Theme park · Kaatsheuvel · Netherlands · since 1952

Efteling

For families with children of all ages who love fairy tales and loving detail, and for adults who want nostalgia and big coasters together. Thanks to year-round opening, also good for a short winter break.

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Gondoletta boats on the lake, seen from above – Efteling — Photo: Maarten (Superchango) · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

1952
opened
74 years ago
72 ha
Area
the size of 101 football pitches
5.8 million
visitors a year
as of 2025
6
themed areas

The 1952 fairy-tale forest was based on designs by the illustrator Anton Pieck
Open all year round since 1 April 2010; Winter Efteling runs from mid-November to the end of January
The largest theme park in the Benelux – by area and by visitor numbers
Open past midnight on New Year’s Eve with an extra ticket, including fireworks
The Efteling Grand Hotel opened in 2025 as the first hotel within the park grounds

Places to stay

Hotels around Efteling

All hotels near Efteling – with prices for your dates

Our hotel search shows the hotels around the park that one of our partners offers. Each one shows its straight-line distance to the entrance, and the map shows the entrance as a pin.

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4 hotels and resorts of its own: Efteling has them right at the park.

Efteling Grand Hotel
Efteling Wonder Hotel
Efteling Bosrijk
Efteling Loonsche Land

What hotel guests get: Park tickets on every day of your stay, into the park half an hour early, parking and shuttle to the park included. (source: efteling.com)

For families

How tall does my child need to be?

Minimum heights according to Efteling (ride pages), as of October 2026. Where the park requires an adult, the figure on the scale applies with an adult. Height is measured at the entrance to the ride; the information there is binding.

With an adult, alone, maximum height

Droomvluchtany height with an adult, alone from 100 cm
Symbolicaany height with an adult, alone from 120 cm
Joris en de Draakwith an adult from 110 cm, alone from 120 cm

For your day at the park

Good to know

When is it quieter?: A calendar shows whether each day will be quiet, normal or busy; the app shows live waits and an hourly forecast. (source: efteling.com)
When it rains: Many rides are covered, such as Droomvlucht, Symbolica, Vogel Rok, Carnaval Festival, Danse Macabre and Villa Volta. (source: efteling.com)
Accessibility: Nearly all attractions have a wheelchair entrance: wait away from the queue, no priority; park map at guest services. (source: efteling.com)

Rides and shows

Why people head to Efteling

Roller coaster, since 1981
Python
Steel looping classic, one of the largest roller coasters in mainland Europe when it opened
- 29 m high
- 75 km/h
- from 120 cm
Roller coaster, since 2010
Joris en de Draak
Wooden coaster with two tracks on which two trains race each other
- 25 m high
- 75 km/h
- 810 m of track
- from 110 cm
- alone from 120 cm
Water ride, since 2007
De Vliegende Hollander
Mix of dark ride and water coaster, with a splash at the end
- 22.5 m high
- 70 km/h
- from 120 cm
Dark ride, since 1993
Droomvlucht
Floating gondola dark ride and probably Efteling’s best-known attraction
- any height with an adult
- alone from 100 cm
Dark ride, since 2017
Symbolica
Lavish dark ride centred on the park mascot Pardoes, built for around 35 million euros
- any height with an adult
- alone from 120 cm
Roller coaster, since 2015
Baron 1898
Dive coaster with a 37.5-metre, almost vertical drop
- 90 km/h
- from 132 cm

Themed areas

6 worlds in one park

Fantasierijk
Fantasy world with the water show Aquanura, the dark ride Symbolica and the Fabula cinema
Marerijk
Enchanted classics such as Droomvlucht, Villa Volta and Raveleijn, plus the steam carousel
Anderrijk
Distant cultures with Fata Morgana and Piraña, plus Max & Moritz and Danse Macabre
Reizenrijk
Travel adventures with Gondoletta, Pagode, Vogel Rok and Carnaval Festival
Ruigrijk
Efteling’s wild side with Baron 1898, Python, Joris en de Draak and De Vliegende Hollander
Sprookjesbos
The fairy-tale forest with walk-through scenes such as Sleeping Beauty, Pinocchio and Snow White

Getting there

Getting to Efteling

By train
Station Tilburg Reeshof – 9.1 km from the entrance as the crow flies
Station Tilburg Universiteit – 9.4 km from the entrance as the crow flies
Bus stop
Stop “Kaatsheuvel (De Efteling)” – 400 m from the entrance
Car park
Car park run by “Efteling” – 100 m from the entrance

Source: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), retrieved on 11 October 2026. Distances: straight line from the entrance, not the route. Timetables come from the railway and local transport network, parking prices from the park’s website (efteling.com). How we choose

The park

Opening times and tickets

Season: Open all year round; in winter as Winter Efteling, sometimes with longer opening hours

Opening times, prices, getting there

The exact opening days and the cost of admission are on the park’s website. We don’t give prices – they change with the season.

efteling.com (park website, opens in a new window)

Tickets

GetYourGuide also sells tickets for Efteling (checked on 11 October 2026). The link takes you to a search for the park there; GetYourGuide sets the price and terms.

Tickets on GetYourGuideAd

Frequently asked questions

Efteling: what families ask

When is Efteling open?

Season: Open all year round; in winter as Winter Efteling, sometimes with longer opening hours. The exact days and times are on the park’s website (efteling.com).

How tall do children have to be to go on the rides?

On the best-known rides: from 110 cm “Joris en de Draak”; from 120 cm “De Vliegende Hollander” and “Python”; from 132 cm “Baron 1898”. Height is measured at the entrance to the ride; some rides let smaller children on with an adult.

Are there hotels right at Efteling?

Efteling has 4 places to stay of its own: Efteling Grand Hotel, Efteling Wonder Hotel, Efteling Bosrijk and Efteling Loonsche Land. Our hotel search shows the hotels around the park – each with its straight-line distance to the entrance.

How do I get to Efteling by train?

According to OpenStreetMap, the nearest railway stop is the station “Tilburg Reeshof”, 9.1 km from the entrance as the crow flies. The nearest bus stop is “Kaatsheuvel (De Efteling)”, 400 m from the entrance. For train and bus times, check with the railway and the local transport network.