FAQ

"Whats happening?" "Whats happening with the stairs?"

For the Efteling's official FAQ please check their website here.
Below is a list of some of the most frequently asked questions we've come across and we've answered to the best of our ability.
Please note these things are subject to change. 

If you have any questions you can contact us.

General

Q: How do I get to the Efteling?

A: There are various options for reaching Efteling by public transport, depending on your starting point.
Various routes and options are outlined on this page

Q: How do I get from Schiphol/Amsterdam to Efteling via public transport?

A: Train + train + bus OR Flixbus direct OR taxi transfer.
Scroll down to the bottom of this page for photographs of a typical journey

Q: Will there be enough for a - insert age here - to do?

A: The Efteling is a park that appeals to a wide range of people.
There is plenty to do for all ages and people of all ages find things to love but no two people are the same. You know your people's likes and dislikes best so only you will be able to say if this particular park has enough things they will enjoy
Take a look at the attractions page. There is information, video’s and photo’s for each one which should help you to make your own assessment.
In the end it's an amusement park. Its only purpose is to entertain.

Q: What rides are suitable for what ages?

A: The ride restrictions are height based, not age based.
For most rides you will only need someone who is over 16 years old to accompany you if you are under a certain height.
There is an overview here for the access restrictions for each ride.
The requirements are also shown in the app and on the Efteling's website under each attraction.
Companion or no companion you must be over a certain height to ride the following attractions:

Hoogmoed (Hubris) - must be over 90cm / 2ft 11

Max & Moritz - must be over 100cm / 3ft 3

Joris En De Draak (George And The Dragon) - must be over 110cm / 3ft 7

Dance Macabre - must be over 120cm / 3ft 11
Vogelrok (Bird Roc) - must be over 120cm / 3ft 11
Python - must be over 120cm / 3ft 11
De Vliegende Hollander (The Flying Dutchman) - must be over 120cm / 3ft 11

Baron 1898 - must be over 132cm / 4ft 3

Every person has different sensibilities so you will need to make your own assessment.

Q: My child is sensitive and doesn't do well with scary. What should we avoid?

A: In the fairy tale forest you may want to skip snow white's castle as the mirror can be pretty scary
There's a specifically spooky area around Dance Macabre.
Villa Volta as well is meant to be a bit scary.

Apart from that it'll be up to individual sensibilities.
Fata Morgana has some intimidating scenes which can be scary to some but not others.
Vogel Rok is a rollercoaster in the dark. At one point you go through a snake’s mouth which can be scary but it goes by so fast you may not even notice.
Baron has a short ghost scene and a big scary drop.
The Flying Dutchmanhas a dark storm scene that can be scary.
If you have a fear of clowns then the Toddlers Garden may not be for you.
Python has loops so you end up upside down a few times which some people dislike.
Halve Maen can be 50/50 some kids love it (it goes very high) some kids find it terrifying.
If you're not sure but you want to try it I would suggest sitting as close to the middle as you can as it won’t go quite as high.

Some people find the Laaf people scary or even the animatronics in the fairy tale forest though they aren't meant to be.
Take a look at the attractions page. There is information, videos and photos for each one which should help you to make your own assessment.

Q: How do I apply for a fastpass?

A: The Efteling doesn't have any queue skip passes like the fastpass.
Some rides like Dance Macabre have a virtual queue which is free for anyone to use however this is not always available.
If you have a disability which prevents you from being able to use the regular queue you can apply for a facility card which allows you to queue somewhere other than the main queue however it is not any faster than the main queue and can even be slower.

Q: My child has ADHD / Autism will the facility card be helpful?

A: Though the facility card is not a fastpass it can still be helpful as it allows you to wait in an alternative queue.
This video explains all about it.
To some it’s preferable to use the standard queue when the queue times are low.
You can check these queue times in the Efteling app.
Dance Macabre has a virtual queue which may be of help.
Droomvlucht also sometimes has a virtual queue in summer.

