By Alaric 
Are you looking for all the best things to do in Efteling? Then you’ve come to the right place.
Efteling is the largest theme park in the Netherlands and a magical world that many call the ‘Dutch Disneyland’.
The park is surrounded by nature and has enchanting worlds to discover with fairytales, fantasy and wonder.
I visited Efteling for the first time last year and had an incredible time!
The lands, shows, restaurants and rides were all unique and there were even museums and characters to meet. It’s a fun day out for all the family.
Here are the most magical things to do in Efteling with some practical tips for your visit!
Best things to do in Efteling
There are honestly no bad rides or shows at Efteling and this is far from an exhaustive list.
But, I’m going to list out all of my favourite things I did here. I spent three nights and four days in the parks and visited for Winter Efteling.
So, although cold and a little rainy, I had lots of time to explore. Crowd levels were also super low and there were hardly any queues.
It may look a little different in busier periods like summer but it will still be a magical experience either way.
Let’s dive into all the things you shouldn’t miss at Efteling!
1. Visit Symbolica and the Hartenhof
As you head down Pardoes Promenade from the entrance gate you’ll arrive at a magical castle called Symbolica or the Hartenhof (Court of Hearts).
There is a ride inside where the mascot Pardoes sneaks honoured guests of King Pardulfus around forbidden parts of the palace.
As you enter the castle, there is a small show to welcome you and then you can choose from three queue lines; Treasure, Music or Heroes.
All of these choices take you on a slightly different journey but don’t worry too much as they are all great choices.
Plus, it’s fun to ride again to see different pieces of Symbolica you didn’t see last time.
During the ride, you’ll pass by a magical wizard, an enchanted greenhouse, the wine cellar and fly over the castle.
Finally, after your scenic route, you’ll visit the grand ballroom to meet King Pardulfus and his Court of Hearts.
It was easily one of my favourite rides at Efteling and one you cannot miss.
2. Dine at Polles Keuken
If you’re looking for the best restaurant at Efteling then book a table at Polles Kitchen.
Polles Keuken is an enchanting themed restaurant and immersive experience based on the Royal Kitchen of Symbolica.
It’s a place where kettles whistle, pans bubble and ladles are flying around the room amongst cakes and bakes.
You can try all sorts of pancakes on the menu which are the head chef Polles’ speciality.
All the seating is set around an enchanted stove piled high with desserts for the royal banquet table.
Every 15 minutes or so the stove spins around with music, door slamming and kettles whistling for a fun show!
You can enjoy both savoury and sweet pancakes here and it’s a great place to have dinner in the evening as it stays open after closing hours.
3. Meet Pardoes
Pardoes is the mascot of Efteling, he’s a jester and magician who comes from the planet of Symbolica.
He was introduced to the park in 1989 and even had his own show on Nickelodeon at one stage.
You can meet him in the dark ride of Symbolica but he also appears for character meet & greets throughout the day!
Although it’s one of the most popular things to do in Efteling with children, I saw many adults queueing to meet him too.
I met Pardoes in Hartenhof Square and was fully prepared for a long line after Disneyland Paris where I waited well over an hour for Mickey.
But, I was pleased to find that there was barely any queue. I think I waited no more than five minutes.
It was so lovely to hug Pardoes and take some lovely photos of us together! I was by myself but the staff were happy to help.
Always check the app for the location and times as they can change without notice.
4. Escape on Droomvlucht
One of my favourite things to do in Efteling is ride Droomvlucht or Dream Flight.
It’s a magical indoor dark ride where you can travel to enchanted lands of fairies, elves and trolls.
You’ll travel through a fairy forest, over magical castles, spin around troll dens and even fly over distant planets with twinkling stars.
It made me quite emotional at one point as the first part is exactly how I pictured fairy worlds in fantasy books I read as a child.
Beyond the theming and music being out of this world, the smell of this ride is so nice. You can even buy candles and oil diffusers with the scent.
