When Space 220 opened in EPCOT, it instantly became the park’s most popular restaurant, and one of the hardest to get dining reservations in all of Walt Disney World. I’m not kidding, at certain times of the year, it’s almost impossible to get a reservation.
That’s why in this post, we are going to explain everything you need to know about reservations for Space 220, both the restaurant and the lounge.
We are going to share with you all the ways you can get reservations including advance dining reservations months ahead of time, but also how to get same-day reservations. It may seem impossible, but we have a few tricks up our sleeve.
And what if you can’t get reservations? Don’t worry, there is even a way you can get into Space 220 without reservations at all. So we’ll explain the walk-up procedure and what you need to do to secure a table.
Before we get started, here are some other popular posts about dining you may want to also read:
- Space 220 Restaurant Guide
- Space 220 Lounge Review
- Best Places to Eat in Disney World
- Best EPCOT Restaurants Ranked
Also, don’t forget to sign up for our FREE Weekly E-Mail Newsletter. There we bring you the latest Disney vacation planning tips including how to save money, where to stay, and the best things to do. You can sign up here: Join our E-Mail Newsletter!
Table of Contents
Do You Need a Reservation for Space 220?
Technically, you do not NEED a reservation for Space 220 but…It certainly is recommended! Space 220 is one of the most popular restaurants in all of Walt Disney World, and attempting to do it without a reservation isn’t always clear-cut. What do I mean?
There are two ways in which you can get walk-in seats, both for the bar area in the lounge and for the restaurant, but it requires a little bit of legwork and planning which we will discuss in just a minute.
I’d wholeheartedly recommend if at all possible to attempt to snag a reservation for Space 220 prior to your visit. It’ll save you time and headache! And you can get reservations now both for the regular portion of the restaurant AND the popular lounge area.
How Do I Get Reservations for Space 220?
Getting reservations for Space 220 is no different than any other restaurant in Disney, it simply requires you to make an ADR (Advance Dining Reservation). You can do this on either the My Disney Experience app on your smartphone or the website to secure a reservation.
The main thing to keep in mind is there are two different options for securing reservations for Space 220:
- The Restaurant
- The Lounge
Both are incredibly popular and will likely book up at exactly the 60-day mark prior to your visit.
If you miss the booking window and there are no reservations for either option, continue to check over and over again up until the day of your trip.
One thing we’ve found incredibly helpful to do is to check the day before and the day of. Guests often cancel their reservations prior to the 24-hour cancellation window opening up opportunities for other guests to secure these reservations.
Advance Dining Reservations (Space 220 Restaurant)
When it comes to securing reservations for the Space 220 Restaurant, the good news is that it’s SLIGHTLY easier than the lounge. That’s because there is additional seating and the restaurant is open for both lunch and dinner.
Between the two meals, we’ve found that sometimes lunch reservations are a bit easier to secure.
As mentioned above, make sure that you book any reservations for the restaurant at the 60-day mark prior to your trip for the highest odds in booking a table.
One thing we’ve found that works well for us is to book an EPCOT day later on in the trip, giving you less competition.
This works great if you’re staying at a Disney World Resort because, unlike locals or guests staying off-site that can only book restaurants exactly 60 days before the date they are booking. However, by staying at a Disney World Resort you can book at 60 days PLUS up to 10 additional days earlier.
Your booking window is for the length of your entire stay, up to 10 days, and this takes advantage of the 60+10 rule.
So say for instance your trip starts on May 1st and finishes on the 11th. You and everyone else can begin booking restaurants on March 2nd for a table on May 1st. Remember, March has 31 days so 60 days out from May 1st is March 2nd.
The difference is that on March 2nd, guests who are NOT staying at a Disney World Resort and locals can only book dining for May 1st. However, because of the 60+10 Rule, you can book your dining for any night from March 1st to March 11th, because it’s all within 70 days.
The great part is that toward the end of your trip, say March 9th, 10th, and 11th you’ll have very little competition! This will make it a little bit easier to snag the reservations you really want for those nights. And if you try booking your Space 220 for one of those nights, you’ll have a great shot!
Advance Dining Reservations (Lounge)
Just like the restaurant, a table at the Space 220 Lounge also requires ADRs and the lounge is even harder to secure than the restaurant because it’s small and there’s limited seating available.
Keep in mind the lounge is split up between the table areas around the lounge and the walk-up bar area. The lounge is slightly elevated above the restaurant dining area which is down below, and closer to the space windows. In fact, you’ll walk through the lounge when you first walk into the dining area.
