This is Efteling's new signature attraction and it was number one on my "must do" list for my first…read morevisit to the park. I have to say that it did not disappoint. The pre-show introduction to the ride was very clever and unexpected. Once that's over when you progress further into the line you have to pick one of three colors to get in line for. Each color has a slightly different experience for the riders. We picked red because that had the longest line so we assumed it was the best. When you ride as a single rider you can't pick your color. When I rode a second time as a single rider I was hoping to get assigned to another color and I got red of course. I did notice the other colors going to different rooms on my second ride. I had never been on a trackless ride before and always assumed that I would first ride one at a Disney park, but Symbolica was my introduction. With a trackless ride system you don't see the track on the floor and your vehicle can do so many more interesting maneuvers such as go into a cubby hole and back out. The effect is best used in the finale when you twirl around on a dance floor during a banquet with other ride vehicles and characters. I think what impressed me the most was that everything in the ride that you look at outside of your vehicle is a practical effect. It seems nowadays with parks like Universal all you do is stare at screens from your vehicle. Here at Symbolica everything is real and moving in front of you. Besides the ballroom I mentioned there's an absolutely gorgeous planetarium/library as well as a "garden" that gets an unexpected visitor. The show building is wonderfully themed inside and out. The flat roof isn't visible from the ground but it is from the observation tower ride. What really impressed me was how they arranged the solar panels with symbols and patterns to make it look nice even though most people won't ever see this. The back of the building has a waterfall built into it so that it looks nice for people walking through that section of the park. It all fits into the park seamlessly and was so well done. This is a great addition to Efteling!

This is absolutely one of the most unique and entertaining rides I have been on, which includes…read moreover twenty world class parks spanning three continents. Despite the fact that it is most recent addition to a park older than the original Disneyland, the external design and central location inside the park make it feel like the everything else was built around it. The queue was only around 30 minutes on a weekday in July, and a fair bit of it was either shaded or inside. They make minimal use of the dreaded switchbacks, avoiding them almost entirely outside of peak times. They also have a special entrance for hotel guests who get there at least 10 minutes before the regular park opening time. There is another magical surprise awaiting guests once they enter the castle. At the front of the line, you get to switch between three similar but different themes before embarking on your magical voyage. The ride employs the latest the trackless technology for even more excitement. The rest of the journey is best experienced first-hand to maximize the thrill factor. Dark rides are by far my favorite type of ride, and this ride provides an excellent addition to a park already full of very good attractions. The ride is similar to Mystic Manor in HK Disney, but I will need to wait until I return to HK next month before I can pick a favorite. Tokyo DisneySea has been my favorite park since my first visit, but this addition to Efteling is definitely giving me cause to reconsider my ranking.

Eftling is known to be a very popular amusement park for young kids who are from the Netherlands…read more Although I was not from the Netherlands I had a great time here. The workers were all very friendly and the majority of them spoke English which made communicating with them a lot easier. In terms of the price it was around 40 euros which was quite decent but according to my friend it had gone up by 20 euros in the last couple of years which is sad to hear. The rides were all super fun and at max we waited 20 min for a ride. I really enjoyed coming here although I would stay for more than 4 hours so that one can truly experience everything it has to offer.

Even if you're visiting Efteling for the thrill rides it is still worth your time to check out…read moreGondoletta. The ride system was something I haven't seen before called a "tow boat ride". The boats for Gondoletta look like they're moving on their own around a big lake. There's a giant rotating disc that the boats automatically dock with for loading/unloading. At the front of each boat if you look closely you can see a tiny bit of the cable attached to the boat that is pulling it forward along a track. It's a well done system. Even though each boat can seat around six they were letting boats go out with only two people on them. I was quite surprised at how long this attraction lasted and how much distance was covered. The ride was twenty minutes long! The boats travel under bridges, down a canal, and out into the middle of the lake! You get great views of some rides such as Symbolica and Baron 1898 as well as seeing some of the beautifully maintained landscape of the park. You even get to go by a waterfall! Efteling is a large park and after so much walking it was wonderful to get a chance to relax and still be entertained.

