Disney World’s Hardest Restaurant Reservation Serves a Sky-High Meal at Counter Service Prices

Five years after opening ahead of Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary, Space 220 is as popular as ever. It’s the most difficult Advance Dining Reservation at EPCOT, eclipsing the newer GEO-82 Lounge inside Spaceship Earth. This WDW dining review features food photos, restaurant comparisons, and whether it’s worth the money, time and effort.

Just how popular is Space 220? In searching for ADRs, there is nothing for a party of 2 on the restaurant side for lunch or dinner on any date until mid-November 2026. Larger parties have a little more luck, at least with Space 220 Restaurant. When it comes to Space 220 Lounge, there’s nothing at all for any party of any size in the next 60 days.

We’ve done the Space 220 Lounge several times since it first opened, despite it being the most challenging ADR (by far) for 5 years running. I’ve been able to join the Walk-Up Waitlist a couple of times on solo trips, but booking an Advance Dining Reservation is much more difficult.

Space 220 Lounge is a hard ADR for two reasons, above and beyond regular Space 220 Restaurant. The first is that there are only a handful of tables dedicated to the lounge; I’d hazard a guess that it has under 10% of the capacity of the main dining room. The second is that it’s significantly cheaper; there are a half-dozen menu items that are under $20.

Space 220 Lounge also has its own menu of “Flight Bites” or appetizers that can only be ordered by guests with reservations for the lounge. Unlike the restaurant itself, you are not required to order from the pricey prix fixe menu that costs $55 for lunch and $79 for dinner.

As noted above, there are 6 dishes on the Space 220 Lounge menu that are under $20, two more that are exactly $20, and one that’s $24. Here’s a rundown of the options as of Fall 2026 and their prices:

• Starry Calamari: $19
• Apollo 16 Shrimp Tacos: $18
• Blue Moon Cauliflower: $17
• Saturn Reuben Sandwich: $20
• Astro Cluck and Comet Crisp: $20
• DLR Curry Wurst: $18
• Cosmic Lobster Bao: $24
• Short Rib Sliders: $18
• Solar Flare Pork Belly: $18

Five years later, I’m honestly surprised the lounge menu is still so cheap. Space 220 could raise these prices to $20-$25 and probably still have no trouble filling up far in advance (why am I giving them ideas?!). With far fewer tables and the chance to dine in space on a dime, it should be obvious why Space 220 Lounge’s popularity is stratospherically high.

This is also the reason we’ve opted to eat here so often. You’re looking at about a $5 surcharge to dine at Space 220 Lounge over one of the counter service restaurants in EPCOT. For that premium, you get far better atmosphere (or is it exosphere?!), better food, and just generally a more pleasant experience.

Especially when flying solo during Diet EPCOT, I try to dine at Space 220 Lounge whenever possible. Unfortunately for me since I so often plan so last-minute, “whenever possible” usually works out to about once per year. But I’m attempting to eat here far more often, and would dine at Space 220 Lounge for personal enjoyment 2-3 times per year if possible.

Beyond the menus and pricing, Space 220 Lounge has a few more ins and outs than other Walt Disney World restaurants, so let’s cover those…

First, walk-up availability is usually bar seating only.

This is not ideal for a first-timer, as the bar faces away from the “windows” looking out into space and over earth. There is a mirror so you still have a view, but it’s suboptimal compared with the actual seats.

Second, sometimes there’s Walk-Up Waitlist availability in the My Disney Experience app and sometimes you need to walk up to the podium and wait in line. At least during the times of year when I most frequently dine here (almost exclusively Diet EPCOT), bar seating has gotten easier over the years. There’s usually availability for parties of 1-2. During my most recent meal, the bar was only ever half-full.

Third, even making an ADR does not guarantee you a table if you’re flying solo. My two most recent times dining here, I have managed to snag an ADR, but then have been asked when checking in at the podium if I’d be willing to sit at the bar to be seated faster.

I don’t recall the precise phrasing; I still had the option of waiting for a table, but it just might take a while longer and felt like I was being “nudged” towards taking a bar seat. On both occasions, there were multiple empty 4-top tables when I arrived at the space station, but no 2-tops.

I’ve dined at Space 220 many times, so this doesn’t really bother me; just figured it was worth noting. On the plus side, at least Space 220 Lounge lets you make ADRs for a party of 1 in the first place, which is more than can be said for some WDW restaurants! (Seriously, dining solo can be challenging, and sometimes require some, ahem, hacks.)

