Beaches & Cream

Unless you’ve stayed at the Yacht or Beach Club Resorts, you may not be aware of one of the most wonderful spots at Walt Disney World. Tucked away near Stormalong Bay, the main swimming pool, is Beaches & Cream, the quintessential 1950’s malt shop. This spot is charming, captivating, and once you’ve dined here, irresistible.

Beaches & Cream Exterior

Beaches & Cream Exterior

The first thing you’ll notice upon entering Beaches & Cream is its small size. And that’s what gives this place its charm. There are only three booths, seven small tables, and a counter with seating for ten.

Beaches & Cream Interior

Beaches & Cream Interior

Beaches & Cream Interior

Beaches & Cream Interior

The interior is decorated in pastel pinks and blues. The floor is covered in old-fashioned hexagon tiles and the ceiling is tin with ornate designs. The walls are adorned with mirrors, tiles, and glass artwork. Be sure to notice the ice cream cone wall sconces.

Beaches & Cream Floor Tiles

Beaches & Cream Ceiling

Beaches & Cream Mirror and Artwork

Ice Cream Cone Wall Sconce

The kitchen is located behind the counter, just like in the good old days. Everything is prepared in plain sight. In fact, I sometimes prefer to sit at the counter because it is so entertaining to watch the talented chefs keep up with the orders.

Beaches & Cream Grill

Beaches & Cream Chef cooking Burgers

Beaches & Cream has a jukebox that plays such favorites as “Rum and Coca Cola,” “Jailhouse Rock,” and “Earth Angel.” The selections are random, but if you have a favorite, you can browse through the directory and pick your own song – at no charge. At one time, you could also make selections from the auxiliary jukeboxes found at the booths, but alas, no more.

Jukebox

Music Directory

Auxiliary Jukebox

As you would guess, ice cream is what this restaurant specializes in – and it’s fantastic. Here is a picture of a hot-fudge sundae I had recently.

Hot Fudge Sundae

And if you like malts (I’m not talking milkshakes here, I’m talking good ol’ fashioned malts), Beaches & Cream delivers. Topped with real whipped cream and a cherry, the chocolate malt is dusted with chocolate shavings and the vanilla malt is sprinkled with white chocolate. Plus, you’re served the “extra” in the metal cup used to mix the concoction.

Malts

For a group, you might want to indulge your sweet tooth and order a Kitchen Sink. Here you get eight scoops of ice cream, all the toppings, and an entire can of whipped cream.

The food menu is limited, but excellent. In fact, the hamburgers are so good that Hurricane Hanna’s Grill out by the pool recently had to change their recipe to match Beaches & Cream. My picture of the burger is a little out of focus, but trust me, it was outstanding. The onion rings are an up-charge. The second picture is of the turkey sandwich which my server suggested I have grilled. This was a wonderful recommendation. Although I’ve never had the Caesar salad, my neighbor tells me it’s delicious.

Hamburger and Onion Rings

Turkey Sandwich and French Fries

Beaches and Cream is open daily from 11am to 11pm. If you’re the first party of the day, you’re group is escorted into the restaurant while everyone else waits outside. The lights are dimmed and flashing beacons are activated. All of the servers make a big ta-do about your arrival and you’re seated at a booth, complete with a tablecloth and cloth napkins – accoutrements not normally used during the day. You’re made to feel quite special.

First Table of the Day

Your charming server is responsible for making your ice cream delights, not the chef. Remember this when it comes time to add the gratuity.

Server

There is also a walk-up window for take-out orders. Sundaes, cones, malts, shakes and Coke products can be ordered here. Food items are only available in the restaurant.

Take-out Counter

Take-out Counter

There are a number of tables outside. Especially cute are these ice cream cone models.

Ice Cream Cone Table

Beaches & Cream is on the Disney Dining Plan. Malts and milkshakes count as a dessert, not a beverage. Tables in Wonderland is also honored here.

