Theme park that's better than Disney only 3.5 hours from the UK

Wales Online

2 days ago

Theme park that's better than Disney only 3.5 hours from the UK
Efteling, near Tilburg in the Netherlands, has been called 'better than Disneyland' and is only a three and a half hour drive from the UK - but is it worth the trip?
A sculpture at Efteling
(Image: Sam Dimmer)
Most Brits despise theme parks for three key reasons - endless queues, extortionate prices, and disappointing food. Many of us have forked out a fortune to endure hours of waiting for mere minutes of roller coaster excitement, whilst battling wasps away from overpriced fast food that's just set you back £50.
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Nevertheless, there's another option. If you're willing to venture abroad, you can reach Efteling, situated near Tilburg in the Netherlands, in just three and a half hours from Calais.
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You might question this approach. Is the additional effort and cost worthwhile?
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Well, an increasing number of Britons certainly think so - including Nottinghamshire Live executive editor Sam Dimmer.
He recently visited the attraction to discover for himself whether it justified its stellar reputation, reports the Express.
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He explained: "My family and I spent three nights at Efteling, travelling from the East Midlands. Our hotel room included park passes for four days. It cost £1,200 in total, but considering park tickets cost around £180 a day for a family of four, I think that represents good value."
Sam had previously visited the attraction the year before but only stayed one night, which felt insufficient. Additionally, the park had recently launched a new attraction he was keen to experience.
He explained: "We felt that three nights was just about enough this time around, but still very nearly missed an entire section of the park because it wasn't where all of the main rides were."
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At first, Sam intended to count how many rides they went on , but this notion was swiftly discarded.
He explained: "The theme park operates from 10am until 10pm and the queues rarely go above 30 minutes, so you're going to be quite busy, particularly late in the evening.
"Also the virtual queuing on two rides, and the app advising you how long queues are, mean you can plan your day to spend as little time as possible queueing.
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"When you've got younger kids, or kids with additional needs, that's a lifesaver."
Efteling is a family-orientated theme park and last year Sam's eight year old managed to experience all the attractions, including the Baron, a vertical drop coaster similar to Oblivion at Alton Towers but with superior theming.
This means that around 7pm, many guests begin making their way towards the exit and the queues for the larger thrill rides and the darker new attraction, Danse Macabre, only take 10 to 15 minutes.
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Those attractions?
They're absolutely brilliant.
One of the rides at Efteling
(Image: Sam Dimmer)
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Sam remarked: "Yes, it's a family park, with brilliant playgrounds, a fantasy forest, incredible theming and based around fantastic stories. But my oh my, the rides are good. The aforementioned Baron, wooden race coasters Joris and the Dragon and water coaster the Flying Dutchman are tremendous fun, but the best ride is the newest - Danse Macabre."
Danse Macabre proved to be Sam's favourite - in fact, he and his family experienced it seven times. He said: "Yes, it broke down on the last day and the queues were long, but this is a special ride. Guests sit in rows of church pews, before the whole room goes dark. Then you're spun around the room, like you're dancing, watching an orchestra of ghosts and ghouls perform.We went on it seven times and each time we saw something new. Every time people applauded when the ride ended. It's that good. It's beautifully put together, exceptionally clever, and so fun."
The food is absolutely delicious
Typically during Sam's theme park adventures he packs his own lunch to sidestep the pricey and frequently mediocre fare - but at Efteling there were no concerns with the dining.
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He said: "The park is famous for many things, and the food is definitely one of them. The chimney cakes, pastry cones filled with an assortment of fruit, cream, chocolate, candy floss etc etc are a delight, although I wouldn't recommend eating one before hitting a big ride, and you can also sample Dutch treats like poffertjes (little pancakes) and kibbeling (deep fried spiced fish with a delicious dip).
"If anything the food is better than last year. Pinnokio's pizza and pasta restaurant was a hit with my family, as was the meal at Het Eethuys, a hotel on site.
"My favourite though was Polles Keuken, a pancake restaurant that served huge sweet or savoury pancakes against a brilliant backdrop."
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Nevertheless, it's crucial to reserve these establishments beforehand as they tend to become extremely crowded.
Allow yourself plenty of time to discover Efteling isn't a massive park but you will definitely miss something if you're not vigilant.
Sam said: "We only spotted the huge playground because I saw a post on the incredibly helpful Efteling Fans UK Group and decided to go on the monorail at 9.30pm.
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A gorgeous fairy tale sculpture at Efteling
(Image: undefined)
"We also spotted the Efteling museum and a great self-serve restaurant in the area that we returned to the next day. This was on day three of four in the park, and we weren't planning on doing as much on our final day, but decided to stick around because we kept spotting new things to do."
For those who favour a more relaxed tempo or for the little ones not quite prepared for high-speed thrills, the Fairytale Forest provides a charming sanctuary.
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This captivating area boasts a series of spectacular displays, some motionless and others animated, presenting visitors to a host of peculiar characters, such as Long Neck, a man with an extraordinarily stretched neck.
Efteling is genuinely enchanting
Sam was thoroughly impressed with the park, saying: "The thing about Efteling is it doesn't feel like a place designed to suck money out of you. It feels like they genuinely care about you having a great time. The staff, for example, are unbelievable. I clumsily asked one in Dutch if he spoke English and he looked at me and told me he spoke five languages and was learning a sixth.
"It's clean, the music is wonderful and it smells so good they actually sell Efteling scents in the gift shop. My wife's salon now smells very much like Efteling. I love Alton Towers, but I don't think I'd particularly want to bottle the smell of a day out in Staffordshire."
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Anton Pieck, an artist and illustrator, was one of the founders of Efteling and his work continues to inspire the park today. His influence is still felt, making visitors feel as though they are truly walking through a fairytale.
Efteling theme park
(Image: Sam Dimmer)
It's worth considering an overnight stay
Not many theme parks necessitate an overnight stay, as usually a day is sufficient. Alton Towers in the UK might be an exception, but at Efteling, three nights didn't seem excessive.
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Sam's hotel was a picturesque ten-minute stroll from the park entrance, passing lakes, playgrounds and a fairytale castle. He said the rooms were "ideal", offering ample space for a family of four, with comfortable beds, a large bath and a powerful shower.
There's even a swimming pool, perfect for younger kids.
Be prepared for a good deal o f walking
This won't come as a surprise to seasoned theme-park visitors, but you will certainly clock up the steps.
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Sam said: "There's a beautiful little steam train that takes you around the park, but we didn't use it as the park itself isn't huge.
"It's a decision I regretted at the end of day four as we prepared to drive to Calais, although a decent pair of trainers helped me just about get through. We were averaging between 25,000-30,000 steps a day, which is a good old shift, but we were going from 10am to 10pm.
"We're a family who enjoys being active, but for those who find walking challenging, this might not be as enjoyable. However, there are measures you can take to make it easier, and we do enjoy a good walk."