Be Prepared For a LONG Wait to Get Trader Sam’s NEW Tiki Mug in Disney World

There are a lot of unique souvenirs to collect from Disney World but some of the most coveted, hard-to-get, collectibles come from an unexpected place — Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort!

Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort 50th anniversary merchandise

Tucked away inside the hotel, you can find Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto, which is a highly-themed bar that takes all the dad jokes that you might expect while riding on Jungle Cruise to land and serves them up with a side of cocktails and appetizers. Here you can also find a variety of collectible tiki mugs, but you’ll need to be prepared to wait if you want to get your hands on the most recent one!

A few days ago, we shared that the popular Nutcracker Tiki Mug would be returning to Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto today, December 2nd, and we’re bringing you along to see how you can get your own!

Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto doesn’t open until 3PM daily, but you can usually find a Cast Member outside of the hidden bar sometime between 1PM to 2:30PM signing people up for the virtual queue (because it can be VERY crowded here). On days that tiki mugs are released, you can find them outside even earlier between 9:30AM to 10AM.

We arrived around 1PM and found that there were already a few other people in line. Supplies of these special tiki mugs are limited, so guests will receive a wristband that is needed to purchase the mug when the bar opens at 3PM.

We’ve seen the wristbands go FAST in the past, so arriving hours before opening is the best way to guarantee that you’ll be able to get the tiki mug.

There was already a line when we arrived!

We spoke with a Cast Member who confirmed that the wristbands can be used to purchase the Nutcracker Tiki Mug both inside Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto and outside at the Tiki Terrace. So, if you’d prefer not to wait for your turn inside the bar once it opens at 3PM, you can head outside and get your mug without a wait once it opens. Just keep in mind that seating is first-come, first-served.

If you are waiting to go inside of Trader Sam’s, you’ll give your number to the Cast Member outside of the bar and then will receive a text when a seat is available.

Don’t forget that the Nutcracker Tiki Mug comes with a Mele Kaliki Mai Tai, so you’ll have to order up the drink to pair if you want to secure yourself a mug. And, we’ll be back to get ours soon, so be sure to check back here to see what it looks like!