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Over 5 million people visit Efteling every year, the best theme park in the Netherlands and possibly in Europe. There must be a reason. We'll tell you about our visit to Efteling by campervan during our road trip through the Netherlands. Don't miss it!
High level. The boy is the king. A magic world!
And don't forget to meet Efteling's beloved pet Pardoes!
The most magical amusement park in Holland
Christmas, Easter, summer holidays, long weekends… Any time is a good time to plan your trip to Efteling , the Dutch theme park that has the honor of being the oldest theme park in Europe. Fancy heading to Efteling in a campervan?
Efteling is synonymous with stepping into a magical world . It's the oldest theme park in Europe and, for us, one of the most enchanting. After all, many fairy tales come together at Efteling. The fairytale forest is the heart of Efteling.
When you enter the park, you momentarily forget the outside world. Before you know it, you're floating among trolls and elves on the family-friendly Droomvlucht ride, then battling the dragon on the Joris en de Draak (Joris and the Dragon) double roller coaster, or boarding the legendary Dutch ship "The Flying Dutchman."
Your children can join Jokie and Jet at the carnival festival and watch the daredevils plunge into the Baron 1898 gold mine at 90 km/h. And the whole family can glide through the secret passages of Symbolica Palace of Fantasy!
At every step, you enjoy the best moments at Efteling.
Ideal to go with children
The park is divided into several zones:
- fairy tale area: Marerijk.
- attraction areas: Reizenrijk, Ruigrijk, Anderrijk and Fantasierijk.
The walk through the fairy tales is really cool, with Little Red Riding Hood's grandmother's house , Sleeping Beauty's Castle, Rapunzel's Tower, the witch's house from Hansel and Gretel…
The train and boat rides are essential for exploring the entire park. The train travels throughout the park.
For younger children, 1 to 5 years old, we also especially recommend the vintage car attraction, the Droomvlutch fairy's passage and the carousel.
Their shows are also impressive.
Prices at Efteling, the best amusement park in Holland
We bought the tickets in advance, €182 total for the four of us. Children aged 4 and over pay. We had lunch for €29 at a Mexican restaurant and snacks for €14,5. In our experience, the prices are more reasonable than at Disney.
You can find the best early bird discounts on the theme park's website . If you book at least four months in advance, you'll save 15%.
You can also enjoy last minute offers, Ideal for a spontaneous getaway. You can surprise your family at the last minute with a fairytale stay at the Efteling Park. They are prices with an additional discount!
Practical information about Efteling, the best amusement park in Holland
How can you book your visit?
You can book your visit online here.
Can you return your ticket purchased online?
If that's possible. If you have purchased an entrance or parking ticket through efteling.com, you can return it within 14 days of the purchase date. A request for this should be sent to the Efteling Contact Center.
Any advice to avoid long lines?
The free Efteling app shows you current wait times at attractions, so you can quickly see where there are fewer queues.
Can you bring food and drink to the park?
It is possible to enter the park with your own drinks and food. However, it is not allowed to consume these foods and beverages in the park's restaurants and terraces.
Where can you eat gluten-free?
In the park you can find numerous restaurants and supermarkets where you can buy gluten-free food.
Are pets allowed in the park?
Pets are not allowed at Efteling, but there is a free kennel for dogs near the main entrance. Your dog will be well cared for but this service does not include food or walking dogs.
Parking at Efteling
There is ample parking available. Motor vehicle parking costs € 12,50 per day. You can buy tickets online or in the park. There is a charging station for electric cars.
Motorhomes and caravans can be parked on the premises, however it is not allowed to use it as overnight accommodation. A special area with additional space for motorhomes and caravans can be found in the first row of the parking lot.
Efteling in motorhome, camper or caravan, our experience
On our visit, we entered the park at 10 a.m. and parked in Efteling's designated motorhome area, right in front of the ticket booths. It's great!
Since we are not allowed to sleep in the Efteling parking lot, we spend the night in our motorhome at a magnificent mini farm campsite 10 minutes away.
A mini-campsite on a farm in Drunense Duiren, in Loonse National Park, with lovely owners, where our children enjoyed walking their donkeys and feeding the cows, rabbits, and other animals. Without a doubt, one of the best mini-campsites we've stayed at in the Netherlands. Just a reminder that in the Netherlands, wild camping is prohibited; you can only stay overnight in a motorhome or campervan in designated motorhome areas, campsites, or mini-campsites.
Efteling with dog or pet, our experience
This Dutch amusement park, Efteling, has a kennel right next to the ticket booths at the entrance on the left hand side, so it's great for pets.
We, however, chose to leave Max inside the motorhome with the Viesa running. For him, it is much more comfortable than a kennel.
