Efteling () is a fantasy-themed

amusement park An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, as well as other events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central ...

in Kaatsheuvel, the Netherlands. The attractions reflect elements from ancient

myth Myth is a folklore genre consisting of Narrative, narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or Origin myth, origin myths. Since "myth" is widely used to imply that a story is not Objectivity (philosophy), ...

s and legends,

fairy tale A fairy tale (alternative names include fairytale, fairy story, magic tale, or wonder tale) is a short story that belongs to the folklore genre. Such stories typically feature magic (paranormal), magic, incantation, enchantments, and mythical ...

s, fables, and folklore. The park was opened on May 31, 1952. It evolved from a nature park with a

playground A playground, playpark, or play area is a place designed to provide an environment for children that facilitates play, typically outdoors. While a playground is usually designed for children, some are designed for other age groups, or people ...

and a ''

Fairytale Forest The Fairytale Forest (''Sprookjesbos'' in Dutch) is a wooded section of the amusement park Efteling in the Netherlands, where a number of well-known fairy tales and fairy tale figures are depicted by animatronics and buildings. Most of the figu ...

'' into a full-sized theme park. It now caters to both children and adults with its cultural, romantic, and nostalgic themes, in addition to its wide array of amusement rides including six roller coasters and four dark rides. It is the largest theme park in the Netherlands and one of the oldest theme parks in the world. It is twice as large as the original Disneyland park in California and predates it by three years. Annually, the park has more than 5 million visitors. In 2020, it was the most visited theme park in Europe, before

Disneyland Park (Paris) Disneyland Park, originally Euro Disneyland Park, is a theme park found at Disneyland Paris in Marne-la-Vallée, France. The park opened on 12 April 1992 as the first of the two parks built at the resort. Designed and built by Walt Disney Ima ...

History

Efteling is one of the oldest theme parks still in existence. Its roots go back to 1935, when the R. K. Sport en Wandelpark was inaugurated. In 1950, Efteling Nature Park Foundation (Stichting Natuurpark de Efteling) was founded by the mayor of Loon op Zand, R.J. van der Heijden, filmmaker Peter Reijnders, and designer artist Anton Pieck (1895-1987). The foundation was named after a 16th-century farm named Ersteling. Efteling officially opened on May 31, 1952, when the Fairy Tale Forest (''het Sprookjesbos''), designed by the famous Dutch illustrator Anton Pieck, was opened to the public. Initially, the Fairy Tale Forest was home to some 10 different fairy tales, all of them brought to life using original drawings by Pieck alongside mechanics, lighting and sound effects designed by the Dutch filmmaker Peter Reijnders. The life-sized dioramas, displayed together in an atmospheric forest, were a tremendous success. In 1952 alone, Efteling welcomed 240,000 visitors. Since 1978, the park has been expanded and grown to become one of the most popular theme parks in the world. In the same year, English singer Kate Bush performed in the park in ''De Efteling Special'', which was broadcast on 11 May 1978. In early 1978, the amusement park's Haunted Castle was completed and the opening was scheduled on 10 May that year. Bush, who just had a big hit in the Netherlands with " Wuthering Heights", made her debut on Dutch television in the special. Her popularity was used to draw the attention to the Haunted Castle. The Dutch climate and the integral role of natural greenery in the park's appearance prevented the opening of the park year-round. In 2010, Efteling announced plans to remain open year-round. From November through about February, the 'Winter Efteling' theme remains in place. However, attractions that involve water, such as the rapids ride 'Piraña' or the water coaster 'Vliegende Hollander' (Flying Dutchman), are closed. Gisela Williams, a reporter for '' The Wall Street Journal'', wrote a review of the park in early 2014. Williams praised Efteling but criticized the teacups-style ride Monsieur Cannibale due to ethnic stereotypes. Her review was later mentioned in ''

De Telegraaf ''De Telegraaf'' (; en, The Telegraph) is the largest Dutch daily morning newspaper. Haro Kraak,Gaat Paul Jansen de crisis bij De Telegraaf oplossen?, '' de Volkskrant'', 2015. Retrieved 1 August 2015. Paul Jansen has been the editor-in-chief s ...

