Efteling Review | Amazing Fairytale Theme Park in Kaatsheuvel, Netherlands
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- Опубліковано 6 жов 2024
- Efteling is the largest theme park in the Netherlands, featuring a classic fairytale theme, over 30 rides, and multiple roller coasters. Here you'll find everything from elaborate dark rides, classic shows, brilliant theming, and an incredibly charming atmosphere.
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Efteling's unique selling point is nostalgia. Your parents and grandparents went there when they were kids. You'll actually find elements from the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's when you visit.
So true, as Belgian my first visit to the Efteling was in 1962. I try to go back every few years for two days, otherwise it feels as i miss something 😀
Well that certainly won't last, as they have been changing many of the attractions throughout the years to make them more 'politically correct' it's a shame really.
@@imjusthappytobedepressed1123 I've only been once or twice as a kid, and just recently went with my girlfriend. I've not noticed the way it changed, since I was very young. Can you give some examples?
@@BilboBaggins236 Sure. They had this one ride called "monsieur cannibale" which was about some cannibal who lived in the jungle and cooked people in his pots, they changed it by basically stripping it of it's original theme, now it's just a bunch of colored round metal bowls you can sit in without any real context. There was an attraction for kids called Carnaval Festival which I was personally very fond of as a child, it featured highly exadurated stereotypes, not in a racist way just everything was made to be blown up and ridiculous because hey it's a theme park for children at the end of the day, but that was changed also because it was deemed insensitive, similarly to the other ride they just stripped it of a lot of it's charm and character and it's just a husk of it's former self. There have also been a lot of subtle changes that I can't even begin to recall, they have changed a lot of the stories associated with the rides over the years and kind of ruined them in a similar fashion.
@@BilboBaggins236 A cannibal ride with Black man with very stereotypical big, deep red lips and African cannibal-styled look, and in the Carnaval Festival ride the whole of Africa depicted as Black savages hunting a white doll, squinty-eyed bucktoothed dolls for the whole of Asia, some with eyelids blocking up 95% of their eyeballs, others just black lines for eyes.
Honestly I'm glad they're gone, even if it's accompanied by the usual Dutch cry-calling of 'it wasn't racist and if you disagree you can just move back to Africa'.
'Carnaval Festival is like It's a Small World, but without the annoying song' The song of Carnaval Festival is iconic and famous for being annoying and getting stuck in your head. Out of the 18 million people in the Netherlands, I guarantee you that 99% of them hate that song.
Same for Carnaval Festival though.
It's fun to just hum the first six notes notes of it in a crowd of dutch people though. You might wanna bring a harnass, because people might want to kick your ass, but it's worth it.
Just reading this comment brings back to mind the theme music of Carnaval Festival. Class A brainwurm!
TAA TA TA TAA TA TA TATATAA
it is annoying, gets stuck in your head...
but i love the song.
Taylor, this makes me happy to hear. Everyone’s welcome to their opinions, but Efteling is SO charming and your original review always left me rather sad. So glad you’ve had a chance to get back and see its charms!
Now maybe in five years you’ll get back to Bakken and notice its charms, too! 😂
Probably lol. I'd just wonder if they could possibly get any new coaster by that point, knowing how difficult it is for them with height and noise restrictions, plus sitting on a tight piece of protected land.
@@drdewott9154 Last time i heard from my sources they were still working on a circus-themed launch coaster, meant to go on the new plot of land they bought a few years ago.
The coaster track was done in 2019, but it was never shipped and never built due to covid.
I've been to the Efteling, and I think what it doesn't need is more coasters, because there are already so many parks that offer all kinds of rollercoasters that would really not fit with Efteling, not only does it take up space, destroy the view of the forest area and make a lot of noise. It's because Efteling is mainly a themed family park for all ages, coasters are mostly for teenagers and adults, I like that Efteling has a magical forest and focuses on every detail, almost every attraction has lore behind it and is carefully crafted. This is what makes Efteling unique and special. And if it keeps making attractions this way, it will keep it's legacy that Anton Pieck and Peter Reijnders (the founders of Efteling) left behind.
