Magic Kingdom’s Biggest Love-Hate Restaurant
It’s probably fair to say that we have a love-hate relationship with most Magic Kingdom dining options. There’s only one restaurant we love (and other fans are split about 50/50 as to whether it’s awful or awesome), and everything else is conditional or circumstantial. Meaning that we enjoy aspects–atmosphere, characters, specific menu items, etc–but there’s always a “but…” attached.
For example, we think Cinderella’s Royal Table is a fantastic rite-of-passage experience with surprisingly strong cuisine, but the price tag is astronomical. (It’d better be good for how much it costs!) Cosmic Ray’s is great for seeing Sonny Eclipse, but the menu is pretty dumbed-down. Be Our Guest Restaurant can be a fantastic meal if you order correctly and get lucky, but it can also be chaotic, crowded, rushed, and underwhelming. You get the idea.
It’s a similar story here, and we want to be up front about this because it should not be misconstrued as a comeback story or glowing review. This post is mostly positive, but it’s important to stress how every Magic Kingdom counter service eatery is graded on a massive curve. Despite being Walt Disney World’s flagship park, Magic Kingdom is far and away the worst for counter service cuisine. There’s only one fast food option that’s truly great, and even that is going to be a complete non-starter for a lot of families. The rest are either chaotic cafeterias or glorified snack spots with good-but-limited options. There really isn’t a whole lot of in-between.
All of this is laid out in our List of Magic Kingdom’s Top 10 Counter Service Restaurants. Except for one, they pretty much peak at mediocre. That’s not really a “best of” list, it’s more like a “least bad” list. Suffice to say, pretty much every Magic Kingdom quick-service dining spot leaves something to be desired.
But most of them do have fan followings. Back during the phased reopening, we heard more questions about when Casey’s Corner would come back than just about any other restaurant. Cosmic superstar Sonny Eclipse has a fervent fan-following. Over the years, we’ve received more negative feedback about “snubbing” Sleepy Hollow Refreshments from our ‘best of’ lists (for all of Walt Disney World, not just Magic Kingdom) than just about anywhere else.
However, there’s one major Magic Kingdom restaurant that rarely gets any love and seemingly has no fan following: Pinocchio Village Haus. So today, we’re going to do the impossible (it’s kind of fun), making our pitch for Pinocchio Village Haus and the argument in favor of eating here.
To be clear, this is not some kind of “challenge accepted” deal that we’re undertaking as an academic exercise. It’s not a mock trial to see if a credible case can be made for the indefensible. To the contrary, Pinocchio Village Haus has accidentally become the counter service restaurant at which I’ve dined the most in the last year.
This actually came as a surprise to me–I didn’t realize it until ‘auditing’ my folder of dining raw files. But in reflecting on it a bit, it makes perfect sense. There’s actually a lot that I like about Pinocchio Village Haus…it just comes with some massive “buts.”
Let’s start with why there’s likely little love lost for Pinocchio Village Haus. Just like Walt Disney World has rite of passage experiences that are must-dos, there’s also the opposite of that. Rite of passage experiences that you should avoid, but pitfalls so common that almost everyone seems to make the same mistake. Consider it a form of trial by fire or hazing (is that still a thing?).
After a fast and furious morning racing through Fantasyland–knocking out Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, “it’s a small world,” and Peter Pan’s Flight–it’s common for kids and parents alike to hit a wall, needing food immediately or risking a meltdown. Enter Pinocchio Village Haus. Literally, they all enter Pinocchio Village Haus because it’s the nearest restaurant when the clock is ticking on a nuclear meltdown.
The core demographic of Pinocchio Village Haus during the midday rush is “hangry families that are 90 seconds to midnight on the WDW Doomsday Clock.” This is exactly why merely mentioning it can send shudders down the spine of longtime fans. We’ve almost all been there, with the war stories to tell about Pinocchio Village Haus. In a nutshell, a lot of people have eerily similar not-so-fond memories of Pinocchio Village Haus.