'', a daily newspaper in the Netherlands, and drew several angry comments from its readership. Williams also received her first death threat for her comments about the controversial attraction. In recent years, activists have repeatedly requested the Efteling to remove or re-theme the attraction. In June 2021, the park closed the ride for an extensive renovation including a re-theme. The park received its 123,456,789th guest on June 19, 2015. The Efteling opened the trackless darkride

Symbolica Symbolica is a trackless dark ride at Efteling theme park in the Netherlands, which opened July 1, 2017. Construction started on January 11, 2016. With a cost of €35 million, it is the most expensive project ever at Efteling. History Originall ...

in 2017. With a price tag of 35 million euros, it is the most expensive investment in Efteling history. Beside the theme park, the Efteling operates two hotels, a theatre, a golf course, and two holiday villages. The Efteling inaugurated its 30th fairytale in 2019. In December 2020, the park was forced to close in compliance with the new COVID-19 restrictions introduced by prime minister Mark Rutte and the third Rutte cabinet.

Design

The success of Efteling has been attributed largely to its ride designs, architecture and atmosphere. When Anton Pieck was asked to design the initial fairy tales for the Efteling, he made sure the park would live up to his personal high standards. There would be no use of cheap building materials, plastic, or concrete. Pieck's illustration style, somewhat grim and dark, but also romantic and nostalgic, was the thematic base on which nearly all future expansions were built. Pieck worked for Efteling until the mid-1970s, when his position as chief designer was passed on to the younger Ton van de Ven. Van de Ven had already been working for Efteling for several years and Pieck was very pleased with his work. The Haunted Castle (''het Spookslot''), which opened in 1978 as the park's first new large attraction, was Efteling's first to be designed entirely by Van de Ven. Van de Ven continued his work until 2002, when he retired. A new team of imagineers works on new Efteling attractions, still in a style suitable to the Efteling.

Divisions

The Efteling Theme Park Resort now comprises several divisions: the theme park (1952), the four-star Efteling Hotel (1992), the 18-hole golf course (1995),

Efteling Theatre Theater Efteling (or "Efteling Theatre" in English) is a theatre in the amusement park Efteling in the Netherlands. It was designed by Ton van de Ven and opened its doors in 2002. History and details Theater de Efteling is one of the five big th ...

(2002), accommodation parks: Efteling Bosrijk (2009) & Het Loonsche Land (2017). The theatre, which was once used for park shows, is one of the five biggest theatres in the Netherlands and can house big theatre productions, which will not be included in park admissions. Besides using it as a home base for shows/musicals created by the Efteling itself (like "Droomvlucht") it also lends itself out for other big productions, events, and business events. The hotel was operated by

Golden Tulip Groupe du Louvre is a French company, headquartered in Village 5, La Défense in Nanterre, France. Groupe du Louvre and Louvre Hotels Group was sold to Shanghai Jin Jiang International Hotels Development Co., Ltd. in 2015. The company was owned ...

for several years, but Efteling decided in 2004 to manage it independently. All divisions are now profitable, although it took the golf course several years to break even. The divisions are each contained in commercial corporations, but all shares are still held by the

nonprofit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

Efteling Nature Park Foundation (''Stichting Natuurpark de Efteling'').