The gift shop at the end is also charming and they sell lots of fairy-themed gifts.
5. Adventure to Fata Morgana
Another one of my favourite things to do in Efteling was to ride Fata Morgana. It’s set in an Arabian Palace with turquoise and gold domes
This is a dark boat ride that takes you on a journey to the Forbidden City from the world of 1001 Arabian Nights.
Your boat will travel through the jungle, Medina, prison, harbour, harem, Pasha’s Palace and finally a glittering Treasure Chamber.
For me, one of the best parts is the music which is so addictive and just keeps going around in your head long after you’ve left.
This is another ride where the scent is amazing. You can find candles and diffusers in their De Bazaar gift shop.
6. Stroll around the Fairytale Forest
A lot of visitors skip the Fairytale Forest on a visit to Efteling and I recommend not being one of those people.
It’s an enchanting area of the park where you can walk around the woods finding your favourite fairytales.
From Cinderella to Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Three Little Pigs, Little Match Girl and Pinocchio. They are all waiting for you here.
A lot of the attractions are walk-throughs with little shows but there are even some small rides to be found like The Six Swans.
Don’t forget to visit the Donkey. If you put a coin in the slot, he will lift his tail and gift you a gold coin (Efteling Dukaat) straight out of his bum!
You could honestly spend hours seeing everything. It’s a great option if it’s a busy day at the parks as you don’t have to queue for much in this area.
7. Papier Hier!
Even putting rubbish in the bin is a magical experience at Efteling.
As you wander around the park travelling through the different lands you may hear ‘Papier Hier!’ which means ‘Paper Here’.
When you comply and put your paper in the trash, the characters usually make a sound of chewing and being satisfied with your gift haha!
It’s a clever way to stop visitors being litterbugs and people of all ages love to watch.
My favourite Papier Hier is the one near the Dance Macabre in the graveyard.
It’s decorated like a tombstone and the monk sounds like a spooky ghost.
8. Get spooked on the Dance Macabre
The Dance Macabre is the newest ride at Efteling that is guaranteed to be a hauntingly good time.
The story goes that long ago on a Friday the 13th in 1876, an orchestra of the eccentric conductor Joseph Charlatan disappeared after a music competition.
After a performance of the Dance Macabre, they were all tragically devoured by a monstrous cat creature.
It’s set in a haunted abbey of the Huyverwoud Forest. You can sit in a choir stall and witness a ghostly spectacle of music, surprises, and turns.
It’s easily one of the best rides in the park and there’s a different journey on every choir stall. So, lots of people ride again and again.
This entire area has incredible spooky theming, food stalls, a gift shop and some shows as well.
It’s worth sticking around to see what you can discover!
9. Watch legends in action at Raveleijn
Another one of my favourite things to do in Efteling was to watch Raveleijn.
It’s an action-packed stunt show set in an open arena with heroes, dragons and special effects.
The story follows five valiant knights called by Queen Halina to save the city from the evil Count Olaf.
It was so spectacular and I couldn’t believe some of the stunts.
It’s a very popular show so I would get there around 15 minutes before show time to get a good seat.
If you love the world of Raveleijn, I recommend booking ‘Het Wapen van Raveleijn’ which is a medieval heroes dinner experience.
It’s not cheap but you get a three-hour programme where you can watch the show, meet your heroes, ride a horse and eat a banquet fit for royalty!
10. Ride Baron 1898
If you love adrenalin, you must ride Baron 1898. It’s a vertical drop or dive rollercoaster set in the 19th century.
If you’ve ever visited the Alton Towers Resort in the UK this is similar to Oblivion but with different theming.
Here, you join the greedy Baron Gustave Hooghmoed who has found a gold vein but it’s protected by the Witte Wieven (white woman).
Instead of facing these protective spirits, he hires people like you to face their wrath for him!
He will be on his balcony encouraging you to dig while the empty clothes of unsuccessful workers who came before are hanging above you.