Okay, now for the bad news. Beaches & Cream does not take reservations. Add to this that the restaurant is VERY small and VERY popular. If you show up anytime between noon and 8pm, expect a 30-60 minute wait if you want to be seated at an indoor table. However, if you’re willing to sit at the counter, this can sometimes be more expedient. If all you want is a basic ice cream dessert, consider the walk-up counter.

I cannot recommend Beaches & Cream enough. I often say that Disney should expand this establishment to increase capacity. But in reality, this is a bad idea. Part of what makes this spot so special is its intimate atmosphere. If they enlarged it, something would be lost.

Beaches & Cream is good enough that I would recommend that guests staying at resorts other than the Yacht and Beach consider making a trip over here just to sample the goodies. But be prepared for a wait. Also, in case you think you can kill some time in the nearby pool, think again. Stormalong Bay is open to Yacht and Beach Club guests only and cast members check for proper identification before granting admittance. While waiting for a table, you will be given a pager with limited range. Beaches & Cream is located next to an arcade so your kids can be entertained while you enjoy the company of your party at one of the outside tables.

As I said at the beginning of this article, Beaches & Cream is charming, captivating, and once you’ve dined here, irresistible.

Menu: /menu/menu_bc.htm

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40 Replies to “Beaches & Cream”

  1. We love Beaches and Cream but can never EVER seem to get a table there unless it’s for lunch. We used to love to stop in after Illuminations but it’s packed and even if you choose to eat outside (and can snag a table) the menu is very limited – when we were there in October they wouldn’t let us order sundaes.

  2. I haven’t stopped at Beaches & Cream in a few years. I definitely want to make sure to visit on my upcoming trip since we will be staying at the Boardwalk Villas. Thanks for reminding me what a small gem this place is.

  3. The Beach Club is hands down our favorite resort and will be staying there again in January 2011. Between the Cape May Cafe and Beaches and Cream, you’d be hard pressed to find such fun places to eat at a any resort. Of course I’m biased, but the decor and atmosphere of B&C makes it the perfect hang out after coming back from the parks or when laying out by the pool.

  4. We were at beaches and cream last month and the jukebox did play the songs we selected from sitting at the booth using the machine still. We were also lucky enough to be the family of the day and got the cloth tablecloth and napkins which we did not know about at the time! We always enjoy beaches and cream and go at least once on every trip!

  5. Jack, I’m glad to know that there are other B&C fans out there! We love Beaches too.

    I agree with you that some of the charm would be lost if WDW were to enlarge the restaurant.

    But I have often wondered why that hasn’t happened yet. Surely B&C brings in more revenue that an arcade! And Disney regularly sacrifices charm and show quality for cash.

    Thank you for a great review!

    Jack’s Comment:

    In fact, the arcades are huge money makers for the company. In reality, the arcade next to Beaches and Cream makes a lot more money than the restaurant. We should be grateful that Disney haven’t sacrificed B&C to this gaming empire.

  6. We ate at B@C a couple years ago. We were on vacation with my inlaws and decided to try and tackle the kitchen sink!!With the help of our whole party of 6( 2 ambitious children)we were sucsessful. We didn’t eat the rest of the day!! I highly recommened B@C to everyone!!

  7. Our daughter has eaten at B&C many times before and finally talked us into having lunch there. Best lunch we had all week. Happy to see the picture of the table we ate at in front of the jukebox. Brought back memories from our Fall visit.

  8. Do you know if they still serve “All beef” hotdogs? (Everywhere else is a combo which includes poultry products to which I am allergic)

    Jack’s Answer:

    Sorry, I really don’t know.

  9. Jack,
    What a wonderful and honest review of Beaches and Cream. 3 years ago we had the luxury of staying at the Yacht Club for 9 days and this was our ice cream spot. We ordered from the window and took advantage of the cool breeze in the evening and view at one of the CONE tables. We are coming down in 3 weeks and 3 days and can’t wait to go back. I think this time we will include a burger and onion rings for a quick service lunch. Yummy.

