Day 4 of my 29 day adventure in Europe takes us to the Efteling, a theme park in the Netherlands! Opened in 1952, the "World of Wonders" is the largest theme park in the Netherlands, and may have given Walt Disney some inspiration for some of his ideas about Disneyland. We'll explore the Fairy Tale Forest, ride a beautiful 128-year-old steam powered carousel, check out the spectacular nighttime water show Aquanura - and much more!
Small correction: Its not a company that owns the Efteling but a foundation with very strict articles of association. Like, there has to be a cetain % of nature so they cant just fill the whole park up with concrete and rides. Also advertisement and sponsorships, those sorts of things all have to be kept to a minimum. And perhaps most importantly and this might shock any Americans ;-) : The Efteling is in principle a non-profit organisation. They do make a profit of course but everything is invested back in to the park. This means the foundation and the staff are in full creative control and dont have to compromise in any way. And yes, it is magical, its magical to us Dutch. A crazy number, like 95% of the population has been here at least once during their lives, and lots many times more. Its like this collective childhood memory we all share. I mean, even watching this and hearing these songs ive heard so many times before trigger all kinds of emotions.
The big difference, Efteling follows the fairytales of Grimm, Anderson, Scheherazade and others in their original version, like we heard them at bedtime, not the Disney 'Happy ever after' version most Americans know. The girl with the matchsticks dies at the end, the bad wolf is slaughtered by the hunter to save grandma, etc. Every tale has a warning, lesson, message and they do not end well for all, European style...
Well, thats how they were originally intended I suppose, as a sort of metaphore for dangers in real life. Like.... when weird people try to lure you in to their house with candy, or pretty young girls walking around all alone in a dodgy part of the forest etc... Disney kind of ruined that yeah, the whole point is that they end badly basically.
@@ageoflove1980 Yeah, all the myths were pretty gruesome but the popular fairy tales really ere there to teach lessons. Like Little Red Riding hood is about a girl who just started puberty and the dangers of men luring you stray from the right path who are just wolves in disguise.
I love the fact its still so much dutch, although it's annoying for non-Dutch residents. It does keep it's extra layer of pride for the park to me. Thank you for your excellent video
I really really appreciate your Efteling vlog focusses on the less 'flashy' rollercoasters and spends a lot of time on the things that make up the 'heart' of the Efteling for me. Sprookjesbos,. The Carousel. The Diorama. Pollekes. As much as I like the newer flashy stuff like Baron, Symbolica, its the old-school down-to-earth feeling that much of the park gives you, that makers me go back again and again.
I have to tell that after watching numerous Efteling vlogs, this one I love the most. I have lived my whole life approx 70 miles away from the Efteling park and somehow these vlogs entered my life and I find them wholesome somehow. I have never seen an Efteling vlog done with the amount of love this guy brings. Sure, the food parts were elaborate but my guess is that when I would visit the USA, I would feel the same need. Also, the fact that you soloed this (lack of evidence stating otherwise) is empowering me even still. love love love love love love :)
I've been at Efteling many times, often when it's really warm and crowded. The Diorama room is such a nice relief on such days. It's usually quiet, cool, dimly lit, perfect place to sit for a little while when you get a little overstimulated.
Hi Jack, Jack here from the Netherlands. What a nice vlog you have made of Efteling. I'm a Efteling fan and it makes me somehow emotional when people like you is telling such beautyfull things about this park. Thx for taking us along with you Jack.
Oh no! How unfortunate you got so unlucky with the weather. It was wonderful to see your reaction though :) The smile when you entered, it's endearing.
About the trains: There is no need to book in advance (except for international trains), and on busy routes there are trains leaving towards your destination every 10 or 15 minutes or so. Some of them may require to change trains at a later station (often in Utrecht), others may have a direct connection. As for credit cards not being accepted in many places: In the Netherlands most people use debit cards for everything, and only very rarely use their credit card, which is why those are not commonly accepted. We don't like to spend money we don't have, I guess. Also, credit card transactions are more expensive for the shops accepting them, which doesn't help either.
I've been watching efteling vlogs and it makes me wanna go to efteling again it's been 3 years ago and i love your vlogs and especially your reactions to this park. So thank you for sharing! ❤
Loonsche land is the budget option, if you stay in one of the other accomodations, you will get more theming. They even have special themed suites at the Efteling hotel. We like the Poorthuis family rooms. Costs a bit more, but you get a nice little appartment.
You might just had the best Sprookjesbos experience there is. Quiet, cold and rainy really adds mystique. Believe me, 30 celcius and hordes of screaming kids everywhere is not very immersive... been there, done that... Off season and bad weather is a good trade off against crowds, especially when you are on your own and just want to experience the park.
I'm thinking of booking to stay for 2 or 3 days at the end of November. Do you think that would be too long since the park will likely be quieter? Is the experience going midweek in off season just as fun?
@@heybigbender I prefer midweek because crowds tend to be lighter. My experience was that I could have done a third day, but keep in mind that making videos takes more time. Have a great time!
@@heybigbender Apart from the park itself, the resorts are very nice too. If you are staying for longer, consider booking an apartment or even a small holiday home at the Bosrijk resort. My famility goes there pretty much every year and besides the themepark its just a very nice spot to get away from it all. That was actually the original purpose of The Efteling, to provide an escape for city folk. The park itself is beautifully landscaped and if the weather turns bad, there are many cozy places to shelter with a hot chocolate. Even though you theoretically do all the major attraction in a single long day when its really quiet in the park, you would need to rush and thats just not how you want to do this park. Its all about immersing yourself in the complete experience.
i kept wondering what was on that pancake as well, so i looked it up for you, seems to be spring onion, sundried tomatoes, arugula, bacon, 'bonbons' made of ham, walnut and a kind of local cheese, caramelized apple and balsamic syrup! the more you know! 🌠
Awesome! My travel philosophy is to show not only the destination, but also the journey and experience of getting there. Glad you enjoyed the video, check out my other ones as well!
The initial route you planned had you switch trains at Amsterdam Sloterdijk, where said train would depart from at 6:30. This works too, the trains both visit both stations, but it's 11 minutes down the line hence 6:41.
Usually unknow fact: The owner of the park is actually a non-profit organisation called the "Efteling Nature Park Foundation" (rough translation). Sure, the park is run by a commercial entity, but that is fully owned by the organisation. And the foundation has strict regulations that it should have abundant actual nature. Not the Disney plasic trees ;)
Yes, the caroussel is really that old, from 1895, and don't worry, the steam-train is not going to close, the Efteling would create a BIG problem if they ever decide to do so, because it is a big part of the Efteling history! Actually, Villa Volta was the FIRST madhouse! Btw, I subscribed, love the way you take your time and value the things of what they are!