Hear hear
I think a vekoma multi launch flying coaster themed to a fairy tale could work. FLY was amazing in Phantasialand, and is really quiet to the surroundings. Personally i agree that a massive and high ride wouldnt work. If they want more thrills i d go for vekoma flying or intamin multi launch, since both can be amazing close to the ground, and can be amazingly themed (FLY, velocacoaster, taron)
I’m so happy whenever I see people from outside of the Netherlands talk about the Efteling. It’s such a fantastic park, that is not talked about enough.
I’ve been to many world class parks (Disneyland/world Paris and Orlando and Universal Orlando). But none have the vibe the Efteling has. Yeah, it might not have a lot of thrills. But that’s not what the Efteling is going for.
Thrills can be found at Walibi, or smaller parks around the Netherlands. But what the Efteling offers is one of a kind.
Oh I love Disneyworld also, but it is and feels like an american park. It misses that final part of cohesion and although it's a whole lot better than most parks there it still has that feeling. There it's each park has it's own theme. The closest park that comes near Efteling is Disneyland Paris which isn't strange because Disney asked a lot of input from Efteling.
Anyways to the one who posted it. Sorry you couldn't go to Max and Mortiz because I found it actually one of the best coasters I've been on in years. It's not a thrill coaster but a really good smooth and fun ride. Also one for younger riders.
@@fs9553 I personally thought Max and Moritz was just good. I preferred the Bob, which previously stood there. But I don’t hate it either. It’s definitely fun when I go on there, but it’s not something I specifically go out of my way for.
''Carnaval festival is like a small world but without the anoying song.'' All Dutch people can relate to having that live in your head rent free
Just him saying the name immediately got the song stuck in my head.
@@BrutusMaximusAurelius same
you can hum that song and everyone and everyone gets Instaly stuck in there head
always fun to do
I have a friend that every time they go records a bit on a voice note and sends it to people on whatsapp, and it's the most evil thing
I once got stuck there for over 30 minutes because of a malfunction. The music kept on playing...
Vogelrok is the one I could not get enough of in 1998. Python was my first real rollercoaster. Thank you for the review.
Same
Pegasus was my first rollercoaster in my life. Rode it back in the 90's. It was a wooden coaster but its not in De Efteling anymore just like De Bob.
@@lillekenatnek195 I remember Pegasus, always was a fun ride to get on.
@@Kaulo_Boszhardt Only Dinn Corp ride outside of the US icidentally.
I like how the efteling also uses dutch folklore in their attractions. Like the baron 1898 and the flying dutchman are inspired by the urban legend of the 'witte wieven', which are old lady ghosts that would drag people down into the moors. Or the villa volta which is based on a band of robbers that roamed around in the southern Dutch hills.
It's actually Baron 1898
@@norasmith4939 omg je hebt gelijk zo dom😭
4:16 Had me laughing my ass off! Without the annoying song? Try being stuck in Carnaval Festival for a while and see if your opinion changes lmao 🤣 Loved the video!
I was looking for a comment like this lol, i feel exactly the same
last time I went I had that song stuck in my head for three days
Behind Python they have permission to build 3 rides above 60 meters. But they have still to ask for permission with sound checks due to the nearby nature reserve. Joris and the Draak has a height limit in the middle seats of only 100cm (around 39,5 inches) so it is based for all ages. That is what Efteling makes Efteling. Younger kids can ride stuff as well.
Not exactly right. The area you said had a heightlimit of 60 is kind of wrong. It's 50 meters without permission and 60 with special permission.
Also, the middle seats of Joris are 1,10m
@@WonderSteffel De Raad van State, the highest court in The Netherlands have said that they needed to change that to permission on everything they build there before saving the new expansion plans. So sadly, that aint true any longer. Also there has been a carbon clausule added to the construction proces as well.
Honestly the way you complimented every detail in Efteling is amazing! I think you have seen all the things that makes us Dutchies proud of this park. Good job!
What almost very person loves about the Efteling is the nostalgia it brings if you go more than twice, the atmosphere is memorising. I also really love the lines of the rides because they are so immersive and are an attraction on its own! I am really proud to be a Netherlander for this one!
