Efteling Amusement Park, The Netherlands – Review
By Kirsty Masterman, September 2024
Just an hour north of Amsterdam, nestled in the picturesque town of Kaatsheuvel, is the theme park of Efteling. First opened in 1952, it is the Netherlands oldest and largest theme park and is a beacon of wonder and enchantment. Its 72-year reign has seen it grow from a modest fairy-tale forest into one of Europe’s most beloved theme parks, known for its rich storytelling, immersive attractions, and lush natural landscapes.
Always one to seek out new adventures, my 10-year-old daughter and I set out on a journey through fantasy and folklore for a fun-filled weekend away, to see how it compared to its other, more well-known counterparts.
As we arrived ahead of check-in, and screams of delight echoed in the distance, we decided to leave our bags at reception and follow our curiosity.
Upon entering the park, we were immediately drawn into the magical world that is Efteling. The dedication to detail hits you instantly, projecting a real fairytale aesthetic, but it’s the magic and excitement that fills the air that draws us in.
“Home for the night”
Having downloaded the app – which I highly recommend – we were able to see the queue times and find our way around. That said, we headed straight to the thrill coaster Python, with just a 20-minute wait time, at the far end of the park.
This twisty, turney rollercoaster with a double loop and corkscrew is exactly my kind of coaster, and now that Jessica has hit the magic height of 130cm, she is enjoying this more thrilling type of ride, and what’s more, we were rewarded with front-row seats. A little hesitant to take this up, she didn’t take much encouragement when I told her if she got the chance to ride up front, she should. As it turned out, we ended up riding front, back, and middle by the end of our trip, so she got to experience everything. It was safe to say, this was her favourite ride.
Rain soon ceased play for the day, so we decided to head back to check out our lodgings.
Our home for the night was at Bosrijk, (translating as ‘Forest Stream’ in Dutch). This holiday village in the woods is one of 4 options all within walking distance of the park. Here, accommodation ranges from luxury self-catering houses to family hotel rooms. We were in a spacious family room, complete with a living/bedroom space along with a separate bedroom with bunk beds and bathroom. They even provide an Efteling nightcap souvenir for the younger members of the family to wear to bed.
“Unique, magical and captivating experience”
Bosrijk is a unique, magical, and captivating experience for guests of all ages. A place for relaxation and rejuvenation, this hidden gem offers a serene escape as you stroll along winding paths, cross charming bridges and discover hidden surprises at every turn, all to a soothing soundtrack of birdsong. It is a tranquil area that invites visitors to immerse themselves in the beauty of nature, and the calming presence of water and dappled sunlight filtering through the trees on the storybook cottages and quaint little houses dotted about the forest makes for a truly fairytale and whimsical setting.
If you’re lucky enough, you’ll come across Mr. Sandman, a friendly elf who lives in a giant sandcastle in the centre of Bosrijk Village. The children can also join him for a story before bedtime, but as this was in Dutch, we decided to give it a miss.
That evening, we decided to head to the Eethuys restaurant for dinner. A delightful restaurant overlooking the lake and sandcastle. The menu wasn’t very extensive, and was quite pricey, but after a busy day, we were just happy to refuel before heading back to our super comfy beds for some much-needed zzzzzzs…
The next morning, we awoke fully refreshed, keen to set out for a second day of adventures.
As residents of the park, we had the privilege of being given entrance to the park an hour earlier than day visitors, along with a special entrance to avoid the queues, so we made our way straight to the ‘thrill’ rides.
Whilst it was difficult to not keep stopping and looking at the immersive theming, the daredevil in Jessica was determined to beat the queues to maximise her time on the thrill rides.
“Joris En De Drake, a double-track, wooden racer coaster”
Our first choice for the day was Joris En De Drake, a double-track, wooden racer coaster, based around the beast, Slay the dragon. This was a fabulous choice to begin our day and certainly got the adrenaline pumping.
