Space 220 Lounge in EPCOT (Better than the Restaurant?)

You’ve probably eaten in some cool lounges at Walt Disney World, but how many of them have been in outer space? If you are looking for an out-of-this-world dining experience, in a relaxed atmosphere, the Space 220 Lounge is for you!

Ever since Space 220 opened in 2021, it has been a massive hit with guests, and it’s quickly turned into one of our favorite places to eat in Disney World. But while the restaurant has risen to galactic fame, not everyone knows that it shares space with a lounge/bar area that you can dine in as an alternative.

In this post, we are going to share everything you need to know about the Space 220 Lounge including the menu, a full review of all the food and drinks, how to make reservations, and the differences between the restaurant and the lounge.

We also will cover if it’s worth all the extra hassle it takes to eat here and answer all your FAQs you might have.

Before we get started, here are some other popular posts about dining you may want to also read:

• Space 220 Restaurant Guide
• How to Get Space 220 Reservations
• Best Places to Eat in Disney World
• Best EPCOT Restaurants Ranked
• Best Bars & Lounges in Walt Disney World

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What is Space 220 Like?

If you or another family member has always dreamed of being in space, dining at Space 220 will take you to an international space station an imaginary 220 miles away from the Earth!

Once you get to the station and as you enter the restaurant you’ll see all kinds of incredible sights as you look out around the dining room with large panoramic screens throughout the back of the restaurant. 

As you look out these windows that appear lifelike, you’ll be looking into the vast window of space with scenes of astronauts, earth, and other random space sightings. It’s truly a unique experience that will keep you and your entire family captivated from beginning to end! 

The restaurant itself offers an expensive prix fixe menu when coming for lunch or dinner. But if you’re visiting just for the lounge, you can get to experience the restaurant without paying the costs associated with the more fixed offerings of lunch and dinner.

Where is the Space 220 Lounge Located?

Space 220 Restaurant and Lounge is located in Disney’s EPCOT theme park, and it is found just to the right of the Mission Space Attraction, in the ‘World Discovery’ part of the park. 

Upon getting to the outside entrance of the restaurant there will be a Cast Member checking in guests that have regular reservations, but there will also be a walk-up line area where you can stand for those wanting to sit at the lounge OR if you want to try to get a normal dining reservation for the restaurant. 

If you have any questions about where to stand or if you want to enter the lounge and get in line, simply ask the Cast Member located there.

The lounge also features special menu items, which the restaurant does NOT offer on the prix fixe menu. Sitting at the lounge will allow you to eat anything off the normal restaurant menu if you choose OR the special exclusive items on the lounge menu.

How Do You Get Into the Lounge at Space 220?

There are two main ways to get into the lounge at Space 220:

• The first way is by having an ADR (Advance Dining Reservation).
• The second way is by walking up and getting a spot at the bar (only for adults), which is actually fairly simple as long as you don’t mind waiting! 

If at all possible, we recommend snagging a reservation for those wanting to eat at either the lounge or the regular part of the restaurant. Getting an ADR for the lounge is actually more difficult due to the smaller area, although the lounge area offers walk-up seating at the bar area.

The lounge consists of several tables in addition to the bar seating. So if you can’t snag a reservation for the lounge or the restaurant, what can you do to get into the walk-up bar area of the lounge at Space 220? Here’s what we found worked for us:

Getting into the lounge area can be difficult if you want to sit in a table area of the lounge, which requires ADRs. These are hard to come by, as the Lounge is often viewed as the most popular way for guests to visit the restaurant and get the experience without needing to spend the expensive costs of the prix fixe menu.

In our experience, it’s one of the absolute hardest ADRs to get in Walt Disney World.

If you’re OK with getting a spot at the walk-up bar area, it’s actually fairly simple! If you get there early enough, you should be able to get right in! If not and you miss the early window, you’ll likely have to wait in line for a long period of time.

How Long Does it Take to Eat at Space 220 Lounge?

