The Winter Efteling: a heart-warming wonderland

Efteling, the Netherland’s best and most famous theme park is open all year round. Every winter, the park pulls out all the stops to make your visit even more magical, even if some of the rides have to close due to the weather. This year, the park has a brand new ride to enjoy: Danse Macabre.

If there is one thing that sets Efteling apart from other amusement parks, it is the extensive theming in the park. It really is a true theme park, worthy of the name. Not only the rides are themed, but so are the queues, the restaurants, the lights and everything else. When you visit Efteling, you enter a World of Wonders filled with fairy tales, fables  and legends from all around the world, but some typically Dutch as well.

The heart of Efteling is the Fairytale Forest, which is the oldest part of the theme park. Here 30 classic fairy tales come to live through displays and animatronics, including Cinderella, The Chinese Nightingale, The Little Mermaid, The Emperor’s New Clothes, Mother Holle, and many others. Taking a stroll through this forest is fun for all ages as it inspires the imagination of children and nostalgia for those a little older.

On 31 October 2024, Efteling opened its newest ride, inspired by its predecessor Spookslot. Efteling’s original haunted house was closed in September 2022, two years later Danse Macabre opened its doors, named after the music of the original Haunted Castle. Where Spookslot was a mesmerizing show, Danse Macabre is an actual ride.

The tale of Danse Macabre is not for the faint of hearted, neither is entering the Huyverwoud forest and the abbey. We won’t give away what awaits you there! You’ll just have to take a seat in the sinister choir stalls and remember that not all cats are as sweet as they appear.

If you are wondering if Efteling is worth visiting in winter, the answer is absolutely, yes. This year, Winter Efteling lasts from 11 November 2024 to 2 February 2025. Unlike many other amusement parks, Efteling has many indoor attractions and dark rides, which you can enjoy rain, snow or shine.

Some of the not to miss indoor rides are, along with Danse Macabre, Droomvlucht, Symbolica, Vogel Rok, Fata Morgana, Villa Volta, and the Steam Carousel. Meanwhile, the outdoor roller coasters will be open as long as the weather permits it. The best way to check which rides are open is in the Efteling app, which also shows you how long the lines are at the rides and where everything is.

During Winter Efteling, the park offers several seasonal activities that you won’t find at any other time of year. Warm yourself at the Warm Winter Meadow with its multiple bonfires and seasonal treats. Or rent some skates to perfect your pirouettes on the open-air ice rink. A visit to Winter Efteling truly is unlike any other experience!

Unlike Copenhagen's theme park Tivoli, the Efteling is not set in a major Dutch city. One of the easiest ways to visit Efteling is by car, which takes about an hour from Rotterdam and an hour and fifteen minutes from Amsterdam. The other option is public transport, there are special Efteling buses from Den Bosch and Tilburg, which are easily reachable by train from both Rotterdam and Amsterdam.