Well, folks, we’re returning to one of our absolute favorite table-service restaurants in Disney World.

Beaches and Cream Soda Shop is a casual table-service spot at Disney’s Beach Club Resort and we absolutely ADORE it — and so do lots of other Disney guests! After all, how can you go wrong with diner favorites like burgers, grilled cheese, comfort food galore, and MASSIVE sundaes?

It’s been over a year since Beaches and Cream underwent a pretty major renovation (and blew us away, as usual, in the subsequent review). So, does this DFB and guest favorite spot still hold up to its BIG reputation?

Atmosphere

As we mentioned, Beaches and Cream is located in Disney’s Beach Club Resort; you’ll find it right by Stormalong Bay, the Beach Club AND Yacht Club’s shared MASSIVE feature pool.

This spot is themed as a beachfront-style ice cream parlor. It’s bright and inviting with a distinctively retro vibe.

This spot accepts reservations and they tend to be in relatively high demand, so we definitely recommend booking in advance. Like most other Advance Dining Reservations spots, Beaches and Cream is offering Mobile Dine Check-In to allow guests to check-in for their reservation without a visit to the host stand. Simply check-in from your phone and take a stroll around while you wait for a text back!

As a note, up until a few weeks ago, Beaches and Cream offered some ice cream favorites at the Beaches and Cream To Go Window, which has since closed indefinitely. It’s now “hiding” behind these very inconspicuous plants.

We’re still loving the fun and beachy look that this spot has had since its 2019 renovation. The space is light and colorful with plenty of Disney art featuring your favorite characters.

The countertop opens directly to part of the kitchen space where you can spot Cast Members hard at work prepping all kinds of eats and treats.

You can see more of that pastel color theme coming through with the pink and blue tiling of the wall in the prep space.

One of our favorite details of Beaches and Cream is the real working jukebox — although it is unavailable right now.

Guests can be seated at tables, booths, or the counter. All seating is currently distanced by six feet or more. Remember that cute Disney art we mentioned? You can spot it up close here.

The light fixtures in here are just as colorful as the rest of the room!

When you sit down at your table, your place is set with a colorful bread plate and napkin-wrapped silverware.

Plus, single-serving condiments and seasoning are available as well.

Now, let’s dive into those eats!

Eats

Like most Disney World restaurants, the menu is available as a digital version through a QR code on the table. Paper menus are available by request. Point your phone’s camera at the code and you’ll get a pop up to view the menu!

The menu at Beaches and Cream features six different sandwich entree options and some tasty sides too (loaded TOOOOOTS!). Keep in mind, this menu IS limited due to the global health crisis!

There’s a small dessert menu but, as we’ll show you in a second, those are SO not the only sweet options at this spot! You’ll find classics for the kids as well!

Of course, this IS a soda shop and, as such, they’ve got loads of ICE CREAM! The menu sports some seriously delish-sounding sodas and milkshakes. Ice Cream Soda? Yes, please. You’ll also find their crazy photographable and delish mega-sized Specialty Shakes. These can change up seasonally — we had great ones at Christmas and in the Fall — but the Mickey Confetti and Chocolate Brownie are solid over-the-top options. You get to keep the glass too!

In our humble opinions, the real main event is those Sundaes on the Beach. You can see our absolute FAVORITE at the bottom. Peanut butter and chocolate together in one glorious sundae? We love you, No Way José! You’ll also eye those MASSIVE Kitchen Sink sundaes topped with a full can of whipped cream! Heads up, if you order these guys right now — the pomp and circumstance that comes with ordering a Kitchen Sink (flashing lights, sirens, and your server announcing it to the whole restaurant) is on hold right now.

And there are several alcoholic options including spiked shakes and floats for the grown-ups.

For our meal, we opted to snag the Reuben Sandwich, the Cheddar-Bacon-Ranch Chicken Sandwich, the Chili and Cheese Tots, the Bacon and Cheese Tots, and the Bowl of Chili. What can we say…we were hungry.

First up, the Reuben Sandwich is Corned Beef, Sauerkraut, Swiss, and Thousand Island Dressing on Marbled Rye Bread — served with Fries and a Pickle!

The Reuben is a great go-to at this spot and it certainly didn’t disappoint this time! This sandwich is REALLY good. We loved the crunch to the toasted rye bread and the amount of cheese. This sammie definitely left us STUFFED.

We’d also note that this is probably the most shareable of anything we ordered. So, if two folks have smaller appetites, this could be a good pick. Obviously, you gotta be into the flavors of a Reuben to enjoy this guy, which we do! The Reuben Sandwich will run you $16.

The Cheddar-Bacon-Ranch Chicken Sandwich is pretty much what it sounds like — but with Sautéed Onion, Lettuce, and Tomato on a Multigrain Bun for $16. Of course, this eat is also served with Fries and a Pickle.