It totally depends on how much food you get! If you’re going to the walk-up bar and are just getting a drink or two and having an appetizer, you can feasibly be out of there in under an hour. 

If instead you want to enjoy the entire menu while slowly sampling different appetizers and drinks, you can be there for a couple of hours easily. Honestly, it’s so cool in there that you will probably want to stay for a couple of hours to check everything out!

Space 220 Lounge Menu

Flight Bites (Appetizers):

Atmospheric Spirits (Alcoholic):

Up All Night

Absolute Vanilla, Chilled Espresso, Kahlua, Creme de Cacao

$18.00

Wine:

Sparkling/Champagne Worldly Wines

• Prosecco Terre Di Bacco, Treviso, Italy – $15.00
• Sparkling Scharffenberger, Mendocino County, CA – $17.00

White Worldly Wines

• Pinot Grigio Campo Di Fiori, Rubicone, Italy – $15.00
• Pinot Grigio Santa Margherita, Santa Margherita – $18.00
• Sauvignon Blanc Kim Crawford, Marlborough, NZ – $16.00
• Rosé Space Age Rose, Paso Robles, CA – $16.00
• Chardonnay Talbott Kali Hart, Monterey, CA – $17.00
• Moscato Batasiolo Moscato d’Asti, Italy – $14.00

Red Worldly Wines

• Cabernet Sauvignon Routestock, Napa Valley, CA – $19.00
• Merlot Decoy, Sonoma, CA – $16.00
• Red Blend The Prisoner, California – $23.00
• Pinot Noir Böen, Russian River, CA – $19.00
• Malbec Uno, Mendoza, Argentina – $16.00
• Red Blend Fable Roots, Italy – $12.00

Crew Brews:

• Michelob Ultra Draft – $10.00
• Blue Moon Draft – $11.00
• Stella Artois – $10.00
• Corona – $10.00
• Heineken 0.0 – $10.00
• Stevens Point Centauri Amber Lager Draft – $12.00
• Sierra Nevada Hazy Little IPA Draft – $11.00
• Bud Light – $9.00
• Modelo Especial – $9.00
• Rotating Space Beer – $12.00

FAQ

Does Space 220 Lounge Serve Alcohol?

Yes! The Space 220 Lounge serves up a number of fun and tasty concoctions! And while kids under 21 can sit in the lounge area, they can’t sit at the walk-up bar area which is only for adults over the age of 21.

Can You Order Appetizers in the Lounge?

You’ll be happy to know you can order all of the regular restaurant appetizers in addition to specialty appetizers, that are ONLY available for those sitting at the lounge.

Can You Do Walk-Up at Space 220 Lounge?

Yes, you can get in by doing a walk-up, but it’s only for the bar part of the lounge. For those desiring a table or those with anyone in your group under the age of 21, you’ll need to have an ADR for the lounge OR the regular part of the restaurant.

Does Space 220 Have a Dress Code?

No dress code is required at Space 220. Since Space 220 is located in a Disney Theme Park, it has more of a relaxed casual atmosphere. And while the restaurant itself is nice, most guests are in their standard theme park attire.

Do You Have to be 21 to Eat at Space 220 Lounge?

Guests under 21 can eat in the Space 220 Lounge. You ONLY need to be 21 if you’re sitting in the walk-up bar area. If you’re sitting at one of the tables in the lounge area, you don’t need to be 21.

Is the Space 220 Lounge Cheaper than the Restaurant?

The Space 220 Lounge has the “potential” to be cheaper than the restaurant. The nice thing about going to the lounge is not feeling like you HAVE to order a fixed menu. You can order 1 thing or you can order 20 things. 

So while in theory, it can be cheaper for budget-conscious travelers, if you get a bunch of items on the menu, it can still be just as expensive as the restaurant.

Space 220 Lounge Review

Having been to both the lounge and the restaurant several times now, what are my thoughts on the lounge itself? In this section, I will talk about my overall feelings and views of the lounge. 

