Hey friends! Happy Friday! I've been waiting to share the AMAZING photos my girl Alexis too during my maternity photo shoot (which she oh-so-graciously offered as a baby shower gift). She's a friend first, a fellow mommy, a sunshiny happy soul, and a gifted photographer. She does all kinds of lifestyle photos at really affordable options, and you should absolutely reach out to her when you're visiting Walt Disney World to capture your memories. Just a few ideas that come to mind, that I think would be so fun to have documented in pictures...
Sisters/Girls Getaway
Bachelor/Bachelorette Weekend
Wedding
Family Trip/Reunion
Maternity/Birth Announcement
Accomplishments- after a Disney Race, Promotion, Engagement, etc
Mommy + Me
Headshots
And more!
My dress is this one from Lilly Pulitzer. I bought one size up from my pre-pregnancy sizing, so I'm excited that I'll able to wear it after baby too! It's machine washable (!!) and confession: I did spill Dole Whip on it but that's the beauty of Lilly- it hides the stains (which is the reason Lilly created her colorful shifts in the first place- to hide the citrus juice stains she would get when squeezing fresh-pressed juice at her stand in Palm Beach back in the 60's)!
Oh! And I have to say this. As much as I put myself/my life and family in front of the camera for Instagram or other things, I am 100% NOT comfortable modeling and posing for glamour shots. Alexis did such an amazing job of making me feel beautiful, comfortable, and at ease. She went with the flow and was flexible, but also gave direction when needed and knows her stuff! This was my first time taking professional photos, and she really set the standard for me. So grateful!
These last few pictures are from my Baby Shower/Sprinkle hosted by the hostess with the mostest (and also my neighbor!) Daniella (@lularoedmarie_vip on Instagram). She and my mom tribe did such an amazing job making us feel so special. I am beyond blessed. Oh, and Daniella has literally thousands of LuLaRoe pieces in stock at her house- if you're a fan of the line, definitely reach out to her! She's got the goods.
How perfect was this top in the Bubbly print? Especially with the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea theme that Grog Grotto has going on.
A quick backstory on Trader Sam's for those who may not know. In 2011, Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar opened at the Disneyland Hotel in Disneyland, California. It's a tiki-themed lounge that is deeply detailed and full of inside jokes by the Imagineers, with nods to the Adventurer's Club, Jungle Cruise, Tiki Room, and more. It's chock full of 'Easter eggs,' and has quite the cult following of devoted fans. People especially love to collect the specialty glassware. When you order one of the drinks that come in a souvenir glass, the bartenders have a short skit that relates to each drink.
Fast forward a few years, and we have Trader Sam's Grot Grotto here in Walt Disney World, Florida. If you've been following me on Instagram, you know I've been scoping out the joint for the past week or so, hoping to get in once it opened.
After a false (Twitter) alarm this past Thursday, my friend Christine and I found ourselves at the Poly, unfortunately not in Trader Sam's. However, we crossed paths with Brandon K. who's in charge of props for both Traders. He couldn't tell us the exact date for the soft opening, but he did say it wasn't that day (Thursday), nor the next (Friday)... and kind of left it at that. So, Saturday it was. Unofficially. To be safe, I booked a breakfast ADR at Kona Cafe, so we could park and be at the resort that day. Then the Disney Parks Blog posted this, and it was official.
I called the Disfam and we started to organize. Thomas agreed to get there really early and hold down the fort. He was the first in line at 8 am. I'm so proud!
That's right- Thomas was there at 8, and the bar didn't open until 4. Dedication.
FYI- Children are allowed inside the Grotto from 4-8; after 8 pm it's 21 and up. (I believe children are allowed on the patio at all times, but I'm not 100% positive.)
John and I arrived a few hours later, checked in with Thomas, and then headed up to Kona Cafe for our breakfast.
By the time we were done, the line had been moved outside. Fortunately enough, we were able to pull up chairs and tables, so we were quite comfortable during the wait. This is the line around 11:30 or so.
The tarps were pulled down from around the patio. Here's a look at the set-up. It's so nice they put umbrellas with each table; those are essential in the hot Florida sun.
Soon Angie and Danny arrived, and then the Tambu Lounge opened at 1:00, hooray! We ordered tropical drinks and played Apples to Apples to pass the time.
Here's what the line looked like around 3:00 or so.
They led us in one group at a time; the Disfam was the very first group to enter Trader Sam's!!!!! And Thomas was the very first person!!!
The crew was ready to greet us with cheers, sirens, and more. We were SO, SO excited!! I took a video of the group coming in after us if you'd like to hear the commotion. Be warned, the video's shaky. I was so pumped!
Here's a photo from the entrance, looking in to Trader Sam's.
We all found seats around the surfboard table, and did what any good patron would do-- ordered one of each mug specific to the Grog Grotto! From left to right, the Polynesian Pearl ($16.25), the Rum Flight ($34), and the HippopotoMai-Tai ($15--yes, only $15!!!). John and I split each drink, and it was just right!
**All prices listed include souviner mugs***
This is the Nautilus- for $59, this beauty comes filled with a concoction to serve 3-4 people. These mugs weren't available for the soft opening, but should be later this month.
We also ordered some food to soak up all the booze. I enjoyed the pot stickers the most.
Love is sharing a HippopotoMai-Tai.
Angie lucked out and got one of the 'shrinking stools.' Every now and then she's slowly melt down towards the floor, the slowly come back up.
Angie, Thomas and I ventured out to check out the patio and get some fresh air.
While there, we say Steve Taylor, who portrayed the second Dreamfinder! (He's enjoying a Zombi Head cocktail, which we also tried- $19.50)
Heading back inside, it was time to wander around and get some pictures of the details. How great is this photo??!
The Little Orange Bird makes an appearance.
There were a few nods to the Parrot Jungle in Miami, which I thought was a nice touch to a fairly local joint that opened in the 1930's. I remember when it was nearly wiped out by Hurricane Andrew, releasing parrots into the wild. To this day, we still have them migrate through from time to time.
This life preserver is a relic from Maelstrom.
Look up above the bar -- there's an emergency key hanging from the rafters. It belongs to none other than J. Thaddeus Toad, aka Mr. Toad. We wouldn't want him having one too many Uh-Oa's and getting behind the wheel- we all know how well that ended (RIP WDW version of the attraction).
Below are a few of the props that are used in the effects when someone orders a Nautilus. The cephalopod has a tentacle that lowers to pour some booze into the vessel. I've included another video, but be warned-- it's really shaky. Maybe close your eyes and just listen? Or take some dramamine before watching if you get motion sick?
You'll hear the voice of Captain Nemo and a sound clip from the extinct 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea attraction.
Then, it was time for my favorite concoction. The Uh-Oa! The Disfam closed our our time at Trader Sam's by sharing this delicious libation. ($39.50) The last video is our server presenting the Uh-Oa.
After four hours in the Grog Grotto, we were happy campers. It will go down as one of our favorite memories together.
Well, are you excited to visit Trader Sam's Grog Grotto? Which drink looks the most enticing to you?
Cheers!
*This post contains a few amazon affiliate links. You know the gig-- same price to you, small commission to me, which tries to keep Dressing For Disney out of hobby status. :)