Staff are trained to recognise and be considerate of those wearing the sunflower lanyard.
For those who have trouble communicating they can pick up a pointer card from guest services.
The park also has special rest and relaxation rooms for those that need a break.
As a nature park the park also has pockets of quiet areas.

Q: I'm a size - insert size here - will I have any issues fitting into the rides?

A: Every body's body is different so unfortunately it's a matter of trial and error.
To this end there are currently three attractions which have a test seat.
Baron
Dance Macabre
George & The Dragon

Q: What can I go on with a - insert number here - month old?

A: As long as the baby can sit upright on its own without falling over they can ride with you on some things like Symbolica, Droomvlucht, Fata Morgana, Pagode, Gondoletta, De Oude Tuffer and Laaf Monorail.
If they can sit up on their own and are able to walk on their own they can even go on Halve Maen and Pirana (sitting on your lap).
Babies who can’t sit up independently can be carried onto the merry go arounds, the Steamtrain and even Carnaval Festival.
They can also watch the shows and enjoy the Diorama, the Fairy Tale Forest and Laaf Village.

If you wish to ride without the baby the Efteling does have a baby switch system you can use.

Q: I'm going to the Efteling soon, what tips can you give me?

A: All of the tips listed on this page.

Q: How many days do you recommend to spend at the Efteling? Is one day enough?

A: How many days you need depends on how you like to do things.
You can enter some of the park an hour early which gives you access to one of the gift shops and some food places but none of the rides.

- only those who stay at Efteling owned accommodation are allowed early access to some rides 30 min before the park officially opens.

Whether or not you can get the park done in a day depends on a lot of factors like which attractions you most want to do.
If all you're interested in are the thrill rides then one day could be plenty. If you’re interested in doing more then there are other factors to consider.

For instance to do the whole fairy tale forest from start to finish can take hours but it's also what makes the Efteling special so it’s worth considering.
Magicaluna, Fabula and Gondoletta take about 20 minutes each so beware.
And though CARO is a very special theatre show, it does take 70 minutes out of your day.

Do you like to take your time, sleep in and still see and do absolutely everything, try all the food places, photograph everything, then even 5 days may not even be quite enough.

Going on a day that’s likely to be busy may mean you need more days to catch up on what you missed.
Similarly the peak seasons have longer opening hours than other seasons.
Which means more time to see things but also more things to see with the summer and winter events.

It also tends to be busier.
In the spring and autumn more things may be in maintenance so there’s a higher chance of missing out but it’s more likely to be quiet.

The Efteling is a nature park so spring can have beautiful spring flowers such as tulips and autumn can have beautiful autumn foliage depending on your timing.

Note that in spring and early autumn you won't be able to see Aquanura in the dark as the park usually shuts before sunset.

If the weather is terrible it’s also less likely to be busy.

You may also find it helpful to take a look at the list of food places before you go to get an idea of where you might like to eat.
Though it would save time to eat on the go.

Something is better than nothing and you can always come back another time and stay longer.

Q: When is the best time to go to the Efteling?

A: It depends on how you want to experience the park.

In the summer and winter they have longer opening hours than other seasons.

Which means more time to see things but also more things to see with the summer and winter events.

It also tends to be busier.
In the spring and autumn more things may be in maintenance so there’s a higher chance of missing out but it’s more likely to be quiet.

The Efteling is a nature park so spring can have beautiful spring flowers such as tulips and autumn can have beautiful autumn foliage depending on your timing.
Note that in spring and early autumn you may not be able to see Aquanura in the dark as the park usually shuts before sunset.

Q: How do I find out more about the Efteling’s characters ?

A: This page has profiles on many of the characters.

There are also a handful of Fairy Tale Tree cartoon episodes in English you could watch on Youtube.

Fan-subbed episodes of the Pardoes show and the Raveleijn show are also available on Youtube.
There's a lot more available to watch on YouTube but it is all in Dutch. Toddlers seem to like to watch Jokie & Jet regardless.

Other than that there's short stories here

There's also this translation booklet here.