Villa Volta was not the first madhouse. They explained in a documentary that they took inspiration from a madhouse somewhere in Germany and they dismissed the idea for quite some time before finally building it in 1996.
Efleting is actually a really affordable park as long as you don't buy all the souvenirs so almost everyone was able to go at least for a daytrip. And if you bring your own food there are loads of pretty little seats to have a picnic. The hotelroom you stayed in was very utilitarian which you can imagine would be the budget option for a group bring a bunch of kids and they'd just need a good place to sleep. When I first did the "madhouse" Villa Volta we had no idea what it was and so I thought it was just going to be strange room viewing and when the ride started the illusion was so good I had no idea why it felt like this force (gravity) was pulling me back. You can never have that expirience these days when you can check out everything on youtube first. The story is about an old robbers gang cursed after stealing holy items from the church, you see them spread around the leader, clearly from a chapel.
Great food choices. I love how you at first couldn't recognize the pancake, but ended up liking it, that's what travel is all about! Also, including the trip up to the park is a great addition to these type of video's! P.S. Did you get the translation for the Villa Volta lore? The story always creeped me out as a youngster, amplified by Efteling's impeccable music and theming.
Yes, they sang a birthday song it translates to: "Long shall you live" repeated a few times "with full glory" repeated a few times ending with "Hooray" a few times... In a nutshell: you wish them a happy long life
If the menu is still the same; the sauces with the steak should be: garlic gravy and sour cream with herbs. Great vlog, hope you will get to enjoy the Efteling in summer one day..
Great vlog, looking forward to the sequel! Don't worry, the steamtrain isn't going anywhere, (except around the park). Maybe it was temporarily closed due to construction of a new ride. 'Villa Volta' was the first ever Madhouse ride built. I'm sure you will get some comments with the storyline, so I won't type all that. ;) The "Walt Disney visited the Efteling for inspiration for Disneyland" story is a myth. Having said that, it's a great myth to have and Walt could've physically visited Efteling back then.
Fun fact about the steam train is that the locomotives are original early 20th century steam locomotives that were used at factories, the first one being Aagje, which was bought from an old brick factory, back in 1969 and is still in operation at the park to this day. They are being lovingly preserved by the park and a few historic railway enthusiasts, "De Efteling Stoomtrein Maatschappij". Each of the locomotives in the park has their own name: there's Aagje, Moortje and Trijntje, all old-fashioned Dutch girl's names. Trijntje (which is also a homonym for treintje, which means "little train") being the latest addition to the "fleet", was built for Efteling as a replica of the original two trains. They also have a small diesel engine for park maintenance purposes, which has unimaginatively been named Dieseltje. I believe there was at some point discussion about replacing them with electric locomotives for environmental reasons but the historic preservation side must have won that argument because I haven't heard anything about it since then, which was years ago. The steam caroussel does run on electricity nowadays, and they replaced all the vintage lighting in there with leds.
@@KoeiNLMichael Eigner visited the park at the time Disneyland Paris (or EuroDisney as it was called back then) was being built. Efteling head disigner at the time Ton van de Ven was a consultant for the building DP.
The berry at the end is a Cape gooseberry or golden berry..The red ones are red currant.They are usually very sour, i like them a lot. Great vlog it is so different from all the Efteling vlogs..I can tell you had a great time..
Thanks for the info! My philosophy is to show the full experience from start to finish - meals, transportation, hotels, and everything else. I couldn't find a single travel channel that presents their content this way. And yes, Efteling was special and one of the best highlights of the entire trip!
Love this video! Efteling is a great park and you presented it really well in spite of the not so great weather. Hoping for the video of your other days at the park. Are they still coming up?
Walt Disney did not visit Efteling. He visited in 1951, the Fairytale Forest opened in 1952. So, at the time Disney visited NL Efteling was just a sports park with a kids playground.
My daughter is working for De Efteling entry division including the shuttle service. But this lovely girl that brought you to the hotel is not my puppy.
@@TravelJack "Troll King, why do you live in a..." (pauses, probably because he or she can't find the right word)... "Why are you sitting..." (curtain closes slowly) Haha the more I watch it the funnier it gets
@@TravelJack Nah, the Troll king is just an animatronic running a predetermined program, it doesn't respond to people's voices. It used to have this big vibrating paving stone as well that would start vibrating like mad while the troll king was doing his thing, but I think that's been gone for a while now. You can talk to Sprookjesboom a bit further down the path, he has some automated responses triggered by voice. Sprookjesboom is a later addition to the park so he's a bit more advanced, although Troll king is pretty advanced for his age. The mechanics behind it were developed by TNO, which is the main science and technology institute here in the Netherlands, and the puppet was designed in collaboration with the team behind the BBC satirical puppet show "Spitting Image". That's the great thing about Efteling, they don't take half measures.
What a lovely video Jack!! You seem like a very kind and fun person!!☺️hope you had a wonderful time in the efteling🥰. Thank you for the effort you put into these videos, it really makes my day :) Going to watch your other videos too but i subscribed right away🥳
@@TravelJack Hertog Jan translates to Duke John, after historic Duke John I of Brabant 1252 - 1294. He loved good food, good beer and good music (and women). He united the Duchies Brabant and Limburg. He was forced, because of his good living, to grant towns extended, very progressive, town rights and the duchies their first written constitution in Dutch. His name is remembered in the (not official) anthem of Brabant, that also contains 'Harba lori fa' (For them morning breaks) from a song he wrote himself.