Next up, the spinning house of Villa Volta. I had, had this recommended to me only a few days previously by a friend who has been coming here for years – a recommendation in itself. One of the lesser-known attractions and quite difficult to locate, we weren’t disappointed. Being a Dutch park, we struggled to understand a lot of the pre-ride interactivity, and this attraction, in particular, had what seemed, an extremely long prelude to what was a relatively short experience. We took to our seats, not really knowing what to expect, but regardless of this, the disorientating experience left us with smiles on our faces and Jessica declaring she ‘loved it’, to the point of returning for a second go later in the day.
Hidden deep inside the Eastern Palace is Fata Morgana, where we board a boat and glide through scenes from the Far East. The theming and attention to detail is awe-inspiring, and as we sail through neighbourhoods of poverty and wealth, gems, jewellery and rats we are transported to another time and place.
Halve Main – swinging ship. Now, I absolutely hate these! The air time on these is worse than any coaster I’ve ever been on, and at 180 degrees, this is one of the biggest I’ve ever ridden. The things you do for your children. Weightless heights and what seemed like an eternity on board, I vowed that I had done my ‘parental duty’ for the day.
“Decor inspired by classic fairytales”
Having skipped breakfast in our eagerness to ride, we decided upon an early lunch at Polles Keuchen, the pancake house. This whimsical dining experience delights visitors with its enchanting ambience and delectable offerings. The moment you step inside, you are transported into a fairytale kitchen, complete with simmering pans, whistle-blowing kettles, oversized cooking utensils and animated kitchen gadgets sporadically springing to life, all set around a bubbling cooking stove.
It had me mesmerised from the minute we stepped in. The decor is inspired by classic fairytales, where every meal feels like a special occasion. With a vast menu to choose from, I eventually opted for the cherry pancakes, while Jessica had the strawberry and cream with a few extras that she requested. Needless to say, it didn’t take long for them to disappear! This restaurant is a beloved dining spot, ensuring that every visit to Efteling is not only magical but delicious.
Sufficiently refuelled, we headed to Baron. Perhaps not the best choice after just consuming a hearty lunch, but nevertheless, that is where we headed.
“Wild ride”
This ‘wild ride’ had Jessica grinning from ear to ear, not least because she could see the terror on my face as we joined the 10-minute queue line. With a minimum height of 1.32m, she was only just big enough, and was super excited at being able to ride. I’m not a huge fan of free-fall rides and with a 37m drop into an ‘open mineshaft’ at speeds of 90km, it’s fair to say, I had my reservations. Still, as with a lot of European parks, the promise of a longer ride to follow, just about persuaded me it was worth it. I even managed a second go, front row!
Vogel Rock, Max and Moritz, and De Vilegende Hollander followed, with a final ride on Python before we decided to call it a day and head to the onsite pool to unwind.
Complete with jacuzzi, lazy river, water buckets and swimming area, it was the perfect way to soothe my aching feet, while Jessica used up what was left of her energy. Open until 10.00 pm, the ambient lighting creates a magical setting for a nighttime swim and definitely prepares you for a good night’s sleep.
“We only touched the surface”
I feel like we only touched the surface with what this theme park has to offer, but that just means we’ll have to return. It is already a firm favourite, and definitely rates above some of the more well-known parks, in our opinion, for enjoyment, affordability, shorter queues and longer rides, with the added bonus of being just an hour’s flight from the UK.
It is impossible to describe everything we did and saw, as in every nook and cranny there is something fun to see and do, both at the park itself and in Bosrijk.
Continuously evolving, the next 18 months will see work beginning on a new attraction, The Princess and the Pea, the opening of Efteling Grand Hotel, and the reveal of Dance Macabre.
As we left the next morning to pursue our Dutch adventure back in Amsterdam, we felt like we had, had a little bit of magic sprinkled over us, and I made the inevitable promise to return.
Kirsty and Jessica flew from Manchester to Amsterdam with easyjet.com With several flights a day and at just over an hour’s flight, it is the easiest option when visiting Efteling. Direct transfers can be made via train/bus from Amsterdam
EasyJet also flies to Eindhoven, which is also a good option when visiting.