Fun fact about the Gondoletta boat ride shown on 7:08. It was actually built as a test of the ride system for the Fata Morgana darkride. It started out in the open, but in a later stage part of the ride would have been built over for the indoor scenes. Plans however changed and Fata Morgana was redesigned to its current form and location. One of the reasons was that the Gondoletta's quickly became quite popular, especially among elder visitors, for just being the relaxed slow boat ride that they are.
When I was (a lot) younger we visited Efteling once per year with our family. We used to eat our lunch in the boats. Which, in hindsight, was a brilliant idea of my parents. 20 minutes of peace and quiet and not haveing to watch 4 kids who always wanted to go in 4 different directions!
I always used to eat my lunch too in the boats hh.
@@yehet8725 Me too...just to relax and enjoy the ambiance ❤
@@yehet8725 I was just about to type the same comment! Whenever we visit Efteling, we have our lunch in the Gondoletta! It's tradition 🙂
True! I remember the backlash when the Baron was going to be built so near it.
i love the gondoletta! i think it's especially cute for couples. :')
Obviously biased as a Dutch person, but this is my favourite park in the world and I've been to many. Always feels like coming home. Python was my first 'real' rollercoaster back in the nineties.
I am English and just went last weekend and it is now my favourite theme park ever!
It's really good! I live there.
Depending on when you go to efteling, they can have longer or shorter opening hours. But Winter might be the best chance to see it in the dark, as it gets dark around 4-5 in December. Some days in summer it stays open until 23.00, so that might be a good time too.
I’m pretty sure Aquanura doesn’t operate during winter since the lake can be frozen over.
@@MisterDutch93actualy it does operate during winter. Every Day
I love that you translated the names very well. And your pronunciation of Spookslot was spot on. Spookslot translated is Ghost castle. Better is Haunted castle. Joris en de draak in English is George and the dragon. I love the Efteling, me and my friends visit it twice a year one time in summer and one time in winter, because the park is beautiful and charming in all seasons. And I have been coming there almost every year since i was a toddler.
It's always such a pleasure to hear about the experiences of foreign visitors at this piece of Dutch culture. Also a nice surprise to spot myself at 4:14 working at Carnaval Festival, haha!
Heb jij geen therapie nodig na zo’n dag in die muziek staan? 😂
@@denaamisdaan nee! Ik werk er ondertussen niet meer en ik mis het zelfs
@@denaamisdaanals je er werkt ben je met de gasten bezig. De muziek hoor je dan niet eens meer 😉
Amazing how someone's opinion can change with a second visit. And afcourse many reactions of dutch viewers. The park is an experience wich many (grand)parents want to pass on. They see there children have the joy they experienced in the early days. And that's what makes it family friendly. Everyone who grew up with this experience goes back to their childhood.
Great job of squeezing this much in such a short review. (and the park map is confusing for us also, they rotated it 90' degrees since the new entrance.)
I live in the epic centre of theme parks with only 35 minutes drive from Toverland, 1 hour from Efteling, Phantasialand and Bobbejaanland and a 2 hour drive from Walibi Holland as well Belgium and Movie world Germany. So yes I've been to Efteling many times. I'll will say almost every year as a sort of family reunion thing. The park is ideal to celebrate birthdays and picnicking. Al the grass are made for leisure grass so you won't be told stay of the grass. It's a park you can inhale nature. There are near residents who have a year pass only to walk around in the evening and enjoy the environment. You simply don't see this in other places. Your review did justice this time to the park although there were some little faults, you're forgiven 😊
So many great parks nearby!
@@CoasterStudios Yes, competition is high. And that's why identity is important. For the Efteling it is fairy tale, fantasy and dream worlds, for the entire family. To stimulate imagination, in natural surroundings.
Though its character changed by time, once it was a place where kids and adults could amuse themselves, but it has become a place where they are being amused. Playgrounds, swimming pools, canoe and rowing lakes have disappeared and been replaced by rides. With it, the connection to the National Park 'Loonse en Drunense Duinen', just across the road, is lost.
This National Park (nature reserve) is the reason why there are so many limitations in height, sound level, light during dark hours, etc.
Nobody combines a visit to both Parks anymore.
So next time, when you stay in the Efteling Hotel, cross the road and see where this fantasy world comes from, with real mushrooms, centuries old trees and maybe you'll see a troll slipping away in hiding.
