Can we have an Efteling appreciation thread?

[EarlofShrewsbury]

I nearly didn't start this thread as I don't want the secret to get out...

.. but I've just got home after my first visit and I'm sad about it. It's the most wonderful place and I'm trying to stretch out the joy that little bit longer.

Efteling. The most magical place on earth.

The best way I can describe it is... you know when you're a kid and theme parks have that lovely sense of wonder about them, but then you grow up and when you visit as an adult the facade drops and you see them for what they are?

Efteling is like going to a themepark as an adult but getting that nostalgic feeling like being a kid again.

Good description op.
I've been a huge fan for absolutely years and years. We have experienced many UK parks which are light years away and Disney Paris and europa Park
Both good but they lack that authenticity

I've never been, but a vote for Duinrell which sounds quite similar - our kids loved it when they were young. Great water park but the theme park, while certainly probably nothing compared to Disneyland etc., was accessible and fun and you could stay on site in caravans. Also easy to get to Dutch cities for a bit of culture

@fffiona we've been to duirnell. It's by a gorgeous town and beach and has a more camp /butlins feel about it. My dc adored the bikes there/go karts there.
Unfortunately our experience was tainted a little as a lady had seriously injured herself on the rubber ring thing in the large pool and they didn't help her at all. She had to go to hospital and I believe they didn't even offer a later check out she was struggling with one arm.
However it's not compatible or comparable in any way at all to efteling.
The entire duirnell experience is more butlins like with no theming, algae growing in the lake miniumimal attention to planting and general areas.

Efteling is world class. Even if you didn't do a single ride you would enjoy just wandering around all the beautiful gardens and woods.

Everything is maintained to utter perfection I don't think I've ever seen a weed. But no gardeners either?
The planting also fits the different tablex in the forest with red roses all around sleeping beauty castle etc

Bamboo by the Chinese nightingale.

The level and depth of experience there is incomparable and it's all built from the real materials.

We did 5 nights at duinrell and 1 night at efteling.

Duinrell was really good, I loved it, we could easily spend a week there and not get bored.

Efteling completely blew me away. It's absolutely magical. We had 2 days there and felt like we only scratched the surface.

I'm pricing up 4 nights at duinrell and 3 nights at efteling for next year.

I'm feeling really disappointed now my kids are late teens as Efteling sounds great!

My thoughts exactly. Duinrell is like a really good butlins but lacks evening entertainment. The amount to do in the local area makes it better also. We did a day trip to Amsterdam and the Nemo museum, a day trip to Leiden with a canal boat ride and a trip to the beach and we went to the keukenhof tulip gardens . There was loads of stuff we wanted to do but didn't have the time (hire the go carts, visit the miniature village and the Hague, visit the national history museum, climb the windmill in leiden etc).

Efteling was just insane though. Immaculate. The food was amazing and really reasonably priced. We didn't queue more than 20 minutes for any ride. We could have spend all day there without riding anything and it would have still been brilliant.

I would love to see it lit up at night.

Thanks for starting this thread OP.

I am going with my children/grandchildren in July. Can't wait.

I'd heard good things and was worried I might have it hyped up in my head and it might not live up to expectations.

It exceeded them by a long shot. I was completely in awe of the whole place.

They just arnt comparable, chalk and cheese. We also did memo and used it as a base

@fffiona my teen dd still loves it! Definitely still go

We've not been for a while because I wanted to wait until they added some new things and asked with Disney. We are doing europa Park this year but we will definitely return when both dc teens

Also efteling has a special owner ship system, I can't remember the details but it's some sort of charity ie make a profit but but not at all costs.

Op check out the other camps around there like kaasuteheval and labdu we've never been but I've heard good things

This is on my list to look into.

How long would you suggest we'd go for? And how did you go? I'm wondering whether you need a car or not.

It’s so good! We’re going back next week - can’t wait! Even my almost-11 year old still loves it (I did suggest going elsewhere but she was adamant she wanted to go back).

It’s amazing!! We’re obsessed! Going for the 3rd time this year. Totally magical.
Staying off site for the first time this year and know that we’ll miss the magical walk past the sandman’s castle but I wanted to see how different staying off site feels. Already looking at booking for between Christmas and new year 🙈

We were there for 2 days but it didn't feel like long enough, we were there out of season though so the park shut early at 6pm. I think it's open until 10pm in the summer.

Next time I'm going to go for 3 nights/4 days minimum but hopefully 4 nights.

It's such a beautiful park you can spend hours just sitting and existing in beautiful surroundings. I'm a massive themepark fan and often rush to cram everything in. Efteling made me want to slow down, forget the rides and just soak it all up.

We had beautiful weather though so I might have been very lucky.

We’re going to centerparcs near there in Oct and DH won’t stop banging on about a day trip to Efteling… he bloody loved it as a kid, and we will go, but it looks sooooo creepy! Glad to read you loved it!

I thought it looked a bit creepy before we went and thought it would have that old fashioned feel.

It wasn't any of those things, it's was just absolutely charming. It's very well done and no photos or videos can do it justice imo.

Thank you, that's great. My children are still young so all our trips are a bit slower anyway. Did you take the ferry?

I'd go in summer because the park is open later and sometimes they have evening entertainment on

One year they had a dance off between the trolls and fairies from the dream flight, professional dancers at twilight.
Then they had a horse and carriage ride thru the ft forest and a girl with a golden ball running thru. Cat in boots positioned himself in various spots licking his paws.

However it's different each time so don't go to expecting that.

@ShrinkingMama for full enjoyment minimum of 3 nights preferable in Bosrijk because the setting complement the park.

There are so many quirky little areas my two loved the stepping stones in the land of the laffs. They spent several hours there!! (beautiful little spot)
So many nooks and crannies.

We love both Duinrell and Efteling and have been many times ! I think they are very different though . Would not say they were comparable at all .
Duinrell like a local and well loved old style theme park .
Efteling a world class theme park . Magical !

I travelled with my two children, 8 and 11, and my dad, 66. The 8 year old has additional needs so my dad came to help out as DP couldn't make it.

Me and the kids flew to Amsterdam airport from Manchester. My dad drove down to folkestone with the luggage and got the eurotunnel, then drove to Leiden to pick us up (we got the train from the airport) we then spent 5 nights at duinrell before driving to Efteling for 2 days, 1 night.

We all drove home via the tunnel. 3.5 hours to the tunnel then 5 hours home the other side. We left Efteling at 6pm, got to the tunnel at 9.30, got the 10.24 train which got us to the UK 10pm uk time. Home at 3am.

If i go again I will probably do the hull-rotterdam ferry.

You should try the Winter Efteling, especially in the run up to Christmas. There's twinkling lights and snow-covered pine trees everywhere. It's really beautiful.

We didn't queue more than 20 minutes for any ride

I will say you can wait a lot LOT longer than 20 mins, you got lucky.

But we all love the Efteling. It doesn't have quite the character that it had 15 years ago imo, but it's absolutely lovely anyway.

We went recently when the youngest had a day off school. It was quiet and we could even stay sitting in the rollercoasters and go around again. It had such a lovely feel.

Also if you are disabled or have a child with special needs, you can get a 'facility pass' and that means you can wait in a separate area with benches and sometimes get on early.

Tunnel is very good for any southerners and also the ferry to Dunkirk which shaves a little off driving time.

To break up the drive a stop or over night in the bruges /ghent is what many people do.