Walt Disney World's Beaches and Cream Ice Cream Parlor

Tucked away behind Disney's Beach Club Resort in Central Florida, guests stumble upon a hidden gem while strolling past the resorts featured pool. The Beaches and Cream restaurant is small in size, but the large portions of their diner style classics and notable ice cream sensations make this a big destination.

Decorated in a 1950's ice cream parlor theme, Beaches and Cream offers guests a cheerful and whimsical atmosphere where lights look like ice cream cones, mirrored walls reflect all the action and servers don pastel striped costumes. There is outdoor seating, featuring tabletops poised upon ice cream cone bases and inside seating that includes tables, counter seats and booths. The counter stretches in an L shape, leaving room for patrons to watch food being prepared fresh to order. At the end of the counter there is a walk up service for ice cream cones, sundaes and shakes to go.

The dining area is very small, with plans to expand into the arcade next door. Wait times can be very long, exceeding forty five minutes to an hour and up at peak meal times. The best way to avoid the long waits is to plan to go on off times, such as mid afternoon or after 8:00pm. If you are staying at the Beach Club, Yacht Club or Beach Club Villas you can always put your name in, take a break and do some swimming or lounging by the pool, and come back close to your dining time. Beaches and Cream does not take advance reservations.

Service in this tiny restaurant is spotty. Some servers are very efficient, friendly and upbeat and make the dining experience a pleasure. However, at times I have encountered service that has ranged from indifferent to almost rude. While this has been disappointing, the food and atmosphere otherwise has made up for the lack of service.

Begin your meal with an old fashioned fountain soda. Coke products can be altered with flavored syrups for that 1950's soda fountain experience. Tea, lemonade and beers are available and classic Coca Cola is also served in nostalgic bottles.

The food menu at Beaches and Cream appears standard: cheeseburgers, hot dogs, roast beef sandwich, and a chicken sandwich are among the hot items offered. All are served with your choice of fries or fresh fruit and come to you hot, fresh, and delicious. After many trips to this poolside location, I have yet to be disappointed in the quality of the entrees. Chili, chicken noodle soup and a Caesar salad are also available, as well as a cold turkey sandwich and a veggie wrap. The chili is served with onion and cheese and is filling and appetizing either in addition to your meal or alone as your meal. Entrees range from $6 - $12.

Kid's meals are also available and include kid favorites such as hot dogs, grilled cheese or mini cheeseburgers. Side choices are fruit or fries and the $7.49 price tag includes a drink and an ice cream sundae dessert.

And oh...the desserts! Beaches and Cream has excellent entrées, there is no denying this. But in truth, guests are usually there for the ice cream. Arguable the best ice cream parlor on Disney World property, the sundaes are enormous, decadent and filling. Favorites include the Classic Banana Split and The Milky Way Sundae made with vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, butterscotch sauce, whipped cream and a cherry served over vanilla bundt cake. Other popular items are the Fudge Mudslide: vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, whipped cream and cherry over a fudgy brownie, and the peanut butter and chocolate lover's dream: the No Way Jose made with chocolate and vanilla ice cream, hot fudge and peanut butter sauce, whipped cream and a cherry and chocolate and peanut butter chips. All featured sundaes are $8 and can easily serve at least two people.

However...sometimes you have more than two people to serve. Beaches and Cream is ready to take care of all the members of your party with their Kitchen Sink dessert. For $22, you can order scoops of chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, coffee, and peppermint chip ice cream, covered in candy bars, brownie, cake, whipped cream, every topping in the parlor and a load of cherries. The entire sundae is served in a large silver sink shaped bowl and friends and family can serve themselves. The challenge is to eat it all before the Florida heat makes everything melt into a sweet liquid concoction.

Beaches and Cream is truly a destination restaurant, worth the effort to get to. You can take a boat over from Epcot or Disney's Hollywood Studios, or walk over from either park or the Boardwalk Resort. They are a participating table service restaurant in the Disney Dining Plan, and also take the Disney Dining Experience card, saving 20% off the entire meal.