When it comes to Advance Dining Reservations, we’ve struck out repeatedly at the 60+5(ish) day mark. You need close to the full 60+10 window in order to score this elusive ADR.

Our success with Space 220 Lounge ADRs has come entirely last minute. We booked once the night before at 11 pm and another time roughly 3 hours before our seating. I’ve seen options pop up between 7 am and 9 am, and then at random throughout the day.

These appear to be cancellations, meaning that only a single slot is appearing. Take whatever you can get and book ASAP if you see something. If you wait to think about it or ask family, it’ll be gone.

After resisting ADR finder services for years because I’ve felt they offered an unfair advantage, that has become my go-to for scoring Space 220 Lounge. I use MouseDining. They have several subscription options; the free tier is sufficient for my purposes, which are basically just this and a couple other lounges.

As for how I justify the unfair advantage of the ADR finder…it’s like the Steroid Era of the MLB. Everyone is juicing. You’re at a disadvantage if you don’t use an ADR finder to level the playing field. Since it’s free, I don’t view this in the same light as the pricey Lightning Lane booking services. Or so I tell myself.

There are several other free and paid ADR finder services; that just happens to be the one I use (not an endorsement).

When it comes to the atmosphere/exosphere, we’re big fans of Space 220 Lounge.

Not only is this dining option cheaper than the restaurant, but it also guarantees a better view (well, so long as you don’t get moved to the bar). Whereas there are some bad seats in Space 220 Restaurant that are far off-center or right up against the windows, all of the tables in the lounge have a perfect view.

Space 220 Lounge is farther back and on the elevated second level. It’s the perfect distance to take in the whole view. Farther back being better might seem counterintuitive, but think of it like a movie theater and the view of the screen from the front row versus middle.

The premise of Space 220 is that you’re dining inside a space station with a celestial panorama of the stars and Earth 220 miles (hence the name) below. This is executed in everything from the arrival to the space elevator to the main dining room. There is a high level of Imagineered themed design, and even 5 years later, Space 220 looks great and is a lot of fun.

If you’re looking for info on the theme, check out our Photos & Video: Inside Space 220 Restaurant at Epcot. That tour offers an exhaustive look around. Likewise, if you’re more interested in the main restaurant, see our Space 220 Restaurant Lunch Review and Space 220 Dinner Review for more comprehensive thoughts on each.

In terms of basics, Disney Vacation Club Members and Annual Passholders get 10% off at Space 220 Lounge, but only during lunch. This discount is also not valid on Easter, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Friday after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve and Day. Just like the main restaurant, Space 220 Lounge does not accept the Disney Dining Plan.

With all of that out of the way, let’s turn to the food in the Space 220 Lounge!

First up is one of the newer menu options, the Astro Cluck and Comet Crisp: Buttermilk-Fried Chicken, Waffle with Spicy Maple Syrup, Spicy Pickles.

This has become my go-to entree at Space 220 Lounge. The reason for this is simple: it’s a fairly large and filling portion, more so than the counter service alternatives that I’d otherwise order.

Those cost $13-$16, whereas this is $20. Of course, you’re tipping at Space 220 Lounge, but that is partially offset by the AP or DVC discount (at least for me). I’d happily pay even $10 extra to eat here over dealing with the chaos and crowds at Connections Eatery. That place is perpetually packed, no matter the time of day.

Of course, it’s also important that the Astro Cluck and Comet Crisp entree actually tastes good, and it delivers on that front, as well.

The Buttermilk-Fried Chicken is juicy, tender, and delicious. The waffles are good; crisp on the exterior giving way to a semi-sweet, soft center. The spicy maple syrup and pickles should probably have air quotes around “spicy,” but they do add a fairly mild kick that plays well with the sweetness of the waffle.

All in all, it’s a well-balanced dish. At the same time, it’s nothing revolutionary. If you’re looking for the best fried chicken at Walt Disney World, this most definitely is not it. Head over to Olivia’s at Old Key West, Grand Floridian Cafe, or Homecomin’ at Disney Springs for that.

The Astro Cluck and Comet Crisp is good, but not great. You won’t find yourself craving this; it’s a satisfying entree that’s part of the bigger picture Space 220 experience.

One of my personal favorites at Space 220 from the very beginning remains the Starry Calamari: Fried Calamari, Italian Cherry Peppers, Spicy Marinara, Roasted Pepper Citrus Aioli.