Limburger!
As a Dutch person (you probably hear this a lot, as Dutch people love mentioning that they're Dutch...) I'm always happy to see people praise the Efteling because it's so dear to me. Even as I've become an adrenaline junkie in terms of coasters, I will always choose Efteling above other parks here because the aesthetic is so on point! I still discover new things every time I go.
Last time I went on Bob was a few months before it got removed. Me and my then-boyfriend got stuck on it on top of a lift hill. It's a fun memory at least, the staff was so nice about it! Honestly, it's a rite of passage for all my foreign friends, they NEED an Efteling trip. And a crappy hotel or B&B nearby because I'm cheap and also cannot drive. So far all of them loved it though! AS THEY SHOULD.
Loved this video, glad you gave the park another chance!
I think all of us in the Netherlands are very proud of this theme park and I think I’ve been here like 15 time sin life, even though I’m 17 and live 2 hours away
Not much to be proud of in The Netherlands so i get it
@@lesliej.5612 says someone from Belgium lmao
@@duranvt3856 Dutch people wish they were Belgian 😂
ive been 15 times in the last 6 months lol
@@lesliej.5612 Nah Belgians r corny asf
Flying Dutchman recently got a renewed scene last week. Great effects and lighting. It now is even better imo.
I am very happy that you liked it much more after your second stay. It is a park partially oriented towards returning visitors, so it can be sonewhat difficult to appreciate after one stay. For non-Dutch speakers this becomes increasingly more apparent.
About the comment on the lack of a high thrill ride. I personally believe this to be one of the major selling points of the Efteling. Efteling is more about fun and its fantasy theme qnd high thrill rides do not really fit into that I my opinion. It is also the reason my least favourite ride is the Python as it is the most boring. The loops are cool, but after a few times going into it, the thrill is completely gone. But I can see that for a newcomer it can be considered a favourite.
Spookslot was pronounced well.
Yay!
Vogelrock too!
I went to Efteling last august. Genuinely one of the best parks I have ever been to and makes me jealous that this isn’t my home park as much as I love Alton Towers.
I have a whisky from Glendronach called Mace Windu :-))..........And yes, I love the Efteling as well!!
It's so true that it's a park for the whole family, because even people that don't like rides at all can enjoy it greatly. It's my mother's favorite theme park simply for that reason. While me and my older siblings enjoyed the more thrilling coasters, my mother liked to go through the fairy tale forest with my younger brother and both groups had a great time. Then there are all these mild dark and boat rides that we could all ride together.
It's not the park I'd need to revisit the most, but it was the park that provided the most complete experience for my family. I really appreciate that.
Love the review. Hearing you call the station of de vliegende Hollander a pirate town instead of your average Dutch town is funny as the legend is often associated with pirates
Funfact 1: Before Joris en de Draak wooden coaster Efteling had a different wooden coaster named Pegasus. Unfortunately Pegasus suffered woodrot and had to be replaced.
Funfact 2: Efteling had plans for new coaster, but canceled it due covid to stay financially stable by not taking this new risk. The coaster would be family-coaster and it's name would be Grand Circus Balancé, which would be a coaster in a nostalgic circus theme.
I've heard joris en de draak is going to be rmc:d?
@@Celatra nope! that is incorrect. they did add titan track in the python corner because it was really worn down(and in my opinion also incredibly rough and painful-) and retracked the rest with a new wood track! I doubt they'd RMC it any time soon with such a big investment, if at all. nil I think it'd be really dumb to RMC joris en de draak. people love it the way it is now and children can ride this and thus battle without being scared of inversions, which RMC coasters tend to have considering out of the 25 rides they have made only two have 0 inversions.
Pegasus was brutal. My hips hurt for a week after riding that thing. Violent horizontal movements!
I've been visiting Efteling since I was 6 years old, and you're right that it holds a special place in my heart, as well as the hearts of many Dutchies.
The park's older than Disney, in fact Disney took inspiration from Efteling. And it's really a one of a kind theme park in my opinion.
I will say... and this is probably one of the very few negative things you'll ever hear me say about the park... you really didn't miss out on much by never having been on the bobsled. Unless you really enjoy bruises and a sore back you're better off not riding it. The track was horrible and you got thrown all around the cart.
