food IS a theme park
Walt Disney World has a bunch of delicious desserts to offer all around the resort!
Beaches and Cream
Some of our favorite sweet treats can be found over at Beaches & Cream Soda Shop at Disney’s Beach Club Resort! You can chow down on cookie fries or sip a root beer float, and the over-the-top milkshakes are super fun! But something was pretty different when we recently ordered a milkshake at Beaches & Cream — take a look!
We often hear from readers who want to know if DFB’s favorites of yore have still got IT.
You know what we mean: do they still have the mojo that keeps guests coming back year after year. For some restaurants at Walt Disney World, it’s killer food and a seasonal, ever-changing menu that draws in a crowd. For others, it’s an atmosphere that can’t be beat — like ‘Ohana‘s warm family feel or Sanaa‘s animal friends right outside the window.
For Beaches & Cream, it’s a sense of nostalgia paired with comforting eats that have been consistently good since the soda shop opened its doors almost thirty years ago. (Let’s just table that thirty years ago bit because there’s no way we’re that old…)
Beaches & Cream is tucked in between the Yacht and Beach Club Resorts on an outdoor walkway adjacent to Stormalong Bay — the fabulous pool shared by the resorts. That means Beaches and Cream is in the Epcot Resort Area (and just a stone’s throw from the International Gateway that serves as an entrance to Epcot’s World Showcase). This convenient location means that even guests not staying at the Resorts will make the short trip to this casual table service location for a bite to eat.
But you (and I!) wanted to know: does Beaches & Cream still have IT?
Beaches and Cream
Summer is the season of frozen treats, and while we don’t think you ever need a specific reason to indulge in ice cream, the heat in central Florida is certainly a sufficient and easy excuse.
Enter Ghirardelli Ice Cream and Chocolate Shop!
Ghirardelli Ice Cream and Chocolate Shop is located in the Marketplace of Disney Springs, with the “Spitting Stitch” entrance of World of Disney on one side and the Marketplace Co-Op on the other (Disneylanders can find Ghirardelli in Disney California Adventure, too). You might know Ghirardelli as the San Fran-sophisticated shop that emits the irresistible scent of chocolate (and the spot where you can still snag a free sample of the famously creamy Ghirardelli Chocolate Squares).
In addition to chocolate, Ghirardelli always plays a great Sundae game. Treats come complete with San Francisco-inspired names like the Golden Gate Banana Split. There’s also a spectacular four (or more) person delight called the The Earthquake with its EIGHT scoops of ice cream and full toppings (think of it as akin to Beaches and Cream’s Kitchen Sink, only without an Advance Dining Reservation).
So, everybody, grab a spoon, and join us as we try two Sundaes we hadn’t tried on previous visits: the Presidio Passion and the Crissy Field.
Ghiradelli Sundae Menu — click to enlarge
FYI, Presidio National Park is located at the Golden Gate in San Francisco, and the Presidio Passion Sundae inspired by this unique park is a chocolate-covered strawberry lover’s dream!
Presidio Passion Sundae
Swirls of strawberry and chocolate come together in this indulgent cup (the cup is key here, as it’s easy to carry with you if you’ve grabbed your sundae on the go!). Just LOOK at it…
Disney is on a customization kick. You can get customized t-shirts, customized park tickets, customized dining plans…you can even customize your Mickey Ear Hats now!
So this is why I insist I should be able to customize my meals as well! I’m one of those picky eaters who never orders directly off the menu. I’m always adding here, substituting there…it’s likely very annoying, yet oddly commonplace for the restaurant waitstaff to have to deal with vacationers like me.
The Perfect Sundae
But Disney CMs overall are well-trained to endure crazies like myself, and make me feel entirely comfortable to customize my meals willy-nilly. One of my favorite places to do this is Beaches and Cream, where they’ll gladly create for me my very own dessert creation! This is a ginormous brownie topped with ice cream, hot fudge, and peanut butter. C’mon. You know you want it!
Beaches and Cream Counter
Beaches and Cream is located at Disney’s Beach Club resort, in the Epcot resort area. There are only a few tables in this ice cream parlor (which also serves burgers, hot dogs, and the like), and they don’t take reservations, so arrive during off-hours to cut your wait. Open 11am-11pm.
And don’t forget to order the famous Kitchen Sink, made with every flavor of ice cream, topping, and candy they have in the joint and topped with a whole can of whipped cream!
Kitchen Sink (c Rough Guides)
Butterscotch Sundae
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
