I’m in Efteling now and it’s amazing

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I would never have heard about this place if it wasn’t for mumsnet but I think this is going to be our best holiday yet!

After some disastrous city breaks with bored and overtired DC I thought that this holiday (for them) would be a bit rubbish for us. Couldn’t have been more wrong!

We’re staying in Bosrijk in a woodland house. DD1 pretty much slept through last night for the first time EVER. DS5 is overcome with wonder and fell in love with the sandman. Proclaimed yesterday his “favourite day.”

Both so tired that they went to sleep easily so DH and I could actually enjoy a glass of wine and a spot of crochet on the sofa!

Thank you Efteling-going-mnetters

Parc Asterix was good too. I liked that it didn't take itself too seriously like Disney. I prefer Efteling's brand of fairy tale whimsy though. But none of us are coaster fans, at all.

Wow just googled it and it looks fab. Think I might try and take my guys just before Christmas. It's looks magical in winter!

We went about 12 years ago when DC were 10/12sh. The thing that sticks in my mind (and it's probably changed now), was that everything was in Dutch with no English translation so you had no idea what the ride would be like. We ended up on a very scary rollacoaster. Then the horror of Villa Volta which went down in family history......

Most of the information is in Dutch, English, and German now @Hoozz The staff all speak English too.
Yes, a 7 and a 10 yr old would like it @MamofTwo. DS is 8 and loves it.
We're going next month, for the fourth time, and I've never been on a rollercoaster yet (I hate them). There's so much to do and see. There's talking rubbish bins, and Aztec gods who spit water at you, the maddest and most bizarre rides, roller coasters, swan boats on the lake, a fun fair, a train, a cash point designed like a treasure chest, and the food and drinks are normal prices. The fire and water show in the lake at the end is worth watching too.

Placemarking - trying to persuade DH. Think this thread will help xx

Sounds brilliant, is it a similar climate to here?

I went on a school trip when I was about 13 and everyone loved it. I'd love to take my son back there when he's a bit older.

Summers are warmer and sunnier, winters are drier and colder, the humidity is lower, and it's not as windy.*

*compared to the south coast of England. Other regions of the UK will experience different weather conditions.

VIlla Volta is brilliant Thankfully, though, I knew in advance what it was, and we didn't bring the kids on. We took them on the Parc Asterix version of it the previous year, not knowing what it was (they were both way taller than the height restriction!) and they were petrified. Poor DS cried for ages afterwards.

I have a Spotify playlist of Eftling music that I listen to sometimes. The song for Carnival Festival is very dodgy though, it's just as well it's in French!

UtterlyUnimaginativeUsername It was me that was petrified on Villa Volta.
That ride is ancient but I very nearly caused the ultimate humiliation to my DC by begging them to stop and let me off

I'm planning to go next year!! Stopping at Ghent and Bruges on the way. City breaks which I like with something the children like. I hope ours will be successful as yours. So looking forward to it.

Just avoid the Antwerp traffic if you can. It's gridlock. If your satnav redirects you, listen to it! (Wish we had)

Belgium is gridlock. I'm waiting for a Belgian by-pass. I'm sure the EU must be able to sort one out........

@TacoFriday it's popular during all the holidays. People from all over NL come so whether it's the hols in north, middle or south it'll be quite busy to very busy.

Here's a link to the school holiday dates for 2018-19 www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/schoolvakanties/overzicht-schoolvakanties-per-schooljaar/overzicht-schoolvakanties-2018-2019

Anyone know what disability provisions they have for kids who can’t queue? Their website says you can get a facilities card and get enter some attractions via the wheelchair but the very last line of their declaration form says

“
Efteling points out that a facilities card is not a priority card. The facilities card is only a proof that visitors are allowed to make use of the wheelchair access at an attraction. The waiting times at a wheelchair access are in principle no shorter than those of the regular queu.”

. One of my kids can’t queue in a line. Do they not have something similar to Legoland or Disney where you queue “virtually” but don’t actually have to stand in the line?

Thank you for those holiday dates, we are planning to go next May half term and I notice there's no may week listed, do the Dutch children not have a may holiday?

Has anyone been near Christmas? Prices in early December look tempting. Would the park be all "Christmassed" up by then?

I wish I'd known about Efteling when DS1 and DS2 were younger...

The 3 of us are just back from a few days at Europa Park in Germany - good for older teens but not cheap!

Is it easily reachable by air or do you need to drive?

@TingaLinga The Meivakantie is the May Vacation and sometimes starts in April, so no, there isn't a May holiday next year. It varies.

@gussiefox The Dutch celebrate St Nicholas, with Dutch children getting their presents on the evening of the 5th December so decorations will definitely be up. In fact, it all starts in November as that's when Sinterklaas arrives by steamboat from his castle in Spain.

@TacoFriday I don't know. I only ever visit when it's fairly quiet so I've never seen long queues. You could email for clarification. I suspect though that the Dutch belief in equality will mean exactly that; a queue is a queue for everyone in it. Sorry. :(

@BaronessBomburst - thank you so much! We won't have the DCs/DGC with us for Christmas this year so an early treat could a realistic compromise

We have barely queued at all, it’s so quiet now the Dutch are back at school.

I’m so at home here! But I really really would recommend staying over. The park tickets were free with the house so it isn’t even that much and it’s the holiday village that has won me over!

Taco I think you would be fine. We saw lots of people get in at the disabled entrances to rides. Was no bother at all for the staff, they just got the people on the next cart etc.

Each ride has a 'plan' for disabled entry. And the app shows in real time the minutes waiting. So you can pick ones that don't have much queue. The only one we actually queued for was the pirana water ride.

Phone the customer services to check, they are very good and all have super amazing English skills.

Oh DD loved de Efteling. She was a bit too old for the Sandman, but we still have a melamine plate and china mug. Yes, it would be fine for pre-teens/teenagers (there are one or 2 rides I refuse to go on). I think we've been 3 times now (good tip about May 2019 school hols).

We have driven, but we can get an Easyjet flight to Schiphol, from where it is about a 60- 90 minute drive. We used a firm called BB&L Carrental (which one of my Dutch friends recommended us to use - they meet you at the airport with the car). If we drive we usually tag a couple of days onto the start and end using Airbnb's or Youth hostels.

We went to Duinrell this year and I did think that it wasn't up to the same standard. Minimal queues in the theme park, but the waterpark was rammed. De Efteling's grounds are more manicured. You get what you pay for, I guess.

Apparently Google translate can do it too, but I splurged £4.99 on iTranslate app when we went away. It was fab. I could just take a photo of a traffic sign/menu etc and it would (sort of) translate it into English for me.

Somebody mentioned traffic! DEFINITELY invest in a sat-nav with traffic updates if you are driving. We are often diverted through the centre of Antwerp FWIW.