Other than that... I'm going there again this year with someone from Canada, just because it's her first time to the Netherlands and I want to introduce her to this amazing place.
For anyone who's planning to go to the Efteling, I'd seriously reccomend planning a two day stay. The park can get really crowded due to it being so popular. Having two days to spend allows you to ride every ride you want to, possibly even multiple times, and also gives you enough time to take a breather, to just sit and enjoy the beautiful nature all around you without feeling like your time would have been better spent in another queue.
When I was growing up, my mom's friend always gave my sister and me a choice for our birthday: 25 guilders (€12) or a day at the Efteling. So quite obviously I grew to love the park. But since it's so different from most other ones it's great to hear opinions from people new to it. Thanks for revisiting and I hope you'll have many more great experiences over there!. One thing that made me chuckle, though, was "without the annoying song"... because to most people familiar with the Efteling, Carnaval Festival (Dutch spelling) has THE most annoying theme song ever xD.
He prut, zit dat liedje weer gelijk in hoofd, bedankt 😂
You're probably the first foreign UA-camr that nailed the pronunciation of Spookslot this perfect!
5:02 that pronounciation was almost native
Although I haven't been to that many theme parks here in the Netherlands, this really is my favorite park. I've always been excited to go and even more so now with the addition of several roller coasters in the past 10 plus years or so.
I've been to theme parks around the world but Efteling is by far my far my favourite. The nostalgia is legendary there, it still makes the same impression on me that I had there when I was 5 while now I'm 50. They renew and touch up old things in the park without destroying the soul of it.
I was lucky enough to go to Efteling in 2017 and absolutely loved it. The Flying Dutchman and DreamFlight have to be two of the most unique attractions I’ve ever ridden. One could almost argue that DreamFlight is a coaster at one point 😉.
I’d say going with a Mack Extreme Spinner would be best, even if the spinning is reduced like Time Traveler. They lend themselves to theming really well, with onboard audio and all and Efteling doesn’t have a launched coaster.
They actually planned on building a circus themed hypercoaster/launch coaster, so the park management agrees with you! It has been severly postponed though and they are first focusing on internal development (the hypercoaster would be in a new and added area) such as the Grand Hotel and Danse Macabre.
Dude you pronounced "spookslot" perfectly. It translates to ghost castle, I really miss it, it was a nostalgic attraction. Hope that Danse Macabre is going to be an upgrade to the original.
At the very least the name of the attraction suggests they'll keep the titular music in place. That should spark some serious nostalgia regardless.
Ahh, the nostalgia! My family lived in Holland when I was aged 2 to 5 (1990-1993). Our home park was Duinrell, but I specifically still remember Efteling, because of the iconic long neck guy. I was too little (and afraid) at the time, but I also specifically remember seeing the white looping track of Python, because it was my first time ever witnessing a looping coaster, and I was so curious. Also, all the fairy tale attractions were perfect for a kid too small for thrill rides at the time. So many facets of that park have remained unchanged in 30+ years, and I can’t wait to make it back sometime as an adult.
Sounds like quite the experience. Also Duinrell is really interesting, I went there on a camping trip as a kid around a decade ago. Its a very charming little park, it has a strong vibe for sure. Plus their waterpark is fantastic!
@@drdewott9154 Yes! The Tikibad used to be famous throughout Europe for having some of the longest waterslides in the continent. But, again, that was 30 years ago, so things have definitely changed.
Very happy to hear you changed your mind. As a Belgian I live in the country next to it, but only a 1hour drive away and it is just a very nice getaway. The nature, the rides, the perfect theming. And not to forget all the great food. Not just sugars and sweets like most theme parks, but lot's of different things to try. Like the "polle's kitchen" pancake restaurant. Gotta try it next time you're there. If you give me a ping I'll join you. 😉😉
I think a well themed Intamin coaster like Hagrid's or Velocicoaster would fit very well in Efteling. They have some huge expansion plans for the future called Efteling 2030, which will expand the park with about 50% as well as add even more accomodations after the Grand Hotel. The strip of land between Python and Carnival Festival will be the first phase of the expansion with some rumours of a coaster. They also have a golf course which will close in 2034, it's about the size of the current park so that will give them tons of expansion opportunities for many decades.