But you're probably best just reading a lot of Grimm stories. That's where most of them are from.
There's a list here of the fairy tales and where they are from.

Q: What should I bring for a day in the park?

A: Dress for an adventure! Comfortable walking shoes, windproof, waterproof clothing and layers will help make weather changes less of an issue and it will also help you enjoy wet rides like Pirana. You may also want to carry a dry pair of socks just in case.​
Here is a list of suggestions:

- A spare dry pair of socks in case you meet an unfriendly puddle
- Good walking shoes
- Waterproof jacket
- Blister plasters
- Any medicine that might come in handy like paracetamol
- Sunscreen
- Mosquito repellent
- Sunglasses
- Ginger sweets & crackers for nausea
- Snacks
- Tissues
- Wet wipes
- Antibac hand gel
- Travel wash
- Plasters
- Lip balm
- Phone power bank
- EU Power adapter plug
- Reusable water bottle
- Tea bags if you favor a particular kind or brand
- A bicycle lock for the pram or pull carts
- Something to carry extra layers of clothing in that may or may not be required
- Maybe a print off of the translation booklet

Q: How English friendly is the park?

A: It's very English friendly but this website can help with most things that aren't translated.

The food is listed here.

Though the places that have menus written up usually have an English version available and even on the smaller kiosks they often have an English translation alongside.
There are translations for the stories and things that are spoken in Dutch audio here.

And also all over the site.

There is also a live translation feature available in the Efteling App.
The fairy tales in the Fairy Tale Forest have books next to them with a summary of the story in English similar to the ones written up on their website here.

Much of the staff can speak excellent English, look for the union jack on their name badge.
The Efteling also sells an English version of two of their fairy tale books.

Q: Where can I charge my phone?

A: There's a table at Kashba that has plug sockets down the middle of it and at Backerij Krumel there's a counter in the back with sockets.
At the Station De Oost in De Rustende Reiziger toward the back there are some wall sockets.
There's also one or two covered ones at the Carousel palace and several in Het Witte Paard mainly along the outside walls.

Note these are all EU sockets so you will need a plug adaptor.

Q: Will - insert attraction here - be down when we go?

A: Mostly when a ride goes down it’s for planned maintenance which is announced ahead of time on the Efteling’s website here.

Some rides can go down temporarily due to extreme weather like high winds or storm weather or extreme cold.
Rides sensitive to this are marked in the app.
(Baron, Joris en de draak, De Vliegende Hollander, Python, Laaf monorail) They can open up again on the same day if weather conditions improve.
Max & Moritz tends to go down in extreme heat and De Oude Tuffer struggles in autumn due to leaves on the track.
If a ride goes down due to a malfunction it will be mentioned in the Efteling app and it will open again as soon as possible.

Q: What's the weather like?

A: The weather is the same as in the UK so expect anything.
I recommend layers and waterproof, breathable clothing.

Q: Does the Efteling do anything special for - insert holiday here -?

A: The Efteling doesn't really do holidays.
They decorate, put on extra entertainment and special snacks for the summer and winter. They do a New Years Eve event.
But they don't do anything for Easter, Xmas, Halloween etc.

Q: We've booked a trip to the Efteling and I want to do a surprise reveal for the kids. Any ideas?

A: There's the printable wrapping for tickets available from the Efteling’s website.

You could have a personalised video sent to you and play it.
Sometimes when you book a stay with Efteling owned accommodation they will send you something like it automatically.

You could find an Efteling photo (check the copyrights) and have it printed onto a jigsaw at your local photo print place. If they assemble it blind it could work as a slow reveal.
Similarly you could put a photo in a snow globe and have the snow or glitter reveal the picture (especially if it's for a visit Winter Efteling).

If you want other gifts to be a part of the reveal it can be difficult to find true Efteling items in the UK so unless you get lucky on a second hand website you might want to make your own.

If you're good at crochet you could try making a Jokie doll or get creative with making small adjustments to other patterns.

