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My family of 4 spent $280 on lunch at Space 220 in Disney World, and the experience made the price worth it

Nov 2, 2021, 23:42 IST
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My family and I ate lunch at Space 220. Kari Becker
  • My family of 4 got the chance to try Epcot's new Space 220 restaurant on our recent Disney trip.
  • The galactic eatery had so many fun, immersive details that made our lunch pretty magical.
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As soon as I heard Epcot's new Space 220 restaurant was going to be open in time for my family's Disney trip, I knew I had to score a reservation.

My husband is a total space fan, and as a travel agent for Marvelous Mouse Travels, I'm always looking to try new things so I can recommend them to my clients.

Getting a reservation wasn't easy, but I was persistent and snagged one for a late lunch.

Here's how it went:

The outside of the restaurant was low-key, but the space theme kicked in right away inside

The outside of the building blended in with the rest of Epcot. Kari Becker

We were super excited as we headed over to the restaurant.

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The outside is very low-key - you might even miss it if you didn't know it was there.

We got special tickets to enter the elevator. Kari Becker

We headed inside and were greeted by two hosts in the Departure Lounge.

They gave us a special boarding pass for the Space Elevator, and we waited in the lounge for a minute until it was our turn to ride up.

The elevator makes it feel like you're really going to space. Kari Becker

The cylindrical elevator was ready to take us up 220 miles - hence the restaurant's name - to the Centauri Space Station.

We reveled in the simulated ascent as the views of Epcot quickly disappeared.

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The dining room was breathtaking, and we were seated with a great view

The restaurant was totally immersive. Kari Becker

As a host walked us to our table, the first look at space came into view, and it was breathtaking.

The whole front of the restaurant overlooks a "view" of the top of Earth, with astronauts conducting business and different vessels flying by.

We were seated on the dining room's second tier, which had a great view. If we were closer, I don't think it'd have the same effect.

The tables were simple, so they didn't distract from the whole theme. Kari Becker

The table settings were sleek black and the chairs and tables a utilitarian but stylish gray.

The restaurant also has a bar and lounge where you can attempt to secure walk-up reservations. When we were there, the bar was lively and full.

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The restaurant only serves prix-fixe meals for adults, but there's a kids' menu

Space 220 offers a prix-fixe menu. Kari Becker

Space 220 only offers adults a prix-fixe menu for the restaurant seating.

We were there for lunch, so my husband and I each ordered an appetizer and a main for $55 an adult and my children ordered entrées, specialty drinks, and desserts for $29 a child.

Specialty drinks and desserts for adults weren't included.

The drink names were very on-theme, but the cocktails weren't anything special

We all got fun drinks to go with our lunches. Kari Becker

We all decided to get a fancy drink.

My husband chose a "Stargarita" (the restaurant's take on a margarita), and I had the "Celestial Cosmopolitan" (your basic cosmo). Both drinks had a nice presentation and tasted good, but they weren't overly special.

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My boys got the "Moon Rocks" drink in a collectible mug, which was accompanied by a package of Pop Rocks. The drink was super sweet, with an overwhelming coconut flavor.

We all tried it and were split on the review, but everyone agreed the rocket cups were adorable. My boys both loved the Pop Rocks, of course.

Our appetizers were served alongside the kids' meals, which can be a blessing on a busy day

"Blue Moon" cauliflower (left) and "Space Greens" (right) from Space 220 restaurant. Kari Becker

For our appetizers, or "Lift-Offs" as they're called at the restaurant, I got the "Blue Moon" cauliflower and my husband went for the "Space Greens."

Mine was delicious and thankfully a hearty portion, as everyone was eating off my plate. The tempura-fried cauliflower was perfectly breaded, and the buffalo sauce was a great pairing.

The salad was a nice, light starter, offering a combination of bibb lettuce, dried cranberries, roasted pears, spiced pecans, and apple-cider dressing.

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The kids' salmon entrée from Space 220. Kari Becker

When we were halfway through our appetizers, they served my boys their meals, which is great if you have impatiently hungry kids.

My older son had the "Galactic Salmon" and my younger the "Cosmic Chicken."

My son said the salmon, mashed potatoes, and broccoli were the best he ever had, and it was gone in less than three minutes. His only complaint was that there wasn't more of it.

The kids' chicken strips from Space 220. Kari Becker

The chicken strips and fries were traditional Disney fare, which is always good. My kid's only complaint was that they didn't have barbecue sauce for dipping.

After a short exploration walk around the restaurant, our entrées were served

We were able to really take in the different views in the restaurant. Kari Becker

While we waited for the adult entrées, we walked around and explored the restaurant.

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It was surprisingly empty, so I got a great chance to take some pictures.

There was a whole performance for serving my husband's salmon dish. Kari Becker

We sat back down just in time for the food.

My husband enjoyed the Bluehouse salmon with glazed carrots, baby bok choy, and a king-oyster mushroom. It was served with a flourish of smoke under a cloche.

The dish had great Asian-inspired flavors, the fish was cooked perfectly, and it was a good-sized portion.

I ordered the chicken entrée from Space 220. Kari Becker

I had the roasted free-range chicken with mashed potatoes and Brussels sprouts.

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The potatoes and gravy were amazing - I could've had an entire bowl of them. The chicken was tasty, but not phenomenal. The sprouts seemed well cooked, but I just can't get myself to like any form of them.

My portion was also large, and I didn't even finish half of it.

My boys enjoyed their desserts as we paid the bill, which was a little high for a lunch at $237

The kids' meals came with a small dessert. Kari Becker

The boys elected for strawberry gelato and chocolate ice cream for their complimentary desserts, which they quickly consumed with smiling faces.

Our meal cost almost $240 before tip. Kari Becker

Our bill was $237.50 pre-tip, so it ended up being almost $280 total.

All the Disney magic made the experience worth it for us, despite the price

My kids got a kick out of the elevators at the restaurant. Kari Becker

It's definitely a hefty price tag for lunch, but the combination of the atmosphere, food, and experience, made it well worth it to try at least once.

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When our feet were firmly planted on the ground outside, my youngest asked, "So mom, we weren't really in space, were we? Why can't we see the elevator from here?"

And that's the Disney magic we keep coming back for.

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