Damn i didnt know that
I was in shock when you posted your original review. So happy you went back to give it another try. Like yourself, I have been to many theme parks & personally I place Efteling right at the top of my list. No because of the rides (although good) nowhere can match the vibe/atmosphere/fuzzy special feeling of this park.
It's fantastic.
As an adult I love going to the efteling with friends during school days because every ride is basically a walk on. You get to ride everything multiple times!!
i was there today, and been a regular visitor. loved the review and actually your dutch pronunciation is pretty good.
"there's no other theme park with medieval shows" Puy du Fou : hold my beer 😂
The current Raveleijn-show was actually directed in co-operation with Puy du Fou.
I am glad to hear you had a much better time here. This is another perfect example of how important it is to give parks a second chance.
You missed the mini ride in the fairytale forest. It's the story of the 6 brothers that were turned into swans and their sister who has to knit 6 shirts from flowers to turn them back while not speaking before she finishes.
You can get into 1 of the 6 swanboats to see the scene of the sister knitting.
Wow... You captured the real Efteling feeling in just 12 minutes! Congratulations, I'm sure that you really understand the Efteling ❤ great video!
Visited Efteling in the 80's. It's changed so much 😊
I was so upset when I heard they'd taken down Spookslot, it was my favourite thing growing up, I couldn't go to de Efteling without also going to Spookslot, to the point where Danse Macabre by Saint Saens is ingrained in my childhood memories.
But knowing they're getting a new version of it up in 2024 underlines that I really need to go again soon, when it's open, because it's been almost 15 years for me (I live in NH and I'm unfortunately very busy).
I think this is the best English De Efteling review on YT.
Thank you!!
I noticed you mentioned Toverland as well in the sidelines. Actually, Toverland started out as a large indoor playground for kids aged 2-12, but throughout the years they added lots of roller coasters. By now it's a mix of playground and theme park, both indoor and outdoor.
And yes, the Efteling is reknown for its fairytale park. The Python is not only the oldest roller coaster in the park (opened in 1981) but also the largest and most spectacular roller coaster on the European mainland. Since its first ride, it has covered a total distance of 310,000 km (almost 200,000 miles)!
I love the revisting of parks when having a bad first impressions. Please do this with Michigans Adventure in the future.
IDK if there's any saving that place, but if they revisited, then maybe having Shivering timbers open could soften the blow.
Love this place and you taught me even more!!
idk if anyone mentioned it before, but ravelijn also has a tv show which I was (and still kinda am ;>) obsessed with! it shows it's age, yes, but regardless still a good show! I have the dvd of it and it's available for free on UA-cam! there is no English subtitles however. the tv show was(and still is when the show is changed!)used as promotional material for the actual theatre(?)show!
It's always nice for themepark enthousiasts to recognize the Efteling for what it is! For me, and i think alot of people that agree, is that the Efteling is a world on itself. I go there at least 6 times a year, even though i live quite far away from the park. It's just magical. And alot of that magic comes from the fact that Anton Pieck had a great influence on the park in it's early days.
The Efteling is an amusement park I could just hang out in all day without going on any rides and just watch the people and the buildings.
It's atmosphere is unmatched.
This place looks amazing! Europe has so many awesome looking parks 😍
definitely a park I'm nostalgic for, I went here so often as a kid. I always used to skip the roller coasters as a kid because I was too scared, but I did go on vogelrok on my last few visits several years ago. and I remember I always loved villa volta, but I got scared of the bosch painting for a few years. oh, and I also remember being terrified of the end of droomvlucht, where one of the animatronics would jump out at you as you sped down.
honestly I barely remember anything that happened in ravelijn, but I went to that show back when they first added it, and I even got a toy sword and a large figure of the dragon thingy from that show. I still have that one, actually.
Thanks for making a second review on my home park, tho i don't hope they will get a hypercoaster, personally i think they should go for something they can keep low to the ground, like a smaller version of Taron🤔
This park is freaking gorgeous. It took me 2 minutes to realize it would be in league with Phantasialand. And if you think 1 day on your first day is enough, you will painfully regret it!