Advance dining reservations are ONLY for the tables in the lounge, and not the bar.
We LOVE the lounge, due to the flexibility, additional menu offerings, and smaller average bill sizes. However, it can be challenging to snag these ADRs. To get a table in the lounge, we recommend utilizing the same 60+10 Rule we suggested above for the restaurant.
And if you can’t get something right away, continue to check over and over again as something will usually open up.
Then, if you run out of options, your best bet is going to be to either making walk-up reservations for the restaurant OR grabbing a seat at the bar in the lounge.
Making Walk-Up Reservations
While it’s not guaranteed, it is possible to sometimes snag walk-up reservations the day of your visit to EPCOT. When you get to Space 220, you’ll notice there is both a ‘Reservations’ line and a ‘Standby’ line for guests.
If you get in the standby line, you’ll eventually get to a Disney Cast Member that will ask you if you’d like to get a seat at the bar or if you’d like to make a reservation for the restaurant. This will be a reservation later the same day.
In this case, inform them that you’d like to make a reservation for the restaurant. They’ll let you know what times they have for dinner, if anything for that day. Walk-up reservations are NOT available for lunch.
To give yourself the highest probability of scoring a table, we recommend making sure you get in line by 10:15 am on the day you’re in EPCOT. That’s what’s always worked best for us!
Getting in Without Reservations
Another option you have if you can’t secure a reservation via My Disney Experience or by speaking to a Disney Cast Member on the day of is to wait for a spot at the walk-up bar. Follow the steps above for making walk-up reservations, but instead, inform the Disney Cast Member that you’d like to wait for a spot at the bar.
Keep in mind, there are only 10 seats available at the bar and it’s first come first serve basis, so it might require a long wait.
And unlike making the reservations for the restaurant, for the bar, you’ll need to wait in line the entire time, which could get long if you don’t arrive early enough.
If you’d like to attempt to get into the bar, just like with the walk-up reservations, we’d recommend waiting in the standby line no later than 10:15 am on the day of. Make sure you’re in the right line at Space 220, as there will be two separate lines.
We should also mention that eating at the bar is NOT available for guests under the age of 21, so this essentially rules out most families.
However, even though this is Disney’s policy, as you will see in some of the photos in our Space 220 Lounge review, we’ve seen children seated and served at the bar before, so this may depend on who the host/hostess is that day and if they are allowing children there.
Secret Weapon for Getting Reservations
Perhaps our favorite way of getting reservations for hard-to-get locations that are constantly in demand is by utilizing our secret weapon – dining alerts! What are dining alerts?
There are multiple services, both paid and free that will inform guests when a particular restaurant has an opening. They’ll send a text message or email you, and if you can quickly respond, you can snag the reservation that you desire!
This works AWESOME when you can’t get a dining reservation the normal way, especially in the few days prior to your desired dining date.
We’ve essentially gotten every restaurant we’ve desired by utilizing these different services! While most of them come with a monthly cost, there are no contracts or commitments.
In fact, we recommend getting one for the month of your trip and then canceling it. There’s no need to get one earlier than that.
Most of the alerts will come through in the week of or in the 24 hours prior to the day. So say for instance you’re wanting to visit Space 220 on a Thursday, it’s very likely that with one of these alert services, you’ll get informed on Wednesday that there’s an opening!
Just keep in mind that alerts don’t only go out to you, but also other guests looking for the same restaurant, so you need to respond immediately to the notifications. If you can get it in time prior to other guests that are also getting informed, you’re golden! Which ones do we recommend?
The one that we’ve had the most success with is MouseWatcher. We’ve also had some success with MouseDining and Mouse Seats. These alert services are plentiful now and you can try one or more of them and see which one works out the best for you! There is no harm in having more of them working for you.
Additional Tips
In addition to using our tips to book the most in-demand restaurants towards the end of your vacation, there are a number of other things you can do to get the reservation you are looking for. Here are some of our favorites:
- Search by the half-hour – When checking on My Disney Experience, don’t simply utilize the ‘Morning’, Afternoon’, or ‘Evening’ general timelines, also check by the half hours. Sometimes reservations don’t show up unless you utilize the half-hour filter.
- Mess with the party size – Disney isn’t sticklers about the party size, we’ve routinely had 2 more or 2 less on our reservations and there’s never a problem. You’ll often find that there’s more reservation availability with even numbers. So try 2, 4, 6, 8, and often you’ll see others pop up.