On the coaster, you meet the Witte Wieven and they make you dive headfirst into the below. It’s guaranteed to make your hair stand on end!
11. Be amazed by Villa Volta
Villa Volta is a spinning house in Fairy Land where you can join Hugo the Goat Rider in his mansion.
Although it looks beautiful on the outside, you’ll soon feel something isn’t quite right inside.
Hugo tells you he hasn’t found peace and is cursed even in his home. It haunts, twists and turns for all time.
This ride is very similar to Hex at Alton Towers which is one of my favourite rides of all time so I was super excited for this one.
I won’t ruin the surprise for you but I can never get over how the design of this ride works. The illusion always blows my mind.
12. Flying Dutchman (Vliengende Hollander)
If you love a mix of incredible theming, history and adrenalin then the Vliengende Hollander is for you.
This translates to the Flying Dutchman and it’s a thrilling water coaster set in the Dutch Golden Age.
In the story, a greedy captain decided to set sail with his crew for gold and riches on Easter Sunday which was forbidden.
Now, the crew are cursed and doomed to sail forever on the seven seas.
The ride starts in a traditional 17th-century harbour with happy music and all seems fine when you first come aboard.
Then, you sail through a creepy boat graveyard and take off into a storm of the unknown.
I’m pretty sure my soul left my body at some point. I had no idea what was going to happen but it was quite shocking!
13. Visit the Efteling Museum
If you want to learn the history of Efteling and the creators that made the magic then you must visit the Efteling Museum.
It’s a treasure trove of artefacts, characters and collections from when the park first opened in 1952.
They have some great exhibitions of artists and designers such as Anton Pieck (1895-1987) who made the original sketches.
Plus, you can visit their Wonder Depot filled with Efteling paraphernalia.
Admission is completely free and is included with your entrance ticket to the park.
14. Enjoy Stoomcarrousel
Stoomcarrousel was another one of my favourite things to do in Efteling.
It’s an authentic 100-year-old carousel that feels like you’ve stepped back in time.
I don’t know what it is about them but I love a carousel ride, especially when there is organ music and you can pick your place.
There are ornate carriages to relax in and valiant horses to choose from as your steed.
But, I decided to go for the pig with a jester riding backwards. It was just so cute and everyone else ignored it. Not fair. It’s easily the coolest one there.
There’s also a coffee shop inside the carousel tent next to the ride you can enjoy. The interiors of this building are breathtaking.
15. Marvel at Diorama
Diorama is a miniature world to explore with castles, mountains and small villages.
You can watch trains ride through this model village, see residents going about their day and even watch the sky turn from day to night.
It’s an indoor attraction that doesn’t take long to visit and it’s a great option if you want to keep out of the rain.
16. Ride the Stoomtrein
One of the best things to do in Efteling is ride the Stoomtrein.
The Efteling Steam Train Company was founded in 1968 and they have three vintage trains. The oldest dates back to 1908.
You can take a relaxing train ride around the park over and over the lake waving at other guests as you go!
There are only two stations so it isn’t ideal to use it as transport to hop on and off around the park.
In winter, there was only one train running at a time. So, if you were unlucky with timing you could be waiting more than 20 minutes for a ride.
I suggest staying on the for the entire loop and having a panoramic tour of the different worlds of Efteling!
17. Meet Pardijn
Pardijn is another character I recommend meeting at Efteling. She is the princess of Symbolica and the Court of Hearts.
She is Pardoes’ close friend and they often go on adventures together as they both have free spirits.
In Winter Efteling, I was able to meet her in the village on her royal sled. She looked so pretty in her winter dress.
Again, there was hardly any queue and the staff were more than happy to help me take some lovely photos as a souvenir!
Always check the app for Meet & Greet times and locations as they may differ each day.
18. Joris en de Draak (George and the Dragon)
Joris en de Draak is a fabulous duel wooden rollercoaster based on the legend of St George.