Look at that CHEESE. The ranch on this sandwich is home-made which gives it some serious flavor. The chicken itself is really juicy and tastes kind of like it had a ranch marinade. Yum.

We were skeptical of loving the multigrain bun but we really did! It’s a healthier option but can often be drier than fluffy white buns, but this was great! Nice and soft and tiny hits of flavors from the grains inside. It, along with the sauteed onions and the bacon, added a great mix of flavors! If you want a seriously hearty sandwich, this won’t disappoint.

The Cheese and Bacon Tots are Tots with Cheese Sauce, Bacon, Red Onions, and Garlic-Peppercorn Ranch for $9. Let’s have a moment to appreciate all the ooey-gooey melty liquid gold (AKA cheese sauce!) on these beauties:

Yup, these have that home-made ranch again! They were so yummy and the tots still had great crunch despite being smothered in toppings.

Slightly different we also tried the Chili and Cheese Tots which are Tots with Chili, Cheese, Sour Cream, and Green Onions, for $9.

We love the chili on its own so if you’re gonna add it to tots, we’re happy campers! The tots also kept their crunch in this dish! The green and red onions on top add loads of fresh flavor to the heavier cheese and chili. both these tot dishes could be a meal on their own (you know, if you’re OK with chowing down a whole plate of tots for a meal…we obviously are!).

SPEAKING of chili we did snag a Bowl of Chili on its own for $9. This meaty and delicious chili usually comes topped with Cheese and Green Onions but our reporter asked for red onions instead and LOVED it.

The mix has green bell pepper, kidney beans, cheese, onions, and stewed tomatoes. And those ingredients all together are TOTALLY delicious. This isn’t a spicy chili, but it still packs a punch of flavor.

And we’re on to dessert! We ordered one of the desserts from that actual dessert menu — the Cookie Fries with Dipping Sauce for $8. These are actually a plant-based option! The cookie fries have more of a biscotti texture to them and the sweetness comes more from the sauces than the dippers themselves.

The sauces are marshmallow, chocolate, and strawberry. Our reporter liked the strawberry the best. Be warned: that marshmallow sauce is a total sugar bomb! Kids would probably go wild dipping these to their hearts’ content! This is definitely a fun dessert and great plant-based option but we still think we’d swing for ice cream at this spot. When in Rome!

Speaking of… LOOK AT THIS BEAUTY! (You knew we weren’t setting foot in Beaches and Cream without ordering a sundae, right?) We changed things up (Sorry No Way José! We still lurve you!) and tried the Snickers Sundae this visit for $11.

We’re talking Three Scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream smothered in Hot Fudge, Marshmallow topping, and Snickers pieces topped with Whipped Cream, chopped Peanuts, and a Cherry.

This mongo treat has HUGE chunks of Snickers inside. Be careful, the Snickers freeze in all that ice cream so if you’re worried about those chompers, chew carefully! Like most Beaches and Cream sundaes, this one is definitely shareable. This was so so good. We probably will still default to our good ol’ José but really all the sundaes we’ve tried here have been top notch.

So, how did our long-time favorite stand up this time?

Nosh or Not

You SHOULD eat at Beaches and Cream if…

• You’re a total ice cream fanatic who wants to try some of the best ice cream in Disney World.
• You’re looking for a casual and fun spot to sit down for a table-service meal. This place is NOT stuffy in the least!
• You’ve got picky eaters who still want to try something a little more exciting than usual.

You should SKIP Beaches and Cream if…

• You want your table-service meal to be a nicer experience for the money. This isn’t the best for a quiet, romantic meal (but it IS perfect if you’re looking to split a sundae or shake with that special someone!).
• Ice cream isn’t really your jam. Head on over to BoardWalk Bakery a short walk away for some great baked treats!
• You’re fine getting many of these classic staples from fast food locations around Disney World instead.

Overall

Well, we can’t say we’re surprised. Beaches and Cream Soda Shop remains a delightful place to dine in our opinion. We have consistently had fantastic experiences at this restaurant — from the service to the food — and can wholeheartedly recommend it for those looking for a more casual table-service meal.

Beaches and Cream might not be the best spot for every Disney guest, but it’s certainly an option to consider. Sure, you might want to head into EPCOT for a more adventurous or international meal or to a fancier restaurant for a quieter experience, but this Soda Shop has some serious merit. It’s saying something that compared to ALL the restaurants in Disney World, this is one we come back to time and time again.

Plus, we’ve been back to Beaches and Cream so many times that it really does start to feel comfy for us — even after the renovation. You won’t catch us saying no to a Grilled Cheese and a No Way José here! Sorry, Snickers Sundae, you were good, but the No Way José is our one true love. The heart wants what the heart wants.

As far as we’re concerned, the only bad part about a trip to Beaches and Cream is the fight to get a reservation! As always, stay tuned to DFB for the latest reviews from Disney World!

Click here to see us review MORE Beaches and Cream eats!