im sure you've either already translated it, or seen a comment about it already, but Villa Volta is about a man that's part of a group of thieves called "de bokkenrijders" (the goatriders, based on a real group by the same name that would ransack religious buildings for valuables circa 1730-1770) and terrorized the people living in Limburg and the Belgian/Dutch Campine. The first preshow explains who they were using dialogue of people talking about them, the narrator then invites you to learn about Hugo van den Loonse Duynen, a greedy man that decided to associate himself with de bokkenrijders. In the second preshow you see Hugo and he start to talk about how he got his curse (I'll do my best shortening it down lol). Essentially, Hugo breaks into an empty church with the intent to, of course, ransack the building. but, when he and his group start stealing, and taking and abbundance of valuables, Hugo notices a slender hand on his shoulder, he turns around and sees a young woman standing behind him, she seems to float in her long white dress. she then says (this is a translated excerpt): "You Hugo van den Loonse-Duynen, you are desecrating this house. So repent and do not bring down the wrath of the Lord on you". But, Hugo shows no fear and laughs in the woman's face, before pushing her away. Hugo then calls for the others to leave with the stolen goods, but, as they leave and look back at the woman, they catch a glimpse of her fading away. When Hugo returns to his home, he finds the woman standing on his roof, in his head he hears (another translated excerpt): "Nowhere in your own house nor anywhere in the world will you find rest or peace, Now that you have desecrated God's house. Only when a noble person with the pure conscience of a newborn child will enter your home, Then you will find peace in your home and in your heart.” And so, Hugo invites you to come inside, in the hopes that you may lift his curse so he may obtain the peace he so desperately desires
Hey jack So nice to see the vlog. It was so nice to meet you in the park after aquanura you were such an amazing guy and this video is so amazing. Hope to see you sometime back in the park if you have tiktok let me know then i am going to follow you if you want i llace videos of the efteling on tiktok
I think you would have been quicker in the Efteling if you had travelled by train from 's-Hertogenbosch to Tilburg and took there a shuttle bus to the Efteling. There is a bus specifically for the Efteling from Tilburg station. You had a bus ride of 45 minutes. I think you would have saved about 15 minutes if you had travelled via Tilburg.
I didn't see a comment with the story of Villa Volta, so here goes: the Bokkenrijders (goat riders) were a band of devil worshiping robbers. You're in the leader's house, Hugo, he talks about how he and his house have been cursed after he robbed an abbey. A mysterious lady (implied to be a saint or angel) warns him not to steal anything, but he does anyway. She then appears on top of his house (you can see her on top) to tell him that he and his house will remain cursed forever, unless a person with a soul so pure, like a newborn baby enters it. And of course none of the visitors' souls have been pure enough. Bokkenrijders were kind of a legend about devil worshipers and witches who rode flying goats through the skies and did evil things, but there were actual robbers and extortionists who used those legends to make themselves seem scarier in the 18th century. The consensus now seems to be that these were several unconnected groups of regular robbers, but at the time it was a literal witch hunt and a lot of people were tortured and executed over being a devil worshiper, the robbery was kind of incidental to that apparently.
1:11:00 again seasonal theming with snow on the roof and extra warm clothing for 'Holle Bolle Gijs' (hollow fat Gijs). Even the audio is wintery with him shivering from the cold and saying 'it cold!'
@11:10 and payments vis creditcard in the bus. Be aware, unlike the USA I guess, we ste more Debt card oriented then credit card oriented. Yout first reactions when you enteted Efteling . Priceless... You did gasp the spirit...
The train is still there but the locomotiv hasj got a New engineering. Electric, because the Black coil isn't good for the environment. Steam and wisten still there
Just finished the video, here are some more tips: Sprookjes (Fairytale Forest) Sprook = Spoke with an 'R'. So Sproke and then "yes". Sproke-yes. And bos is just like "boss" The beer you had is a local beer called "Hertog Jan" (Jan the Duke), that's also what's on the side of the glass. And I'm not sure, but the "not radish, not apple" thing you had on your pancake, might have been a stewed pear. They are sweet and fruity. But it's hard to see when it's just a tiny slice hahaha. And yeah the birthday song is a very Dutch birthday song. That said, great video! I'm now gonna check out part2! :D
Great video so far! I'm still watching hahaha. 😄Just wanted to mention that "Loonse Land" doesn't have "sh" in it. It's like "lone" with SE at the end. So "Lone-se Land" (the "a" in land, sounds like the "a" in Lard, dante, or hans lol)
Great vlog! Such bad luck with the weather, hope you get back in summer one day. You credit card didn’t work on the bus, because in the Netherlands everyone uses debit cards and things are not fitted for credit cards. Villa Volta was the very first mad house ever. Efteling tries to build unique attractions every time. They are now building Dance Macabre, which will have its own unique ride system, check it out. I hope you have managed to get on all the rides in day 2. Droomvlucht was probably still in renovation, hope you get to enjoy that one day. Looking forward to the next instalment
@@TravelJack It would then also surprise you how little people actually even own a creditcard. Most people only own one for "backup" purposes, if a debit card or paypal isn't accepted somewhere online or on holiday. Oh yes, and we do not have a tipping culture. If we do tip, it's at a restaurant because we like the staff or support a local place. Not because we need to, or to get good service. Anything else, people just do not even expect a tip to even happen ever. Maybe in a paid taxi service, but those are expensive enough as is.
@@dutchieq3059 depends on how you look at it. The difference is that all our employees get a livable minimum wage. Something america generally doesn't do. Their minimum wage is like 7$ and hour, and their monthly expenses are almost double of a european household in euros. Ours is like 12.5€ an hour?
's HERTOGenbosch, where you arrived with the train, was in earlier times a area under rules of HERTOG (Duke) Jan, the name of your beer in Polle's Keuken. The name of the area is Brabant, North Brabant is these days in the Netherlands, Middle Brabant (Antwerp) & South Brabant (Brussels) are in Belgium. On this moment I am watching a hour and I like the video a lot. When you want come back in the future, try to come in the summertime.
The story about disney visitng efteling arent true he was hetre fopr holiday and to chedck out the studio that did the dutch dubs nothing more. efteling has said they cant find any contact from around that time. It is true that disney talked with the people from the efteling to change eurodisney or disneyland paris to adjust the rides to european tastes.
Creditcards are different from debitcards. Creditcards sometimes don't work with dutch payment systems. As do my debitcards sometimes don't work in America. Hope they'll get on the same page someday. Why your phone didn't work I don't know.. it works with my banking apps. There are also much much nicer rooms in the hotel.. but they are more expensive.
12 days ago.... and this was filmt in the winter? Thats the worst time to go there man. But i like your flog. You are a topical american. Gif a tip to a driver, seeing a trashcan for a umbrella holder😂 love that man. We dont gif tips to workers😅
That's not the worst in my opinion, sure there's rain and weather but I'd much rather put up with that than waiting in hour-long lines in 38 degrees in the summer. Plus the crowds are very low in winter, and it's much cheaper to travel. I had a great time at Efteling!
The one that starts at Little Red Riding Hood? I'll have to do some research on that one. The intro video was sent to me in an email from Efteling, and it transitions from the "Welkom" Parkmuziek at the beginning of the intro. I have the 2-CD park music set, so I'll see if I can find what music it is.
