Again, more trivia and "hidden" facts from Jack Spence's AllEars blog, which can be found here:
http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/2012/07/the_pinocchio_village_haus_in.html
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The original story of Pinocchio was set in the Tuscan region of Italy. Interesting that the Imagineers chose Bavarian architecture to house this restaurant. Perhaps it was Pinocchios newly acquired Tyrolean hat that inspired the Disney film storytellers to move the films action to Northern Italy and the Alps.
The architecture hints at an Alpine village. However, the actual buildings of Fantasyland have a much stronger German feel than Italian. In addition, the Italian influence of the story is also downplayed at the Magic Kingdom with the inclusion of the German word Haus in the restaurants name.
It helps to understand the Imagineers overall intent when designing Fantasyland. Fantasyland is a make-believe place. It is supposed to represent a quaint European village that encompasses a number of different regions, all protected by the walls of Cinderella Castle. For example, Mickeys PhilharMagic, Peter Pan, and its a small world feature a medieval tournament/tent look while Castle Couture, Sir Mickeys, and Seven Dwarfs Mine exhibit the attributes of English Tudor.
If you look above and beyond The Pinocchio Village Haus, you will notice you can see the castle wall surrounding this village. In addition, more castle walls are being built as part of the new Fantasyland expansion. As part of the backstory, as you pass through these walls, you leave the protection of the castle and enter the countryside of Fantasyland. This is where youll find the Dwarfs Mine, and Beasts and Prince Erics Castles.
It takes a large building to house a counter-service restaurant. However, a structure of this size would not have been found in medieval Europe. So the Imagineers designed the exterior to look like several buildings. This can be seen in the subtle changes in architecture from one building to the next and the different colored roofing tiles and shingles.
Upon closer examination, it would appear that some of these structures were designed as places of business while others, dwellings. Of course, during this era, most business owners lived above their shops. The numerous weather vanes atop the roofs would represent the various families living below. The word Village in the restaurants name also helps convey that these are numerous small structures, not one large building.
Outside of these shops and homes is the village square. This is marked by a fountain/well. Wells were often found in the middle of town and would be the place for the local citizenry to gather, gossip, trade, and obtain fresh water. There are also numerous tables and chairs in this area for outdoor dining.
Nearby is a bell tower and this Disney version contains a real carillon. In days of old, bells were used to sound the hour and announce special events. The carillon at The Pinocchio Village Haus can be heard every quarter hour.
The ordering area was designed to resemble a large, open-air courtyard (although completely indoors). A lighted ceiling represents the sky and it is lined with tiled and shingled roofs. Timbered walls, stained-glass windows, and ever-blooming flowerboxes complete the appearance of a village square. A stringless Pinocchio looks down from above with food and drink in hand.
The Pinocchio Village Haus has a number of dining rooms, each named for and themed after a particular character. The largest of these is the Stromboli Room.
There are two different accounts pertaining to the function of this room given that it exists in a real Alpine village. First, it could be a tavern. This can be deduced by the rooms décor, the chandeliers, and the mugs and beer steins found on the overhead shelving.
The other account states that this is an outdoor puppet theater. This can be reasoned by noticing several different aspects of the room. First, the large stained-glass windows that separate the Stromboli Room from the ordering counters feature marionettes in various poses. Second, the balcony on the other side of the room would be the puppeteers catwalk --- the area where he would control the marionettes. And finally, a large fresco on the wall which reads, Stromboli presents Pinocchio the string-less puppet.
Take the look at some of the charming frescos found throughout the restaurant. They tell the story of Pinocchio if you take the time to look at them all.
Instead of frescos, the Cleo Room features stained glass to give her a watery atmosphere. In addition, the room has a number of cuckoo clocks, something Geppetto enjoyed making.
J. Worthington Foulfellow (Honest John) and Gideon have not been forgotten and can be seen in a beautiful woodcarving.
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Jack Spence is one of my all-time favorite blog writers because he loves the details and stories behind all the Disney creates. Make sure you click on the link above as he has pictures for all these wonderful details! Enjoy!
