How would you feel about being "transported" to a magical world full of elves, dwarves, and trolls and becoming part of the stories you heard as a child? Seeing the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen and the Brothers Grimm come to life before your eyes?
So welcome to Efteling! A wonderful world for young and old, that excites the imagination, raises the adrenaline but at the same time calms and soothes the mind and senses. Its organizers call it “The World of Wonders”, the world of wonders and they are not wrong!
What exactly is Efteling?
This is a unique theme park in the south of the Netherlands, about an hour and a half from Amsterdam. It has been operating since 1952 and has been constantly renovated and growing ever since! It is 2 times larger than Disneyland in California and opened its gates 3 years earlier than the famous LA super show.
It extends over an area of 700 acres and everything you see here borrows elements from ancient myths and legends, as well as local folklore.
Efteling is not just another theme park or a simple amusement park. It is a place where you are transported to the magical world of fairy tales in a wonderful space sprinkled with fairy dust and romantic nostalgia! Its location is in a truly idyllic area among the trees, where you are accompanied by the rustling of friends and the sounds of birds. In the center of it a huge lake with ducks and swans invites you to go boating or to enjoy the tranquility of the water…
Don't think that Efteling is only for childrenIt is also for adults who need a little "magic" and occasional excitement in their everyday lives!
It includes rides in numerous thematic sections, 4D attractions, as well as a wide range of amusement parks with carousels, trains roller coaster etc.
Even the waiting areas for shows and roller coasters are not just places where you stand in line. They tell you a story in such an exciting way that you become a part of it! Whether you are going on a mission to explore distant lands or preparing to discover a new “magical” world.
How to spend your day in the park
Start from Fairytale Forest, a forest (yes real) with figures and fairy tale stories that we all grew up with! Pinocchio, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow White and more “come alive” in front of you. Get on the various rides that you will encounter and are recommended for all ages such as the steam train Steam train which also goes around the park, the roller coaster Children's track, the classic carousel Steamcarousel and The Old Tufferbaan a route with antiques that mentally transports you to the Wild West.
Don't miss out on going through the Diorama a unique world of miniatures, boating on the lake (Gondola) and rest in the various playgrounds that you will find scattered throughout the park such as the Nest, the Children's joy, the Kleuterhof etc.
At Efteling there are various “dark rides” as they are called, which are indoor attractions and include rides with sound, music, animatronics and other special effects. They are the most popular in the park and require a short wait before you can board their magical world! These are the Fata Morgana, the Symbolica, the Spookslot, the Fable, the Villa Volta and Bird Rock, while the Carnaval Festival and Droomvlucht are also suitable for children under 2 years old.
If you're looking for a good dose of adrenaline, then you've come to the right place! A series of roller coasters will make you scream like a child! Baron 1898, Python, The Flying Hollander, the Joris en de Dragon, and the ship Half Maen, is for the daring, while the Piranha and Max and Moritz it is also for younger ages.
Some useful tip
So to make the most of your stay at Efteling, do some preliminary work from home. Check out the attractions that you want to visit, depending on the age of the children or yours! In the interactive map of the site you will see where each one is located so that you have an idea of the route you will follow. As you can imagine, the famous theme park in the Netherlands gathers fans from all over the world (we heard a lot of languages there)! So to avoid waiting endless hours in lines, be sure to download the very useful app on your mobile phone which can notify you about queues and find you the best route to the next attraction!
Of course, in the park you will find countless places for coffee or food, all stylish and decorated in such a way that they blend harmoniously with the theme park. The prices are reasonable and the quality of what we tried was very good. Of course, there are also shops with souvenirs and stylish souvenirs, while at the entrance you can rent a stroller in case the little explorers get tired of wandering.
And because one day is not enough, there are hotels as well houses where you can stay in the park with a discount on the final ticket ticket.
One thing is for sure... You will forget yourself, you will feel like a child again, you will have a great time and in the end... you will not want to leave!
Check out this video we made from that day!