@@TravelJack tysm !!! I am doing a research for ages and if you mean the cd : Beetoverende Efteling melodieën , its sadly not in there too😔,i will still look bc that sounds so amazing 😍
haha one of the best intro's ever. i live 20km (about 8miles) fom efteling,it extremely overpriced but we dutchies grew up with it. it never gets old no matter how offen you been there. it will always remain magical. i cant compare it too disney since ive never been there, but it offen gets compared with it. but disney is disney,the stories arent nearly as old as some are in the efteling so i probabely dont favour disney (politics about disney aside). go to den bosch next time ,way nicer than haarlem,also cheaper,more history. and yes you butchered s'-hertogenbosch (or informal den bosch as we locals call it),but i'll forgive you for that 😂😂😂
tulip hotel is probabely more expensive but more comfy too 5min walk to the market square. most dont go further than Adam which is a shame really. heaps of other citys which are far more better than randstad (utrecht Adam,rotterdam area) den bosch has heaps of history,call me biast but yes its one of the nicer citys,plenty to see and do both cultural and architectural. nijmegen-arnhem is roman relics and ofcourse market garden, vught which is 15min from den bosch has largely replica of a concention camp. if you ever need a guide to show you around. dont hassitate to let me know. reason your creditcard didnt work is because thats a american thing. netherlands doesent use much creditcards if it all. only debit cards. its not build for american cards really. so cash or a more suiteble card is recommanded
Don't want to be rude, but you sir, look a lot like dutch footballer Marten de Roon, google him... And it's a bit of a urban legend. He visited the Netherlands 1951 to go to the recordingstudios who did the voice-overs of the Disney cartoons in Dutch media. A year later, Efteling opened the fairytaleforest in 1952... He may have had contact with Efteling in that time, because indeed he opened the park 3 years later in 1955, but there are also no official documents or photo's or anything. So I, like many, wished it to be true, probably it's not.. What is true, is that Efteling was the adviser/consultant to the Disney company for the new park Disneyland Paris opening in 1992, to adapt to the european market.
45:20 - I kind of hate this attraction. It's such a horrible story. It's the Little Match Girl. The little girl dies, outside in the cold, while people feast inside, because she doesn't dare go home without selling any matches, and nobody will buy one. It's fucked up.
I wasn't familiar with this story, and it was breathtaking, both in the beauty of the presentation, and because the ending was a bit of a shock. But many of the traditional fairy tales and nursery rhymes have similarly horrible endings too. However I do enjoy that they stick to the original tales, and I'm glad they don't give them the "happily ever after" treatment!
@TravelJack I guess in most of America (both continents) have a mindset that clashes with the Disney mindset. In essence way back before writing we had stories. Orally retold, then later came writing. Those stories kept being told orally up to point when print was invented. Which was a sad thing because oral history can't be retold indefinitely, hence most of history lacks the beginning. Which is why hate Disney with a passion, he took historical tales and made it, as most Americans do, a feel good tale. It is one of the reasons I'm glad Efteling didn't put a bra on the little mermaid. Everything Disney touches gets destroyed. Sorry for the outburst but I'm glad Efteling exists for that particular reason. You see, fables and fairytales exist for a reason. They tell stories about stuff you can't do in society. Anderson had a different ending in mind, the story Anderson told the prince lost his life, a Dutch band called Epica recently produced a song called 'Sirens of Blood and Water'. The video of it, produced by Patric Ullaeus, might be interesting for you. You can actually see the video on TH-cam on Epica's channel or any of the various reaction channels. PS Hope you will watch it, if only because it might prepare you for your next trip to Efteling, Dance Marcabre is going to be probably more darker than most Americans would expect. Paul
Day 4 of my 29 day adventure in Europe takes us to the Efteling, a theme park in the Netherlands! Opened in 1952, the "World of Wonders" is the largest theme park in the Netherlands, and may have given Walt Disney some inspiration for some of his ideas about Disneyland. We'll explore the Fairy Tale Forest, ride a beautiful 128-year-old steam powered carousel, check out the spectacular nighttime water show Aquanura - and much more!
Small correction: Its not a company that owns the Efteling but a foundation with very strict articles of association. Like, there has to be a cetain % of nature so they cant just fill the whole park up with concrete and rides. Also advertisement and sponsorships, those sorts of things all have to be kept to a minimum. And perhaps most importantly and this might shock any Americans ;-) : The Efteling is in principle a non-profit organisation. They do make a profit of course but everything is invested back in to the park. This means the foundation and the staff are in full creative control and dont have to compromise in any way. And yes, it is magical, its magical to us Dutch. A crazy number, like 95% of the population has been here at least once during their lives, and lots many times more. Its like this collective childhood memory we all share. I mean, even watching this and hearing these songs ive heard so many times before trigger all kinds of emotions.
The big difference, Efteling follows the fairytales of Grimm, Anderson, Scheherazade and others in their original version, like we heard them at bedtime, not the Disney 'Happy ever after' version most Americans know.
The girl with the matchsticks dies at the end, the bad wolf is slaughtered by the hunter to save grandma, etc.
Every tale has a warning, lesson, message and they do not end well for all, European style...
Well, thats how they were originally intended I suppose, as a sort of metaphore for dangers in real life. Like.... when weird people try to lure you in to their house with candy, or pretty young girls walking around all alone in a dodgy part of the forest etc... Disney kind of ruined that yeah, the whole point is that they end badly basically.
@@ageoflove1980 That's why US girls and boys think they are princesses and princes, but European kids know how that ends. 🤫
@@ageoflove1980 Yeah, all the myths were pretty gruesome but the popular fairy tales really ere there to teach lessons. Like Little Red Riding hood is about a girl who just started puberty and the dangers of men luring you stray from the right path who are just wolves in disguise.
Wat een geweldige levensgenieter
Villa Volta was the first madhouse attraction ever built, and a splendid one at that
I love the fact its still so much dutch, although it's annoying for non-Dutch residents. It does keep it's extra layer of pride for the park to me. Thank you for your excellent video
I really really appreciate your Efteling vlog focusses on the less 'flashy' rollercoasters and spends a lot of time on the things that make up the 'heart' of the Efteling for me. Sprookjesbos,. The Carousel. The Diorama. Pollekes. As much as I like the newer flashy stuff like Baron, Symbolica, its the old-school down-to-earth feeling that much of the park gives you, that makers me go back again and again.
I love the original attractions and the history of the park! It has a very unique style.