It's a park you can visit your entire lifetime. I was two years old when I first visited. Of course, that was over 40 years ago so not all rides existed yet, but the enchanted forest and playgrounds are great at that age. Then when I got a bit older, the rides progressively became available (many go by minimum height) and from my early teen years on, the coasters were its main attraction. Now that I have a vestibular disorder and can no longer do the rollercoasters (or the ship and villa volta) the dark rides, enchanted forest and the general atmosphere are again what makes the park worth visiting. That's a large part of its attraction: it's an enjoyable experience even when age and health issues hit.
Really glad to hear you have now experienced and seen the charm of the Efteling. Its a unique park, I visit 2x a year and its just such a relaxing place. I love it, glad you love it too now! They also keep everything so nice and updated, there is always something new to see, i believe disney could learn a thing or two to be honest
One of my art teachers used to work on their decoration team. They have their own painters, because of how massive that park is. He still has blueprints from a lot of design projects there. From the big stuff, like ride exteriours. To even the small stuff like the lampposts. Its so cool to see the sheer amount of thought that goes into keeping the magic alive while you're there.
I love how you returned to "our" Efteling and came back on your first review. People from outside the Netherlands that come to the Efteling for adrenaline packed rided will be sorely dissapointed in the Efteling.
The Efteling is the spirit of Anton Pieck being kept alive in the Efteling (in its physical form) as well as in the hearts of the Dutch people.
This isn't something you can compare to other theme parks because, let's face it, the Efteling isn't really a theme park. It's a living legacy. And exactly that is what gives it that "I can't put my finger on it"-feel you get when you spend 2 or 3 days here.
Glad you liked it!
Whatever your vision is on this themepark, there is no denial in that the way it came to life was f(o)unded by a good intention: bringing joy back into the life (right after WW2, at the rebuilding of the Netherlands in the '50's )
EFTELING has the best detail theming of any other theme park i have been too... Efteling is the champion when it comes to this and also the lovely nature of this park...... i could live the rest of my life in this theme park ....love this place. xxx
even if you've already been I love how they always transform everything during winter time. gives it a whole new vibe!
I've been there several times since I was a kid (I am 41 now) and it keeps getting better with every visit and it always entertained me. The theming is world class.
Efteling is such a staple in the netherlands. As a todler I only went to the fairy tale forest and it was already such an amazing experience. Python was almost everyone´s first ´real´ roller coaster, I remember boasting about it to my fellow friends in elementary school. Then over the years they kept adding attractions and as a teen I would visit it every few years with friends to experience the nostalgia and upgrades to the park. As an adult I dont go that often anymore, but I cannot wait to give my future kids the same experience I had and experience the Efteling again.
It's not for the thrill of having G forces rock you. It's a theme park loaded with so much detail that you will notice things even after having seen the place many times. I hope the replacement of the "Spookslot" will be as good as the original, which to my idea was their best attraction. This is a park that takes you on a slow stroll through a park with lots of gardens with trees. Even a botanist will find it interesting.
Its my home park and ive been there almost 75 times and i still love it, im not bored there even if it is my 75th time.
I LOVED the wooden roller coaster when me, my family and my cousins all went. Although at that point I didn’t go on upside down roller coasters :( my first was the swarm more recently
I was actually to invite you last summer and pay for everything to show you its charm. Happy you went again and visit again. ❤
Efteling is started as a playground in a naturepark. The park is still required to get a certain amount of nature. In the early days they had stuff like a pool, kano/boats. But that has been replaced with attractions.
One reason the canoe/boats were removed was because there were too much issues with visitors. Lots of fights started in those areas or people would get a boat and stay on the lake for long times without returning the boats. Or even jump out of them so that employees needed to retrieve them. It's people with bad behavior who ruin it for the rest.
A fun fact every ride is Mande after a fairytale, if it’s a well known one, an old dutch story or like symbolica and Anton Pieck (the person who made Efteling and an artist on his own) story. It all began with sprookjes bos, translated to fairytale forest. Which is a forest that displays a lot of commen fairytales like the little mermaid, Hansel and Gretel and even pinnochio. It is a great park for families with young children and elderly people. Very proud of my country🇳🇱
As someone who wants to become a coaster engineer I do agree that there are not a lot of thrill coasters, but the ones that are is this park is themed very well and has a lot of details
Great well rounded review. I am spoiled with this being my home park. The more i visit different parks, the more i appreciate it coming back. The collection of dark rides is insane.
