I took my children to the Dutch theme park that's a quieter, cheaper alternative to Disneyland Paris – and they preferred it

Independent

28-04-2025

As my eight-year-old tore across a sun-dappled clearing in the forest, his eyes locked on a golden coin that had just flown out of a donkey statue's bottom, my daughter and I were doubled over in hysterics.
'Mum, this is the best weekend I've ever had in my whole life!' he gushed, brandishing his loot like pirate treasure.
It wasn't about the coin, distinctly plastic-looking, easily obtainable by anyone who taps their card on the donkey for a modest fee of 50 cents. It was about shared escapism and moments that pushed our imagination to the limit. Moments we had in abundance during our 72 hours in Efteling.
Take eating pancakes, for example. In most theme parks, you queue, order, and eat. But in Efteling's Polle's Keuken restaurant, the experience unfolds like a scene from a storybook. Plates spin through the air, waiters weave theatrically between tables, and your steaming stack arrives as if by magic.
Given the enchanted setting, I braced myself when the menu arrived. Would I be sipping tap water while my children feasted? But as my eyes skimmed the prices – €10 (£8.56) for most dishes – I exhaled. I could enjoy my meal without money anxiety gnawing at me.
We are a family of theme park aficionados. We've visited Disneyland Paris, Alton Towers, Chessington World of Adventure, Legoland, and Drayton Manor, usually with my two younger children, and my husband in tow to manage the chaos.
While I adore the adrenaline rush, the elaborate shows, and the feeling of stepping into another world, I usually find myself in an invisible brace position when it comes to spending.
At Disneyland Paris, a snack costs €10 (£8.56), a bottle of water is practically gold-dusted, and Mickey Mouse ears require a small mortgage. The more children we take, the more expensive it gets.
At Efteling, indulgence doesn't come with a stomach-churning price tag. A warm, gooey stroopwafel, fresh from the iron, costs just €3 (£2.57). My son opted for one covered in chocolate and toffee squares, which was €4.25 (£3.64). A huge shareable stick of candy floss was €2 (£1.71). Our favourite light lunch? A spiralled potato crisp on a stick with a light paprika dusting – crunchy, golden, and filling, for a mere €5 (£4.28).
And it's not just about the food. Efteling is pure fairytale magic. The park opened in 1953, three years before Disneyland, California; it feels like the original blueprint for what Disney later commercialised. At Efteling, enchantment is woven into every detail, from the talking waste bins (a chubby Hansel who sings when fed) to the dreamlike Droomvlucht ride, where unicorns, elves, and fairies float past in the twilight.
Efelting's Fairytale Forest is a wonderland of toadstool hideaways and storytelling trees, bringing beloved tales like Pinocchio and Snow White to life in Dutch, German, and English. And like Disney, Efteling has roaming characters. But here's the difference: no lines, no hefty fees – just spontaneous, magical encounters.
If you've ever tackled Disneyland, you'll know that navigating the park requires military precision. Character meet-and-greets involve pre-booking or hour-long queues. At Efteling, even at the height of summer, we never queued for meet and greets or waited more than 30 minutes for a ride. And without a pressure-cooker list of must-dos like Space Mountain at Disney and Oblivion at Alton Towers, as visitors, you meander, discovering attractions organically rather than stampeding towards them.
That doesn't mean that Efelting has less of a thrill. We find all the rides spellbinding. Symbolica, Droomvlucht, Fata Morgana, and Carnival Festival are all dark rides, meaning they are indoor attractions where you sit in carts that transport you through immersive fantasy worlds without sudden drops or sickening spins. Yet adrenaline-junkies aren't forgotten – The Flying Dutchman plunges riders into a lake with a spectacular splash, and the pirate ship swings until it's almost vertical.
The only ride we skipped was Baron 1898, a nerve-shattering vertical drop coaster that dangles you over the abyss for five suspenseful seconds before plummeting face-first. A tiny part of me was relieved that my children weren't tall enough.
Efteling sprawls across a vast woodland landscape, so little legs do tire. Fortunately, you can hire charming wooden carts to pull weary children along for just €5 (£4.28), which I found a small price for saving energy and maximising magic.
And when it was time to rest, our accommodation was a mere 10-minute walk away. In summer, the park stays open until 9pm, ending each night with a mesmerising water and light show, reminiscent of the Las Vegas Bellagio fountain and infused with fairytale charm.
As we packed up to leave, my son turned to me, wide-eyed and said, 'I never knew you could have a holiday in just a weekend.'
The spell had been cast. Efelting's magic made the stress of London disappear within less than an hour of being in the park, and we arrived home feeling refreshed, revitalised, and stunned by what can be achieved in a weekend. At just over an hour by car from Amsterdam Airport and just over two hours if taking public transport, as we did, getting there couldn't be simpler.
I asked the children if they'd rather return to Disneyland or Efelting, and in unison they shouted, 'Efelting!', so loudly that the whole street could hear.
Where to stay
Efteling offers three accommodation options. Loonsche Land provides affordable chalets and self-catering lodges from £311 and the grand Efteling Hotel mirrors the Disneyland Paris castle experience but rooms start from a more reasonable £500. Bosrijk, where we stayed, features suites and holiday homes in a village-like setting, surrounded by towering trees and tranquil ponds, and two-bed family rooms cost from £311.
Accommodation includes park tickets for two days if you stay one night, three days if you stay two nights, etc. Entry to Efelting (without accommodation) depends on the season, but is between €38 (£33) and €51 (£44) and under-threes go free.
KLM flies from London Heathrow to Amsterdam from £150 return. Catch a Dutch Railways train from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol to Den Bosch, which takes 55 minutes and costs €20.30 (£17.38)
From Den Bosch station catch bus 301 (€4; £3.43) to Horst, directly outside Efelting.
Download the 9292 app to buy and store Dutch public transport tickets in one place.