I like how he enjoys the little moments
I have to tell that after watching numerous Efteling vlogs, this one I love the most. I have lived my whole life approx 70 miles away from the Efteling park and somehow these vlogs entered my life and I find them wholesome somehow. I have never seen an Efteling vlog done with the amount of love this guy brings. Sure, the food parts were elaborate but my guess is that when I would visit the USA, I would feel the same need. Also, the fact that you soloed this (lack of evidence stating otherwise) is empowering me even still. love love love love love love :)
Thanks for watching! Don't miss my Day 2 vlog as well 👊
I've been at Efteling many times, often when it's really warm and crowded. The Diorama room is such a nice relief on such days. It's usually quiet, cool, dimly lit, perfect place to sit for a little while when you get a little overstimulated.
Hi Jack, Jack here from the Netherlands. What a nice vlog you have made of Efteling. I'm a Efteling fan and it makes me somehow emotional when people like you is telling such beautyfull things about this park. Thx for taking us along with you Jack.
Efteling has a special place in my heart 😍 Great name!
Oh no! How unfortunate you got so unlucky with the weather.
It was wonderful to see your reaction though :) The smile when you entered, it's endearing.
About the trains: There is no need to book in advance (except for international trains), and on busy routes there are trains leaving towards your destination every 10 or 15 minutes or so. Some of them may require to change trains at a later station (often in Utrecht), others may have a direct connection.
As for credit cards not being accepted in many places: In the Netherlands most people use debit cards for everything, and only very rarely use their credit card, which is why those are not commonly accepted. We don't like to spend money we don't have, I guess. Also, credit card transactions are more expensive for the shops accepting them, which doesn't help either.
I've been watching efteling vlogs and it makes me wanna go to efteling again it's been 3 years ago and i love your vlogs and especially your reactions to this park. So thank you for sharing! ❤
@@noeki74 Thanks for watching!
Loonsche land is the budget option, if you stay in one of the other accomodations, you will get more theming. They even have special themed suites at the Efteling hotel. We like the Poorthuis family rooms. Costs a bit more, but you get a nice little appartment.
Thanks Jack ,
Leuk om jou zo te zien genieten in De Efteling en je smaakvol te zien eten in Polles keuken.
Ik kom in de Efteling sinds 1964 .
Ik ben dol op Polle's pannenkoeken!
You might just had the best Sprookjesbos experience there is. Quiet, cold and rainy really adds mystique. Believe me, 30 celcius and hordes of screaming kids everywhere is not very immersive... been there, done that... Off season and bad weather is a good trade off against crowds, especially when you are on your own and just want to experience the park.
One of the benefits of off-season travel!
I'm thinking of booking to stay for 2 or 3 days at the end of November. Do you think that would be too long since the park will likely be quieter? Is the experience going midweek in off season just as fun?
@@heybigbender I prefer midweek because crowds tend to be lighter. My experience was that I could have done a third day, but keep in mind that making videos takes more time. Have a great time!
@@heybigbender Apart from the park itself, the resorts are very nice too. If you are staying for longer, consider booking an apartment or even a small holiday home at the Bosrijk resort. My famility goes there pretty much every year and besides the themepark its just a very nice spot to get away from it all.
That was actually the original purpose of The Efteling, to provide an escape for city folk. The park itself is beautifully landscaped and if the weather turns bad, there are many cozy places to shelter with a hot chocolate.
Even though you theoretically do all the major attraction in a single long day when its really quiet in the park, you would need to rush and thats just not how you want to do this park. Its all about immersing yourself in the complete experience.
Or screaming drunk adults who think there funny… ;)
i kept wondering what was on that pancake as well, so i looked it up for you, seems to be spring onion, sundried tomatoes, arugula, bacon, 'bonbons' made of ham, walnut and a kind of local cheese, caramelized apple and balsamic syrup! the more you know! 🌠
Thanks for the vlog. I was searching for a video with transportation towards the Efteling and came across yours. Very informative!!!
Awesome! My travel philosophy is to show not only the destination, but also the journey and experience of getting there. Glad you enjoyed the video, check out my other ones as well!
love your positivity
Im a giant fan of the efteling and its a cold dreary day today and im cuddled up and watching efteling videos and thank you so much for making my day
Glad you enjoyed it!
I love your efteling vlogs! I am a efteling fan from the netherlands and i am very happy that you enjoyed it and made a vlog of your experience😊
Thank you!
The intro is so fun😊
The initial route you planned had you switch trains at Amsterdam Sloterdijk, where said train would depart from at 6:30. This works too, the trains both visit both stations, but it's 11 minutes down the line hence 6:41.
Usually unknow fact: The owner of the park is actually a non-profit organisation called the "Efteling Nature Park Foundation" (rough translation). Sure, the park is run by a commercial entity, but that is fully owned by the organisation. And the foundation has strict regulations that it should have abundant actual nature. Not the Disney plasic trees ;)
Yes, the caroussel is really that old, from 1895, and don't worry, the steam-train is not going to close, the Efteling would create a BIG problem if they ever decide to do so, because it is a big part of the Efteling history! Actually, Villa Volta was the FIRST madhouse! Btw, I subscribed, love the way you take your time and value the things of what they are!
Awesome!
Villa Volta was not the first madhouse.
They explained in a documentary that they took inspiration from a madhouse somewhere in Germany and they dismissed the idea for quite some time before finally building it in 1996.
@@sadusko7103 From what I know Villa Volta was the prototype.
Efleting is actually a really affordable park as long as you don't buy all the souvenirs so almost everyone was able to go at least for a daytrip. And if you bring your own food there are loads of pretty little seats to have a picnic. The hotelroom you stayed in was very utilitarian which you can imagine would be the budget option for a group bring a bunch of kids and they'd just need a good place to sleep.
When I first did the "madhouse" Villa Volta we had no idea what it was and so I thought it was just going to be strange room viewing and when the ride started the illusion was so good I had no idea why it felt like this force (gravity) was pulling me back. You can never have that expirience these days when you can check out everything on youtube first. The story is about an old robbers gang cursed after stealing holy items from the church, you see them spread around the leader, clearly from a chapel.
The great difference about paying in the US an Europe is, we don't use credit cards, but debet cards. Only a few stores accept credit-cards.
paid for stuff with credit card all across the EU for 10 plus years - is this a NL thing?
Great food choices. I love how you at first couldn't recognize the pancake, but ended up liking it, that's what travel is all about! Also, including the trip up to the park is a great addition to these type of video's! P.S. Did you get the translation for the Villa Volta lore? The story always creeped me out as a youngster, amplified by Efteling's impeccable music and theming.
@@ikhaatgers The story really helps explain what's going on - what an unusual attraction!
There is a pancakehous. In the Netherlands, where also the floor is moving.