- Use the computer – We can’t tell you how many times we’ve had issues securing reservations on the My Disney Experience app and it crashes at the last second. It can be frustrating! The website tends to be more secure, so use it at the 60-day mark if at all possible.
- Begin booking at 5:45 am – While most guests think 6:00 am is the official booking time, they normally allow you to begin booking at 5:45 am at the 60-day mark prior to your trip and not 6:00 am. Those 15 minutes can make a massive difference!
- Check at the last minute – As I’ve said over and over again, continue checking the app. If you’re not using one of the dining alert sites, this is even more essential. Randomly check and check again. You’ll be surprised by the kind of openings that happen, especially on the day of or the day before.
FAQs
Can You Go to Space 220 without Reservations?
Yes, you can also do a walk-up at Space 220, but only for the bar.
If you want to sit in the regular part of the restaurant, you’ll need to first secure a walk-up reservation for dinner, if there’s one available. If you can’t, you’ll need to sit at the bar. And remember, the bar is ONLY available for adults over the age of 21.
Can You Do a Walk-Up Reservation?
Yes, but only if there’s availability. Your best chances of doing this would be to arrive between 10:15 am and 10:30 am on the morning of, and get in the standby line.
When the Disney Cast Member comes over, tell them you’d like to make a reservation. If they have anything available, they’ll inform you of your options. Again, this is only for the restaurant, and likely for dinner.
Is Space 220 First-Come First-Served?
It’s first-come first-served for the walk-up bar AND for any available last-minute reservations they have. Other than that, Space 220 requires reservations.
The vast majority of guests visiting the restaurant and in the lounge have ADRs, and it’s the best way to ensure you can visit this popular restaurant.
How Far In Advance Can I Book Space 220?
Just like with all Disney World Restaurants, you can book them 60 days prior to your visit. But if you’re staying at a Disney World Resort you have the 60+10 rule working in your favor, which allows you to book up to 70 days prior to your visit!
If you’re staying at a Disney World Resort for 10 days, you can book Space 220 (or any Disney World Restaurant) 60 days prior to the start of your trip, and you can book your restaurants for your entire trip, meaning that you can book even for your 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th days!
This is a major advantage to getting those hard-to-get ADRs, such as Space 220.
Does Space 220 Have a Dress Code?
No. Space 220 is a casual restaurant, albeit in a beautiful upscale setting, and there is no dress code required.
Disney knows that the restaurant is situated inside a theme park, and they try to make it comfortable for guests that are riding on rides prior to their arrival.
Is Space 220 Good for Kids?
Space 220 is a fantastic option for the entire family! It’s actually fairly reasonably priced for kids 9 and under as well. There are even Space 220-themed trading cards and kids’ drinks they will love.
Kids won’t forget this experience and it’ll likely be a highlight for them on their trip.
Can Kids Sit in the Space 220 Lounge?
Kids can sit in the Space 220 lounge area, but ONLY if they are at a table. The lounge consists of both the tables around the bar and the walk-up bar itself.
Kids cannot sit at the bar, but they can sit at the lounge tables. At times, we have seen exceptions to this rule and we’ve been in the restaurant and seen children sitting at the bar, but according to Disney’s rules they are not allowed.
Will You Get Motion Sickness at Space 220?
Likely not. The Space 220 restaurant does not actually rotate like the Garden Grill in The Land. Your view of the Earth is static, and the special effects are light and not nauseating.
We’ve never heard of anyone getting sick at Space 220. But if you’re worried about it, you can inform a Disney Cast Member and they’ll have you bypass the simulated elevator.
Can You Share Meals at Space 220?
One of my wife and I’s favorite things to do is share meals at Disney Restaurants. It’s a great way to try expensive restaurants, but still save money on food at Disney World. At Space 220 this is a great option if you’re sitting in the lounge, which allows you to try a bunch of different a la carte appetizers.
However, if you’re eating in the main part of the restaurant for lunch or dinner, everyone is required to pay for the prix fixe menu. You can still share your meal with each other, but everyone is still required to pay the entire per-person cost, so no cost-cutting options are available.
Which is Better: Space 220 Restaurant or Lounge?
There’s very little difference between the Space 220 Restaurant and Lounge, and both feature the same atmosphere and setting. We prefer eating in the lounge area slightly more due to the fact that it’s not a prix fixe menu, meaning that you can come for 1 thing or 10 things.
This gives you more flexibility and it can be a LOT cheaper to eat at the lounge than eating in the restaurant.