You could make your own Efteling inspired boardgame using Game Of Goose as a base.

Or just get anything that reminds you of fairy tales or other things about the Efteling.

Many people would like to present a storybook.
As you can't buy the Efteling fairy tale books in English outside of the park, you could have a go at making your own storybook based on the Efteling's stories.
You could even include some colouring pages. Or get a good Grimm book which covers many but not all of the stories.

Q: Is the photopass worth buying?

A: If you're planning on doing most of the main rides the photopass is pretty good value.
It's also fun if it's someone's first time as it makes for a nice memory.

Q: Where can I find the coin pooping donkey and the chicken that lays the gold eggs?

A: The donkey is in the main square in the Fairy Tale Forest.
The 3 gacha machines ( stone hen, duck and smithy) are in the bit with all the merry go arounds (Anton Pieck square).
The Smithy is built into the wall next to the ice cream parlour (Ijssalon De Suykerbuyk) , the hen is in the small building next Het Hoorn Des Overvloeds, the duck is in the small building next to the Vermolen Molen.

Q: I regret not buying - insert item here - when I was there. Does the Efteling have a webshop?

A: No, Efteling no longer has a web shop.
If you can find someone who's going on a trip soon you may be able to sweet talk them into bringing the item back for you but there are no personal shoppers or anything like that. The Efteling discourages such practices.
If you're very lucky you can find items second hand online or sometimes even in charity shops.

Q: Where can I buy the Efteling Fairy tale book in English?

A: De Marskramer usually has it, Efteldingen sells it as well but they sell out more often.
Jokies Wereld also sells it. The Bosrijk shop also often has a few.

Q: Can you hire pushchairs?

A: You can rent old fashioned pull carts at the Efteling.
Make sure to bring a bicycle lock with you so you can secure it when you're not using it.
Many incorrectly assume that these are free to just pick up and use.

Q: Can I bring my own wagon/trolley/pushchair into the park?

A: Yes, it's very common.

Q: Is there a designated area to leave the pushchairs?

A: At some attractions and restaurants there is a designated area for pushchairs but not all.

Q: Do I need cash for anything?

A: The lockers at the Bosrijk pool need a coin but otherwise cash is not necessary.

Q: Can I use cash if I want to?

A: Usually, yes

Q: What is there to do after the park closes?

A: Some of the restaurants in the park stay open past closing time.
Usually Polle's Keuken, Fabula Wereldkeuken, Pinokkio’s & Het Wapen van Raveleijn.
There is a filter in the Efteling app for ‘Open after park closing’on the Food & Drink tab.
And there's also the Hotel restaurants.
Each one has a bar counter you could drink at if that’s something you enjoy.

The Efteling has their own theatre with the CARO theatre show.

If you stay at Bosrijk or the Efteling Wonder Hotel there is Bosrijk's pool to enjoy. The Efteling Grand Hotel has its own pool, they also have spa facilities so you could book a massage if you're staying there.

The rooms at Bosrijk and some of the ones at The Efteling Wonder Hotel have a special little board game in them that you could play
Or go for a walk in nature.

Or a bike ride, reception may be able to arrange some bikes for you.
There is a massive naturereserve close by called De Loonse en Drunense Duinen.
There is a Mr Sandman themed app you can play in the Bosrijk grounds called Mr Sandman's Quest. And at Loonsche Land you can borrow a nature box to play with.
Both the Bosrijk grounds and the Loonsche Land grounds have play equipment outside.
Mr Sandman tells stories at Bosrijk.
There's the little animal pen at Loonsche Land where you can look at the animals.

Juul Verreweg sings at the Efteling Wonder Hotel.

You could also browse the local supermarkets.
There's the Albert Heijn or the Jumbo.
But there is also a Lidl and Aldi nearby.

Or just watch TV, read a book, enjoy a warm bath or a hot shower. Plan out the next day. Have a cup of tea. Relaaax.

If you're curious about the park or are wondering what some of the Dutch meant in the fairy tale forest or some of the pre shows of the rides you can find translations here.