Yes, they sang a birthday song it translates to: "Long shall you live" repeated a few times "with full glory" repeated a few times ending with "Hooray" a few times... In a nutshell: you wish them a happy long life
That was fun to see!
If the menu is still the same; the sauces with the steak should be: garlic gravy and sour cream with herbs. Great vlog, hope you will get to enjoy the Efteling in summer one day..
the villa volta was not one of the first ever made, it was the first one, litellary the first one ever
It is so good to see you are having fun
❤
The Steam Train will have maintenance for a long time. They won’t run on steam anymore, but they will ofcourse stay.
Great vlog, looking forward to the sequel!
Don't worry, the steamtrain isn't going anywhere, (except around the park). Maybe it was temporarily closed due to construction of a new ride.
'Villa Volta' was the first ever Madhouse ride built. I'm sure you will get some comments with the storyline, so I won't type all that. ;)
The "Walt Disney visited the Efteling for inspiration for Disneyland" story is a myth. Having said that, it's a great myth to have and Walt could've physically visited Efteling back then.
Thanks for the great info! The fact the myth even exists is a testament to the attention to detail and quality in the park. Glad the train is staying!
Fun fact about the steam train is that the locomotives are original early 20th century steam locomotives that were used at factories, the first one being Aagje, which was bought from an old brick factory, back in 1969 and is still in operation at the park to this day. They are being lovingly preserved by the park and a few historic railway enthusiasts, "De Efteling Stoomtrein Maatschappij".
Each of the locomotives in the park has their own name: there's Aagje, Moortje and Trijntje, all old-fashioned Dutch girl's names. Trijntje (which is also a homonym for treintje, which means "little train") being the latest addition to the "fleet", was built for Efteling as a replica of the original two trains. They also have a small diesel engine for park maintenance purposes, which has unimaginatively been named Dieseltje.
I believe there was at some point discussion about replacing them with electric locomotives for environmental reasons but the historic preservation side must have won that argument because I haven't heard anything about it since then, which was years ago. The steam caroussel does run on electricity nowadays, and they replaced all the vintage lighting in there with leds.
Disney ride engineers and designers did I believe.
@@KoeiNLMichael Eigner visited the park at the time Disneyland Paris (or EuroDisney as it was called back then) was being built. Efteling head disigner at the time Ton van de Ven was a consultant for the building DP.
Video of Villa Volta really doesn't do it justice. The one at Efteling is the first of its kind.
Subscribed. Quality video. Love the reactions. Can't wait to see your experience in the bigger attractions.
The berry at the end is a Cape gooseberry or golden berry..The red ones are red currant.They are usually very sour, i like them a lot.
Great vlog it is so different from all the Efteling vlogs..I can tell you had a great time..
Thanks for the info! My philosophy is to show the full experience from start to finish - meals, transportation, hotels, and everything else. I couldn't find a single travel channel that presents their content this way. And yes, Efteling was special and one of the best highlights of the entire trip!
Great story telling! You made a well thought uit vlog!
Thank you!
Love this video! Efteling is a great park and you presented it really well in spite of the not so great weather. Hoping for the video of your other days at the park. Are they still coming up?
Yes, I'm working on it right now! It will be out on Travel Tuesday!
@@TravelJack Great! I'll be watching :)
Walt Disney did not visit Efteling. He visited in 1951, the Fairytale Forest opened in 1952. So, at the time Disney visited NL Efteling was just a sports park with a kids playground.
The 4 steam trains gonna be taken out for a while to be modified to run electric. One steamer will stay operative till being replaced.
I wish they would keep the steam-powered trains.
My daughter is working for De Efteling entry division including the shuttle service. But this lovely girl that brought you to the hotel is not my puppy.
Watched your video yesterday because I’m staying at Loonsche Land, guess what, they gave us the exact same room, 407, what are the odds!
Cool! It's a nice room, just wish the view was better. The staff is amazing!
The (steam) train stays but it will get electrified. The steam carroussel is running on electricity since 1944.
34:06 "sorry jochie, vandaag even niet"
The troll king completely ignored that kid lol
LOL What was the kid saying? Can you talk with the Troll King?
@@TravelJack "Troll King, why do you live in a..." (pauses, probably because he or she can't find the right word)... "Why are you sitting..." (curtain closes slowly)
Haha the more I watch it the funnier it gets
@@TravelJack Nah, the Troll king is just an animatronic running a predetermined program, it doesn't respond to people's voices. It used to have this big vibrating paving stone as well that would start vibrating like mad while the troll king was doing his thing, but I think that's been gone for a while now. You can talk to Sprookjesboom a bit further down the path, he has some automated responses triggered by voice.
Sprookjesboom is a later addition to the park so he's a bit more advanced, although Troll king is pretty advanced for his age. The mechanics behind it were developed by TNO, which is the main science and technology institute here in the Netherlands, and the puppet was designed in collaboration with the team behind the BBC satirical puppet show "Spitting Image". That's the great thing about Efteling, they don't take half measures.
I love this man, please keep uploading video's!
More to come!
Lovely!! Such a long video on my childhood park.
Thank you! I actually had to cut a lot to keep it under 2 hours, but there was so much to show!
What a lovely video Jack!! You seem like a very kind and fun person!!☺️hope you had a wonderful time in the efteling🥰. Thank you for the effort you put into these videos, it really makes my day :) Going to watch your other videos too but i subscribed right away🥳
Thank you! Efteling was amazing!
For the next time book a room in the efteling hotel, that is themed all over.
The beer you were drinking was called "Hertog Jan" translated: Lord Jan, in my opinion Dutch's best beer.
I loved it!
@@TravelJack Hertog Jan translates to Duke John, after historic Duke John I of Brabant 1252 - 1294. He loved good food, good beer and good music (and women). He united the Duchies Brabant and Limburg. He was forced, because of his good living, to grant towns extended, very progressive, town rights and the duchies their first written constitution in Dutch. His name is remembered in the (not official) anthem of Brabant, that also contains 'Harba lori fa' (For them morning breaks) from a song he wrote himself.
Just watched this video, its amazing to watch! Greetings from a worker of the efteling
Thank you! May I ask what you do at the Efteling? I loved my visit, especially the great staff and service during my visit!
50:44 that sign changes with the seasons. Here, in winter, there's snow and Langnek wears earwarmers....
im sure you've either already translated it, or seen a comment about it already, but Villa Volta is about a man that's part of a group of thieves called "de bokkenrijders" (the goatriders, based on a real group by the same name that would ransack religious buildings for valuables circa 1730-1770) and terrorized the people living in Limburg and the Belgian/Dutch Campine.
