Space 220 has finally opened at EPCOT!!

This restaurant was announced a number of years ago, and met with several delays, but yesterday its opening day arrived and we got the chance to dine in “space!” We’ve already shared a first look inside, a FULL review of lunch, a look at this spot’s fun details, and we’re working on bringing you a full dinner review soon too. But right now we’ll be focusing on a part of Space 220 you might not know that much about — The Space 220 Lounge!

How to Get In

First, let’s talk about how to get INTO the Space 220 lounge. Since this lounge is in “space,” it does require you to use the space elevators (more on that in a second). You can’t just walk up to the restaurant, board an elevator, and go up to the lounge any time you want.

Right now, in order to visit the lounge you have to have a reservation to dine in the dining room or see if you can grab a spot based on walk-up availability — it’s first-come, first-serve when it comes to the lounge. For example, one of our reporters recently signed up for the virtual queue for this spot (which was put in place on September 21st), and specified that they wanted to eat at the lounge. They were able to snag a spot for lunch and then were seated in the bar area of the restaurant.

Keep in mind that if you are sitting at a table in the main dining room, every person at the table needs to order from the prix fixe adult or kids menu (as appropriate, depending on your age). If you are sitting at the lounge, you can get select items a la carte or you can come just for some drinks.

This process may change in the future, but that is what we’ve experienced recently. Remember that reservations can already be made for Space 220 for dates starting September 27th and on. If you’ll be visiting before then, be sure to arrive early and go directly to Space 220 to see what the situation is — i.e. whether they’re utilizing the virtual queue system or not. If they are using the virtual queue system, then be sure to get your spot in line. Once reservations start being accepted, you’ll need a reservation to dine at the lounge, or you can check to see if there is walk-up availability.

Click here to learn more about the Space 220 virtual queue.

Atmosphere

Once it’s your turn to return for your reservation or walk-up spot, you’ll head to Space 220, which is located next to Mission: SPACE in EPCOT. Head STRAIGHT to the ride like you’re ready to get in line. The restaurant is to the righthand side!

You’ll find a check-in/information desk outside…

…and ultimately will make your way inside the Space 220 Departure Lounge, where you’ll find another check-in desk. There are Cast Members available in the space to answer your questions or assist you.

There’s also seating available, so you can sit down for a bit until it’s your time to head into the space elevators. (Also, we love two days in we still just call these the “space elevators.” It is what it is, man! )

After you check-in, you’ll receive a boarding pass. These help identify your party, help the Cast Members coordinate their communication, and help make the process more streamlined.

Once it’s your turn to go up the space elevator, you’ll head inside and stand in your spot.

Then, be sure to look down to watch as you “blast off” from EPCOT and the Earth.

And look up as you approach the Centauri Space Station. The whole thing is a quick experience but very cool.

After you get off the elevator, you’ll pass some space lettuce (cooooooool)…

…and head into the main dining area. Yes, you may “oooooh” and “aaaaaaah” now.

Truly, the atmosphere and views into “space” are incredible. Even cooler, we noticed the lighting seemed to shift as real time was passing. Night on Earth? It will show it out the windows!

On the upper part of the dining area, near the bar, you’ll find the lounge area. When we visited recently, our reporter was actually seated at the bar to enjoy their lounge experience, but there are also physical tables in the lounge.

The atmosphere throughout Space 220 is truly the star of the show though (get it, “STAR” — it’s a space joke! BUCKLE IN, we’ve got more!).

Be sure to look at those windows throughout your time there because you never know what kinds of surprises will appear.

Click here to see more about the atmosphere, space restrooms(!?), and more details you’ll find in Space 220!

Menu

Space 220 features a prix fixe menu for adults and kids for lunch and dinner. Prices are $55 for adults for lunch, $79 for adults for dinner, and $29 for kids for lunch and dinner. BUT, if you want to skip that entirely, the lounge is there for you!

If you are sitting at a table in the main dining room, every person at the table needs to order from the prix fixe adult or kids menu (as appropriate, depending on your age). If you are sitting at the lounge, however, you can get select items a la carte from their small bites menu or you can come just for some drinks.

The majority of the items you can get at the lounge are drinks — there are both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options. But, you can also get some food at the lounge. The lounge’s menu for food includes a few selections that are also available as appetizers on the prix fixe menu, but it also has some items that are unique to the lounge.