If you’ve read my full review of the restaurant itself here, you’ll see I’m a BIG FAN of Space 220.

Entrance Experience

When you get to EPCOT, you’ll walk over to the restaurant, which is located just to the right of the Mission Space attraction. Follow signs for Space 220, and you’ll likely see lines of people forming around the corner.

It’s here where Cast Members will be waiting for you to help you board your flight to the Centauri Space Station 220 miles above the Earth! You’ll be handed a “boarding pass” and instructed to wait until you are called. 

This futuristic check-in area will likely be a short wait before it’s your time to turn in your boarding passes and hop aboard the elevator!

Once your group is called via your color-coded boarding pass, you hop aboard one of the two “Space Elevators” that will bring you up to the restaurant, affectionately known as the Centauri Space Station.

The elevator or “Stellarvator” is completely realistic and so much fun, simulating your transportation to the space station. Inside the circular elevator, you will notice large digital screens that make the trip to the space station truly seem realistic and put you in the story!

Once you reach your destination at the Centauri Space Station and disembark the elevator, you’ll hand your boarding pass to a Disney Cast Member who will take you through the futuristic hallways of the space station, including a spinning wall of produce and a wine room!

After walking through the fun and incredibly themed hallways of the space station, you’ll arrive inside the Space 220 Dining Area where you will find your seat.

Atmosphere

Right when you get inside the dining room area of the restaurant, you’ll instantly be awed by the amazing and incredible views of “space.” Although fake and completely screen-based, you really have to do a double-take to see that you’re not truly in space. 

In addition to the actual views of space, the entire dining room is impeccably themed, with beautiful and modern tables and chairs. These seats are SUPER comfy!

Even the bathrooms are so tastefully done and themed in such a way that you truly feel you are in outer space (and there are a few funny surprises in there too!)

When it comes to the lounge itself, we actually enjoy the views here MORE than the main dining room. The reason why is that if you have a table in the lounge, the seats here look over the dining room and are a little further away from the “space windows”, enabling you to get better panoramic views of the entire room.

For those getting a table in the lounge, you’ll notice that there are primarily two tops and a few four tops. If you have a larger party, you’ll likely have to get split up into two different tables.

The seating in the lounge is elevated and you’ll be above the action in the dining room. Again, we slightly prefer the lounge seating as you get better views.

Sitting at the Bar

The bar is located along the back wall of the restaurant and is part of the lounge. There are 10 spots here and the stools, like the chairs are really comfy.

We also really dig the shiny black counter, it seems like something you definitely find in space!

The bar is the only place where you can likely get a spot if you do NOT have a reservation. While the bar area still gives you the same ambiance and feel as the rest of the restaurant, the views are NOT quite as good. 

The main reason is due to the fact that your backs are away from the action at all times. There are only 10 seats in the bar, so it’s very limited and it’s based on a first come first serve basis.

Where is the Best Place to Sit in the Lounge?

We prefer any of the tables in the lounge, as this will give you the comfort of the regular dining room while also giving you additional comfort and the best views in the restaurant! 

If you really want one of the best tables, we’d recommend getting one of the tables near the railing in the lounge. You’ll get the best spot for photos with nobody foreseeably behind you.

Space 220 Lounge Drinks

Atmospritz – The name can be deceptive and you might expect a bitter spritz-like taste with this drink. It was actually a little sweeter than we expected, and we love the touch of the cotton candy melting in the drink! 

It tastes almost like a Cosmo with noticeable flavors of orange juice and Prosecco. We LOVED this drink both for taste and presentation. 10/10

The Big Tang – Another Instagrammable drink that tastes almost like a fruity margarita! With its flavors of strawberry and grapefruit, it perfectly balances the sweetness with good tang and citrusy flavors that you’d expect of a good margarita. We also LOVED this drink. 10/10

The Nebula – The Nebula is Space 220’s take on an Old Fashioned. We loved the uniqueness of this drink, unlike most Old Fashioneds, this one had stand-out flavors of pineapple and honey, which are completely different.