I've got a subscription to Efteling and there are days that I'll just go have a walk in the fairy tale forest or go in a few rides and head home, it's an even more relaxed experience and absolutely amazing all year round.
I will forever miss Spookslot, but can't wait for the new ride either. Love the song too!
Great review, glad you made the second visit and got a better understanding of the park.
Seeing this review from you makes me proud to be Dutch ^^
Regarding the shows, you should try puy de fou in the Vendee in France. All shows no rides, but it doubles as an equestrian/stunt school for movies, so the performances are on another level.
Rather than a hyper i think they would look more to what Phantasialand is doing (with similar restrictions) and build a Intamin multi launch or a Vecoma flyer
a multi launch would be excellent.
I was here last summer, coming from the UK. This is by far my favourite theme park that I''ve visted. Im not much of a thrill seeker and more for the experience and immersion hence why for me this is the best.
I've been to, Flamingoland, Disneyland paris, Europark germany and moviepark germany.
For people like me who arent a fan of thrill rides this park is absolutely amazing, it had several rides I did enjoy going on and everything I have seen is compeltely on theme and focused on giving you the best visitors experience.
The only thing I rally would change is rides that have stories spoken to you maybe an english version
as a local i would love to see a intamin multi launch coaster, it would fit perfect in the park because the park really needs a launch coaster and a stand out ride. They tried to make baron the stand out ride of the efteling but it kinda failed tbh.
Amazing video thank you for making this and introducing people to our favorite theme park.
Python is so iconic for us Dutchies caus for a lot of us its the first rollercoaster with loopings we go on as kids ❤ plus after the ride you can ask the ride oparator for a "Python Diploma" they will write your name on it and all , such a fun/cool and FREE goody 🥰🥰🥰
I believe it is very important to mention that the vogelrok entrance gets a little(very big actually) hat and scarf during the winter season :)
I’ve been to the efteling since i was a baby and i still go there i love it. I come there every month now!
I was literally there yesterday and was about to look up your review to compare, this is some crazy timing
After your first review of the Efteling, I was mad at you, but now you gave a much more nuanced picture of the Efteling. So from now on I like you again 😉
The music from the mushrooms takes me right back to my childhood 😍 I'm so curious about the Danse Macabre!
You mention a few times the park is missing one really amazing thrill ride. I wouldn't count on them building a new one anytime soon. The maximum amount of visitors efteling can have each year is limited to 5 million (and they are dangerously close to that number). Fortunately, people who visit for multiple days are counted as a single visitor (it has to do with emissions caused by transport to and from Efteling).
People who love thrill rides tend to limit their visit to one day, whereas families (with younger kids) are more likely to stay multiple days.
Also, you are right, Aquanura is a lot more impressive when it's dark, so definitely come back during the winter 🙂
I'm glad you've seen the light lol I absolutely love this place. The dark rides alone make it my favourite theme park. Cannot wait to return some day.
i live in the netherlands! and this is my favorite themepark. its really sad that the bob is gone 😞
Agree, I liked the Bob a lot better than Max & Moritz =(
Actually the Efteling Grand Hotel will be within the park walls. So like this. When guests entered the park through the entrance (huis van de vijf zintuigen), (house of the five senses), they will then also have to walk around or underneath the new hotel to experience the park. So guests can just sleep in the park when it opens.
Absoletely loved this video! I have been a fan of the park since I'm a child and I love that people from afar see this too. Just a small heads up, the main entrance to the fairytale forest isnt actually the one close to Symbolica, although walking through there absolutely works and it really doesnt matter, the main entrance where you can get the full experience for all the fairytales is actually closer to the carrousel palace, next to the gift shop ""In den Ouden Marskramer". But both work :). Keep up the great work!
Regarding the fountain show times, yeah it really is something special when it's dark! but in the NL our times of light/darkness shift with seasons, in summer it gets dark around 9 pm while in the winter around 16:30 pm😄
Now this is what we call character development