By Character Diva
The Village Haus happens to be one of my favorite restaurants to eat in Disneyland. Not only is it a quick-service restaurant (because really, who wants to spend half of their day eating when they can be riding rides and posing with characters?), but it is also great because of its location. Located in the heart of Fantasyland, this restaurant is located right next to Pinocchio’s Daring Journey. This makes sense given the Pinocchio theme inside. But, the character murals on the wall and Geppetto’s workshop décor make this an ideal location to eat as a family for several reasons:
* It’s quick. Even on busy days, the line moves fairly quickly, and you can get your food in a matter of minutes. This makes it ideal for first timers or people who want to make the most of their day.
* They have a pretty simplistic menu. This is particularly nice when traveling with kids or other picky eaters who will most likely be content with such options as pizza, cheeseburger and fries, or a turkey sandwich. For toddlers, they also have macaroni and cheese as an option. In addition to the choices listed above, adults can choose a vegetarian burger, chicken sausage in a pretzel roll, an apple and cheddar salad, and an Angus pastrami burger. As far as tastes go, the cheeseburgers and fries are pretty much your standard burgers and fries, as are the kids’ meals. My two year old enjoyed the macaroni and cheese, which also came with applesauce and milk for $4.49. My cousin’s kids enjoyed their burgers, which came with apples and carrots instead of fries. So is it the fanciest place to eat? No. Honestly, unless you order the pastrami burger or the chicken sausage in a pretzel roll, you can probably find the rest of the menu elsewhere or in similar restaurants. But the food is good, generally not super greasy (depending on what you order) and it gives me enough energy to keep me going the rest of the day.
*They’re cheaper than some of the other Disney quick service places. It is guaranteed that my family always eats at either two places in Disneyland- Hungry Bear in Critter Country, or The Village Haus. So you can imagine my surprise the last time I was planning our family vacation, and I was perusing the Disney restaurant menus and prices when I realized that Hungry Bear had switched over to sweet potato fries instead of regular French fries (they have since changed the menu to serve meals with regular french fries with the option of ordering sweet potato fries). Now I could live with sweet potato fries, but the fries were listed separately. If I’m paying Disneyland prices for a burger, the least they can do is throw in the fries. Which is why I was happy to see that the Village Haus had a burger AND fries (regular, not sweet potato) FOR LESS than just a burger at Hungry Bear. Thinking this wasn’t right, I compared both burgers. Maybe the Hungry Bear one was bigger? Nope, both were 1/3 lbs. Maybe there was a difference in toppings? Nope, both had cheese, tomato, lettuce, and their signature sauce. So why was Village Haus $9.49 for a cheeseburger and fries (though you could also substitute fresh fruit for the fries if you wanted a healthier option), while Hungry Bear cost $9.99 for a cheeseburger and another $2.99 for fries? Honestly, I don’t know, but I did know that the price as well as its central location (Hungry Bear is located in Critter Country which seems to get overlooked the majority of the time unless you’re riding Splash Mountain, Davy Crockett’s Canoes, or The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh) is what helped us decide where we were going to eat on our last vacation. And, for those of you who are annual passholders, discounts on your meal are available!
Disney Diva Tip: I highly recommend looking at the Disney restaurant menus and prices before your trip because not only will it help your budget out (your bill will be less intimidating if you calculate ahead of time what you think you’ll spend), but it can also save you time trying to figure out where to eat later. To view the Village Haus’ menu,click here. To see other Disneyland, California Adventure, and Downtown Disney restaurant choices, click here, pick a restaurant, and then on the right hand side you will find the menu. Click on that to show you food selections and prices.
* Location, location, location! Okay, yes, I realize I already told you it is in Fantasyland, which is really convenient if you have young kids, because you will most likely be spending a good chunk of your day in that area anyway. But it also happens to be next to a character meet and greet, which is great if the characters are taking a break and you need to pass the time. If you’ve been waiting in line to greet the characters, it can always be a nice chance to stop and take a break. Currently, the meet and greet area is the new home for the royal duo from the highly acclaimed and award-winning movie, Frozen! Princess Anna and Queen Elsa are located a few steps away from the Village Haus, as well as other popular rides and attractions. In addition to Pinocchio’s Daring Journey, you will also find Snow White’s Scary Adventures, King Arthur’s Carousel, the famous Sword in the Stone, Casey Jr.’s Train, and easy access to the rest of Fantasyland, Frontierland, Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, and the Sleeping Beauty Castle.
* There’s indoor AND outdoor seating! If the weather is nice, you can sit outside on the patio and watch all of the people (and occasional characters) passing by, or if you want to eat indoors, there are multiple Pinocchio themed seating areas inside. Each of the seating areas represent different characteristics from Pinocchio: the wooden toy marionettes, the stained glass window of Cleo the goldfish, and the murals that highlight some of the most significant scenes and characters in the Pinocchio story, including Pinocchio, Gepetto, Figaro, the Blue Fairy, Gideon the Cat, and J. Worthington Foulfellow (aka Honest John). You can also take your food to go if you have somewhere else to be. My family and I choose this route sometimes if there is a parade or show we want to see…. Part of our group will save seats along Main Street (or wherever we’re waiting) while the rest of the group will take the order and carry everything back. Disney Diva Tip: This can be a great option to keep your group occupied while waiting for a parade or show to start, and not only does it make your time go by faster, but it also ensures you better seating. 
All of these things make the Village Haus one of my favorite places to eat in Disneyland. While I never understood the restaurant’s name (I realize they set Pinocchio in an Alpine Village, but really, why not use a German fairytale to represent it, or at least keep the name and give it an Italian name?), it really is one of the best places to eat… quick, cheap, and centrally located! All of these traits make it a little easier to enjoy the Happiest Place on Earth.
