I’m relaxing on a plush banquette inside Epcot’s Spaceship Earth, sharing seared ahi tuna and a charcuterie board with my sister in the new GEO-82 lounge.
“Did we ever think we’d be here all the times we went to Disney World as kids and teens?” I ask her. No, of course not. We’ve stepped away from our kids — middle school to college age — for lunch in Walt Disney World’s first in-park, adult-only lounge. GEO-82 requires guests to be 21 and up. There are no strollers, no crying babies, and no exhausted parents trying to calm cranky children.
The new lounge is part of a growing list of high-end offerings at Disney, joining skip-the-line passes, VIP tours, dining experiences timed to fireworks displays, as well as after-hours and holiday special events that can add hundreds or thousands of dollars onto the base park prices. The luxury add-ons elevate the theme park vacation, offering ease, access and a distinctive Disney experience.
Indulging at GEO-82
Getting a reservation at GEO-82 requires persistence. I frequently refreshed the My Disney Experience app until finally snagging a reservation in July (even a seat at the bar requires a reservation). You can see the lounge from the backside of Epcot’s iconic geodesic sphere, but the discrete entrance is inside Project Tomorrow, an interactive exhibit near the Spaceship Earth exit.
The futuristic design and metallic hues feel like you’re entering another ride. But once checked in, you are pampered with a cold, lemon-scented washcloth. Modern art and geodesic textures, including a facade replica of Spaceship Earth, amp up the theme of the lounge, which is named in recognition of Epcot’s 1982 opening.
A sleek bar lines one side of the room, which has sphere pendants and mid-century modern seating. Padded banquettes and textured walls seem to cut down conversation noise and add to the swanky, but comfortable, vibe.
A bank of windows provides natural light and overlooks the updated promenade. For $179, guests can reserve one of the window tables for a fireworks experience with Champagne or cocktails and small bites, both savory and sweet. The views span across the water to the World Showcase.
Our server, wearing a tie with a geometric design, recommended the Peach Shrub Whisky Smash ($26), a light and fruity cocktail accompanied by a surprise shortbread cookie. The charcuterie board ($29) was piled with three meats, three cheeses, crispy baguette and cranberry nut bread, honeycomb, peach chutney and a pecan-olive brittle.
The restaurant’s 75-minute time limit didn’t feel restrictive, and with the pacing of the provisions, it provided a rare moment to savor the ambience before returning to the park’s hustle and bustle.
Whizzing through rides
Lightning Lane passes remove long waits to experience rides, freeing up time to wine and dine. My three-day base ticket to Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot was $390. After GEO-82, I put my additional $229 one-day Lightning Lane Premier Pass, which allows you to skip the line for everything once, to good use. Prices vary, from around $179 for Animal Kingdom to roughly $419 for the Magic Kingdom. Depending on when you visit, expect the passes to be about double the base ticket price.
The pass was worth the cost as I waited less than five minutes for most rides. I tried to hide my glee and play it cool while I breezed past people waiting 75 minutes for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and 55 minutes for Frozen Ever After. My MagicBand+ ($34.99) vibrated and lit up during rides, adding more interaction.
You can show up to the ride once whenever you want with the premier pass; no need to schedule on the park app. The length of the Lightning Lane queue is shorter, too. I rode 11 attractions at Epcot in less than three hours — skipping only the Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival and Mission: Space — and that includes not rushing through the park and stopping for caramel sweets at Karamell-Küche in the World Showcase.
The premier pass even encouraged me, as someone who is uneasy with heights, to ride Soarin’ and Guardians of the Galaxy again. The time saved allows you to do more at the park, hop to another park or do a behind-the-scenes tour (another popular add-on), dine at another restaurant, or just relax at the resort.
Breakfast with zebras and VIP tours
At Animal Kingdom Lodge, you can watch giraffes and zebras from your balcony. The breakfast buffet at Boma - Flavors of Africa ($23 per child, $39 per adult) offers craveable sticky buns, omelets and other standard fare, and African-inspired dishes. A big perk: Resort buses drop you at the Magic Kingdom’s entrance, allowing you to skip the ferry or Monorail from the Transportation & Ticketing Center.
Disney’s pricey VIP Tours can pick you up from the resort and range from $450-$900 an hour on top of theme park admission. They require a minimum seven-hour, with groups up to 10 people. Guides customize the day with rides and character experiences and arrange park knowledge, transportation and snacks. At Hollywood Studios’ Toy Story Land, VIP guests rocketed through the line for the Slinky Dog Dash, where the rest of us waited in line for an hour.
Lori Johnston is a director of the Cox Institute Journalism Writing Lab and a journalism senior lecturer at the University of Georgia; she will lead a Maymester 2026 study away about theme park and food writing at Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort.
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