Efteling - May vs. Aug/Sept

[Allymint]

Hi,

We are planning a trip to Efteling with 5 and 7yo DCs after reading rave reviews on here. We can either go during May half term or the end of summer holidays when prices come down after local schools go back, either end of Aug or first week of sept (our school goes back sept 9th which is great for bargain holidays!) But it is dd’s birthday in May half term so wondered if we should go then despite missing 15% discount. Anyone have any tips on how to choose between these times? Is it likely to be busier/better weather/extra entertainment at one time versus the other? Do they do anything nice to help celebrate birthdays? Any idea if other costs like travel or staying elsewhere (we might tag on a few days near Amsterdam) would be lower in May versus Aug/sept?

Also worried whether extremely sensitive ds who will be 5 might find it too scary/overwhelming. He gets scared by the slightest bit of tension in films and doesn’t like being indoors with too many people but has loved Alton towers and black gang chine in the past! Have read about sensitive little ones getting freaked out by the bins???

Thanks in advance for any tips!

When is your May half term? May vacation is 27 April till 5 May for the whole country, though some schools may tack some extra days on at either end. De Efteling will be very busy during core May vacation. It should be quieter after the schools go back in summer but you need to leave it until September. The middle region of NL is on vacation until 1 Sept.

The bins do shout out asking for paper - some of them, anyway. But they have plenty of space around them, so you don't have to go close. I would say they're not too freaky. It's not a very scary theme park. Having said that, the ride which freaked out my easily freaked one was Villa Volta.

Don't take him in Panda Droom either. It's a cinema which drops a tree on the audience's heads

If you scroll down, you can see the calendar which predicts the busy days: www.efteling.com/nl/park/openingstijden

Re: birthdays. You can book extras to be delivered to your Efteling house/apartment. I wouldn't book to stay in the Loonscheland houses for your dates because they have high ceilings and no mosquito screens. The apartments are pretty good, though. Never stayed in a Bosrijk house so can't comment on those.

I'm going to stop now!

My kids LOVE the bins. So much so that after a full day of exploring the park and doing the rides when i asked them what their favourite bit of the whole thing was it was the talking bins! Just explain to ds that the bibs will talk .

Bring a change of clothes for everyone in case you do the water rides.

I’d really recommend the official hotel if it’s within budget. The kids slept in a four poster bunk bed and there were loads of nice touches. Also, if you do stay onsite use the earlier opening time to go straight to Symbolica as the queues were crazy later in the day. Nothing else for under 8s really had long queues apart from that.

In terms of dates, check when longer opening hours end because the summer evening programme was really cool with music and dancing etc. Not sure if it will be on in May or September though.

Thanks for the tips! Can imagine ds could go either way on the bins- love or hate lol! Our half term is May 27th-31st so well away from local holiday but a popular week with UK visitors I think so already reduced availability of accommodation by the looks of it.

Are mosquitos a big problem? DD and I reacted really badly to them in Majorca a couple of years ago- she had giant welts that practically joined up on her legs despite using deet and that stuff from Avon! But think they were a particularly vicious strain there that year.

I wish we could stay in the hotel but we’re planning to stay in a house because we’ll probably need to cook as we’re a family of coeliacs/gluten intolerants. Not heard great things about their knowledge of coeliac. Plus we have other dietary restrictions. Have just emailed to see if any of the houses have hobs...

I imagine if the weather is good in May half term that would be perfect. However, I don’t think the Dutch climate is so reliable/warm you an be absolutely sure of that. The first week in Sept might be slightly better weather-wise.

We went in the first week of summer school holidays last year - 23 July to 25 July and honestly the queues were fine and many rides, especially for the younger kids hardly had any queues at all. If you use the app you can just avoid the busy rides and do them at the end of the day. It was very hot though but again, it was manageable as there are shady spots and there was one restaurant that is entirely inside with a big play area where we chilled out over lunch.

We stayed in the Bosrijk woodland house and would definitely recommend. Loads of little play areas right outside and very shady. I didn’t notice any mosquitos when we were there.

Re: coeliac, I found this (in Dutch but you can use Google translate): glutenvrijemama.nl/glutenvrij-in-de-efteling/ It's by a gluten free mum. She says that there are a few Efteling outlets which do gluten free food and that the staff are pretty good at food hygiene and avoided cross-contamination. For example, she says that Polles Keuken, the pancake place, has gluten free pancakes, although they are not cooked fresh. That would at least avoid contamination though!

The mosquitoes...? I'm an hour away in Rotterdam and they're incredibly annoying. I wonder whether de Efteling sprays... I haven't been bitten there, but we always go in winter.

