We were thrilled to be invited to visit Efteling in the Netherlands, and I can’t wait to share all the details with you. We took the National Express coach from London Victoria to Stansted Airport, which cost around £37 in total for a return ticket.
Our flights, booked through Skyscanner, were with Ryanair and cost £48 per person for a return trip, with only hand luggage. We flew from Stansted Airport to Eindhoven, which I found to be closer to Efteling than Schiphol Airport based on my research. The flight was only 45 minutes there and back.
Although public transport would have been cheaper, it was also slower, and we wanted to reach Efteling as quickly as possible. At the taxi stand outside the airport, we were quoted €150, which was too steep. Thankfully, Uber came to the rescue, costing €88 (around £75.47). While not the cheapest option, it was definitely better than €150. For those interested in using public transport, I recommend apps like Citymapper or Apple Maps to plan the journey efficiently. Efteling from Eindhoven airport is around 30 minutes by car.
We were truly amazed by Efteling, and I genuinely believe it’s one of the best theme parks we’ve ever visited. If you’re not familiar with Efteling, let me tell you a bit about it. It’s a fantasy-themed park in the Netherlands, with attractions inspired by myths, legends, fairytales, fables, and folklore. It’s the largest theme park in the Netherlands and a fantastic place to take your children, with rides suitable for all ages and heights.
The very first ride we went on was called Symbolica: Palace of Fantasy, and it set the standard right away. We were awestruck, and my daughter declared it her favourite ride of all time. There are many other fantastic rides and attractions. I was pleasantly surprised to find my daughter tall enough for many of the roller coasters. Both of us are thrill-seekers, so it was an incredibly fun experience. For those of you considering bringing smaller children, you’ll be happy to know there are plenty of activities for them too, from playgrounds to the magical fairytale forest, and lots of rides suitable for younger kids. If you’re unsure, measure your child before booking and check the “attractions” section of their website to see what’s available for their height.
One of the best things you can do before visiting is downloading the Efteling app. It functions as an interactive map while you’re there and includes a fantastic feature that notifies you (which you can set up yourself) when a ride you want to go on has a waiting time of less than 30, 20, or 10 minutes. I thought this was brilliant and believe more theme parks should offer this feature. The app also works as a digital key if you’re staying at one of their accommodations, which I’ll discuss further down.
If you’ve been following us on social media for a while, you’ll know that I’m usually not a fan of theme park food. It’s often quite terrible, no matter where you go. However, I have to say the food we tried at Efteling (though we didn’t try everything) was pretty good. We had kebab, which was super delicious—even our picky eater loved it. It was also halal, for anyone wondering. We had the regular nuggets and chips that you find at every theme park, and they were good. We also ate at their magical pancake restaurant. I wasn’t a fan of this one, but my daughter loved it and ended up eating my pancake too. Food is definitely on the pricey side, but that’s to be expected at any theme park.
Okay, let’s talk accommodation. There are currently four different types available at Efteling. We stayed at Efteling Loonsche Land holiday village, which is perfect for families who love nature. It’s about a 15-minute walk from Efteling, offers free parking for guests, and provides a free shuttle bus service to and from the theme park. Note that the shuttles are quite small, fitting up to eight people. We stayed in one of their six-person holiday homes.
Our accommodation was well-equipped, featuring a vacuum, dust brush, highchair, bin, stove, kettle, coffee maker, cups and plates, dishwasher, cutlery, oven, fridge, dining table, TV, beanbag, sofa, shower, toilet, two bedrooms (one with a bunk bed and two single beds, and the other with two single beds), and outdoor tables and chairs.
Outside the accommodation, there are various playgrounds that adventurous children will love, as well as a small animal pen. For food, you can eat at the hotel restaurant, which is a short walk away, bring your own food to cook with the provided facilities, or order food to be delivered to your accommodation using a touchscreen system in the hotel. This system also allows you to order breakfast if you don’t feel like making it yourself.
On the first evening, we used this service and ordered nuggets, pizza, and drinks, which cost around €30. It was a bit pricey for what it was, but the convenience was appreciated, especially since we didn’t have a car.
I thought Efteling was a fantastic and magical theme park, the most enchanting one we’ve visited so far. However, there were a few aspects I didn’t enjoy. Making your own beds after a long day of travel or time at the park isn’t ideal, especially when you’re tired. Plus, I’m just lazy! Haha.
You need to book a reservation at their restaurant for an evening meal. I dislike making reservations in general because plans can change.
The specific accommodation we stayed in, while absolutely lovely, isn’t ideal if you don’t have a car. On our first night, there was torrential rain, making it impossible to explore on foot without getting drenched. We had plans to walk to the nearest Lidl, which was about a 30-minute walk or a whopping €20 via Uber for a simple 8-minute drive. Without a car and unable to face walking that long in the rain, our only choice was to have food delivered. As I mentioned earlier, it wasn’t a cheap meal.
I would absolutely say that the positives 100% outweigh the parts I didn’t like, and I would book a trip back to Efteling in a heartbeat! In terms of accommodation, I cannot tell you the exact price, as it depends on your party size and dates. For just theme park tickets, you’ll be happy to know that children under 4 are free but will need ID—having passports on you should cover this. Everyone aged 4 and up pays the same price, and from a quick look at their website, tickets can range from €44 to €51. I also saw on GetYourGuide that you can get a round trip transfer from Amsterdam, including a ticket, starting at just £68.58. It might be worth looking into that option as well.
If you are unable to join the regular queues due to a disability, you can apply for a facility card. This card is linked to your account and can be accessed through the Efteling app. To apply for a facility card, you need to visit their website and follow the application process.
I believe I’ve covered just about everything. If you guys have any more questions, please feel free to ask in the comments below.