While the presentation doesn’t stand out like some of the other drinks, the flavor was excellent. 8/10

Stargaritia – Another tequila-based drink like The Big Tang, the Stargarita is a purplish drink that features common margarita ingredients such as Cointreau, Agave Sour, and a unique item called B’lure (which is a butterfly pea flower extract). 

This was another sweet drink that had a cute presentation. It’s a bit sweeter than The Big Tang but is equally as Instagrammable. 8/10

Celestial Cosmopolitan – If you like the thought of a good Cosmo while making you feel as if you are floating through the cosmos, you’ll enjoy the Celestial Cosmopolitan. It has a little bit of a floral-like aftertaste, due to the hibiscus in the drink. It’s also a stronger drink that features “moon dust” or essentially edible glitter for extra presentation.

There’s nothing special about this drink, and it’s simply a “safe drink” for those that want something fairly strong but not adventurous. 7/10

Moon Rocks – The Moon Rocks drink is a “Mocktail” and a great choice for kids with its fun unique flavoring and presentation with ‘Pop Rocks’ candy that gives it a fun popping feeling as you drink. It essentially tastes like a Sprite that’s flavored with Cotton Candy. 

Kids love this drink, even if it’s not quite worth its $12 price tag. 8/10

*In recent weeks, Disney introduced a bunch of brand new drinks at Space 220, and we’ll be trying those on our next trip there so stay tuned!

Space 220 Lounge Food

Next, we are going to talk about the “Flight Bites” that you can order at the lounge. Some of these items are exclusive to ONLY those eating at the lounge, while others are also found on the regular dining room menu. 

What do we think about these offerings? Here are our thoughts on the lounge food items:

Starry Calamari – The Starry Calamari is also featured on the prix fixe menu in the dining room and features Fried Calamari, Italian Cherry Peppers, Spicy Marinara, and a Roasted Pepper Citrus Aioli. We love calamari normally, and we especially liked this one! 

The aioli sauce was very tasty and was the perfect complement to the calamari. We also liked that most of the calamari was bodies and NOT legs, our personal preference. 9/10

Chicken on Waffle – The Chicken on Waffle is probably our favorite of the “Flight Bites” that is exclusive to the lounge area. It literally features fried chicken, smoked bacon, spiced coleslaw, and a bourbon maple glaze on top of a tasty Roasted Corn Waffle. 

It was perfectly breaded featuring the right amount of crunch and flavor! The chicken was wonderfully moist and not dry whatsoever. 10/10

Shrimp Cocktail – The newest of the flight bites, the shrimp cocktail offers large jump shrimp paired with a homemade cocktail sauce. The shrimp are tasty, but the dish as a whole is underwhelming and a bit overpriced in our view.

 Its theming certainly doesn’t match up to some of the other unique offerings on the menu. 6/10

Short Rib Sliders – These tasty sliders come in pairs, featuring chunks of short rib, pickles, lettuce, and cheese! The combinations work well. What we love about these sliders is the delicious buttery bread that they are served on, it truly makes it! 

And while the presentation isn’t anything worth mentioning, these sliders are tasty and flavorful. We also love the shoestring fries that they are served with, giving them a nice complement. 8/10

Blue Moon Cauliflower – Also featured on the main dining room menu, we are seriously in love with the Blue Moon Cauliflower. From the presentation to the overall taste of these bites, they are outstanding! 

With the perfect blend of crunch and sweetness, this cauliflower will leave you wanting more! It’s hard to imagine that this is cauliflower as you’re eating it, and we haven’t found one person that has tried this but also doesn’t love it. And we aren’t even the biggest fans of cauliflower, but we LOVE this!

To get the full experience, make sure you dunk your cauliflower bites into the housemade hot sauce and get plenty of that blue cheese dust. 10/10

Space 220 Lounge vs Space 220 Restaurant

While the Space 220 Lounge and the Space 220 Restaurant are similar, they are certainly different in many key areas. In this section, we will touch on the differences between both sections of Space 220 and give our verdict on which we prefer when it comes to the different areas.