The “Flight Bites” available at the lounge include the Astro Deviled Eggs, Starry Calamari (also on the prix fixe menu), Blue Moon Cauliflower (also on the prix fixe menu), Chicken on Waffle, Short Rib Sliders, and a New England Lobster Roll.

You can see more of the Space 220 drinks menu below, with those Zero-Proof Cocktails (AKA non-alcoholic drinks) included. While the Zero-Proof Cocktails are not specifically listed on the Lounge Menu, we were able to get some there during our time at Space 220, so be sure to ask during your visit.

Yesterday, we got the chance to sample many of these items through a special media preview and through our own ordering of selections on the prix fixe menu. We’re going to cover them all in detail here!

Drinks

First, we’ll tackle the drinks. During our time at Space 220 (both lunch and dinner, media event and separate), we got to try a whole BUNCH of different drink selections.

First, we got to try the Atmospritz, which is made with New Amsterdam, Aperol, Blood Orange, Orange Juice, Prosecco, and a Cotton Candy Cloud. Yes, you’ve probably never known that you wanted to try a cotton candy cloud   until now, but now you do!

It’s made with New Amsterdam, Aperol, blood orange, OJ, Prosecco, and a cotton candy cloud (#Space220 media event) pic.twitter.com/bjiHyqtuwW

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) September 20, 2021

 

 

 

Though the drink’s name and ingredients might suggest that it would taste like a true Aperol Spritz, which is notably bitter and bubbly, it was actually more like a mimosa/spritz hybrid in terms of flavor and it was quite sweet! The sweetness is something you probably could have guessed from its ingredients — there IS cotton candy in here.

Overall though, the drink is very fun in terms of its presentation, as you get to watch the cotton candy “disappear” into the drink. If you really enjoy sweet drinks, this could be a good option. The Atmospritz is $15.

Next up, we have the Planetary Punch, which can be yours for $15. This drink is made of Bacardi Silver, Malibu, Blue Curacao, Guava, and Coconut.

C’mon, you knew there would be SOMETHING on the menu drowning in Blue Curaçao, right? It’s Disney World, after all! Love Piña Coladas and all things tropical? Then we’ve found your drink! This drink definitely made us feel like we were on a beach (in space?). Plus, it had a really fun presentation. As you can see in the video below, there are bubbles coming out of the drink thanks to the use of some dry ice. It’s a sweeter rum drink that still provides some lovely coconut flavor.

Planetary Punch! Bacardi Silver, Malibu, Blue Curaçao, guava, coconut, and BUBBLES! (#Space220 media event) pic.twitter.com/2QbqwGLgbY

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) September 20, 2021

 

 

 

Margarita fans: the Stargarita drink might be just the drink you’re looking for (it’s the purplish drink in the back of the video below). This drink features Herradura Plata, Cointreau, House Made Agave Sour, and B’lure (which is a butterfly pea flower extract).

If you love fruity drinks, this is a good choice. It was very tasty and fruity, and (like some of the other drinks on the menu) has a fun presentation. The Butterfly Pea Flower is a blue/purple color naturally, but if you add in some acid (citrus juice here), it turns more purple/pink. Does a color-changing, sweet, and fruity drink sound perfect to you? 

The Nebula and the Stargarita! (#Space220 media event) pic.twitter.com/TljdyB5rna

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) September 20, 2021

 

 

 

We felt like this drink was actually a perfect mix of flavors as it wasn’t too fruity and wasn’t too strong. You can get this drink for $16.

Ready for more space drinks? Next up we have The Nebula, which is priced at $15. The Nebula features Maker’s Mark, Pineapple, Honey, Passion Fruit, Angostura Bitters, and Moon Dust. And just how awesome are those cut-out stars in the drink?!

This drink was one of our favorites! It was delicious and we think it would be a good choice for whiskey fans. The honey in this drink pops out (in a good way, if you like honey that is). The pineapple is another flavor that we could pick up on, so if you don’t like pineapple at ALL, that’s something you’ll want to keep in mind. Overall though, we felt like the drink was very tasty and smooth. It’s one of the ones we’d totally order again if given the chance, even though its presentation isn’t necessarily as fun as some other ones.

