Space 220 officially lifted off today at EPCOT, offering guests a virtual ride to the Centauri Space Station to experience a fine dining experience like no other.
A dedication ceremony early this morning featured executives from operating partner Patina Restaurant Group, Delaware North (Patina Restaurant Group's parent company), Disney, and special guests Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse.
Located in what will become the World Discovery neighborhood of EPCOT, the highly anticipated Space 220 becomes part of the Mission: SPACE pavilion, serving lunch and dinner with prix fixe menus along with a lounge with its own light-bites menu.
The journey begins in the lobby of Space 220 where groups are issued boarding passes to board the space elevators to the Centauri Space Station located 220 miles above the Earth.
As liftoff begins, you see and feel EPCOT drop away under your feet, and then views of Earth as you rapidly ascend to the space station. Reminiscent of the hydrolators at the former Living Seas, the launch experience is a lot of fun, and the younger visitors will be convinced they are heading into space. Lighting, audio and underfoot physical rumbling all adds to the effect and realism of the ascent.
Watch the video below for a complete tour of Space 220, including the ascent to the Space Station and return to Earth. (YouTube 4K version)
Once at the Space Station, you pass through richly detailed hallways where you also get a glimpse of the spinning Grow Zone representing some of the restaurant's produce.
Passing through the hallways, you ultimately reach the expansive 600+ capacity dining room.
Arriving in the dining room, your attention is immediately drawn to the windows at the rear of the dining room, offering a panoramic view of the Earth below you.
The view changes by day and night to reflect the conditions on Earth, and there are even some space tourists who occasionally come into view.
The view is detailed and realistic, with the windows providing a realistic sense of depth to the scene. There are multiple planes of view to the display system, allowing objects to be displayed at different depths.
All of the tables have a great view of the windows, with tiered levels ensuring a view for everyone. A calm and relaxing "spacey" background soundtrack sets the mood and is a welcome elapse from the tussle and bustle of the theme park back on Earth.
A lounge at the top of the dining room offers its own menu of light bites (non prix fixe) and is available as a walk-up without any reservations required (even after September 27 when reserved seating goes into effect.) Guests seated in the lounge can also order from the main menu, although guests in the main dining room cannot order from the lounge menu.
The lounge is surprisingly large and offers an excellent option for anyone who has not made a reservation but wishes to take in the food and experience of Space 220.
As part of the media preview, we sampled a number of the dishes. While this article is not intended to be a review, we are happy to report that the very high standard of Patina Restaurant Group continues at Space 220. The group operates some of our favorite Walt Disney World restaurants, including Morimoto Asia, Maria & Enzo's, The Edison, Pizza Ponte, and Via Napoli.
Led by Executive Chef Marc Kusche, the varied menu is very well executed and is undoubtedly in the top-tier of EPCOT's restaurants. View the Space 220 menus.
Both lunch and dinner are prix fixe, with lunch costing $55 for adults and $79 for an adult dinner. Kids' pricing is $29 for both lunch and dinner.
Lunch consists of an appetizer and entree, with dinner adding a dessert.
Standout dishes from our tasting include the Blue Moon Caulifower (yes, cauliflower can be great), the Bluehouse Salmon, the Centauri Burger, and the Flat Iron Steak.
Drinks are not included but are available in both alcoholic and non-acholic versions. Several of them feature a tableside preparation.
With the purchase of any non-alcoholic cocktail or children's meal, guests receive a pack of Space 220 Collectible Trading Cards. Designed exclusively for and only distributed at Space 220, these limited-edition packs of cards feature custom illustrations and trivia facts about space exploration.
After your meal, you head back to the Space Elevators for the return to Earth. Similar to the ascent, you get to experience the virtual ride before arriving back at the main lobby and exit out to the Mission: SPACE courtyard.
After more than five years in the making, Disney has added another unique dining experience that feels very at home in EPCOT. It expands the footprint at Mission: SPACE, giving it a much more old-school EPCOT feel of a complete pavilion with attraction, restaurant, and merchandise. Comparisons will be made to Coral Reef, which has a similar concept, but the food at Space 220 is vastly superior. Unique experiences define much of a Walt Disney World visit, and Space 200 is another that you can't find anywhere else.
The price point may be on the upper end of Walt Disney World theme park dining, but Space 220 offers an experience that is more than you will find at most restaurants. Considering the elaborate show staging and quality of food, Space 220 should be high on your list to try during your next Walt Disney World visit.
Speaking to its popularity before even being open, reservations went on sale early this morning, and within 20 minutes, slots had already reached capacity through to the end of November. Space 220 is walk-up only through September 26, with reserved seating beginning September 27. If you cannot get a reservation, be sure to try for a spot in the lounge. The experience is just as good as the main dining room, with the option of a non prix fixe menu if desired.
The waits for walk-ups today were long, with multiple hour waits reached early in the day. An early arrival may be the best option for walk-ups.
Lunch begins at 11:30am daily, with dinner beginning at 4pm. No discounts are currently available.
Head to our Space 220 photo galleries to see more pictures.
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