You’ll choose from either a red dragon or blue dragon and you race each other around the track to see who wins at the end!
Both are great tracks but I preferred the blue a little more as you got to loop around a huge dragon statue on the way.
This was one of my favourite things to do in Efteling as I couldn’t stop laughing the whole time.
It was quite rickety with lots of dips and fast turns but it felt like you were flying you were going so fast.
19. Max & Moritz
Max & Moritz is another double roller coaster that’s a fun ride for all the family.
You’ll join two cuckoo clock makers who escape from their workshop and join them in one of their soapboxes.
You’ll choose from the Max or Moritz tracks and encounter a few tricks and surprises along the way.
Expect crazy music, twists and turns, whoopee cushions and fun explosions!
The best part about this ride is that if there is no queue, you can easily walk straight onto the other side of the station to try both journeys.
20. Relax on Gondoletta
If you want a little break from adrenalin rides or need to give your legs a much-needed rest, I recommend Gondoletta.
It’s a relaxing twenty-minute boat ride that takes you on a spin around the lake.
The boat is on a fixed path so you can’t steer. But, you’ll find mythical aquatic creatures, flowers, windmills and cute huts along the way.
For nature lovers, lots of real birds and wildlife call this place home. So, you can find ducks and swans as you sail through trees and under bridges.
This was my go-to ride when I needed a sit-down in the parks. As I visited in winter, I had the boat all to myself and it was so peaceful with harp music.
21. Fly with Vogelrok
Volgelrok is a thrilling dark rollercoaster based on the legend of Roc in the Voyages of Sinbad and 1001 Arabian Nights.
You’ll see a giant statue of the legendary bird outside and this coaster is meant to be a chaotic flight in his claws.
Did you know that this is also the largest bird in Europe according to Guinness World Records?
The ride is short but an adrenalin rush with loud music and you’ll twist and turn through the air!
22. Enjoy the views from Pagode
If you want to enjoy a birds-eye view over Efteling, I recommend taking a ride on Pagode.
It’s a floating pagoda temple that takes you high above the theme park and spins around, similar to an observatory tower.
The best time to ride would be around sunset when you can see the colours change in the sky.
Being up here really puts the size of Efteling into perspective, no wonder I was so tired every day after walking around haha.
23. Indulge in t’ Poffertjes
One of my favourite snacks in the Netherlands and a Dutch speciality is Poffertjes or mini pancakes.
So, I was over the moon to see that Efteling has an entire restaurant dedicated to these scrumptious snacks.
The restaurant is decorated to look like a traditional circus tent and there is indoor and outdoor seating to enjoy snacks and drinks.
You can see chefs cooking the Poffertjes in the open-plan kitchen so you know they are fresh from the pan!
They come served in sets of 15 pieces, 20 pieces or 25 pieces and are perfect for sharing.
I loved mine served with apple slices, caramel sauce and a generous sprinkling of icing sugar. I was positively stuffed!
24. Wrap up the day at Aquaruna
Aquaruna is a spectacular show to end your park visit and takes place around a lake lined with enchanted frogs.
In this colourful and vibrant water show you can listen to the Efteling Symphonica that takes you on a journey through Efteling.
You’ll hear the music from your favourite rides, including Dance Macabre, while the Beacons of Light ripple and jump to the beat.
I would arrive 15-20 minutes before the show starts to get a good view! I did this and got a place in the front row.
25. Visit for Winter Efteling
A truly special time to visit Efteling is in the winter season.
Unlike other theme parks, most of the rides stay open except for a few water rides for obvious reasons.
They decorate the entire park with cosy lights and decorations to make it even more magical.
As I visited on the build-up to Christmas ns there was a village area with a Christmas tree, faux snow, a skating rink and food stalls.
There are also lots of exclusive winter warmer drinks and snacks in honour of the season.
It runs from November to February and not only are crowd levels lower but prices are too!
Is Efteling worth visiting?