  10. My wife and I went to B&C earlier this year and we were “The couple of the day”! It was really cool to get the middle booth with it all decorated and ready for us. They really did make us feel very welcome and special. The cheeseburger and onion rings were awesome! Everybody reading this blog needs to visit B&C so you can see how cool this place is! We will definitely be back!

  11. My sister & I brought my nephew & his friend there for their high school graduation and we tackled the Kitchen Sink. We too didn’t think it through and had a light lunch before we had this dessert. The 4 of us couldn’t finish it. They make a big production of serving it to us, lights flashing, parading it through the restaurant, special announcements from the waitress. They included straws for drinking the ice cream soup at the bottom of the dish! We were all stuffed to the brim with ice cream (and the cookie & brownie toppings) when we left, but it’s a memory that none of us will ever forget! It also makes for many great photo ops!

  12. Jack,

    Great review! You have made my wife and I really want to try B&C! Thank you for your great blogs. We really enjoy them.

  13. We to love Beaches and Cream,however our last trip there on my birthday I was very disappointed.We had dinner and then what I always get and love the Mickey ice cream sundae.In all the times before it had been in a glass sundae dish with a few scoops of ice cream,not this day they must have thought I was a very small child and I thought it was a sm birthday treat,because it was about a half scoop in a sm silver bowl.We have not been back since,but when we do I will not order the Mickey Sundae, Still love it and our fav. waitress Delores!!!

  14. Hey Jack,

    Very happy to see you do a review of B&C! I have wanted to check this place out but have been very reluctant to do so in fear that the Burgers served there are no different than any of the other Burgers sold on property. My big question to you was going to be are the Burgers in fact different from al the others sold on property. However it seems you sort of answered my question with your comment above “In fact, the hamburgers are so good that Hurricane Hanna’s Grill out by the pool recently had to change their recipe to match Beaches & Cream.” Truth I always hear the Burgers are fantastic but I have been skeptical to believe it and up till now I was for sure they were no differnt from anywhere else on property. I have not found a burger I have liked within MK. I find them dry and tasteless and worse a few years back they began serving them with a psudo whole wheat bun that to me is as appetizing as cardboard. If I wanted a whole wheat bun to begin with I wouldn’t be ordering a Burger 🙂 But I digress 🙂 I would LOVE to check out B&C and if you are certain the Burgers are that good and different from those anywhere else on property I will surely be first in line to check it out on my next visit to the World! Thanks Jack!!

    Rob

  15. Thanks for the great blog about one of our favorite places to visit at WDW. We have been eating lunch at Beaches & Cream for years. We have to get one of there fantastic burgers on every trip. It is such a great little place. We always enjoy seeing the same servers on every trip. I think some of them have been there for quite a few years. We try and always sit at the bar.Thanks again Jack

  16. please be advised that if you do no enter the seated area the menu is limited and the cast members will not serve you from the seated menu ie don’t plan to sit in the outdoor seating and expect to order a bananna split

  17. Jack you said B&C is on the dining plan. Is it counter service or table service?

    Jack’s Answer:

    My server said Beaches and Cream (the table portion) was on the Dining Plan. She made no mention about the walk-up counter. I suspect it is as well, but I really don’t know for sure.

  18. I haven’t eaten at Beaches & Cream in awhile, but I sure do like it! Thanks Jack for bringing back the memories.

    PS Will be at WDW in 20 days!!!

  19. Hi Jack, Great review as usual. Just a quick question about dining plan. Do you know if the walk up window accepts snack entitlements for cones and shakes? Staying December 23-27th, can’t wait to check the place out! Regards, Susan

    Jack’s Answer:

    Anything I told you here would be a guess. I really don’t know. Sorry.

  20. We make it a point to go to Beaches and Cream once every trip to Disney. We love the food and the service–the best at Disney!

