After our pirate voyage we headed to Au Chalet de la Marionnette, otherwise known as Pinocchio’s place. We’ve only been in here once before and that was for a cup of coffee in the early morning, so this was our first encounter with their queuing system. And what a revelation it was! As you walked through the restaurant you were met by a CM who directed you to a particular queue – just like the ‘groupers’ at rides who tell you which number gate to stand at. It worked brilliantly and ensured that all the queues were easily visible and manageable – something I have never before seen in a DLP counter service restaurant. Please, please, DLP, roll this out to all the other counter service restaurants immediately!
I had heard that this place served German bratwurst sausages and Bavarian hot dogs, rather than the anaemic-looking ones you get at Casey’s. So Peter ordered ‘Menu 3’ - an ‘authentic bratwurst’ which came with fries, a Coke and a yoghurt. I ordered ‘Menu 1’ – a ‘Bavarian hot dog with currywurst sauce’ with fries and a Coke. We soon found a table and settled down to enjoy our meal.
Peter really enjoyed his bratwurst and a share of my bun. My Bavarian hot dog was excellent, and the currywurst sauce wasn’t too curry-ish, just nicely tangy. We shared the yoghurt, and all in all we felt this had been a very good lunch. However, as we got up to leave, I noticed there was currywurst sauce on my coat sleeve, so I popped into the nearest toilets and washed it off. Or at least I thought I had… (dum dum duuuuum!)
Next we decided to go on my favourite ride, It’s a Small World. We were queueing behind a family which included a young boy in a Spiderman costume, with a face like thunder – he obviously wanted to be anywhere other than on this ride! As usual the queue moved quickly and we were soon embarking on the ‘happiest cruise that ever sailed’. It was fun to spot the little Christmassy touches that had been added to many characters, and of course the other seasonal variations such as the Hannukah decorations for the Israel section. And even young Mr Spidey had a smile on his face by the end (maybe because it was the end!)
We headed on towards the castle stage, as there was about 10 minutes to the next ‘Merry Stitchmas’ show. Actually I prefer the French title for this one ‘Un Noel FantaStitch’ (a pun on ‘Fantastique’ – the French do love their wordplay!) We went up the stairs and leaned against the railings, which is a great view and you’re guaranteed no-one is in front of you.
So, how can I describe the Stitchmas show? Well, it’s a decent enough show, packed with fun dance routines and poppy versions of favourite Christmas songs. Minnie’s rendition of ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ is a highlight, complete with red pompoms. It also features a life-size music box, with a sweet little song led by Goofy that goes “Incredible, unforgettable, give a turn, wind it up and wow…”. Is this an original song? I’m sure I know it from somewhere but I haven’t been able to find any mention of it outside the show. I really like it! It’s followed by John Denver’s quirky song ‘The Marvelous Toy’ (“it went zip when it moved and bop when it stopped, and whirr when it stood still…” if your memory goes back that far).
But enough of that, I hear you cry, what about Stitch? Indeed. Stitch is shoehorned into the show, turning up, trying to help, getting it wrong and dashing off again. He gets do an Elvis impression and mistake a surfboard for a sleigh, before eventually turning up dressed as Santa. I wish DLP had taken a look at the ‘Totally Tomorrowland Christmas Show’ in WDW, where Stitch is used in a similar way but has an important role in the story.
Anyway, despite Stitch being a guest in his own show, we did enjoy it, and came away feeling properly festive. That is, until I realised that the infamous currywurst sauce was still decorating bits of my coat, and even some of Peter’s too! I think there must have been some sauce on the table when we sat down, because there was far too much for it to have come just from my hot dog. So we nipped into the loos in Videopolis and gave our coats a thorough cleaning to make sure we got every bit of sauce off.