It was finally happening. A random TikTok recommendation had brought us here: my little family, standing excitedly outside one of the Netherlands’ best-known theme parks.
Full disclosure: we’re what you’d call a theme-park family. While others take their broods to sandy beaches, we’re always first in line for a rollercoaster. The cherry on top? A hotel inside the theme park itself, where we can rest our weary feet after a day of ride-hopping.
For years, our splash-out go-to had been Disneyland Paris, with its beloved characters and global reputation. But as the kids get older and budgets tighter, Mickey’s magic has started to fade.
We still love the mouse, the duck, Ariel and Elsa (who doesn’t?), but could we find the same sense of wonder for less money elsewhere? The answer came in the form of Efteling, the largest theme park in the Netherlands. This fairytale-themed park kept popping up on my social feeds promising exactly what we were looking for – at half the price!
After 48 hours’ exploring its hotels, rides and food, we came away with plenty to recommend. Here are my six reasons why Efteling is as good as – if not better – than Disney and perfect for UK families looking for a short break this October half-term.
Nadine and family outside the main entrance of Efteling, ’The House of the Five Senses.’
1. The staff are genuinely attentive
At Disneyland Paris, staff are referred to as ‘cast members’ and, from the moment you arrive, you feel as though you’re in a carefully choreographed production, with everyone saying the same thing as they greet you on rides or seat you in the restaurants. At Efteling, the experience felt a lot more personal. As we struggled to fit all four of us into a selfie outside the hotel entrance, a staff member (who had already finished their shift) happily took it for us and seemed genuinely interested in whether we were having a good time before we’d even checked in. It was a small gesture, but one that captured the warmth and attentiveness we noticed throughout our stay.
2. It feels like being in a fairytale
While many theme parks are divided into ‘lands’, each with its own distinct atmosphere, Efteling’s fairytale theme runs throughout. That’s no surprise: the park opened in 1952 as a fairytale forest, three years before Disneyland in California. From the snoring giant in Tom Thumb to Langnek, the Dutch fairytale character whose neck stretches 4.8 metres above the Fairytale Forest, whimsical details are everywhere – not just on the rides. Even the bins are in on the act: some suck up your rubbish, then thank you with a burp. At Polles Keuken, a lively pancake restaurant, pans spin and utensils seem to fly, while Droomvlucht takes you through a dreamlike world of castles, trolls and fairytale creatures. Efteling even sells home fragrances inspired by its rides. My partner bought one based on Fata Morgana, a ride themed around the stories of One Thousand And One Nights, so our home still smells like a spice-infused souk.
Bedtime fairytales/Meeting characters/’Langnek’ keeping watch.
3. There are rides to suit everyone (and no queues)
Efteling has more than 62 attractions and caters for every age and thrill level. There are water-based thrills, gentle family-friendly options and dark rides (rides within an indoor, dark environment). Danse Macabre, a spooky, swirling dark ride that spins to a symphony of the same name, is the only attraction I’ve been on that ended with a round of applause – twice.
There are also six major rollercoasters. Full disclosure: despite being a theme-park matriarch, my tolerance for loop-the-loops and G-forces is pretty low. Call it age, wisdom or being an old scaredy cat, those sorts of rides are no longer for me. The same is true for the rest of my family – except my ADHD-diagnosed, adrenaline-junkie nine-year-old. I could stand to one side while patient attendants and fellow thrill-seekers helped my excitable daughter on to her very first upside-down rollercoaster, worryingly named Python. I waited, stomach in knots, expecting her to come running off regretting her decision. Instead, she pelted towards me and shouted: ‘Mummy, can I go on again?’ And she did – within minutes.
The beauty of Efteling is that it’s rarely overcrowded, which means you don’t spend hours waiting to get on rides, which I’ve often experienced at Disneyland Paris.
Nadine regretting her rollercoaster choices/Snapshot of her youngest on her first solo rollercoaster ride with absolutely NO regrets.