It doesn’t help that the menu at Pinocchio Village Haus, historically, has done it no favors. In the last two decades, it has basically undergone one major menu change–right around the opening of New Fantasyland (over a decade ago), when it went from serving pizzas like those at PizzeRizzo or Pizzafari to flatbreads. Since then, there have been a number of tweaks, but no massive changes. The menu was bad before, and still isn’t great now.
There are essentially two reasons why I’ve dined at Pinocchio Village Haus so much in the last year-plus.
The first is that I’ve been on a quest to refresh all of our Magic Kingdom restaurant reviews. When it comes to Pinocchio Village Haus, this has been an exercise in futility. They add something new, I order it, they remove it from the menu. Rinse and repeat. For a spot that hasn’t changed its core menu in a decade, I’ve certainly managed to eat a lot of pizzas that are no longer served here.
Part of that’s my own fault. For the last 5 or so years, Pinocchio Village Haus has had ‘seasonal’ flatbreads that change from time to time. I’ve well aware of this, and yet have taken my sweet time writing about the restaurant. Part of it isn’t my fault, though, as Pinocchio Village Haus (disappointingly) also pulled a couple of fantastic and fan-favorite items that had been on its 50th Anniversary menu.
In any case, I haven’t really been bothered by the ever-changing seasonal flatbreads. The last few I’ve had have all been fantastic. It also helps that they’re the least popular menu items, and seem to be made-to-order as a result, which means fresh pizza.
The other main reason I eat at Pinocchio Village Haus is because it has my favorite ‘secret spot’ dining area in all of Magic Kingdom. No matter how busy the interior is, you can head up the stairs and relax in an outdoor balcony that is typically devoid of other guests. Word has gotten out a little, as I’m frequently no longer alone up here–but I’ve never had an issue finding a table (knock on wood). To achieve this result, you should walk up discreetly, as one person going up the steps sometimes results in several people following.
Longtime readers might be familiar with this balcony, as we’ve recommended eating here many times in the past. (Note that this is not always available–it’s typically open for lunch and closes later in the day.) It’s amazing to me that you can go from the most crowded and chaotic dining room in Magic Kingdom…to stepping outside and having the most serene and secluded spot, with great views and excellent people-watching. It’s a night-and-day different from the main dining rooms of Pinocchio Village Haus, especially midday.
Whenever possible this year, I’ve been eating outside as a risk mitigation measure. This is far and away my top pick for outdoor dining in Magic Kingdom. So even if the food were always awful at Pinocchio Village Haus, I’d be bringing meals over here from other nearby(ish) restaurants. (That’s exactly what I used to do with the Friar’s Nook, but they also removed the great 50th food that I liked.)
If you’d rather dine indoors, there’s essentially a mirror-image of this balcony on the interior of Pinocchio Village Haus. This is accessible via stairways both inside and outside the restaurant (a door separates the exterior and interior balconies). It can be tricky to find the stairs on the inside from the ground level, which is probably why this area is often empty.
In any case, if you can’t find the inside stairs, it’s almost as easy to go outside, take the exterior stairs, and open the door to the inside. A bit more convoluted, but only an extra 30 seconds or so. Sitting on the inside balcony, you’ll still have the same high decibel level as on the ground floor, but without the crowd and chaos. You’re also removed from the loudness, so it’s almost like white noise. Oh, and there’s air-conditioning, which can be make-or-break when on the precipice of a summertime meltdown!
While these balconies are overlooked by most guests, I’d argue that the vast majority of Pinocchio Village Haus is lovely, with delightful details and design that’s hiding in plain sight. The problem is that its beauty and charm are pretty easy to overlook when the restaurant is packed with people, many of whom are crying and/or yelling!
Despite being one of Magic Kingdom’s high-capacity cafeterias, Pinocchio Village Haus is subdivided into a number of dining rooms. Each of these feature a number of cute details like stained glass windows, carvings, murals, clocks, and statues. Even if you’ve dined at Pinocchio Village Haus before, we’re betting you haven’t had the opportunity to appreciate these areas, so here’s a look at the various dining rooms in the “unblemished” states:
Over the years, I’ve developed a greater appreciation for the aesthetic of Pinocchio Village Haus. If you just quickly scrolled through those photos, go back and take a closer look–I’ll bet just about every single one features a detail you didn’t previously notice at Pinocchio Village Haus, unless you’ve spent a lot of time there. (In which case, I’m so sorry for you.)