Next, there’s the Jupiter Fizz, which is made with Hendrick’s Gin, Aperol, Grapefruit, and Mango. You can get this drink for $17.

The strongest flavors in the Jupiter Fizz were mango and grapefruit. Overall, the drink was very tasty — not too sweet and not too fruity. The grapefruit really helped to balance things out. And while it might not have bubbles or cotton candy, it was served in a cool glass!

We also got to try the Red Star, which features Jameson, Monin Dragon Fruit, fresh lemon, and Onyx. 

This drink costs $17. The Jameson in this drink is something you can definitely taste, but there’s still a nice fruitiness to the drink as well. If you aren’t a fan of super sweet drinks, this might be a good choice. We found it to be one of the more moderate drinks in terms of the level of sweetness.

Ever dreamed of drinking a cosmo while floating through the cosmos? Then you might want to get a Celestial Cosmopolitan, which is made with Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Cointreau, Cranberry-Hibiscus Juice, and Moon Dust. The drink is priced at $15. 

The Celestial Cosmopolitan essentially just tasted like a good cosmopolitan. We got a bit of a floral aftertaste because of the hibiscus, but the main taste profile here is that of a classic cosmopolitan. It’s a safe choice if cosmopolitans are the type of drink you enjoy! There’s not a ton of straight up drinks on the menu here, so this is a nice option for those preferring their drinks stronger.

The presentation here is also fun as there is a bit of “moon dust” (AKA edible glitter) and another one of those star-shaped pieces of citrus (someone is cutting a WHOLE bunch of stars in the back and we thank you for your work. For the tireless work of the poor Cast Member cutting citrus rind star, WE SEE YOU!).

During a return visit to Space 220, we tried The Big Tang, which is priced at $16. The Big Tang features Avion Silver, Grand Marnier, Tang-Infused Agave Nectar, Grapefruit, Strawberry, and is served with Astronaut Ice Cream!

Like many of the other drinks here, it’s served in a very cool-looking glass and has pretty colors, making it very Instagrammable. The drink itself is very sweet and smooth. The alcohol in this drink is something we really couldn’t taste at first, but when we got about halfway through with the drink we could reeeeally taste it.

We definitely got that strawberry flavor here, along with some orange from the Grand Marnier (and, of course, from the TANG!). The grapefruit really didn’t make the drink too tart, so don’t let that ingredient scare you off.

Plus, how can you turn down a drink with ASTRONAUT ICE CREAM?!?! PRO TIP: Don’t eat the astronaut ice cream right away. We left ours in the drink for about 10 minutes, and it helped to sort of rehydrate the ice cream. After those few minutes, biting into that ice cream piece was really fun. If you’re an OG though that remembers ripping these suckers open in the gift shop of your local museum, GO. TO. TOWN. Just don’t crack a tooth on the “ice cream” inside!! (Also, just noting it here but if you LOVE freeze dried ice cream, you CAN buy full bars of it nearby at the gift shop at the exit to Mission: SPACE. You’re welcome, space ice cream fans!)

Overall, the drink is sweet but could be a great choice for those looking for something fun or those who grew up on Tang (raises hand proudly).

But, Space 220 isn’t just about the alcoholic drinks. There are also non-alcoholic selections, specifically the “Zero-Proof Cocktails.” Again, note that these are not on the Lounge-specific menu, but do appear on the overall Space 220 menu and it is our understanding that you can get them at the lounge as well. Be sure to ask during your visit.

During our time at Space 220, we grabbed the Moon Rocks drink, priced at $12. This drink features coconut, blue cotton candy syrup, lemonade, Moon Dust, and “Moon Rocks” — AKA Pop Rocks!

For obvious reasons (HELLO POP ROCKS), this drink is a great choice for kids (or kids at heart) and is really fun. Pour the pop rocks in your drink, pour them in your mouth, you can do whatever you want and sit back to enjoy that unique popping feeling! Lets be real — you’re buying this drink for the bag of Pop Rocks. Make peace with it then enjoy your $12 glass of cotton candy flavored Sprite.