4. Your hotel is part of the magic
As with any theme park, staying on site means less rushing and more immersion. Efteling has four official hotels: Loonsche Land, a nature-focused resort; Bosrijk, a woodland village with indoor pools; the fairytale-themed Wonder Hotel, a short walk from the park; and the Grand Hotel, the newest, where we stayed for two nights so we could make the most of the park.
Close to the park’s entrance and full of opulent Art Deco design touches, as well as an indoor pool and sauna, the Grand Hotel is, well, grander than what you might expect to find in a theme park. There are magical character appearances in the lobby, premium restaurants and luxury rooms, some of which look out over the lake and its nightly Aquanura water show.
Given its facilities, we assumed the cost would make it our first and last stay, as this one was gifted. But as I snuggled into our cosy double, with bunk beds for the girls, nibbling on the signature apple cookies left in our room, I was surprised to learn how affordable it is compared with other resorts. Premium deluxe rooms start from around £508 a night for a family of four, while Disneyland Paris was more than twice the price at the same time of year, for a similar room but without breakfast. I almost booked a return trip there and then.
The gift shop of dreams/Cosy bunk beds.
5. You can combine it with a city break in Amsterdam
My partner is a fair-weather theme-parker – a fan of the atmosphere, but not of the rides – so adding an overnight stay in ‘The Dam’, approximately an hour by train, broke up the trip and gave us time to do some sightseeing, too.
We stayed at nhow Amsterdam RAI, in the business district (double rooms from around £168 a night including breakfast), which felt less touristy than staying in the city centre. It has three gyms, two bars and also had jars of free gummy sweets in the lobby, which went down well with the kids (and us).
Chic nhow Amsterdam RAI hotel rooms.
6. The food is excellent
Perhaps the most surprising part of Efteling is the quality of food available in the park. Don’t get me wrong, chicken nuggets are still on the menu, but they’re freshly fried and served from ‘automatieks’ – hot-food vending machines that fascinated my daughters.
Around the park, the options were more varied than in Disneyland Paris, too – we enjoyed crispy karaage and dumplings with dipping sauces, build-your-own salads at marketplace-style Restaurant Kashba and local pastries such as bossche bollen: giant cream-filled, chocolate-covered choux buns.
For a more refined experience, the menu at Brasserie 7 in the Grand Hotel is packed with whimsy. Starters, mains and desserts incorporate seven ‘magical’ ingredients, including dragon’s breath, fairy dust and princess tears, each presented in little apothecary bottles and pinch bowls for you to add yourself. Cue gasps of excitement from my children and slightly concerned looks from me and my partner – we couldn’t imagine princess tears coming cheap. However, the real magic was revealed when our order of pan-fried sea bream fillet with saffron rice, fennel, ajo blanco and dill oil, alongside burgers, cocktails, soft drinks and a bowl of ice cream, came to under €150. Breakfast is served here, too, and included in the room rate. You can even start the day with a glass of Prosecco (if you ride the rollercoasters, you’ll need it!).
Golden vegetable dumplings/Giant cream-filled pastries/Grand eats at the Grand Hotel/DIY salad bowls to balance all the fries.
It’s easy to be enchanted by Efteling; there are bubbles with breakfast, dazzling water shows, a self-playing piano in the lobby and brilliantly inventive rides. Even Pardoes the Magic Jester, the park’s mascot, pops up around corners to make children giggle.
But perhaps the most enthralled visitor was my partner, who is already planning our return to stock up on that One Thousand And One Nights fragrance. Lasting memories created for young and old? Now that’s the real magic.
TOP TIP:
If you have small children who can’t keep up, you can hire cute wooden pulley carts for €5. They can be used around most – but not all – of the park, which is around 180 acres, so you might want to jump in for a ride yourself. Be careful, as unattended carts do go missing if you don’t keep an eye on them.
The girls stepping into the fun.