Space 220 opens at Epcot on September 20, 2021 – Here are our thoughts, expectations, and hopes for the restaurant.
Photo courtesy Walt Disney World Resort
About Space 220
First, let’s take a look at what Disney has to say about the restaurant.
“Embark on the ultimate culinary exploration from this new expansion of the Mission: SPACE pavilion. Step inside Space 220 – featuring a celestial panorama from a space station – for a delicious meal. To begin your journey, board a special space elevator that will ascend to the stars! Along the way, viewports will give you an aerial view of Epcot as you travel high above the planet. As you dine, peer out and enjoy amazing daytime and nighttime views of Earth from 220 miles up.”
In concept, this sounds pretty epic if you asked us. If done exceptionally well (paired with a dedication to maintenance) you could have one space station-feeling dining location. From concept art alone, we can see screens surrounding the dining area that provide the aforementioned views of Earth from 220 miles up. This leads to the biggest question we have: will each dining experience be the same or will guests have variety? At this time, we don’t know and we probably won’t know until a few meals have been eaten to test this out.
Another question on our minds is related to the dining area and seating. Will guests that are too close to the screens feel uneasy, or will being closer to the “window” provide a better overall dining experience as you may find at Coral Reef? Again, only time will tell.
Secondly, let’s see what Disney has to say about the menu.
“Dine on a menu featuring modern American cuisine, cocktails and a wide selection of craft beer. Enjoy crisp, fresh veggies served in our Space Greens or Blue Moon Cauliflower. Sink your teeth into delicious entrees like the Centauri Burger or the 8-oz. Filet Mignon. Plus, enjoy a sweet send-off when you order the Lemon Mousse or Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake for dessert.
Specialty beverages – like the Celestial Cosmopolitan or the Planetary Punch – are also available!”
The biggest thing to note about the menu at Space 220 is that both lunch and dinner are prix fixe options. Guests will have the option of a two-course lunch or a three-course dinner. The appetizers carry over from lunch to dinner, while the entrées get a refresh between meal periods. Dinner of course gets the benefit of dessert. We don’t have a lot to say about the food until we try it, so come back to see what we think.
Photo courtesy Walt Disney World Resort
Expectations
Space 220 is stepping into a hot spot for great food, which comes with a lot of pressure. Epcot has arguably the best, rather the largest amount of solid dining options, of the Walt Disney World parks. Thankfully, Space 220 is going into an area that is unused and could use a dining location. With all of the refurbishments going on at Epcot, it can feel like it takes a few weeks to get from the park entrance to the World Showcase. This makes rushing to get to Chefs de France less enticing until the construction is complete.
The menu looks fine, however, it is a smaller menu and does not have many options for picky eaters. Lunch is a whopping $55 per adult while dinner will set you back $79 per adult. In comparison, you can get a three-course character dinner at Artist Point for $60 per adult. I think we may just save the debate on Space 220s $34 Lobster Roll for another day…
Hopes
To be entirely honest, I hope that Space 220 is a massive success. Future World needs more table service dining, and just dining in general. I hope to see the menu change seasonally. For the menu and pricing structure, I hope that they modify the dining experience to a more casual table service option where guests can enjoy an appetizer or entrée and not be locked into a prix fixe meal. It can get hot in the parks and you don’t always have room for a full meal!
We hope to see the restaurant stay well kept and updated. This includes seasonal changes to the views of Earth, and different scenes to give variety in the overall experience.
What are your thoughts about Space 220? Are you excited? Unsure? Let us know what you think!
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