We went mid week at the end of August just for day year before last. Did it as a day trip from Duinrell. We had a fantastic day. It rained heavily but this didn't bother us. My eldest has ASD and found the whole place very chilled. The fairytale forest area is absolutely charming and not to be missed. Longest wait for a ride was 20 minutes. Some we walked straight on to.

We went in May half term in 2017 and it was extremely quiet! We did not queue for any rides and were able to go on some multiple times, a welcome breath of fresh air after legoland! So my advice is check when the dutch holidays are and go in May if they do not overlap. The weather was also perfect - sunny but not sweltering.

Hi op I'd definalty vote for August because on Fri and Sat nights in August the park is open till 10pm or later and there is extra entertainment.
If you go in May... And want to return def go in August, last week in August was quiet.

My dd is also a magnet for mossie.. We used plug in thing and cream and dd didn't get one.

However I feel bosricjk village has more fairytale charm.. The whole area, the woods, the play areas, the pool... And it's a slightly shorter walk than loonsche land.

I wasn't overly keen on the main hotel, it's location is over a road... I prefer walking back to Boris jk through little wood...

The bins gently call out.. Papier here...

Snow White House.. The witch in the mirror is a sort of filmed thing and I think she's scary! Apart from that... Nothing really...

Fairy tale wood is sensational.. We kept using it as a short cut for our first day then.. Devoted time to actually go through it thoroughly. It was dusk on summers eve. Magical... The water lilies! The Chinese nightingale... The main fairytale square...

Enjoy op your dc are perfect ages.

Thanks for all the extra tips here everyone, especially the coeliac info!

We’ve been at both times you are considering. In fact we’re already booked to go for May half term this year (availability seems more limited this year - possibly because the weather was scorching for May half term last year).

First week in September would be my choice. But it’s not massively busy at May half term or last week of August. We found there were quite a lot of school parties during May half term - so reasonably busy between 10:00 and 15:00, but quiet towards the end of the day. It gets busy in the Efteling Bosrijk swimming pool in the evenings, so you can duck out of the theme park in early afternoon, go swimming and then go back in late afternoon (you need to get a re-entry stamp as you leave).

The busyness in August is very weather dependent. If it is cool/showery then it is dead quiet (waiting times 5-10 min even on most of the big rides). If it is warm/sunny then it is busier (waiting times more like 20-30 mins).

The apartments only have microwaves (well, combi-ovens - but we only used the microwave function). I’m pretty sure our 8-person woodland house had a hob though.

Are you planning on taking the ferry/driving or going by train (Eurostar to Rotterdam, train to Tilburg, bus to Efteling) or are you flying?

We like the Port Zelande Center Parcs (if you’re tagging on a few extra days), but you definitely need a car to get there.

Sorry to jump on the thread OP but wondered if I could ask a quick question.

I’m thinking of going to Efteling with my 2 DS on my own at May. I don’t drive so would be going by public transport - is this doable and would anyone recommend whether flying or train easier?

Many thanks!

Last Saturday in August was heaving when we went. Its the last day its open until midnight I think.

I’m definitely leaning towards September. DS will probably cope better if it’s not too busy and it also looks much more affordable then. The late evenings in August sound lovely when the kids are older but our children have always been total nap refusers and start losing the plot if they stay up much past 8, even on holiday. Not worth the stress.

I think we’ll need to drive so we can take some gluten free supplies. Not been abroad since dd’s diagnosis but for UK holidays we normally take masses of food and even utensils/pans if I’m feeling extra cautious. Pesky gluten crumbs are normally everywhere in self catered holiday houses! We’re in East Anglia so shouldn’t be too bad but not really looked much into travel yet...

It’s dead easy by car from East Anglia. There are 2 ferries a day between Harwich and Hook of Holland. We normally go on the overnight one.

Efteling by public transport is easy. Fly to Amsterdam, train to Tilburg and bus 304 from outside Tilburg station. Takes about an hour and a half.

We’ve been to Efteling by public transport. You can do it by ferry and train (Stenaline do a rail and sail ticket) - which is our preferred option. Or fly to Amsterdam and get the train. Or get the Eurostar to Rotterdam and then link into the Dutch rail system. In all cases, the final step is a bus from Tilburg to Efteling.

It you're staying at Efteling you can book to be picked up from the bus stop and taken to your accommodation otherwise it's a 10 - 15 minute walk.

Both Loonscheland and Bosrjik village houses have hobs, but I think Bosrjik is nicer. The bathtubs are huge!

Thanks for the public transport tips.

Sorry again Op for jumping on your thread