The drink itself tastes like a flavored sprite (I know, we were shocked too! ), so it’s not terribly unique, but it’s a safe choice in terms of flavor and a fun choice in terms of presentation and experience. Our server recommended pouring the Pop Rocks on our tongue THEN drinking the drink, which was really fun. (The best part of Pop Rocks is feeling them in your mouth, so embrace it!)

Non-alcoholic Moon Rocks drink! (#Space220 media event) pic.twitter.com/sHtnlyrfVl

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) September 20, 2021

Another non-alcoholic drink we tried was The Milky Way, which is listed as a dessert drink. The Milky Way features chilled espresso, spiced brown sugar syrup, caramel, and cream, and it is served with a mini Milky Way. You can get this drink for $12.

The Milky Way

Overall, the Milky Way could be a good non-alcoholic drink choice for those who really enjoy coffee. The drink was sweet, but not overly so (which was nice). The only issue we have with it is that there are a whole bunch of other drinks that are way more fun in terms of their presentation, color, etc. If you love coffee, then you could grab this, or you could simply stop by a Joffrey’s Coffee kiosk once you leave for a delicious coffee drink and spend your money at Space 220 on things that are a bit more unique. This guy was just underwhelming. Wait a few weeks and you’ll likely have fun-sized Milky Way coming out your ears with Halloween on the horizon. Make a decent iced coffee and you’ve basically replicated this for way less. 

The Milky Way

We also got the chance to try the Lightyear Lemonade. This drink is made of fresh-squeezed lemonade, butterfly pea tea, and mint. It is priced at $12.

Lightyear Lemonade

Sooooo…this drink basically tasted like a regular lemonade. Sure, a much prettier lemonade, but still. Now, there’s nothing wrong with lemonade and we’re sure there are a LOT of die-hard lemonade fans out there. So, if that’s you and you’re looking for a non-alcoholic (and quite pretty) lemonade drink here, this could be a good choice. Notethe mint and other flavors were not prominent so go nuts, lemonade fans.

As we mentioned above with some of the other drinks, there are more exciting drink options here. If you’re going to spend that $12 to get something, our feeling is that you should spend it on something that’s a bit more unique. (ahem, POP ROCKS, plz!)

 

 

 

 

That’s a look at the drinks we got to try. Now, let’s tackle the food!

Eats

As we mentioned, Space 220 has a series of “Flight Bites” you can order at the lounge. Some are exclusive to the lounge, while others are items you can get as appetizers as part of the prix fixe menu. Let’s go over them ALL.

First, we have the Astro Deviled Eggs. These are priced at $12 and are made with Free-Range Eggs, Maple Glazed Bacon, Scallion, Pickled Shallots, and Micro Cilantro. This is basically the “space” answer to fancy bacon and eggs.

The deviled eggs have a strong vinegar taste, so if you don’t love vinegar you might want to opt for something else.

The candied bacon helped cut through the vinegar taste a bit, so overall we really didn’t mind the tartness.

The portion size isn’t that big, especially considering you’re paying $12 and essentially just getting 2 full eggs that have been cut in half and a few pieces of bacon interspersed. But, this is the cheapest option on the lounge menu in terms of the Flight Bites. Deviled eggs feel like something your Great Aunt brings to a potluck, not necessarily something you’d consider upscale eats in space.

Next we have the Starry Calamari (also an appetizer choice on the prix fixe menu). This dish is $19 and features Fried Calamari, Italian Cherry Peppers, Spicy Marinara, Roasted Pepper Citrus Aioli.

The calamari was actually very tasty! The aioli sauce was our favorite out of the two, and we felt like it complimented the calamari well. If you want a sauce with a bit of a kick though, the marinara is a good choice too.

The calamari itself wasn’t super greasy, but instead was lightly fried and really well cooked. Obviously, you’ve got to be OK with chowing down on squid to eat this. If you’ve never HAD calamari before, it’s basically flavorless and a vehicle for breading and delicious fried goodness (there’s really no fishy flavor to worry about here). The fried peppers were also a nice touch, as they added another layer of flavor to the dish overall. If you’re a picky calamari eater, we got mooooostly bodies here, less legs. Some folks like one or the other!