Q: Is there anything else to do nearby?

A:- Efteling Theatre CARO show
- Golf park De Loonsche Duinen - Horseriding at the manege Duikse Hoef
- Experience Island beachy swimming lake
- Loonsche Druinse Duinen Nature reserve
- Kaatsheuvel Village & shops
- Beekse Bergen zoo.
- Waalwijk Escape Room
​- Tilburg city & shops
- 's-Hertogenbosch medieval city
​- Camel Farm camel milking & riding

Tickets

Q: When will tickets for - insert date here - become available?

A: Tickets and opening hours for the first half of the year are usually released in November/December.
Tickets and opening hours for the second half of the year are often released in July.

Q: Do they ever do discounts on tickets?

A: The only discounts I'm aware of are the:
€2 disability discount
The birthday discount.
The last minute deals for overnight stays
The early booking discount related to overnight stays.
The return discount related to overnight stays.
NS does a bit of a deal on day tickets.
Though that doesn't help if you were planning on driving.
Also local supermarkets like Jumbo & Albert Heijn do point saving things to get discounted tickets from time to time and Kruidvat sometimes do discounted tickets but that doesn't help us in the UK.
And finally a Blackpool Pleasure Beach season pass gets you a free ticket to the Efteling.

Q: Can I buy tickets on the day or will they sell out?

A: You can buy tickets on the day, they rarely sell out.
But to avoid queueing at the ticket machines or guest services it’s best to buy online if you can.

Q:Can I buy multiday tickets?

A: No.

Accommodation

Q: Which accommodation is best?

A: It depends on your needs and personal preferences.
This page goes into great detail on the differences between the Efteling's accommodations and so may be of help.

Q: When will - insert date here - become available for booking?

A: Bookings for Xmas, NYE and the next year open up in May usually.
You can sign up to be notified here.

Q: I don't see any availability for my dates. Is it fully booked?

A: The self catering houses tend to have set arrival dates Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
When arriving on Monday you can stay 2 or 4 nights.
When arriving on Wednesday you can stay for 2 nights.
When arriving on Friday you can stay for 3 nights.
This may vary for special offers.
Otherwise it could be an issue with the website or the occupancy you've selected.
Contact Efteling to be sure.

Q: Do they ever do discounts on accommodation?

A: They do do ‘up to 25% off’ offers sometimes though not every year and not at the same time of year.
But consistently there's only the ‘up to 25% return offer discount’.
the up to ’up to 15% early booking discount’.
Or the ’last minute discount’.

Q: How do I share my booking with the rest of my companions?

A: Some 8 days before your arrival date you'll get an email to complete your digital check in. The option to share becomes available then.

Q: I've booked a stay at Efteling accommodation when do I get my tickets?

A: Some 8 days before your arrival date you'll get an email to complete your digital check in. The tickets become available in your account and in the app then.

Q: I’m staying at - insert Efteling accommodation here - can I park at the main car park or do I have to go to the accommodation car park?

A: You can park at either, however I recommend parking at the accommodation car park to avoid queuing behind day visitors on entry and exit.
Also depending on which parking zone you’re directed to, you may end up further away from the park than if you had parked at the accommodation car park.

Q: Can I leave my luggage somewhere before heading into the park?

A: Yes you can leave your luggage with the service building near the entrance to the park or with reception of the accommodation you are staying at. Each accommodation has a secure area for luggage storage.

Q: Do I need a plug adapter?

A: Yes. The sockets at the park and the accommodations are all EU sockets. There are no USB sockets.

Q: I've booked a stay at - insert hotel here - does this come with pool access?

A: The Efteling Wonder Hotel and Bosrijk come with access to Bosrijk's pool and the Efteling Grand Hotel has its own pool. A stay at Loonsche Land does not come with pool access.

Q: Does the pizza delivery service deliver to the hotel?

A: The Bosrijk pizza delivery service delivers to all of Bosrijk and Loonsche Land including their hotels but it does not deliver to The Efteling Wonder Hotel or the Efteling Grand Hotel. They each have their own room service system.

