I was talking to a friend of mine who is a carpenter and OUAT fan and he said the enchanted tree that the cabinet was made out was hallow out so it had space to make a hole for someone to be stowed in and transported to SB/ outside world. The heart wood was missing. He says Pinocchio could have been made by the heart wood they being enchanted… he therefore could have traveled on his own to the outside world.
Just a theory on how Pinocchio could have been saved without going into the cabinet.