If you’re looking for some veggies (fried veggies, that is), you can check out the Blue Moon Cauliflower. This is priced at $17 at the lounge (it’s also an appetizer option on the prix fixe menu) and features Tempura Fried Cauliflower, Housemade Hot Sauce, Blue Cheese Dust. What is Blue Cheese Dust you ask? Well, it’s essentially freeze-dried blue cheese crumbles! Never knew you needed that in your life, but now you’ve GOT to try it right?!

This dish was amazing! Our reporters who got to try this dish totally DEVOURED it. The cauliflower had that perfect amount of crunchiness and the dish overall was super flavorful and tasty. You’ll forget this is just veggies!!

Dunk these into the housemade hot sauce and get a bite with the blue cheese dust too — you’ll thank us later.

We’ve gotta point out here though that both the cauliflower and calamari ARE apps on the prix fixe menu. So, paying out of pocket,  was the same portions intended for one adult worth $19 and $17, respectively? Probably not. But if you’re sitting at the bar or lounge and hungry, they’re available. That said, we really enjoyed both.

Love fried chicken and waffles? Then the Chicken on Waffle might be the right choice for you. Yes, clearly they spent ages working the mae for this dish. This is priced at $18 and features Fried Chicken, a Smoked Bacon and Roasted Corn Waffle, Spiced Coleslaw, and Bourbon Maple Glaze.

We really enjoyed this and thought it was very tasty! The breading on the chicken had a wonderful flavor, and it wasn’t too thick compared to the chicken itself. But seriously, WHO are the people saying fried chicken has too much breading? Isn’t that a big reason to eat it in the first place?

The slaw included added a good layer of crunch and flavor too.

The Smoked Bacon and Roasted Corn Waffle was delicious (as you might expect from those ingredients). Combine the waffle with the slaw, the chicken, and the sauce drizzled on top and you’ve got one tasty treat! Chicken and waffles in space — who knew?!

Next, we’ve got the Short Rib Sliders, priced at $18. These feature Short Rib, along with White Cheddar Cheese, Sriracha Aioli, Lettuce, Tomato, and Butter Pickles. The sliders come with french fries.

We really liked these sliders! There were pretty big chunks of short rib, which we really enjoyed. And the toppings (the cheese, pickles, lettuce, etc.) all paired really nicely with the meat.

Plus, if you LOVE soft, delicious bread, we have a feeling you’ll really enjoy the rolls these sliders were served on. They were like a soft, butter roll and they were awesome. One critique for these though: presentation is lacking. This (and, truthfully, the burger on the prix fixe lunch menu) are…underwhelming, visually. This looks like sliders you’d get at a fast food joint in Disney World put on a nice plate. The burger did too. It’s difficult to present a burger in an upscale dining way, but here they didn’t succeed very well. That said, they ARE flavorful. Just ignore that they look a bit sloppy.

In terms of the fries served with this dish, they reminded us of McDonald’s fries (McDonald’s fans: you know what we’re talking about). They were plain though. A special seasoning or some “space dust” would have made them more fun. We also think they could have used a bit more salt. Still, they were tasty and they’re pretty large in terms of portion size. With the swank menu we assumed these would be truffled fried or something equally fanciful. Nope. Plain shoestring fries you’d find at any fast food spot.

Finally, we arrive at the last “Flight Bite” — the New England Lobster Roll! This dish is made with Chilled Maine Lobster, Butter Toasted Bun, Celery, Chive, and Lemon Mayonnaise. It’s also served with fries.

Sometimes there’s nothing more frustrating than getting a lobster roll that barely has any lobster. You know the drill: mostly celery and “filler,” not much meat. But, that wasn’t the case here. This lobster roll had some pretty big, tasty chunks of lobster on it! The mayonnaise did have a strong citrus flavor though, so that’s something to keep in mind if you don’t love citrus. We thought it went well with the meat and buttery bun.

The lobster roll is a pretty good size and gives you a nice serving of lobster, coupled with the fries, making this a pretty filling option. If you are a big fan of lobster rolls, this could be a good choice for you.

One of the biggest downsides to this dish though is its price. The lobster roll will set you back $34!! That’s a hefty cost for a Flight Bite. But, you do get a decent amount of lobster, plus fries, so it could be alright. Still, you could spend that $34 differently and get some other options at the lounge instead.

Our understanding is that you can also get the Prix Fixe menu at the lounge. For our FULL review of the lunch prix fixe menu — click here. Be sure to check back with your server to see if this is the case though. It could change with time.