The first preshow explains who they were using dialogue of people talking about them, the narrator then invites you to learn about Hugo van den Loonse Duynen, a greedy man that decided to associate himself with de bokkenrijders.
In the second preshow you see Hugo and he start to talk about how he got his curse (I'll do my best shortening it down lol).
Essentially, Hugo breaks into an empty church with the intent to, of course, ransack the building. but, when he and his group start stealing, and taking and abbundance of valuables, Hugo notices a slender hand on his shoulder, he turns around and sees a young woman standing behind him, she seems to float in her long white dress. she then says (this is a translated excerpt): "You Hugo van den Loonse-Duynen, you are desecrating this house. So repent and do not bring down the wrath of the Lord on you". But, Hugo shows no fear and laughs in the woman's face, before pushing her away. Hugo then calls for the others to leave with the stolen goods, but, as they leave and look back at the woman, they catch a glimpse of her fading away.
When Hugo returns to his home, he finds the woman standing on his roof, in his head he hears (another translated excerpt): "Nowhere in your own house nor anywhere in the world will you find rest or peace, Now that you have desecrated God's house. Only when a noble person with the pure conscience of a newborn child will enter your home,
Then you will find peace in your home and in your heart.”
And so, Hugo invites you to come inside, in the hopes that you may lift his curse so he may obtain the peace he so desperately desires
Thanks for this excellent description! There definitely isn't peace in his house lol
Hey jack
So nice to see the vlog. It was so nice to meet you in the park after aquanura you were such an amazing guy and this video is so amazing. Hope to see you sometime back in the park if you have tiktok let me know then i am going to follow you if you want i llace videos of the efteling on tiktok
Thanks, it was nice meeting you!
I think you would have been quicker in the Efteling if you had travelled by train from 's-Hertogenbosch to Tilburg and took there a shuttle bus to the Efteling. There is a bus specifically for the Efteling from Tilburg station. You had a bus ride of 45 minutes. I think you would have saved about 15 minutes if you had travelled via Tilburg.
I didn't see a comment with the story of Villa Volta, so here goes: the Bokkenrijders (goat riders) were a band of devil worshiping robbers. You're in the leader's house, Hugo, he talks about how he and his house have been cursed after he robbed an abbey. A mysterious lady (implied to be a saint or angel) warns him not to steal anything, but he does anyway. She then appears on top of his house (you can see her on top) to tell him that he and his house will remain cursed forever, unless a person with a soul so pure, like a newborn baby enters it. And of course none of the visitors' souls have been pure enough.
Bokkenrijders were kind of a legend about devil worshipers and witches who rode flying goats through the skies and did evil things, but there were actual robbers and extortionists who used those legends to make themselves seem scarier in the 18th century. The consensus now seems to be that these were several unconnected groups of regular robbers, but at the time it was a literal witch hunt and a lot of people were tortured and executed over being a devil worshiper, the robbery was kind of incidental to that apparently.
1:11:00 again seasonal theming with snow on the roof and extra warm clothing for 'Holle Bolle Gijs' (hollow fat Gijs). Even the audio is wintery with him shivering from the cold and saying 'it cold!'
💝💝💝
The food at Efteling is definitely better than Disneys.
I loved the traditional Dutch options!
@11:10 and payments vis creditcard in the bus. Be aware, unlike the USA I guess, we ste more Debt card oriented then credit card oriented.
Yout first reactions when you enteted Efteling . Priceless...
You did gasp the spirit...
The train is still there but the locomotiv hasj got a New engineering. Electric, because the Black coil isn't good for the environment. Steam and wisten still there
all the way from usa to visit our litle country and humble park 😉 its probably nmbr 1 in the world if u ask the dutch
It's definitely one of the best!
Great video, is day 2 still coming or was that just one sad pool party?
It's coming very soon! Keep your eyes peeled this Travel Tuesday 😁 Spoiler alert: Yes it was a wet day 🌧
Just finished the video, here are some more tips:
Sprookjes (Fairytale Forest) Sprook = Spoke with an 'R'. So Sproke and then "yes". Sproke-yes.
And bos is just like "boss"
The beer you had is a local beer called "Hertog Jan" (Jan the Duke), that's also what's on the side of the glass. And I'm not sure, but the "not radish, not apple" thing you had on your pancake, might have been a stewed pear. They are sweet and fruity. But it's hard to see when it's just a tiny slice hahaha. And yeah the birthday song is a very Dutch birthday song.
That said, great video! I'm now gonna check out part2! :D
Oh part2 is not out yet hahaha!! Ok I'll wait :D
Thanks for the tips! Sproke-yes-boss
Great video so far! I'm still watching hahaha. 😄Just wanted to mention that "Loonse Land" doesn't have "sh" in it. It's like "lone" with SE at the end. So "Lone-se Land" (the "a" in land, sounds like the "a" in Lard, dante, or hans lol)
Thanks, I can't pronounce anything in Dutch lol
@@TravelJack Hahaha don't worry it's not easy. It has a lot of sounds that are not found in English.
Did You know .. that Disney .. was inspired by the Efteling ! .... the foundation was made bij Anton Piek !
Great vlog! Such bad luck with the weather, hope you get back in summer one day.
You credit card didn’t work on the bus, because in the Netherlands everyone uses debit cards and things are not fitted for credit cards.
Villa Volta was the very first mad house ever. Efteling tries to build unique attractions every time. They are now building Dance Macabre, which will have its own unique ride system, check it out.
I hope you have managed to get on all the rides in day 2. Droomvlucht was probably still in renovation, hope you get to enjoy that one day.
Looking forward to the next instalment
Thanks for watching! That explains a lot about the bus payment.
@@TravelJack It would then also surprise you how little people actually even own a creditcard. Most people only own one for "backup" purposes, if a debit card or paypal isn't accepted somewhere online or on holiday.
Oh yes, and we do not have a tipping culture. If we do tip, it's at a restaurant because we like the staff or support a local place. Not because we need to, or to get good service. Anything else, people just do not even expect a tip to even happen ever. Maybe in a paid taxi service, but those are expensive enough as is.
@@Smileynator The tip is often built in the price ;-)
@@dutchieq3059 depends on how you look at it. The difference is that all our employees get a livable minimum wage. Something america generally doesn't do. Their minimum wage is like 7$ and hour, and their monthly expenses are almost double of a european household in euros. Ours is like 12.5€ an hour?
's HERTOGenbosch, where you arrived with the train, was in earlier times a area under rules of HERTOG (Duke) Jan, the name of your beer in Polle's Keuken.