We’ve had the Starry Calamari several times, as it’s served on the lunch, dinner, and lounge menus. It has been consistent from meal to meal. It’s excellent, with the caveat that even the worst calamari is pretty good in my view.

The Starry Calamari at Space 220 has light breading, with a nice texture and batter-y goodness to the flavor. The meat is tender and flavorful. The Roasted Pepper Citrus Aioli is addictively good; the marinara is bland and basic (and not at all spicy). The Starry Calamari is a winner all around; we highly recommend it.

We’ve also ordered the Short Rib Sliders with White Cheddar Cheese, Red Pepper Citrus Aioli, Lettuce, Tomato, Butter Pickles. These are one of the few “Flight Bites” exclusive to the Space 220 Lounge menu.

The Short Rib Sliders are pretty good, with generous helpings of meat and cheese plus more of that superlative citrus aioli. The quality of the meat here is sufficiently good. These two short rib sliders work out to about the same size as one standard burger.

These sliders remind me a bit of the sliders at Crew’s Cup Lounge, except inferior. That’s not to say these are bad. They’re good. But I’ve ordered both on back to back days and it’s easy to taste the quality difference in the buns, meat, and toppings. Suffice to say, if you’ve got a whole party of slider lovers, head over to Crew’s Cup. It’s a good respite from the crowds.

Of course, that’s outside the park and doesn’t offer a view into outer space, so not exactly apples to apples. For those who want the whole Space 220 package, this is one of the items we would recommend ordering at the lounge.

One of the best “Flight Bites” at Space 220 Lounge is the Blue Moon Cauliflower, consisting of Tempura Fried Cauliflower, Housemade Hot Sauce, and Blue Cheese Dust.

The two of us have very different opinions of cauliflower. One of us hates it, finding it to be cursed cuisine. The other loves it, incorporating it into just about every dish, even ones where it clearly does not belong. I probably should stop there before I get myself into trouble. The point is that I’m not a fan of cauliflower and I certainly wouldn’t risk my reputation on faint praise of the villainous vegetable.

Accordingly, this should carry some weight: the Blue Moon Cauliflower is the best appetizer at Space 220. The tempura batter gives it a nice texture and flavor, effectively masking the cauliflower itself, which still provides a substantive quality to the appetizer. The hot sauce and blue cheese are likewise great, making this more like buffalo tempura than cauliflower.

The Blue Moon Cauliflower is way better than it has any right to be. I’m not even entirely convinced this is even cauliflower; it reminds me of “The Non-Fat Yogurt” episode of Seinfeld. (IYKYK.) We both enthusiastically endorse it.

Ultimately, the main reasons to dine at Space 220 Lounge are for the overall themed dining experience or escaping the chaos and crowds to enjoy a sit-down meal at near counter service prices. If you’re concerned first and foremost with cuisine and couldn’t care less about the thematic and atmospheric packaging, Space 220 Lounge is not for you.

As you might’ve gathered from some of the individual dish reviews, very little on the menu at Space 220 Lounge is memorable or something you’ll be craving in between trips. The cuisine is mostly good, but it’s not special.

At least from a culinary perspective, this is not one of the best lounges at Walt Disney World. Not even top 10 when isolated to just the food. There are also plenty of better dining options throughout EPCOT’s World Showcase.

Where Space 220 shines is the atmosphere (errr, exosphere). Suffice to say, Space 220 Lounge is the perfect way to experience the setting, which remains at the top of our Top 10 Themed Restaurants at Walt Disney World. Since the food is nothing to phone home about, it thus makes sense to spend as little as possible by doing the “Flight Bites” rather than one of the pricey prix fixe menus.

Frame of reference also matters. If you’re a first-timer, doing Space 220 Lounge is an absolute no-brainer for the themed dining experience alone. But I’ve done it several times and keep coming back, and only a small part of that is for the space station setting.

The reason I dine at Space 220 Lounge more frequently is primarily for a relaxed setting, reasonable prices on fairly good food, and avoiding the chaos of Connections. If compared to table service restaurants or bars outside the park, Space 220 Lounge struggles. Relative to counter service alternatives at EPCOT, Space 220 Lounge is out of this world!

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YOUR THOUGHTS

Have you dined at Space 220 Lounge at EPCOT? How was your experience? What’d you think of the cuisine quality? Think it’s a worthwhile overall experience when considered as a counter service restaurant alternative? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!