While I still think there’s a bit of datedness with the interior of Pinocchio Village Haus, I’m perfectly fine with it. It’s absolutely oozing charm, has a quaint style, and an old-timey look that’s perfectly at home in Fantasyland. Beyond that, Pinocchio Village Haus abounds with detail and design flourishes everywhere you look.
Honestly, it also “helps” that so many Walt Disney World interior updates have gone in the exact opposite direction–bland and modern designs that are devoid of personality and whimsy. Pinocchio Village Haus stands at odds with that, and it’s refreshing as a result. The interior here is warm and inviting, with a homey and cozy quality.
My favorite dining room, and the one that’s far and the way most popular, is the narrow room overlooking the load area of “it’s a small world.” To be sure, this seating area is not as good as Blue Bayou at Disneyland (overlooking Pirates of the Caribbean) or San Angel Inn Restaurante in Mexico at EPCOT (overlooking Gran Fiesta Tour). Those can be moody and romantic, whereas Pinocchio Village Haus…is not those things.
Still, it surprises me that Pinocchio Village Haus never really gets much praise for this dining room. No, it’s not as good as those two atmospheric exemplars. But it’s still really cool to have a window seat that overlooks “The Happiest Cruise That Ever Sailed.” Not to get too controversial, but when this room is peaceful, I’d put it right up there with our beloved upstairs tables at Columbia Harbour House that overlook the walkways.
The problem, of course, is that Pinocchio Village Haus is almost never quiet and uncrowded. Not only that, but it’s almost impossible to score a seat here during the midday rush, requiring tremendous luck or a level of patience in waiting that–in this raucous restaurant–will likely cause you to lose your sanity.
It took us several years of visiting Walt Disney World before ever lucking into a table in this room. More recently, now that our trips have lower stakes, we’ve purposefully dined here right at around 10:30 a.m. when Pinocchio Village Haus opens, or closer to fireworks time when it’s starting to clear out. Those are pretty much the sweet spots, both when the restaurant is pleasant and when you actually stand a chance at scoring these seats.
At those hours, this seating area is serene and overlooking “it’s a small world” is something special. During the front half of the day, you see guests getting on one of their first rides of the day, happy and excited. At the end, riders are more, ahem, beaten down, but you get a sense of satisfaction watching boats load and dispatch. It’s decompressing and oddly therapeutic. I’m not even kidding.
This being (ostensibly) a restaurant review, we’d be remiss if we didn’t at least touch upon the food at Pinocchio Village Haus.
First is the All-Meat Flatbread topped with Sausage, Pepperoni, Ham, Bacon, Tomato Sauce and Mozzarella. If my highly scientific research is accurate, this is the most popular pizza at Pinocchio Village Haus.
For the most part, I think this is a what you see is what you get situation. There’s nothing special about any of the toppings here, they’re exactly what you’d expect.
How good or bad this is ultimately depends upon whether the cheese and meat gods smile upon you, and you get a pizza that’s thoroughly covered with toppings. The above is about average in terms of meat and slightly below average for cheese. Nothing that a bit of dipping ranch for the crust can’t fix, though!
Above is an ancient photo of the Margherita Flatbread. It’s not currently on the menu (it comes and goes), but that’s not the point.
Check out the crust–it’s basically as if Hank Pym used the shrink-and-grow technology of Pym Particles to experiment on a saltine cracker, and that pizza crust was the end result. It was bad.
Over the years, the crust has gradually gotten thicker and doughier at Pinocchio Village Haus, and that alone has been a dramatic improvement. It’s still not on par with the pizzas at PizzeRizzo or Pizzafari, but it’s a big improvement.
I’d also argue that the other ingredients here are typically better. This is not just your average ‘Great Value’ brand frozen pizza.
My current favorite menu option is the Buffalo Chicken Flatbread topped with Grilled Chicken, Mozzarella, Ranch, Buffalo Sauce, and Crumbled Ranch-flavored Tortilla Chips.
