
Yup, the model was impressive. I have never seen a model lit to appear "animated" in that way.
As more information leaks out about the redevelopment of the property, I have seen that a few people are completely poo-pooing the idea of Trader Sam's ever being built there. I have looked for, and have not yet found, any of the things which they are referring to in support of that claim. And we know positively that the company has acknowledged the need to provide things for adults to do. I'm keeping an eye on this - it would be very cool to get Trader Sam's in Florida.
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finky099
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 15, 2012
Posts: 155
From: Orange County, CA
| Posted: 2013-03-15 3:54 pm Permalink
For what it's worth, the staff at Trader Sam's at DLR are aware of plans to build the Orlando cousin. So, when/how it ever gets built at WDW, I think we can all agree that the plans for build an East Coast cousin to trader Sam's IS for real. And, when there's a sponsor like Disney seeking to expand or create something like Trader Sam's in second locale- well, frankly, that's just exciting for any fan of tiki.
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