For nearly 43 years, a visit to Spaceship Earth has ushered us to the top of the 180-foot-tall geodesic sphere while thanking the ancient Phoenicians and dreaming up our futuristic lives in an Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. Today, join Laura and Rain from the Disney Parks Blog team as we take you inside GEO-82, the new 21+ Spaceship Earth lounge that immerses us in the flavors, views, and legacy that shape present-day EPCOT.
Ascending Into the Future
As we arrived at GEO-82 (near the Spaceship Earth post-show exit), our bright park surroundings were transformed via a softly curving hallway of warm metallics and subdued lighting, setting the tone for an escape into the futuristic lounge.
Here, we took in the glittering staircase, reminiscent of the spiraling ascent riders take toward the starry top of Spaceship Earth. All-too eager for bites and sips, we opted for the nearby elevator and were soon stepping into the intimate lobby of GEO-82.
The gold and bronze hues throughout the lobby and lounge offered an innovative, yet warm interpretation of a futuristic aesthetic. Amid comfortable leather seating, vintage-style prints of Spaceship Earth, EPCOT fireworks and the Monorail lined the walls.
We can’t over-emphasize the stroll to your table — here you’ll pass a life-sized Spaceship Earth facade, imitating the 11,324 Alucobond tiles that make up the sphere’s iconic exterior. At your feet, twinkling lights shine, reminding us of the glimmering points that dotted the ground of a Future World past.
Inside GEO-82
Entering the GEO-82 lounge, we were treated to a sweeping view of World Celebration Gardens, with World Showcase in the distance. In the lounge, mid-century modern-style furniture, soft music, and continued warm metallic tones flowed through the space.
Guests will be able to make GEO-82 reservations for special seatings to watch the nighttime spectacular, “Luminous The Symphony of Us.” As the show unfolds in harmony with the color-changing lights throughout World Celebration Gardens and on Spaceship Earth, the inside of GEO-82 will also change. The full musical score will play, and the lounge lighting will dim during the show to create a fully immersive experience.
Elevated Cocktails and Zero-Proof Cocktails
Make sure you ask the team at GEO-82 about the different cocktails and zero-proof cocktails. One of our favorite parts was hearing about the complexity behind each beverage. Every element of these futuristic concoctions was well thought out.
From the in-house created Lime Cordial syrup for the High Brow Batanga to the geodesic sphere-stamped ice cubes in the Brown Butter Old-Fashioned, no detail was left behind.
They even had a fun GEO-82 Cocktail Key that showed you how each beverage was going to be prepared.
We kept flipping back and forth from the menu to the key to discover the exact glassware, ice and preparation required for our selected beverages. Shaken? Stirred? Large ice cube or sphere? We loved deciphering how our beverage would look before we even ordered.
Plus, for American whiskey lovers who want to try a few options during their visit, the team also selected four unique bourbons for an exclusive Disney Select Bourbon Flight:
- Uncle Nearest Single Barrel
- Woodford Reserve Private Barrel
- Blanton’s Gold Single Barrel
- Stagg Private Barrel
Peach Shrub Whisky Smash
Evan Rosenthal, Food and Beverage Concept Manager, was on-hand to recommend the Peach Shrub Whisky Smash to get a true taste of the collaborative spirit at GEO-82, “If there is a single drink that showcases the concept of this lounge, it is the peach shrub whisky smash.”
With Toki Suntory Whisky, Lustau Amontillado Sherry, peach and mint shrub, and bubbles, the Peach Shrub Whisky Smash was a refreshing option to enjoy on a hot summer day while relaxing with a friend.
“Tastes like summertime in a glass! The peach and mint are a perfect combination.” – Laura
Evan went on to tell us how the Peach Shrub Whisky Smash was so essential to the harmony between the kitchen dishes and the cocktails served at the bar. “We had all these beautiful peaches and mint that we macerated overnight — the sugar brings out all those juices which we made the shrub from.”
The sherry and peach preserves were soon in the hands of Chef Robby Sayles, Chef de Cuisine – Concept Development at Walt Disney World. Inspired by the drink, Robby whipped up a very special sweet surprise to accompany each Peach Shrub Whisky Smash order.
Taking Zero-Proof Cocktails to the Next Level
The GEO-82 menu offers two zero-proof drinks with very different flavor profiles. To ramp up your park day energy, the Manhattan in the Morning delivers a coffee kick balanced with smooth tart cherry and walnut bitters. Meanwhile, A Walk Through the Garden is the perfect afternoon sip; a bright and refreshing glass of bubbly citrus with a decorative spray of fennel and lemon slice.
A Walk Through the Garden
The sun was high on our EPCOT afternoon, so we tried A Walk Through the Garden for a lush cool down. It has Seedlip Garden 108 Non-Alcoholic Spirit, basil, fennel, lemon, Hella Cocktail Co. Orange Bitters, The Bitter Truth Celery Bitters, and sparkling bubbles.
“This might just be my new go-to summer drink. Refreshing and not too sweet, it’s a spritzer with a lot of depth, offering a new exploration of flavors with each sip!” – Rain
GEO-82, like Spaceship Earth, presents the possibilities for the future. Along with the exclusive cocktails and zero-proof cocktails we tried today, the drink menu will feature wines unique to GEO-82 and highlight family-owned, smaller production wineries.
A Chef’s Selection of Delectable Bites
For foodies like us, a visit to EPCOT usually means tapping into the freshest seasonal selections, whether you are tasting your way through one of the EPCOT festivals or sitting here at the GEO-82 bar.
True to form, the charcuterie board at GEO-82 will feature a chef’s selection of artisanal cheeses, cured meats and accompaniments.
On our visit, we enjoyed Calabrese Salami, Jamon Iberico, Wagyu Bresaola, Tete De Moine, Truffle Tremor Goat Cheese, Point Reyes Blue Cheese, Cranberry Loaf, Euro Bake Baguette, Pecan-Green Olive Brittle, Peach Chutney, B&B Pickles, and Honeycomb.
Now, the pickles. Let’s talk about them because they come from The Land and the recipe is inspired by Chef Robby Sayles’ grandmother. She must have pixie dust at home because her recipe was magical and the perfect addition to the board.
“It was my first time trying some of the cheese and meat selections on the board, so this was a fun way to explore a sampling of flavors to pinpoint a few new favorites to pair with our drinks. Another careful collaboration between the kitchen and bar, the peach preserves from the Peach Shrub Whisky Smash showed up again on our plate as a delightful chutney.” – Rain
“The truffle goat cheese was incredible! I still have dreams about that cheese and all the items that accompanied it. Can’t wait to order the board again! ” – Laura
Evan said of the collaboration between the beverage and chef teams at GEO-82, “The chef and culinary team know that they’re not just responsible for the food, and they don’t think of it that way … They make sure that the flavors are right each time. They’ve seen how the team at the bar uses the ingredients, and they are proud of it.”
Make Your Reservation for GEO-82
To come visit GEO-82 you need to make a reservation. Check the reservation calendar to plan your visit.
Stay in-the-know on everything food, EPCOT, and GEO-82 via our Disney Eats topics page and follow us @DisneyEats on Instagram and Facebook. (Note: All offerings and availability are subject to change.)