This is way better than it has any right to be, with tender chicken, delicious dressing and sauce, and a nice texture thanks to the chips. I’m not going to fixate on this too much, though, because it’ll probably be gone a week after I publish this (I sure hope not, but most of these pizzas are short-lived).
Regardless, I’d recommend rolling the dice on the specialty pizza at Pinocchio Village Haus, whatever it is. My batting average with these is above .500, which is good by Magic Kingdom counter service standards.
Ultimately, Pinocchio Village Haus is not a great Walt Disney World restaurant. It is pretty much the exact opposite of a hidden gem in Magic Kingdom. It’s like a ticking time bomb that goes off around noon each day, giving some not-so-magical memories to the hangry guests who descend upon it all at once in a desperate attempt to avert disastrous meltdowns.
The ironic thing is that within the crowds, chaos and craziness, there is a certain specialness about Pinocchio Village Haus. It’s evident in the design and details, the charm and whimsy. You may have to search a bit to see it, but there’s beauty in the madness. Most ironically of all, this opposite-of-hidden-gem restaurant actually does have hidden gem spaces.
It just takes dining at the right time and steering clear of the wrong ones at all costs, and Pinocchio Village Haus can actually be a pretty good–and memorable for the right reasons–restaurant at Magic Kingdom. We noted at the outset that just about every dining option in the flagship park is conditional, and perhaps nowhere is that more true than Pinocchio Village Haus.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What has been your experience with Pinocchio Village Haus? Favorite and least favorite pizzas here? Any horror stories, or have your meals here been uneventful? Do you have a love-hate relationship with this restaurant, only one of the two extremes, or neither? Think we’re off our rockers with even this tepid endorsement of Magic Kingdom’s loudest, most crowded, chaotic and crazy counter service?! 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!
This is actually our favorite restaurant at MK! I love the Marguerite flatbread (which thankfully has always been offered when we’re there) and my husband likes the meat heavy one. We do always eat at off times though due to some medical needs. Maybe that’s what saves us! It also means that we can usually get a table overlooking small world without a problem. Hooray!
I remember eating there at one of the first Early Morning Magic in MK back in May of 2016…it was the place to eat the included breakfast buffet while also trying to extract as many rides out of the 1-hour morning upcharge event. At the end of the hour, upon official park opening, with 2 young kids certainly craving food more than optimizing their rope dash strategy, we plopped down in the room with the It’s a Small World view. The restaurant/room was very uncrowded, both because it wasn’t open to the public and those that were eligible probably had strategically forgone the breakfast and went to their rope drop location. In any case, I don’t recall being 90 seconds to Doomsday, but with 2 young kids, we probably looked the part as a CM came over while we were eating and offered a bit of Disney magic (an extra FastPass). So I have a fond memory of eating there while it wasn’t crowded, but every time since we walk by, it looks as your describe it…with all of the Fantasyland rides seeming to just directly empty into the restaurant/outside eating area.
oh, yeah, that was the best! Both the event and the breakfast.
The timing of your article is so funny as I was just, for the first time in a good while, noticing the wonderful artwork at Pinocchio Village Haus the other night at the Christmas party! I really enjoyed your article drawing attention to all the charm and visual features! The first time I ate there, yes, the food left much to be desired. Over the years, I’ve decided the flatbreads are actually pretty good and everything is satisfying enough considering we choose it for the same reasons everyone else does – it’s there and we’re super hungry!
“Over the years, I’ve decided the flatbreads are actually pretty good…”
It’s not just you lowering your standards–the flatbreads have gotten better. In looking at my photos over the years, there is a clear evolution!
Sitting in the dining room overlooking it’s a small world is one of our favorite traditions! We typically go after the dinner rush and love watching the boats as we enjoy our margherita flatbreads! There are sometimes signs you can hold up with messages for the boats down below. I haven’t seen these since Covid, though. Thanks for the shout out! We love Pinocchio’s!
The Yule Log pastries from PVH were the favorite holiday dessert of my daughter and me, to the point where we enjoyed them on multiple occasions during our 4-day Christmas visits. And then, they were inexplicably excluded from last year’s offerings. Otherwise, I have scrupulously avoided the restaurant due to consistently poor reviews. I need to see the dining rooms!
