Pinocchio Village Haus, a Magic Kingdom Classic!
For those of you who love Disney's 1940 classic, Pinocchio, the restaurant Pinocchio Village Haus may be on your must-do list when you visit Walt Disney World. Serving casual foods such as chicken nuggets, fries, and flatbreads, it is a great option when you're in-between Fastpasses+ in the Magic Kingdom.
First off, let's talk about the movie this restaurant is based upon. Pinocchio was Disney's second animated classic, preceded by Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (1937). It tells the tale of a young puppet, Pinocchio, who was brought to life when an old puppet maker named Gepetto wishes upon a magic star. Both Pinocchio and his father wish for Pinocchio to become a real boy. The Blue Fairy that grants him life tells him he can become a real boy if he proves himself to be "brave, truthful, and unselfish." With Jiminy Cricket as his conscience, he is advised to let his conscience be his guide.
Needless to say, it would be a pretty short movie if he did exactly as he was supposed to. From joining the puppet master, Stromboli and being tossed in a cage, lying to the Blue Fairy and having his nose grow as a result, running away to Pleasure Island and being partially turned into a donkey with his bad-boy chum, Lampwick, to rescuing Gepetto who has been swallowed by a whale, Pinocchio faces many trials and tribulations in his young puppet life. He ultimately sacrifices his life for his father when rescuing him from Monstro, the giant whale holding him hostage after making him, "Get in mah belleh!" Doing so causes the Blue Fairy to grant his wish to become a real boy.
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| This quartet should be a good enough reason to stay on the right path and go to school! |
As many Disney classics exemplify, this animated classic is based on an even older story - The Adventures of Pinocchio (1883). In the book, Pinocchio is a tad bit more mischievous than he is in the animated Disney classic. Not only does he throw a hammer at the Talking Cricket and accidentally kill it, he even kicks Gepetto after Gepetto gives him life! Not a great way to start his story. He consistently does the wrong thing, hurting both his 'Little Mother', the fairy with the azure hair, and his father, Gepetto.
I've read this book, and the story is definitely slightly more adult than the Disney version. There is some carnage that would not be allowed to permeate the 1940 Disney classic, including the death of Lampwick the donkey and the hanging of Pinocchio by the Fox and Cat disguised as assassins. That being said, the morals instilled are the same. Pinocchio becomes a real boy through learning the virtue of hard work, sacrifice, and helping others. Regardless of the mischievousness he partakes in, he is a good marionette at heart who can prove his worth and earn his right to a real life.
Now, back to the restaurant. It is an original restaurant of Walt Disney World, having opened with the park in 1971. It has a cottage theme to it. The cottage is sectioned off into different rooms based on characters from the movie. For instance, Figaro the Cat and Stromboli the Puppet Master both get their own themed rooms. There is also balcony seating to allow more guests to come get the grub! This can be seen as both good and bad. It gets extremely crowded and noisy during peak meal times. This restaurant has mobile ordering as an option on the MyDisneyExperience app. Just pick your food, notify the staff you're at Pinocchio Village Haus via the app, and voila! Lunch is served.
Given that Pinocchio takes place in Italy, it's no wonder that the cuisine is Italian. It has a variety of flatbreads, such as caprese, cheese, and sausage and pepperoni. There is also chicken parmesan pasta and penne pasta with marinara. That being said, don't expect it to be in the same league as Via Napoli in Epcot: as a Quick Service restaurant, it is more in league with a Mrs. Vanelli's in a mall food court than a Table Service restaurant. However, expect that to change in late 2018! According to WDWNT, Pinocchio Village Haus will change over to a Table Service buffet for dinner, giving guests more options for dining. This will be similar to Be Our Guest, which operates as a Quick Service restaurant during the day.
That's it for this segment. Watch for a review of the food upcoming during my "In the Parks" series!
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