Winter Begets Wonder at the Efteling
KAATSHEUVEL, NL — The Efteling is widely known as one of the Netherlands’ national treasures, offering thrilling roller coasters, enchanting dark rides and captivating characters 365 days a year. As with any year-round theme park, it endures a wide variety of different weather conditions, and those conditions can become particularly demoralizing during the winter months. So, why would we choose late November to make a visit to one of the most charming theme parks in the world, knowing full well that we’d likely never see a sunny day? Put simply, with the Dutch winter comes Winter Efteling, and - despite the weather, the maintenance calendar and the inconsistent crowds - the park is more magical than ever.
As close as the country as a whole is to the sea, winter in the Netherlands means cold, rain and icy winds more often than it does snow. The days are shorter, and the nights are darker; it’s not uncommon for the sun to rise and set behind an unyielding blanket of moody cloudcover with its light never having reached the Dutch soil. Under these conditions, it’s no surprise that the Dutch people would need an incentive to leave their houses and get some much needed exposure to the outside air. This is exactly why the Netherlands (as a whole) offers so many winter festivals, events and offerings that can only be experienced at this time of year. This is also why the Efteling does not tether its winter events and experiences to Christmas (Kerstmis), New Years’ (Nieuwjaar) or even the month of December - rather, it celebrates the love, warmth and general togetherness that we foster during the winter season. Winter Efteling begins in mid November and carries through to early February, offering seasonal decor, offerings and entertainment for three of the coldest months of the year.
When we planned our trip to the Efteling, the forecast was bleak. Accounting for wind chill, the outside temperature was rarely to exceed 8°C (46°F) with most days subject to potential rainfall. Though we were lucky with regard to rain, the temperature was true to forecast. Structures in Europe are built to preserve warmth in the winter and coolness in the summer - but the winters have been getting colder and the summers hotter, leaving most private and public accommodations vulnerable. As we pulled into the Efteling Bosrijk after a long, sleepless night aboard the plane, we knew that step one would be to dig the winter coats out of our respective suitcases. However, by the time we reached step two, our spirits had been lifted. We were met by a costumed character and his friendly owl, Oehoe Houdoe, who welcomed us to the Efteling for our first winter experience. Shortly thereafter, we were given a rundown of the different events and experiences that would be available during our visit.
Oehoe Houdoe itself (himself?) is a perfect example of one of the Efteling’s areas of specialty: live entertainment. The park offers shows, experiences and character interactions all year round, but during the winter season, there is arguably more live entertainment than ever. Winter Fairies gather for a delightful dance number near the entrances to Droomvlucht and Villa Volta (respectively), roaming characters greet travelers as they roam between the many magical lands within the Efteling’s borders and musical performances such as the Caroling Carousel offer guests a chance to enjoy an otherwise-average attraction in the company of a cheerful chorus, taking the overall experience up several notches. Then there’s de Warme Winter Weide, where park mascot Pardoes greets guests for a unique photo opportunity and his counterpart Pardijn hosts a lively sing-a-long with special guests from Efteling’s winter troupe. All of this is in addition to parkshows that keep guests entertained all year long, such as Dr. Charlatan's Cabaret Macabre, Ravelijn and Caro. While Ravelijn is currently closed as it undergoes a significant update, the spirit of the original show is expected to endure - in the meantime, the Charlatans continue to swindle unsuspecting guests with mystical snake oils, and Caro continues to delight audiences with a premium musical experience through at least 30 December, 2026.
And while live entertainment is clearly the beating heart of the Efteling, we’d be remiss not to mention what we lovingly refer to “automated” entertainment, as well. Core elements such as the many animatronic vignettes within Sprookjesbos (‘Fairytale Forest’ in English) and the water-based Aquanura show are available across all seasons and types of weather, but the winter casts these attractions in a different light…literally and figuratively. Sprookjesbos is beautifully decorated with seasonal touches; Langnek receives an adorable scarf and cap, the singing toadstools receive a dusting of snow and so on. As for Aquanura (currently known as Aquanura: Efteling Symphonica), the music and water bending of the show is enjoyable at any time of year, but it’s only during the winter season that the sun sets early enough to get a good look at the show’s light and projection effects. Truly, to experience Aquanura outside of the winter season is to hear a complete show and to see only half of what the show is meant to be. It might be cold, and it might be wet…but it is only during the winter months that this nighttime parkshow goes from exciting to spectacular.