Nice outdoor site for families or kids birthday parties. Large terras with view on the playground…read morefor the smaller children. For bigger children there's a soccer ground and an eco climb experience. Did not use the restaurant so no review on that but looks adequate.

All I knew about Droomvlucht was that it involved fairies and was one of Efteling's signature…read moreattractions. This review is full of spoilers so be warned. The popularity of this ride was evident from the large (but boring) queue. The ride vehicles were quite interesting. The vehicles, which seat two, move forward while you are looking out one side. However, unlike other similar ride systems your "train" of around six people separates and goes off by itself. The ride soon opens into an absolutely enormous open-air room that is made to look like a forest. Every inch is decorated with flowers, plants, and mythical creatures. Even more surprising is that the vehicle turns a corner and goes into another room that is just as large. I can't imagine how much work it was to create those two rooms. The vehicles go through an extended part where the area is dark expect for "stars" that are lit around you. The starfield is a disorienting and cool effect. I was extremely confused when it felt like we were climbing a lift hill in the dark. The vehicles soon give you a view of a creature (troll?) swinging like Tarzan on a vine above some treetops. Then in a completely unexpected twist the vehicles start speeding up and you spiral all the way down *around* the trees in question until you reach the bottom. The trees had to have been several stories tall. I know I'm making this sound like a thrill ride but it's something you can take your grandma on. It's such a unique, interesting ride mechanic that I've never seen before. I immediately wanted to ride again to get a better look at it. After I got home and did my homework I was gobsmacked to learn that the ride opened in 1993. It's held up so well and I actually liked it better than the new signature attraction Symbolica. I never would have expected that.

This new family coaster rocks. Bob was fun, but this coaster is quite the replacement…read more The adventure starts in the queue. You'll find Deutsche Mark coins embedded in the ground. There are a few activities to do. You can play a musical scale with whoopie cushions. You can ring some bells. You can activate a splash from a pool next to the ride track. Look at the windows while you are in the queue. There is a whole story taking place there. Toward the end of the line, you are faced with a choice: Max (left) or Moritz (right). Both are fun. The line splits and you go to the load platform of your choice, which is directly across from the other. The cars launch in opposite directions. While you are waiting, notice the Max and Mortiz figures on the ceiling. You go through the entire ride path twice. Notice the "explosion" when you re-enter the building. The music plays faster on your second time around. It's a very smooth and fun ride, full of fun for the entire family.

This is the water ride at the Efteling. It's the type where you sit in a circular tube. During this…read moretime of social-distancing, they are loading only one party per raft. If you're a single rider, you will be the only person in the raft. I've never seen this on a water ride before but the rafts can pass each other. One even got stuck for a bit and five other rafts passed it. I thought they would be there the rest of the day until someone came to rescue them. But they eventually got out. I wasn't drenched at the end of the ride but there were definitely high splash opportunities, especially if you're at the bottom when you take a dip - water will splash into the raft. There's no good place to put your stuff during the ride to keep it dry so plan ahead! There are also no lap bars or seat belts. It's you, your stuff and the rapids.

This is a madhouse attraction. There are two rooms of pre-show before you get to the actual…read morespinning room. In the first room, you hear a story which provides the background. In the second room, you hear about the house, Villa Volta. The two rooms take about 20 minutes between the actual show and the transfer between rooms. Then you go into the ride room. If you are unfamiliar with madhouse attractions, it is fundamentally a spinning room. You sit facing the other side and the room appears to spin. At one point, it appears as if you are spinning completely upside down, but at no point are you actually upside down. The effect is effectively done and the music enhances the experiences and is perfectly choreographed with the movement of the room. The experience is entirely in Dutch but there are some signs in the queue that give the backstory in four languages.