Space 220 is THE restaurant right now in Walt Disney World and for good reason- There aren’t many dining experiences out there that are literally out of this world. The appeal of eating at Space 220 is the opportunity to eat in outer space with a view of all of the happenings 220 miles above Earth. Of course, you’re not really dining in space, but the whole experience, from the check-in process, to the space elevator and floor to ceiling “windows” that look out onto a star field will have you believing that Disney really did fulfil your childhood dream of being an astronaut.
If you’re anything like me, you want to check out the new Disney dining experience but don’t really want to shell out $75 a person for a three course dinner that doesn’t necessarily even appeal to you that much. Well lucky for us picky eaters, there’s a much more affordable and less limited option you can book to do Space 220.
Check-in
When you first get to Space 220 you will need to check in at the booth outside of the restaurant, tucked behind the awnings of the Mission Space building. From there they will lead you into the main lobby of Space 220 where you will receive a boarding pass to enter the “stellarvator” up to the main restaurant area.
You do not get to keep the boarding pass and will be prompted to hand the pass over to the stellarvator operator upon entry. If you have some time between the time you checked in and your actual reservation time, you may be asked to wait in the main lobby which has built in seating and the feel of a spaced-out airport terminal.
Stellarvator
The “stellarvator” is the space elevator that takes you from the check-in area of the restaurant up to the space station 220 miles above Epcot. This ride is an experience in and of itself with a window above you to view the approaching space station and another below you to view the fading Florida terrain. The stellarvator also moves and has sound effects that will convince you that you’re on your way to dine amongst the stars for a while.
Once you disembark, you are now in the main part of the space station restaurant and will be lead to your table or place at the bar in the lounge area.
Atmosphere (or lack there of)
The highlight of this restaurant is the view of space from your table. I’ve dined here during the day and night and found that I much prefer the blue and green glow of Earth than the night-sky view. Surprisingly there are a lot of happenings going on out in space, so make sure to keep your eyes peeled for space tourists floating about, ships coming and going, space dogs, and even an epic lightsaber battle.
The tables, chairs, and place settings are sleek black and gray tones that blend into the overall restaurant set up to make sure not to take away from the starfield and view of Earth. Both times I have been here I’ve been seated at a lounge table and was surprised at how comfortable the chairs were. The lounge is a great place to grab some space drinks and bites while sitting back and watching the astronauts and ships do their thing.
The nice thing about this restaurant too is that even though you’re paying a hefty price for a nice dinner or drinks, you’re more than welcome to get up and explore other areas that you may not be able to see in detail from your table or seat. Near the entry point of the restaurant you’ll get a glimpse of how they are able to serve such fresh dishes- by harvesting produce the space way, of course!
Drinks
The cocktails at Space 220 are in of league of their own, probably because they are “out of this world”, (or at least off of this world). Whether you’re counting Space 220 as “drinking around the world” or you need a break from the boozed up libations, you will not be disappointed with the drink selection here.
Pictured above is the Nebula, a mix of bourbon, pineapple, honey, and passionfruit. This was the drink I chose to start my journey in space and was not disappointed. On my second journey to space I tried the Stratosphere Strawberry Lemonade, pictured to right, which includes Tito’s, thyme, strawberry, and lemon. I prefer the strawberry lemonade drink but would be perfectly content receiving either of these on my next visit to Space 220.
For those who prefer mocktails to cocktails, my go to is the Milky Way, an absolutely delicious iced coffee type drink that includes espresso, brown sugar, caramel, cream, and a tiny Milky Way bar, (in case the drink by itself doesn’t have enough sugar for you). Although I’m not a huge iced coffee fan, I will forever hype up this drink because it is perfect- especially on a hot Florida summer day.
The mocktails here also come with a pack of Space 220 trading cards that feature facts about Space 220 and the many initiatives that the restaurants took on when choosing to operate an eatery in outer space.
Food
The lounge menu features small bites and dishes that are familiar in name but maybe not so much in execution. We ordered the short rib sliders with white cheddar cheese and siracha aioli as our first dish which was tasty, but nothing really to write home about. We also ordered the chicken on waffle which featured a bacon & corn waffle, fried chicken, maple glaze, and slaw. This too was just pretty average food quality, unfortunately.
Other dishes on the lounge menu include Starry Calamari, Astro Deviled Eggs, and Blue Moon Cauliflower. For dessert we had a lemon tart with this beautiful nebula painted white chocolate topper that was good but a bit too tangy. This dessert has now been replaced with new offerings such as the chocolate cheesecake and coconut panna cotta.
On our first visit to Space 220 we were only able to order food from the lounge menu, but on our second visit we were told we can order from the pre-fixed lunch menu as well. I would have liked to know about this change in rules prior to my trip to space because I may have opted to try out some lunch features. If you’re planning to visit Space 220 lounge I would suggest looking over the lounge menu to make sure there’s something you’d eat from that menu before getting your hopes up for the main menu options.
Review & Thoughts
On my first journey to Space 220 I wasn’t overly impressed with the restaurant layout, food, or experience. I liked the wide selection of cocktails but felt limited by what I could eat due to the small lounge menu and not being able to order from the dinner menu. My second journey, however, had me changing my initial thoughts. I enjoyed watching the space scene a lot more this time around and liked that there was at least the option to order off of the main menu.
I think if you have kiddos who dream about being an astronaut or love learning about outer space then this is a must-do for your family. I also think this is a great place for friends to meet up to have a drink and share some small plates. The prices here reflect the theming- out of this world- so come prepared to pay either the pre-fixed price for a full dinner or $15+ a plate and drink when ordering off of the lounge menu. I think this is must-try for any Disney fan at least once and while it’s not a favorite dining location of mine in Epcot, I’ll definitely return (if only to have the Milky Way drink again!)
Reservations
Space 220 Lounge reservations are the hardest advanced dining reservations to snag in all of Walt Disney World because of two reasons: 1.) Demand. 2.) Very limited seating.
The way I guarantee I get to dine at Space 220 is by using a third-party reservation alert system. This is a great way to know about any table openings at those hard-to-book restaurants as soon as they become available. I use Mouse Dining to set alerts for these restaurants and keep my phone next to me at all times when I start to get closer to my vacation day. You will receive an email or text alert when Mouse Dining finds a table for your party size and preferred time- all you have to do is click on the link quicker than anyone else and book using My Disney Experience! Sounds easier than it is, but as long as you are logged into the My Disney Experience or have Face ID enabled to log in you should be able to snatch the reservation that you want. Also, did I mention that creating dining alerts with Mouse Dining is free?
If you have any questions on Space 220 Lounge, please feel free to message me or connect with me on Instagram. After writing this blog post I feel like I have a deeper appreciation for Space 220 and the experience that they are creating for Disney guests. I hope that more restaurants are created or rethemed in Disney to mimic the immersive dining opportunity that Space 220 provides.
This is my beach 