Atmosphere

While Space 220 is an open-floor concept restaurant, the main difference between the lounge and the standard dining area is that the lounge is elevated ABOVE the main seating in the dining area. The atmosphere as a whole is identical other than that small piece. 

Guests seated in both areas will be practically on the opposite side of the railing separated by a few steps from each other. We LOVE the atmosphere at both sections of the restaurant. If we had to choose, we prefer the atmosphere at the lounge due to its better vantage point for pictures and views. 

While sitting in the lounge, you have clear sightlines of the “space windows” with likely no impaired shots or pictures of guests blocking your views. The only caveat to this is if you are sitting in the bar area of the lounge, which has the least desirable views. 

We give a slight edge to the Space 220 Lounge in terms of atmosphere.

Reservations

Food & Drinks

While the food offerings at both the lounge AND the restaurant are tasty and highly underrated, the lounge actually offers better flexibility and MORE options surprisingly. Here you can get unique appetizer “Flight Bites” that are only available for guests at the lounge, and it also offers all of the dining room menu options.

We love the Chicken on Waffles and the Short Rib Sliders that are exclusive to guests eating at the lounge, and you’d totally miss these terrific treats if you’re sitting in the main restaurant! For these reasons the lounge comes out on top for us.

Cost

While the costs can be subjective and highly individualized based on the people in your party, as a whole, the prices at the lounge will grant you more flexibility and the “ability” to be cheaper.

Here’s a general guideline of what you could spend for a family of 4 at each. This is assuming that the children are aged between 3-9 (this is also NOT factoring in any drinks for either option).

For Lunch:

• At the Restaurant – $168 plus tax and gratuity
• At the Lounge (Assuming an appetizer for each family member) – $72 plus tax and gratuity 

For Dinner:

• At the Restaurant – $216 plus tax and gratuity
• At the Lounge (Assuming an appetizer for each family member) – $72 plus tax and gratuity 

As you can see from this simple example, the lounge is considerably cheaper IF you want it to be, and we are always interested in saving money at Disney World.

If you go to the lounge and order multiple appetizers and drinks, it can obviously be JUST as expensive if not more than the main dining room.

You’ll also notice that lunch is CHEAPER for those eating in the main dining room, so if you want a cheaper option and can’t get into the lounge, you can also try getting an ADR for the dining room for lunch. 

Keep in mind, it’s a 2-course meal for lunch instead of a 3-course meal for dinner, it doesn’t include dessert. Lunch hours are between 11:00 am and 4:00 pm.

Overall

Factoring in all of the differences between the lounge and the main dining room, I have to say we prefer eating at the Space 220 Lounge. There are simply times that you want to enjoy the experience of eating there without stressing over the insanely expensive costs of sitting in the main dining room.

And in our view, if we are going to pay the amount of money for dinner, we’d rather go somewhere else in Walt Disney World where we can enjoy the food a little bit more, considering we’ve had the “experience” multiple times. 

We don’t mind splurging for Space 220 for dinner at times, especially for guests who have never been here before. However, for people like ourselves who HAVE experienced Space 220, we’d simply recommend sitting in the lounge. 

It can be significantly cheaper, has the same ambiance and vibe, and you’ll have MORE food options! What more do I need to say?! We love the lounge and it’s truly one of the best hidden gems of Walt Disney World.

If you need help making advance dining reservations for Space 220 Lounge or any other restaurant in Walt Disney World, we recommend booking your trip with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner such as Show You the World Travel.

They will help you with all your dining reservations, as well as park tickets and hotel rooms so you always get the best deal. Contact them for a Free Vacation Quote and tell them Ziggy sent you!

Your Thoughts

I want to know what you think about our article on the Space 220 Lounge…

• What has been your experience at the Space 220 Lounge?
• Which do you like better, Space 220 Lounge or Restaurant?

Let us know in the comments section below!

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