The name of the area is Brabant, North Brabant is these days in the Netherlands, Middle Brabant (Antwerp) & South Brabant (Brussels) are in Belgium.
On this moment I am watching a hour and I like the video a lot. When you want come back in the future, try to come in the summertime.
Thanks for the info! The beer was great!
's-Hertogenbosch is in english called Duketown. It's one of the few places with an actual english and french name (Bois le duc)
That yellow sauce is probably Hollandaise or Bearnaise
This beer is called Hertog Jan. Its one of the many beers in the netherlands
I loved it!
The story about disney visitng efteling arent true he was hetre fopr holiday and to chedck out the studio that did the dutch dubs nothing more. efteling has said they cant find any contact from around that time. It is true that disney talked with the people from the efteling to change eurodisney or disneyland paris to adjust the rides to european tastes.
Creditcards are different from debitcards. Creditcards sometimes don't work with dutch payment systems. As do my debitcards sometimes don't work in America. Hope they'll get on the same page someday. Why your phone didn't work I don't know.. it works with my banking apps. There are also much much nicer rooms in the hotel.. but they are more expensive.
I'm guessing the phone didn't work because Google Pay is also linked to a credit card.
I like
Aquanura is from the same manufacture as in Las Vegas
Don't think they accept credit cards in public transportation.
Creditcard in europe is not accepted on most places. In bus only ov cards and bank cards work
you took a family room looks like or did they gave u the room maybe
and the other hotel is nicer called efteling hotel and in a few years we get the grand hotel
even the fantasy park is world class everything food drinks service u dont expect that in a park
12 days ago.... and this was filmt in the winter? Thats the worst time to go there man. But i like your flog. You are a topical american. Gif a tip to a driver, seeing a trashcan for a umbrella holder😂 love that man. We dont gif tips to workers😅
That's not the worst in my opinion, sure there's rain and weather but I'd much rather put up with that than waiting in hour-long lines in 38 degrees in the summer. Plus the crowds are very low in winter, and it's much cheaper to travel. I had a great time at Efteling!
What is the song in the intro 😭😭😭 ( the one woth red ridinghood)
The one that starts at Little Red Riding Hood? I'll have to do some research on that one. The intro video was sent to me in an email from Efteling, and it transitions from the "Welkom" Parkmuziek at the beginning of the intro. I have the 2-CD park music set, so I'll see if I can find what music it is.
@@TravelJack tysm !!! I am doing a research for ages and if you mean the cd : Beetoverende Efteling melodieën , its sadly not in there too😔,i will still look bc that sounds so amazing 😍
@@TravelJack also it konda sounds like something from symbolica , i also heard it in the tv show of symbolica
@@michaud_vp That's the one. Then sadly I don't know the answer 🫤
haha one of the best intro's ever. i live 20km (about 8miles) fom efteling,it extremely overpriced but we dutchies grew up with it. it never gets old no matter how offen you been there. it will always remain magical. i cant compare it too disney since ive never been there, but it offen gets compared with it. but disney is disney,the stories arent nearly as old as some are in the efteling so i probabely dont favour disney (politics about disney aside). go to den bosch next time ,way nicer than haarlem,also cheaper,more history. and yes you butchered s'-hertogenbosch (or informal den bosch as we locals call it),but i'll forgive you for that 😂😂😂
I stayed 1 night at Little Duke hotel in Den Bosch, not the best hotel but the area was nice and right next to the train station.
tulip hotel is probabely more expensive but more comfy too 5min walk to the market square. most dont go further than Adam which is a shame really. heaps of other citys which are far more better than randstad (utrecht Adam,rotterdam area) den bosch has heaps of history,call me biast but yes its one of the nicer citys,plenty to see and do both cultural and architectural. nijmegen-arnhem is roman relics and ofcourse market garden, vught which is 15min from den bosch has largely replica of a concention camp. if you ever need a guide to show you around. dont hassitate to let me know. reason your creditcard didnt work is because thats a american thing. netherlands doesent use much creditcards if it all. only debit cards. its not build for american cards really. so cash or a more suiteble card is recommanded
Don't want to be rude, but you sir, look a lot like dutch footballer Marten de Roon, google him...
And it's a bit of a urban legend. He visited the Netherlands 1951 to go to the recordingstudios who did the voice-overs of the Disney cartoons in Dutch media. A year later, Efteling opened the fairytaleforest in 1952... He may have had contact with Efteling in that time, because indeed he opened the park 3 years later in 1955, but there are also no official documents or photo's or anything. So I, like many, wished it to be true, probably it's not..
What is true, is that Efteling was the adviser/consultant to the Disney company for the new park Disneyland Paris opening in 1992, to adapt to the european market.
GOOOOAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!
The bus doesn’t accept creditcards, debitcards only
45:20 - I kind of hate this attraction. It's such a horrible story. It's the Little Match Girl. The little girl dies, outside in the cold, while people feast inside, because she doesn't dare go home without selling any matches, and nobody will buy one. It's fucked up.
I wasn't familiar with this story, and it was breathtaking, both in the beauty of the presentation, and because the ending was a bit of a shock. But many of the traditional fairy tales and nursery rhymes have similarly horrible endings too. However I do enjoy that they stick to the original tales, and I'm glad they don't give them the "happily ever after" treatment!
@@TravelJack Oh yeah, it's an amazingly well made attraction.
@TravelJack
I guess in most of America (both continents) have a mindset that clashes with the Disney mindset. In essence way back before writing we had stories. Orally retold, then later came writing. Those stories kept being told orally up to point when print was invented. Which was a sad thing because oral history can't be retold indefinitely, hence most of history lacks the beginning.
Which is why hate Disney with a passion, he took historical tales and made it, as most Americans do, a feel good tale.
It is one of the reasons I'm glad Efteling didn't put a bra on the little mermaid. Everything Disney touches gets destroyed. Sorry for the outburst but I'm glad Efteling exists for that particular reason.
You see, fables and fairytales exist for a reason. They tell stories about stuff you can't do in society. Anderson had a different ending in mind, the story Anderson told the prince lost his life, a Dutch band called Epica recently produced a song called 'Sirens of Blood and Water'. The video of it, produced by Patric Ullaeus, might be interesting for you. You can actually see the video on TH-cam on Epica's channel or any of the various reaction channels.
PS
Hope you will watch it, if only because it might prepare you for your next trip to Efteling, Dance Marcabre is going to be probably more darker than most Americans would expect.
Paul
The company Iam work for. Has 1 time rent the hole park. For workers and ther family. Vebo Concert. Thanks.
Just ovchip