Beaches & Cream Soda Shop-Photo Credit Lisa McBride

“Good times and great eats are a “shore” thing at this old-fashioned soda fountain also featuring American grill favorites.” (Excerpt Walt Disney World website)

For many years, Beaches & Cream Soda Shop didn’t take advance dining reservations (ADR) and, because of its small size, the restaurant would fill up quickly. When I learned that the policy had changed and they would accept reservations, I immediately put the restaurant on my “new to us” list of establishments to try. However, even when I tried making reservations at my 180 day mark, some of the dining time slots wouldn’t work. Lucky for me though, Beaches & Cream Soda Shop is located at Disney’s Beach Club Resort which is just a short walk or boat ride from International Gateway in World Showcase at Epcot and from Disney’s Hollywood Studios. I booked a lunch ADR on one of our Epcot days knowing that we could pop in and out of the park and not waste a lot of time going to and from the restaurant.

Our lunch ADR was for 1:10 p.m. and despite having been stuck in the park due to a Florida thunderstorm, we were still a bit early for our reservation.  So, we took the walk from International Gateway slowly and enjoyed the beautiful views along the way.

We checked in at the podium just outside of Beaches & Cream Soda Shop and were given a buzzer but we only had to wait a few minutes before it went off. I had seen pictures of the restaurant and had read reviews online so I knew that the restaurant was small but I was still surprised at how compact it was. We were seated in a booth on one side and the space between our booth and the counter top seating was wide enough for only a few small tables.

Beaches & Cream Soda Shop-Photo Credit Lisa McBride

Our waitress came over soon after we were seated, handed us our menus and took our drink orders.

Having done some menu research prior to booking, we all knew what we wanted to order which gave us time to take in all of the cute details in the restaurant. The wall light fixtures looked like ice cream cones, beach balls were on the back of the booths and an old time jukebox was near the door.  Each table setting included a cute mini-jukebox and a soda fountain straw holder. Guests truly “revel in the nostalgia of the Atlantic seashore at this boardwalk-style ice cream shop where every day is sundae.” (Excerpt from Walt Disney World website)

As you can see from my picture, Beaches & Cream Soda Shop was busy the day that we visited but it still didn’t take long for our “hot off the grill” entrees to come out of the kitchen. My son ordered the Grilled Herb Chicken Breast Sandwich with Brie cheese. This normally also came with cucumber, and frisée tossed with raspberry vinaigrette on a fresh-baked multi-grain bun but he choose to have only chicken breast and cheese. The entree also included a pickle spear which disappeared from the plate immediately because he loves pickles and french fries.

Beaches & Cream Soda Shop-Photo Credit Lisa McBride

For his entree, my husband ordered the Reuben Sandwich: Thinly Sliced Corned Beef, Sauerkraut, Swiss, and Thousand Island Dressing served with Pickles and choice of French Fries or Fruit. He asked if he could substitute onion rings instead of fries and was happy when the waitress said that it wouldn’t be a problem.

Beaches & Cream Soda Shop-Photo Credit Lisa McBride

My entree choice was the Grilled Cheese and Tomato Bisque. The sandwich was made with a six cheese blend and was toasted just right.

Beaches & Cream Soda Shop-Photo Credit Lisa McBride

The food, while simple, was amazing! The chicken breast was tender and juicy. The corned beef was piled on thick and the onion rings were nice and crispy. And, the grilled cheese and tomato bisque were fantastic! Had we walked away from the restaurant right then and there, we would have been completely satisifed. But, who can go to a soda shop and not order something from the dessert menu?

If you read my Where in Walt Disney World Can I Find? The Cool Treats Edition article, you know that Beaches & Cream Soda Shop is famous for the Kitchen Sink but after eating every bite of our delicious meal, there was no way that the three of us could conquer such a big treat. Magical DIStractions’ very own, Mary S., and her family of four tried their best but just couldn’t do it.

Kitchen Sink at Beaches and Cream – Photo by Mary Spina

We knew, however, that we could finish off a Classic Banana Split: A ripe Banana, Three Scoops of Ice Cream (Vanilla, Chocolate, and Strawberry), Pineapple, Strawberry, and Marshmallow Topping finished off with Hot Fudge, Caramel, Toasted Almonds, Whipped Cream, and a Cherry. Our waitress brought out three spoons so that we could share.

Banana Split at Beaches & Cream-Picture by Lisa McBride

This trip was a celebration of our son Hunter’s birthday and our waitress brought out a birthday surprise for him and had the entire restaurant sing Happy Birthday. You are never ever too old for a birthday balloon! By the way, Hunter re-gifted the balloon to a little girl (after asking permission) and she was all smiles when she got it.

By the time we were done, we were full and we were happy! Full from the great food. Happy that we had given Beaches & Cream Soda Shop a try!

Beaches & Cream Soda Shop is a table service restaurant and requires one table service credit if you are using the Disney Dining Plan.  For those not using the dining plan, Beaches & Cream Soda Shop is a budget-friendly restaurant with all entrees being $16.00 or under for adults and kids’ entrees being $10.00 or under. *Prices subject to change.

DIStracted Tip: Beaches & Cream Soda Shop does offer a take-out menu. The take-out register is located to the right of the main entrance.

Beaches & Cream-Picture by Lisa McBride

Have you tried Beaches & Cream Soda Shop? Not yet? Then make that reservation! You’ll be happy that you did.

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