How to choose a hotel in Efteling
To stay at the Dutch amusement park you have several options: settle in one of the hotels on the premises or in one of its holiday homes. The hotels you will come across are Hotel Efteling, Efteling Loonsche Land, Efteling Hotel Loonsche Land and Efteling Bosrijk. Vacation homes are also an excellent option.
Before planning your trip, don't forget to check out last-minute deals and early booking discounts.
For every season of the year
During spring, Efteling, the Netherlands' top theme park, transforms into a magical place bursting with flowers, while in summer you can enjoy the longer days. In autumn , you'll be captivated by the vibrant colors of the Sprookjesbos (fairy tale forest), and in winter , Efteling becomes a fantasy world filled with twinkling lights, ice skating fun, and cozy bonfires.
Visitors with disabilities
Efteling amusement park offers accessible facilities for people with disabilities, including a facility card, wheelchair loans, and mobility scooter rentals. To use these facilities, you need to obtain a facility card. This card indicates that you cannot access the attractions using the regular queues and whether you require assistance from a companion or an attraction employee.
Another additional service is available for blind people. Europe's oldest amusement park has employees who know sign language . Deaf or hard-of-hearing visitors can recognize these employees by the orange badge they wear on their uniforms. This makes them easier to identify.
Safety against Coronavirus
At Efteling theme park, you really feel very safe . The key is the well-marked social distancing everywhere, along with hygiene and disinfection. The queues have been modified to be outdoors and equipped with partitions to completely reduce contact between visitors.
Mandatory mask?
At the time this post is written, the management of the Dutch amusement park advises that the use of a mask is mandatory in all indoor locations, for all visitors over 13 years of age.
It also indicates that this protection must be used in all covered queues and boarding areas. Once you have taken a seat, you can remove the mask. But the venue management recommends that you wear the mask also in outdoor places.
Here you can see the main Efteling amusement park safety guidelines:
- The use of a mask is mandatory in all indoor locations, for all visitors over 13 years of age.
- Wash your hands regularly.
- Maintain social distancing (1,5 meters from other visitors).
- Go home if you have any health problems or symptoms (cold, runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, mild cough, or fever). Go home if someone in the family has a fever (over 38 ° C) and / or has difficulty breathing.
- Pay as much as possible with pin or contactless.
Efteling opinions: excellent!
If you go to TripAdvisor, you can see for yourself the reviews of Efteling, the best theme park in the Netherlands. Of the more than 7.500 reviews we found, the vast majority rate the park as excellent or very good.
And what expressions do visitors use?
We leave you here a few examples:
"A charming amusement park."
"All very neat and showy."
"Very nice, it looks like something out of a fairy tale"
"We loved it, with good attractions for young and old."
"Very good shows."
"Incredible".
Efteling Park in figures
Next extension in 2021
If you're the type who likes to be the first to see things , mark your calendar for 2021. Efteling, the fairytale theme park in the south of Holland, will open a new area for its youngest visitors in early summer 2021: a play forest called Nest!
Located within the Ruigrijk area of the park, close to other family attractions and in a small wooded area, Nest! it will be an inclusive area for young children of all abilities to play together.
The new space will include themed elements of Efteling's various roller coasters so that young visitors can even try out the biggest rides.
Nest! offers a safe place where children can play and challenge themselves.
The path through and around the play forest will be accessible to people in wheelchairs and there will be various play possibilities for children with visible and invisible disabilities. For example, there will be a slide for wheelchairs, elevated sandboxes, as well as places where children can find a little more peace and quiet.
Photos of our trip to Efteling Holland
We're going to put it on our list of sites for when all this happens .. It looks really good.
You will surely love it! explain it to us on the way back 🙂 Ainss that you want to go back to rolling normally 🙂
Please can you let me know the campsite you stayed at near Efteling? Thanks!
I can't remember the exact name, I am sorry Laura
Thank you very much for so much information!!! We are on our way. I wanted to ask you if it is possible to enter the minicamping once Efteling closes at 22pm.
Damn we don't know, after Efteling we didn't return to the minicamping, check park4night to see if more information appears.
Enjoy!
Can you see the park in one day? Or how many days are needed to see and enjoy it?
What a great question!
Yes, Efteling can be seen in a day, but… it depends a lot on how you like to enjoy the parks.
If you go during the off-season, on a weekday, and with good planning, you can go on the main rides in one day and get a good overview of the park. Just be warned: it will be a busy day.
Now, if you wish:
climb without rushing
repeat attractions that you love
Enjoy the Forest of Tales (which is magical and deserves your time)
stop for a quiet meal
see shows
and not looking at the clock all the time
So ideally, two days.
Efteling isn't a "quick checklist" park. It's incredibly detailed, atmospheric, and full of hidden corners that you can enjoy strolling around at a leisurely pace. If you're traveling with young children, two days is a huge plus because the pace is much more relaxed.
Quick summary:
Can it be done in 1 day? Yes.
Is it more enjoyable with 2? Definitely.