Q: Does my accommodation have a kettle?

A: The Efteling’s booking pages have the amenities listed.
At the moment all accommodations (except the standard Loonsche Land Comfort rooms) come with coffee & tea making facilities.
For hotel type rooms this is usually a Nespresso machine which can also provide hot water In the self catering accommodations a Nespresso machine as well as a kettle is usually provided.

Q: I’m staying in room -insert room number- of the Grand Hotel. What will my view be?

A: This page has a floorplan of the Grand Hotel and a spreadsheet with information regarding each room number.

Q: I've booked but can no longer go. What are my options?

A: Make sure to read the T&C's for your accommodation type before contacting the Efteling directly as this will help to manage your expectations.
Depending on your accommodation type you may be able to move your dates.
For hotel’s if the arrival date is far enough away you may be able to cancel without a cancellation fee. Though there may be an admin fee
For the self catering houses there is usually a cancellation fee regardless.
If you don’t wish to move or cancel you may be able to transfer the booking to someone else.
Contact the Efteling directly to find out what is possible for your booking.
If you don’t wish to call, try contacting them using the email you received your booking confirmation from.

Q: I've entered the park during early entry but I've come up against big gates and can't get to any rides. Where did I go wrong?

A: After you emerge from the Efteling Grand Hotel arcade arch, turn right before the level train crossing.
There should be some staff who will scan your ticket to verify you're an accommodation guest.
You then take the route past the Aquanura pond to Fata Morgana and cross over the train tracks to gain access to the other early access rides.

Q: What rides should I head to first during early entry?

A: Whichever ones look good to you. Droomvlucht, Dance Macabre & Baron can get long queue times during the day.

Food

Q: What kind of food do they have in the Efteling?

A: You can see what kind of things they have here:

Q: How do I make a reservation for - insert restaurant here -?

A: Of the restaurants only Pinnokio's and Polle's Keuken can be booked.
Outside the park there are also the Hotel restaurants which you can book online though hotel guests do get priority they are also open to the public. You can book the hotel restaurants using the links below:
Loonsche Land - Proeftuyn.
Bosrijk - Eethuys.
Grand Hotel - Mystique.
Grand Hotel - Brasserie 7.
Wonder Hotel - Saga.

Q: Is the food in the park expensive?

A: This site lists the food prices.
Though it's not always up to date it can still give you an idea.

Q: Is there a supermarket nearby?

A: Bosrijk has a little shop that sells some of the necessities.
In terms of big supermarkets there's an Albert Heijn or the Jumbo their websites should also give you an idea of prices.
But there is also a Lidl and Aldi nearby

Q: Can you bring your own food into the park?

A: Yes

Q: I and/or my child has a food allergy. Can they find anything to eat at the park?

A: This page tells you how the Efteling handles allergens.

Q: Where can I find Halal food at the park?

A: De Brutale Aap, Oase & Het Witte Paard.

Q: Are there plenty of vegetarian options available?

A: There is a good range of vegetarian options.
Most places will do a mozzarella and tomato salad or mozzarella and tomato panini.
There's cream cheese baguettes and baguettes with other fillings.
At the White Horse they will make them fresh so if you don't like something (like ham) they can leave it out.
Casa Caracol usually has a vegetarian wrap.
​Toko pagode makes a nice Thai yellow curry with tofu.
Burger Backerij (Burger Bakery) attached to the Steenbok does a no meat burger, so does Het Witte Paard.
From the food dispensers there's kaaskroket which is melted cheese with a crispy coating or a bami schijf.
​They sell chips everywhere which are veggie.
De Likkebaerd makes a veggie burger.
Fabula Wereldkeuken has several vegan food options.
De Smaekmaker does a vegan hot dog.
Do be careful of the soups, usually the only veggie one is the tomato. They like to put meat in most soups.

Q: Are there any vegan options available?

A: Yes. Check this page for more information.