- Mar 13, 2024
- 8,719
- 36
We went to one of the world’s most unique and whimsical theme parks — Efteling!
Joris en de Draak at Efteling
If you’ve been following along here recently, we were set to travel around the world, starting with Singapore for a cruise on the new Disney Adventure, then flying to Paris for the opening of Disney Adventure World. However, delayed flights interrupted our plans and threw off our schedule. With a few days to spare, we made a trip to Efteling Parc, a fantasy theme park in Kaatsheuvel in The Netherlands. And boy was it an interesting visit!
Our main thought about Efteling? We LOVED it. It was so weird and wonderful, and we had no criticisms whatsoever, except that the water in the bathroom was too cold. Honestly, couldn’t have dreamed for a better visit!
Let’s go!
People who love theme parks will probably enjoy this place, but not necessarily Disney fans. It’s a general “fantasy” themed park with elements of myths, legends, and fairy tales, so there aren’t distinct IP representations around like you’d get at a Disney park.
Beautiful architecture
The food was shockingly delicious, and we’d put the quick service options on par with Disneyland Resort, which is high praise (that’s essentially the crème de la creme of quick service theme park food). The snacks were fun and interesting as well.
Noodle Snack
They actually have these giant walls of snacks where you tap your card and then get your snack out of the wall. We were super impressed by this feature since it’s unlike anything we’ve seen in theme parks we’ve visited before.
Snack wall!
As far as rides go, we had three that we loved most. First was Droomvlucht, which translates to Dreamflight in English. It was a delightful “flying” dark ride through a fairy world, and we found it to be magical.
The park
Symbolica was another of our beloved attractions. It’s a trackless dark ride through a fantastical castle that reminded us a lot of Mystic Manor in Hong Kong Disneyland. So fun!
Symbolica
The other one we’d recommend highly is Danse Macabre, which opened here in 2024 and features a brand-new ride system. Essentially, you’re on a rotating floor that tilts and rises and falls and spins, while Danse Macabre plays and a ghostly orchestra comes to life around you. That one was incredible.
Danse Macabre
The Fairytale Forest is another great attraction to visit — it has lots of interesting fairytale imagery and quirky photo ops. Most of the figures and stories represented here are inspired by the tales of the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen, and Charles Perrault.
Fairytale Forest in Efteling
Of course, we also have to mention that the park smells amazing. There are themed scents all over the place, and you can purchase them as candles in the gift shops. (Disney, please take note!)
The candy cottage!
We also stayed in the Efteling Grand Hotel during our visit, so be on the lookout for a room tour coming soon! It’s a stunning piece of architecture, and it’s recently built, having opened just last summer.
Efteling Wonder Hotel
Overall, we had a blast at Efteling and would definitely recommend it as a place to visit if you find yourself in the area! It predates Disneyland, and some of its attractions are just as advanced and well-themed as Disney and Universal ones that we’ve been on. The scenery is stunning, and the vibes are just…MAGICAL.
Fairytale Forest in Efteling
Want to see some clips from our visit? Check out our Instagram post!
We’ll keep you in the loop with more of our travels in the coming days, so keep following along!
To get all the latest theme park news, subscribe to our newsletter and YouTube channel, and follow us on social media.
Have you ever been to this theme park before? Tell us in the comments!
Joris en de Draak at Efteling
If you’ve been following along here recently, we were set to travel around the world, starting with Singapore for a cruise on the new Disney Adventure, then flying to Paris for the opening of Disney Adventure World. However, delayed flights interrupted our plans and threw off our schedule. With a few days to spare, we made a trip to Efteling Parc, a fantasy theme park in Kaatsheuvel in The Netherlands. And boy was it an interesting visit!
Our main thought about Efteling? We LOVED it. It was so weird and wonderful, and we had no criticisms whatsoever, except that the water in the bathroom was too cold. Honestly, couldn’t have dreamed for a better visit!
Let’s go!
People who love theme parks will probably enjoy this place, but not necessarily Disney fans. It’s a general “fantasy” themed park with elements of myths, legends, and fairy tales, so there aren’t distinct IP representations around like you’d get at a Disney park.
Beautiful architecture
The food was shockingly delicious, and we’d put the quick service options on par with Disneyland Resort, which is high praise (that’s essentially the crème de la creme of quick service theme park food). The snacks were fun and interesting as well.
Noodle Snack
They actually have these giant walls of snacks where you tap your card and then get your snack out of the wall. We were super impressed by this feature since it’s unlike anything we’ve seen in theme parks we’ve visited before.
Snack wall!
As far as rides go, we had three that we loved most. First was Droomvlucht, which translates to Dreamflight in English. It was a delightful “flying” dark ride through a fairy world, and we found it to be magical.
The park
Symbolica was another of our beloved attractions. It’s a trackless dark ride through a fantastical castle that reminded us a lot of Mystic Manor in Hong Kong Disneyland. So fun!
Symbolica
The other one we’d recommend highly is Danse Macabre, which opened here in 2024 and features a brand-new ride system. Essentially, you’re on a rotating floor that tilts and rises and falls and spins, while Danse Macabre plays and a ghostly orchestra comes to life around you. That one was incredible.
Danse Macabre
The Fairytale Forest is another great attraction to visit — it has lots of interesting fairytale imagery and quirky photo ops. Most of the figures and stories represented here are inspired by the tales of the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen, and Charles Perrault.
Fairytale Forest in Efteling
Of course, we also have to mention that the park smells amazing. There are themed scents all over the place, and you can purchase them as candles in the gift shops. (Disney, please take note!)
The candy cottage!
We also stayed in the Efteling Grand Hotel during our visit, so be on the lookout for a room tour coming soon! It’s a stunning piece of architecture, and it’s recently built, having opened just last summer.
Efteling Wonder Hotel
Overall, we had a blast at Efteling and would definitely recommend it as a place to visit if you find yourself in the area! It predates Disneyland, and some of its attractions are just as advanced and well-themed as Disney and Universal ones that we’ve been on. The scenery is stunning, and the vibes are just…MAGICAL.
Fairytale Forest in Efteling
Want to see some clips from our visit? Check out our Instagram post!
We’ll keep you in the loop with more of our travels in the coming days, so keep following along!
To get all the latest theme park news, subscribe to our newsletter and YouTube channel, and follow us on social media.
Join the Magical Guides Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!
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Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!
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Have you ever been to this theme park before? Tell us in the comments!