  21. My then 10 year old saw the kitchen sink on food network, so when we went in 2008 we planned our day around going there. While it was a little tricky using Disney buses (we were not staying there), it was well worth the trip. My kids still talk about Beaches and Cream and the pictures are priceless!

  22. Jack

    After riding Surrey Bikes (no one told me these things have no gears) around Crescent Lake we decided to go over to Beaches and Cream for a drink and a rest. While we sat admiring the scenery the clouds gathered and the rain came pouring down. The ducks took advantage of the empty swimming pool and my then four year old daughter piped up “Do the Cast Members check to make sure those ducks are staying in this hotel?”

    Out of the mouths of babes….

    Thanks for another great blog!

  23. I really want to squeeze this one in on our upcoming trip. We will have 4 adults and 5 kids, so we should be able to put a dent in that Kitchen Sink. If we were going to head over there after a park, which one is closest?

  24. You are so right about Beaches and Cream, it is so charming inside. My family loves this place, everything from the burgers to the sundaes, my personal favorite is the No Way Jose Sundae. We also like to go there and get a scoop of our favorite ice cream from the take out counter and then just stroll around by the beach area. We will be staying at the Beach Club Villas in May and we cannot wait to go back to Beaches and Cream. Thanks for another great blog.

  25. I must admit, I much prefer Giardelli Soda Shop at Downtown Disney. Less crowded and I love Giardelli chocolate. I really love the Mint holiday special treat.

  26. Hi Jack,

    B & C has always been a favorite of ours. Being FL residents we’ve eaten there countless times, but our last time there was the first time we were the first party of the day. We arrived 20 min. before opening and waited patiently just outside the door for them to open. When the door was unlocked we were the first escorted in and seated….
    No tablecloth, no flashing lights, no big ta-do…nothing!
    We were just 2 adults. Maybe they only do this if the party includes children ???

    Oh well…what are ya’ gonna do?
    Thanks for the great blog. ~ Johnny.

  27. We had the Kitchen Sink on our trip in October. We had 4 adults and 2 small children, and we couldn’t finish it-of course we ordered it after our lunch…we should have thought that all the way through! It really is worth giving it a try if you haven’t!

  28. Hi Jack,
    This is one of our favorite first night places!

    We like sitting at the counter but we miss seeing the older woman who was so good at making those tasty hamburgs. I think a cast member told me she left to help a family member that was ill.

    Only 24 more days and I’ll be there!

  29. The biggest problem though is for guests at the Yacht Club and Beach Club as Beaches and Cream is way too small just for those guests, and unfortunately with others pouring in, it makes it very hard for those staying there to get in to eat.

  30. We love this place so much!! Since we have stayed at the Yatch Club 3 times it has been very close to get a treat and sit by the pool. The hot dogs are as good as Casey’s and also a good treat!

  31. I have eaten there once when we stayed at the beach Club. The burgers are great andso were the onion rings. I don’t see them on the menu anymore. Do they still have them?

    Jack’s Answer:

    Yes, they still serve onion rings. If fact, if you look at my picture of the hamburger, you can see them. They’re as delicious as always.

  32. I LOVE Beaches & Cream. I try to make a stop there every trip. The prices are reasonable, the hamburgers are the best on property, the servers are incredibly friendly, and the ice cream creations are out of this world. I love when they serve a Kitchen Sink and they go through the whole ceremony when they bring it to the table. 🙂

  33. hey Jack
    I have never been to Beaches and Cream before but I’ve always wanted to go just to try and tackle the kitchen sink. can’t wait for your next blog and as always keep up the great work.

  34. We love Beaches and Cream as well!!! It is a must for us! Their burgers are SOOOO Good!!! In fact on my 7 year old daughters 1st trip to Disney ( she had just turned 2) we made it a point to make Beaches and Cream our first stop!! We thought she would love the atmosphere and decor and we were right!! of course since it has ice cream I am sure it would have been a hit no matter what!!! LOL!!! Thanks for the sudden craving!!!