Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Efteling

14 replies

TFSRM · 26/08/2018 22:13

Looking for some advice about going to Efteling this winter at end of November. Is it a good time to visit? How long would you spend there? Would you do any stops on the way back to Calais?

OP posts:
ifiwasabutterfly · 26/08/2018 22:27

I love Efteling! How old are your DC? We did 2 nights/3 days which was plenty.

TFSRM · 27/08/2018 07:52

That's good to hear butterfly. DD is 6. We have an inset day at school so can do 2 nights/2 days probably. Do you know if they will have Christmas stuff out in November? Will it be very cold?

OP posts:
ifiwasabutterfly · 27/08/2018 09:07

We went in July so not much help weather wise, have been to dlp in December and it was bitterly cold!

I think Efteling is so much nicer than Dlp. It was clean, far less queues, the rides were great and there were things for all ages. We stayed in an apartment as they were still building the hotel. It's only a short walk and there was a different entrance to the park for staying guests compared to day guests.

There are so many different things to do, and wander round other than rides. My son was 7 when we went and his favourite thing was a statue of a donkey. You put a euro in its mouth and it lifted its tail and shot out a plastic gold coin from its bum 😳

The kids loved the apartment, they left sandman nightcaps for them and a bottle of 'sandman' apple juice. We all had character duvets 😁 you could order a breakfast of warm rolls, croisssnts etc to be delivered to your door first thing in the morning. They were very reasonable prices and were costed per croissant so you got exactly what you wanted. The kids loved opening the door to find breakfast.

Food in the parks was fast food but actually reasonable quality/price. We ate one night whilst watching the show, you can reserve a table in advance. It was in Dutch and they offered headsets but we didn't use them. It was very easy to follow and had jousting knights on horses and fire etc

TFSRM · 28/08/2018 08:06

Thanks @ifiwereabutterfly that all.sounds very positive. I think it will probably be cold but I guess we can always wear thermals and dress up warm. Do you know if they have an equivalent to DLP's emh? I think DD would like that donkey and the show sounds fun.

OP posts:
HellToupee · 28/08/2018 08:18

Oh your DC is going to love De Efteling- it truly is “magical” for kids!

It celebrated its 60th Birthday last year but has lost nothing of its sparkle, I think. The fairytale Forrest is a must - most fairytale tableaux are mechanical so move and it’s just enchanting.

Fata Morgana is great but my favourite is Droomvlucht (“Dreamflight”). There is of course also the attraction park with plenty of rides for the younger ones as well as roller coasters I wouldn’t be seen dead on 😖

Apart from the donkey mention by a PP, even the bins are an attraction themselves - they are statues of a boy called “Holle Bolle Gijs” after a fairy tale about a boy who was always hungry. They say “papier hier!” And suck in all (lighter) rubbish that is held in front of Gijs’ mouth. Kids love it and are quite keen to clear up after themselves 😁

I took my teens there with some of their friends last October half term and they all absolutely loved it. It was great for me to share that lovely memory from my youth (I’m Dutch and grew up not far from De Efteling) with them.

Have fun!

TFSRM · 28/08/2018 08:31

@HellToupee it sounds amazing, I'm glad your kids enjoyed it. Was it very cold at the end of October?

OP posts:
HellToupee · 28/08/2018 08:36

@TFSRM No, it wasn’t cold, maybe a touch nippy. I seem to remember we only took light jackets and didn’t wear those for most of the time.

De Efteling is in Kaatsheuvel so I would check the weather forecast before you go so you know what to pack!

TFSRM · 28/08/2018 08:38

Thanks!

OP posts:
ifiwasabutterfly · 28/08/2018 10:01

I don't know about emh we went in July and it wasn't that busy. We are also not great st getting out early! Baron and a couple of the other big coasters had a 45 min wait so still less than uk theme parks. A lot of othe other rides were 10 minutes. So much else to do as well.

Roseandvioletcreams · 28/08/2018 17:31

I would love to go at Xmas time, winter..

But for a first visit I would recommend summer and because its open for longer. But it's going to be brilliant whenever you go.

It has emt but everything about it is less frantic than dlp. It's so much more relaxing and fun.

3 nights was good, I think 2 nights is too rushed. It can be done.... But I would say 3 is perfect. You can go into park on each day.

TFSRM · 31/08/2018 22:18

Unfortunately we can only do two nights. It's lovely to hear people so positive about it though.

OP posts:
PandaPieForTea · 31/08/2018 22:26

We’re hoping to go for a day in October half term. Will it be long enough? We’ll be taking our 8 & 3 year olds.

ifiwasabutterfly · 31/08/2018 23:01

You certainly won't see and do it all in one day but you'll still have a great time!

Spindelina · 01/09/2018 15:00

We’re contemplating going Easter 2019, or maybe May half term. DD is 6 and loved both DLP and Legoland, so I think it’ll be right up her street.

Thinking we might get the train there and stop for a day or two in Brussels. Not sure how to break the journey back though, unless we go to Brussels again!

New posts on this thread. Refresh page