It also looks like you can get a variety of other options from the standard Space 220 menu at the lounge, for example, the Cast Members gave us the impression that you could order some of the desserts from the standard Space 220 menu at the lounge. 

Again, your milage may vary! Be sure to chat with your server and see what they can — or can’t — do!

Nosh or Not

You should travel to space and eat at the lounge if:

• You want to eat somewhere unique — Truly, the big appeal of Space 220 is the atmosphere. The windows out into space, the space elevator, the space lettuce(!!!) — they all serve to transform this space into something that is truly “out-of-this-world.” You get to still experience all of that fun through the lounge, while not having to order the full prix fixe menu.
• You don’t want to eat a full prix fixe meal or can’t get a reservation— If you’re not looking to eat a full, heavier meal and you want to skip on the prix fixe experience, the Space 220 lounge could be a good option. There, you can still get some tasty treats and cool drinks a la carte, giving you a bit more flexibility in terms of choice and offering you some lighter choices. Also, you can dine at Space 220’s lounge without a reservation, though you’ll need to check for walk-up availability, which is first-come, first-serve. Since this is a brand new spot and is likely to be VERY popular for quite some time, having the chance to eat there without a reservation is a major plus. The BIG draw here is the ambiance — looking into space, the elevator ride up. If you can do this for FAR less at the lounge, we suspect many will.
• You want the Space 220 experience without the $55 (or $79 at dinner) cost — Spending $55 or $79 to eat in space might just not be something you’re willing to do right now. But, you could stop by the lounge and still get the whole experience while spending less, as you can select what items you want to order from the available menu. But, make no mistake…the cost for your time at the lounge can add up quickly! Between an $18 Flight Bite and a $15 drink, you’ll already be spending $33, so those costs are something you’ll want to keep a close eye on as you order.

You should keep those feet on Earth if:

• You’re looking for a lounge you can just walk right into or something quick — Right now, you need a reservation or you’ll need to get a spot through walk-up availability (first-come, first serve) in order to enter the Space 220 lounge. It isn’t as easy as just strolling into the space, taking an elevator up, and going there all on your own. It requires a bit of planning, either to get a reservation or check for walk-up availability. And it’ll take some time out of your day since the space elevator is a part of the experience. So, if you’re looking for a spot you can just walk into quickly, this might not be it.
• You’re looking for something inexpensive — Alright, food in Disney is pretty expensive everywhere. Truthfully, the dishes at the lounge aren’t terribly expensive, but they also aren’t super cheap. $12 is the cheapest you’ll pay for an option from the Flight Bites menu, and $34 is the most. If you’re looking for a less expensive option that’ll feel more like a full meal (with sides, etc.), then you might want to stay on the ground and stop by some quick service locations.
• You want food that’s super unique— We really enjoyed a bunch of the items from the lounge menu — the cauliflower was a particular stand out — but the dishes aren’t terribly unique. If you’re looking for something that you’ve NEVER tried before or something you probably won’t find in too many other places (AKA. a drink with an ant rim — like the ones you can get at the Mexico pavilion), then a walk around World Showcase might be the better fit for you. If you want to see SPACE though, head here.

Overall

Overall, the Space 220 lounge can be a good option to get that Space 220 experience without committing to the full prix fixe option. It has some delicious bites of its own and a whole bunch of drink options available. That gives you the option to pick and choose what eats you want to get and really customize your experience.

But, you can’t just stroll into this lounge — a benefit we’ve loved about other lounges that give you the opportunity to get all of the experience of the full restaurant without a reservation. Right now, a reservation or spot acquired through walk-up availability is needed to dine at the Space 220 lounge. We’ll see if things change related to that in the future.

Still, if you just want to check out those space windows, grab a drink or two and a snack or two (or three or four, who’s counting?), then the lounge could be a great choice! (IF you can get in!)

What do you think? Would you opt for the FULL Space 220 experience or just hang out in the lounge? Tell us in the comments.

Click here to see the best surprise details in Space 220!

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The post PHOTOS and FULL REVIEW of the Space 220 Lounge in Disney World: The Cheaper Way to Eat in SPACE! first appeared on the disney food blog.