Unlike many other parks we’ve visited, the Efteling also operates the overwhelming majority of its attractions throughout the colder months of the year. This includes the water-based attractions Piraña and De Vliegende Hollander, both of which carry a significant splash risk. These attractions are often downed for a brief maintenance period in late December or early January, when guest demand is lowest, but they both remained open for us during our late November visit. Anticipating year-round operation during these attractions’ construction, the Efteling has also installed a means of reducing jets and splash back on both rides, bolstering the argument for a chilly winter’s ride. Of course, for those with a lower tolerance for the cold or the wetness, the full slate of indoor and outdoor attractions (Baron 1898, Symbolica, Danse Macabre, etc.) remains available elsewhere in the park - but as theme park and attraction enthusiasts, we felt obligated to at least ride De Vliegende Hollander! We also reserve a special place in our hearts for the Fabula 4D Cinema, which almost always offers a warm indoor alternative with a comparatively low wait.
And then, of course, there’s the food. Bearing in mind that we come from the United States, where a dry, crusty pretzel has been known to sell for $12 (10.15 EUR), we found every snack and/or meal at the Efteling to be fresh, affordable and delicious. Year-round dining locations such as Polles Kouken and the Fabula Restaurant are safe choices for a warm, indoor meal break with substantive variety, and both occasionally offer seasonal items (such as drinks or desserts) which align with the winter festival. Such seasonal items can also be found at the carts and snack stations all across the park, so you’re never more than a few paces away from a cup of Warme Chocoladen Crème Brûlée. This said, the bulk of the winter-specific food and drink can be found inside the Warme Winter Weide area flanked by Pardoes’ sled and Pardijn’s parkshow stage. We had the pleasure of enjoying traditional Raclette in two varieties, washed down with a cup of freshly-prepared Glühwein and supplemented by a themed Kaneelbroodje - a meal that filled us so completely, we had to swear off rides for the rest of the day!
We could go on and on about the rides, the characters, the food and the parkshows that make a winter’s visit to the Efteling so rejuvenating, with each individual element contributing more than its fair share. But the element that contributes most to the overall Winter Efteling experience is by far the hardest to articulate. With the winter season comes the winter holidays - and although the winter holidays bring joy and comfort to some, they bring obligation and stress to others. Particularly in our home country, the hyper-commercialism at this time of year can be outright overwhelming. It’s easy to forget that there is still beauty and joy to be found in the colder temperatures and grayer skies when you’re trapped in an endless cycle of rushing, shopping and traveling. The Efteling is a business, and like any business it remains transactional; but it’s not just transactional. The staff, the architects, the performers and even the custodians genuinely seem to care about preserving a sense of wonder for all who enter. As you cross through the park gates, all of the stress and the hurry of the winter season seems to melt away…leaving only the peace and the joy that you’d forgotten how to access. Even something has simple as taking a lap around the seasonal skating rink - something that Katie felt she had to do - can awaken something so pure and childlike in old souls like ourselves. The whole experience is, quite simply, gezellig - a Dutch word which has no direct English translation, but invokes a general sense of warmth, comfort, coziness and togetherness.
Critics may say that the Winter Efteling used to be much larger, much grander and much more exciting - I guess we’ll never know. Nevertheless, what we experienced during our four days at the park was nothing short of magical, and nobody can take those beautiful memories away from us. The Winter Efteling celebration gives every visitor, Dutch or not, something to look forward to when the days are short and the nights are bitterly cold…and I know that we’ll be looking forward to the next time that we’re able to visit Pardoes and Pardijn at de Warme Winter Weide, whenever and however that visit comes to pass. Until then, you can check out our vlogs to get a glimpse into all the warmth and wonder we experienced during our first Winter Efteling last year! And if you’re thinking about planning your own trip, be sure to visit https://www.efteling.com/en for tickets and event information.