We also love the fact that the lounge has specialty menu offerings that the restaurant does offer you, giving it more of an exclusive feel, which is great. We also prefer the views of the lounge area in addition, giving you more of an elevated view of the space windows so you can easily watch all the action.
Both are awesome and both feature great food and atmosphere. Honestly, you can’t go wrong with either, but we find that the lounge has more of a “return factor,” making us want to visit more regularly.
Is Space 220 Worth It?
While we’ve heard some guests complain that the food is disappointing, we personally don’t feel that way. Is it the best food in all of Disney World? Absolutely not. But it’s very good quality food, especially for a theme park.
Plus, for the entire experience, tremendous service, and top-notch theming, we absolutely feel Space 220 is worth it.
That’s not to say it’s a regular place for us to visit, or somewhere that we need to visit on every Disney World trip. But I’d say every few years, it’s absolutely worth a visit! And with the lounge giving you an opportunity to visit at a lower price point, it makes our returns more frequent than we expected!
We think the food here is underrated and there are truly some real stars on the menu, especially the filet, short rib, and salmon. Take a look at our review of the restaurant here. Not only are some of the food items great, but the themed cocktails are splendid as well!
Space 220 is a great addition to the lineup of EPCOT Restaurants with its equal appeal to couples, families, and solo travelers. We highly recommend visiting at least once!
Ready to Start Planning Your Disney Vacation?
If you feel overwhelmed planning a Disney vacation, use an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner such as Show You the World Travel. They are experts on every Disney location and can tell you where to stay, what to do, how to save money, and give you personalized service for your most magical vacation ever!
Get Help Making Reservations
If you’re still stressed about trying to make ADRs for Space 220, don’t worry about it! We got you covered. If you use our favorite Disney Travel Agent, Show You the World Travel, and they’ll help you every step of the way!
That’s one of the many reasons we always recommend using an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner.
Not only are they OUR travel agents of choice, everyone we’ve recommended to them has had top-notch experiences. They know exactly how to secure those hard-to-get reservations such as Space 220, and they’ll work tirelessly for you to ensure you can eat at the places you really want to eat at!
Not only that, but the team over at Show You the World Travel will also help you take advantage of all of the amazing new discounts and promotions Disney is running right now! By doing this, you can save substantially! They’ll walk you through the steps while helping you get your next Disney World trip booked now.
And the best part of all is that they don’t charge you a dollar! Say what?!!! You read that right! Contact the team over at Show You the World Travel, and let them help you today!
If you are thinking about going to Walt Disney World in the near future, here are some other popular articles where you will find all the info and tips you need to plan your trip.
Best Way to Save Big $$$ on Disney Resorts
If you want to potentially save thousands of dollars on your next trip to Disney World, I personally recommend David’s DVC Rentals. They consistently have the best prices and biggest selection of Disney Villas that will make you ask yourself: “How do they do it?”
Your Thoughts
I want to know what you think about our article on the Space 220 Reservations…
- What has been your experience with getting reservations at Space 220?
- Which do you like better, Space 220 Lounge or Restaurant?
Let us know in the comments section below!
If you enjoyed this article, as always I appreciate it if you’d share it with others via social media. I work hard at making this website into a useful resource for you and your family to plan your visit to the Disney Parks and I hope it can help you! Thanks 🙂
My name is Ziggy and I love Disney, everything Disney! I grew up on Disney and it has and continues to be a huge part of my life. I started young when my parents took me to Disney World when I was 18 months old. Little did they know that would be the first of an uncountable number of trips we would take. I have so many amazing memories going to Disney with my family and friends and it has been interwoven into my DNA.
Anonymous
Tuesday 29th of August 2023
While I enjoyed reading your article I just want to clarify a few things. A number of things I noticed that were a slight bit incorrect were making reservations not having the correct number of people. Every single body requires a seat, if you have kids and you don't want to include them then you won't have a seat for your child. If you sit at the bar it does not matter what age you are. We do not have a 21 and age over limit- again we need to know how many bodies are going to be there as there are limited seats, if we are not aware and you bring another body, that body will be a lap seater.
When making the reservations please let us know exactly how many people will be dining with you as we try to accommodate that number of people into our tables for example if you have five people please let us know you have five top but if you bring seven we won't know to seat you at a seven top. And we may not have that available.
Also we do not allow our guests to travel to space without a reservation. They must dine in. For example if they just want to see what it looks like unfortunately we cannot allow that as our restaurant is very busy. I hope this clarifies a few things.
Sincerely, a cast member.