I also miss that Yule Log. It was huge, reasonably priced, and addictively good. I wouldn’t say it was the best Christmas dessert, but I ordered it several times and was a fan.
We ate here once during our first trip- we did get a seat by small world which my kids thought was cool but overall we thought it sucked if memory serves me right. One and done
The problem with that attitude, as Tom has mentioned numerous times, is that these places are anything but consistent and you may have a great meal there next time. Unfortunately, there’s no way to predict…
What I saw as a major issue our last couple trips was that mobile order is slow, slow, and slow, and not an improvement in any way. Nothing like it used to be, where I could order a couple beers and stroll right to the window at Woody’s and grab them with zero wait.
Didn’t Lunching Pad used to have a pretzel with ham and cheese in it, or am I remembering something else entirely?
I have never run into any issues when dining here. However, I have only ordered ahead so I can avoid waiting in line. Since I have a variety of food allergies it is one restaurant on my list where I can order something decent. Often, it happens in that witching time near closing. Being able to order gluten-free anything is always a plus! My friend says their gluten-free pizza is really good and I enjoy their chicken strips and burgers.
I think I’ve only eaten there once – on the balcony, of course! But I had NO FRICKIN’ CLUE that there was a room that overlooked Small World. And I’ve been reading blogs and listening to podcasts and going to Disney pretty regularly for the last 20 years. Gobsmacked.
It’s because everyone who writes blogs or records podcasts avoids this place!
Seriously, I don’t know a single diehard WDW fan who makes a point of eating at Pinocchio Village Haus. “Never again” is the much more common reaction.
We eat there every trip. My kids always cheer when we say that’s where we’re going to eat and head straight up the stairs to go sit outside on the balcony. We’re always happy with the food and it slows your day down for a bit to people watch up there. We love the theming and the artwork- it feels like a restaurant in the Magic Kingdom should feel.
“We love the theming and the artwork- it feels like a restaurant in the Magic Kingdom should feel.”
100%.
We’re honestly lucky that so many of the Magic Kingdom restaurants are still in their almost original states. I’m surprised there hasn’t been an announcement yet for Pecos Bill, and worry it may not look as interesting when all is said and done.
Good reminder of the great western/central European theming in here, I wish Crêperie de Paris had looked more like this than a modern Au Bon Pain. (Still haven’t convinced me not to bring outside food, but it’s not that far from the Harbour House.)
I don’t think there’s much chance a Fantasyland restaurant designed today would love like this, much less one in World Showcase. La Crêperie de Paris is definitely sad, though, you’re right about that.
My kids always loved eating there, especially on the balcony. Going to WDW next week and I know youngest son , now 30 will want to go there.
This restaurant always reminds me of Frankenmuth’s Bavarian Inn.
YES!
It’s been years since I’ve been to Frankenmuth, so I can’t speak to that specific Inn, but it definitely has a Frankenmuth look (or probably more accurately, Rothenburg ob der Tauber).
Thank you for the review, but mostly for the (always) great photographs! I’ve only entered Pinocchio’s a few times in almost 30 years of visiting the Magic Kingdom, and even fewer times actually eating there. I’m familiar with the outdoor balcony only from seeing your photo many times but the variety (and beauty) of the other dining rooms in this post are completely unknown to me. I clearly need to visit here again (in an off-peak time of course) but I’m always on the lookout for “Vacation Kingdom” remnants and even if this isn’t truly 1970s era it certainly hits the right emotional notes to get me close enough. Again, thanks!
Haha, I do recall being in this restaurant as a kid in the 80s, maybe 70s, and looking out the windows into the dry It’s a Small World which was undergoing a massive renovation at the time. Wish I had a few pics of that. Think I’ll stroll through here whether I eat or not on my upcoming trip…
I hate-hate all of them.
Last visit in Novemeber, we ended up watching the fireworks near the carousel when I noticed how hungry I suddenly was. We begrudgingly put in a mobile order and ordered the Buffalo Chicken flatbread with no expectations. We were shocked how good it was and can’t wait to get it when we go back!