100% YES, Efteling is worth visiting in the Netherlands as it’s a magical theme park for all ages.
I wasn’t sure what to expect on my first visit but I absolutely fell in love with the place and now I’m planning on when I can go back again.
There is something here for everyone as it’s not all about rides. There are stunt shows, fairytale forests, boat rides and themed restaurants.
Make sure to add the enchanting world of Efteling to your theme park bucket list.
Do they speak English at Efteling?
Yes, the staff speak both Dutch and English at Efteling and there are signs in both languages too. I also heard some German and French.
The park app and the website are also in English so you can find your way around the rides, restaurants and facilities easily.
But, most of the commentary for rides is going to be in Dutch (obviously).
As some examples, Symbolica has a mix of English and Dutch but the Baron 1898 and Villa Volta do not.
I didn’t feel that the difference in language limited my experience in any way as most of the rides were magical with music, a universal language.
Plus, I was fully prepared for Dutch at a Dutch theme park (duh). Learning a few phrases of the language and pairing them with a smile goes a long way.
I recommend downloading the Efteling app as it has a handy map and information on attractions in many languages.
How many days in Efteling are enough?
To get the best out of your visit to Efteling, I would recommend at least 2 or 3 days.
You could spend just a day at the park but I think it would be too much of a rush.
This is especially important if you visit in busy periods like summer when there are long queues.
The park has lots of accommodation packages which include a room, buffet breakfast, park tickets, early park entry and extra benefits.
I got a great deal of 3 nights and 4 days at the park with a 25% discount offer for Winter Efteling.
It cost me around €500 which, to put it into perspective, was less than what I paid for one night at a Disneyland Paris hotel.
Although the weather was cold and sometimes wet, I didn’t queue for more than 10 minutes for any ride the whole time!
Sometimes I could walk on rides and just keep riding them until I wanted to get off. So, don’t discount a visit in the off-season.
Where to stay at Efteling Resort
I booked the Efteling Hotel right next to the park as it was my first visit to Efteling.
It’s a five-minute walk to a special entry gate reserved exclusively for guests.
The best part about staying here is you get early park entry similar to Extra Magic Time.
This means you get inside 30 minutes before the regular opening. So, you can get a few rides in without queues.
The entire hotel is magical with spacious rooms, a huge buffet breakfast, a restaurant, a bar and a gift shop.
There’s also a chance to meet your favourite characters like Pardoes, the red knight from Raveleijn and Little Red Riding Hood on exclusive meet & greets.
The location is very convenient and I loved the shorter walk after a long day of walking around the park!
How to travel to Efteling from the UK
Efteling is based in Kaatsheuvel the Netherlands near Belgium and there are lots of ways to travel there.
If you have a car, you can cross from Dover to Calais via the Eurotunnel LeShuttle and drive to Kaatsheuvel.
If you’re not driving, I recommend taking the Eurostar to Amsterdam Centraal. Then you get a direct NS train which takes around an hour.
You could also take a flight to Amsterdam Schipol Airport and take the train to Kaatsheuvel from there.
Another alternative is flying into Eindhoven and buses can take you to the parks.
I travelled from Brussels Midi Station in Belgium to Efteling after my trip around the country.
It meant booking an international train and I had two connections but it was easy in the end! There’s also a direct FlixBus a few times a week.
Kaatsheuvel Station has regular bus connections that can drop you near the Efteling Hotel and Efteling Park Entrance.
There are also complimentary bookable transfers through Efteling Resort for the Bosrijk or Loonsche Land accommodations.
Read more of my Netherlands guides
Is the I Amsterdam Card Worth it?
25+ Hidden Gems and Secrets Spots in Amsterdam
Discover the secret Cuypers Library in Rijksmuseum
25+ Things to do in Haarlem that make it worth visiting
The magical Amsterdam City Archive
How to visit the majestic Muiderslot Castle
Visit Zevenlandenhuizen (Seven Country Houses)
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