The countdown is back on for your chance to dine in Earth orbit.
Walt Disney World Resort has set mid-September for the highly-anticipated and long-awaited opening of Space 220, a new restaurant at Epcot set aboard a space station high above the planet.
"Beginning with a trip in the first-ever space elevator, travel 220 miles above the Earth at this new restaurant that fits perfectly in our EPCOT story!" Disney Imagineer Zach Riddley wrote on Instagram, sharing a video preview of Space 220 on Friday (Aug. 13). "This immersive experience brings you to the Centauri Space Station, where you can take a virtual look at the planet from above while you dine." You can see that video sneak peek below.
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Located adjacent to Epcot's Mission: SPACE attraction, Space 220 will offer guests "amazing meals and a spectacular view," with large picture windows providing a simulated vista similar to what astronauts see from aboard the International Space Station (the name of the restaurant comes from the altitude at which the ISS circles Earth).
"Space 220 is a perfect addition to EPCOT continuing our legacy of original storytelling — fantastical experiences rooted in real science and designed with a range of world-class experts that makes you wonder "how'd they do that?!" wrote Riddley.
The new table-service experience, operated by the Patina Restaurant Group, will feature internationally-inspired cuisine, more than 1,000 bottles of the world's finest wines and a wide selection of craft beer. But before guests can partake in the space food and drinks, they have to be transported to orbit first.
"One of my first experiences as a kid was experiencing the Hydrolators — those magical conveyances in The Living Seas Pavilion that took you down to Sea Base Alpha. That experience moved me (quite literally) and sparked this magic of possibility we talk about with EPCOT," recalled Riddley. "This space elevator experience is our generation's entry into this rich legacy of inspiration that will define the future of EPCOT and a perfect addition to World Discovery!"
Space 220 was originally scheduled to open in 2019, but the pandemic delayed the debut until now. The opening in mid-September comes just weeks before Walt Disney World kicks off "The World's Most Magical Celebration" on Oct. 1, marking the resort's 50th anniversary.
Robert Pearlman is a Space.com contributing writer and the editor of collectSPACE.com, a Space.com partner site and the leading space history news publication. Follow collectSPACE on Facebook and on Twitter at @collectSPACE. Follow us @Spacedotcom and Facebook.
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