Been a looooong time since I even went in there. Maybe it’s time for a visit. Heading over next weekend for a few days since I need to be in Gainesville Tuesday. Plans may change if SpaceX decides to launch the Falcon Heavy on Sunday, but if not I plan to do parks Sat-Mon, and then maybe Wed evening and Thurs am before flying home. I can’t wait to get that L Lava You float again!
The secret balcony is a nice one. I’d add another secret outdoor spot to eat and be away from the crying screaming dining crowds ire the tables at Pecos Bills across from the souvenir shop for Pirates of the Caribbean. The area may technically belong to something besides PB.
And of course as you’ve pointed out in the past a window table upstairs at Columbia Harbor House can be another sweet area to sit, relax and people watch.
I think you’re talking about Tortuga Tavern? That’s actually its own restaurant–connected to Pecos Bill, though. If you primarily visit in the offseason, there’s a chance you haven’t seen Tortuga Tavern open. It has some lovely dining rooms, too, especially the interior courtyard.
I’ve always thought the overwhelmingly best reason to visit this restaurant is the fantastic murals. WDW doesn’t have an art museum, but this restaurant could almost be considered one!
We’ve never actually eaten there but as those being loaded onto the IASW boats, we love when Village Hous patrons wave us off on our journey. I can imagine that young children lucky enough to sit in those tables really love this feature!
I also enjoy seeing kids excitedly wave–and always wave back–probably a trip highlight for some of them (not me waving, getting that spot and waving at boats).
Great pix! What camera did you use?
Nikon z7 II + 14-30mm f/4 lens for all of the interior shots.
Handheld or tripod? With crowds these days, tripods are just more stuff to lug around and I am way lazier than I used to be! Modern digitals are pretty amazing though.
Agreed. I have two Nikon digitals and an old Minolta 35. While I’m nowhere near Tom in skill, I like the flexibility of the digitals and the 40x plus zoom helps lots too. I’m lazy as well. Swapping lenses can be a pain, especially when you don’t know the outcome unil you develop the film. But then I’m just shooting for fun and memories, not a blog. I want good composition and quality, but Tom mostly transcends just “good” every time.
I still carry around a tripod most days, but not always. My back can’t handle it every single day anymore.
There are some scenarios where it’s truly necessary, but most of the time, modern digital cameras can do just fine without a tripod. (It also helps that new noise-reduction software using AI makes shooting handheld passable, even for night photos.)
I’m going to have to look at a camera like yours Tom. Although they update periodically, my Nikons are getting a bit long in the tooth and those are really sweet pictures! As for carrying around a tripod and what it does to your back, I’m at the age, well past mid 70s, where just walking around the parks all day with my “Big” Nikon has me heading for ibuprofen! Not going for a scooter tho. Use it or lose it!
When your medical supplies outweigh the camera…
Not yet! 🙂 Genetics have been kind!
I was always a Canon guy, still have my Elan IIe and another body, some Canon and Sigma lenses that made some great shots in national parks and such. I bulk loaded film and still have a good 2000’+ of 35mm! Lots of black and white (and everything to develop and print that too) but also some oddball stuff I got to experiment with and then multiple 100′ bulk rolls of Agfa Optima II C-41 process professional color negative film in 100 and 400. This stuff has color saturation almost like slides. Haven’t shot a frame of 35mm in…a long time. I have a Graphic View 4×5 I was starting to play with, but need to check all my film holders for light leaks.
But now I mostly carry my Sony cameras, a lightweight body with lenses (Sony, Hasselblad, Tokinon, Samyang super fisheye) and then the one I use most is a RX-100V with a built-in zoom. Both are really nice 1″ sensors. The former has a cheap, really crappy LCD on it that isn’t real helpful in reviewing, whereas the smaller RX has a great OLED display on it.
I think about getting the full-frame flagship A7R III (or V) but can’t bring myself the shell out for it and then start buying new lenses to make use of the full sensor.
And then there’s the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, best phone camera on the market except for the newer S23 Ultra.
There seems to be a lot more time on solo trips to actually try to be in the right place at the right light and get the shots I want without family giving the look and whining, but since I’m not making money at it I generally slack off on effort and carry more lightweight these days. Family don’t seem to understand why I want MY perfect shots, not a postcard form a gift shop…