Beaches & Cream-- which park day?

[SumWhrOvrThRanBo]

Planning our first family vacation to WDW-- I'm wanting to try to do Beaches & Cream for lunch one day. Which park would I travel from & how would I go about getting there?? Thanks!

 

[wdwfan1]

You can take the boat directly from either DHS or Epcot. It is a short ride to either park.

 

[TDC Nala]

Choose DHS or Epcot. While you would probably want to take the boat from DHS, it's suggested that you walk from Epcot. Even if you have guests with mobility issues you still have to walk there from the boat dock at the Yacht Club - and it doesn't seem much further.

 

[DSLRuser]

we do it mid day on an epcot day. spend the moring at epcot doing future world.

around 2:00pm, walk via the international gateway to the beach club and eat at beaches and cream.

you will be all fed and back at epcot by 4:00pm

 

[jenjersnap]

Personally, I would choose a DHS day because the food options aren't great in that park.

 

[Nana2Callie]

If you take the boat from DHS - how much time to allow for boat, lunch and return?

 

[bleeps]

If you take the boat from DHS - how much time to allow for boat, lunch and return?

I would allow between 2 and 3 hours, which is exactly why I would encourage you to consider other options!

What a lot of WDW "regulars" forget is that, especially for families on their first visits, a lot of time spent traveling to eat outside of the parks can be frustrating and very time consuming. Yes, there is a boat, and the boat ride itself isn't that long. But there isn't a firm/published schedule, so you could arrive at the dock just moments after a boat pulled away, and you could wait 20+ minutes for the next boat. Same thing on the return trip. The ride itself takes about 15 minutes or so (depends on which stops they make on the way -- I'd allow about 20 minutes, actually, for the ride but I know someone will correct me if I'm wrong).

Beaches and Cream does not take reservations and it is TINY, so you could end up getting there and having an hour wait (or more) for a table. Then, if they are busy, your meal (if you get apps/mains/dessert) could easily take 45 minutes to an hour or more).

It's a fun spot, and the ice cream creations are fun, but it is NOT (imho) worth going hugely out of your way for.

My heartfelt advice is that you take another look at the dining options in DHS and pick one that looks most interesting to you. Plus, you mention "family" -- not knowing the age of your kids (?), I can say from experience that kids generally hate leaving the parks to eat. They want to stay where the fun is! Just easier all around to eat in the park....

 

[DSLRuser]

I would allow between 2 and 3 hours, which is exactly why I would encourage you to consider other options!...

Yes, there is a boat, and the boat ride itself isn't that long. But there isn't a firm/published schedule, so you could arrive at the dock just moments after a boat pulled away, and you could wait 20+ minutes for the next boat. ...

Beaches and Cream does not take reservations and it is TINY, so you could end up getting there and having an hour wait (or more) for a table. Then, if they are busy, your meal (if you get apps/mains/dessert) could easily take 45 minutes to an hour or more).

It's a fun spot, and the ice cream creations are fun, but it is NOT (imho) worth going hugely out of your way for.

QUOTE]

I think 2 hours is overstating it.

If you walk to the boat launch and see the boat has just left, we choose to walk. Same for the return trip.

If you go to B&C after the lunch rush, but before early dinner, there is never a wait of more than 20 mins. And a family of 4 can always sit and eat in under 45 mins.

And as a disney regular, one of the things i like to preach to others is to slow down, get out of the parks for a few hours and explore more of the world. The parks are only a part of what all disney has to offer.