The park

The theme park covers . This area has changed only marginally over the course of its history. The Efteling Theme Park Resort also offers the Efteling hotel, the Efteling hotel Loonsche Land, a theatre, a golf course, Villa Pardoes, and two holiday villages (Efteling Bosrijk and Efteling Loonsche Land) on . The park's foundation owns a total of also including young forest, nature reserve, some grassland, fields and roads. The park is divided into five themed areas or 'realms'. Originally, the park was divided into four areas called North, West, East, and South, with most of the park's historical rides and attractions, such as the Fairy Tale Forest, located in West. When the park reorganized its infrastructure in the late 1990s, adding the Pardoes Promenade (named after Efteling's mascot ''Pardoes'', a court

jester A jester, court jester, fool or joker was a member of the household of a nobleman or a monarch employed to entertain guests during the medieval and Renaissance eras. Jesters were also itinerant performers who entertained common folk at fairs and ...

) and a central hub called Efteling Brink, it also changed the areas' names. North was changed to ''Reizenrijk'' (Travel Realm), West became ''Marerijk'' (Fairy Realm), East became ''Ruigrijk'' (Adventure Realm), and South became ''Anderrijk'' (Other Realm). In 2017 a fifth realm opened in the center of the park called ''Fantasierijk'' (Fantasy Realm). Although the park was not built with these divisions in mind and the names may seem cryptic, they do make sense. Perhaps the area most suited to its name is ''Ruigrijk'', where most fast rides such as the double-loop

roller coaster A roller coaster, or rollercoaster, is a type of amusement ride that employs a form of elevated railroad track designed with tight turns, steep slopes, and sometimes inversions. Passengers ride along the track in open cars, and the rides are o ...

Python (constructed in 1981) are located. ''Marerijk'' is the home to the Fairy Tale Forest and the Fairies of the ''Droomvlucht'', ''Anderrijk'' has some rides that are inspired by non-Western cultures (e.g. Fata Morgana and Piraña), while ''Reizenrijk'' has the Carnaval Festival ride, which travels through several different 'countries'. The ''Fantasierijk'' got its name from the darkride ''Symbolica: Palace of Fantasy''. Efteling was largely built in an existing pine forest located in a rural area, giving it a 'nature park' feeling. Together with its large ponds and gardens, its abundant green space is rather unusual among the world's leading theme parks.

Attractions and rides in Efteling and their designers

1952 -

(Dutch: ''Sprookjesbos''; Anton Pieck, Peter Reijnders, Ton van de Ven,

Henny Knoet Henny Knoet (3 May 1942, in Bergen op Zoom – 26 August 2013, in Sprang-Capelle) was a Dutch designer. He is mainly recognized for his contributions for Efteling. After having worked in Germany, Knoet started in 1979 at Efteling as a park plan ...

, Michel den Dulk,

Karel Willemen Karel Angèle Antonius Willemen (born May 15, 1967 in Dongen) is a Dutch designer. He is mainly recognized for his contributions to the fantasy-themed amusement park Efteling, located in Kaatsheuvel in the Netherlands. Willemen started at Eftelin ...

and Pim-Martijn Sanders)
1954 - Children's Railway (Dutch: ''Kinderspoor''), ( pedal trains, Anton Pieck and Peter Reijnders)
1954 -

Anton Pieck Square The Anton Pieck Square is a square in the Efteling, a theme park in the Netherlands. History It is named after - was and originally designed by - one of the park's founders, Anton Pieck Anton Franciscus Pieck (19 April 1895 – 24 November ...

(Dutch: ''Anton Pieckplein''), (square with nostalgic rides, Anton Pieck and Michel den Dulk)
1956 - Stoomcarrousel (

carousel A carousel or carrousel (mainly North American English), merry-go-round (List of sovereign states, international), roundabout (British English), or hurdy-gurdy (an old term in Australian English, in South Australia, SA) is a type of amusement ...

, bought from L. Janvier)
1969 - Stoomtrein (a narrow-gauge

heritage railway A heritage railway or heritage railroad (US usage) is a railway operated as living history to re-create or preserve railway scenes of the past. Heritage railways are often old railway lines preserved in a state depicting a period (or periods) i ...

)
1971 -

Diorama A diorama is a replica of a scene, typically a three-dimensional full-size or miniature model, sometimes enclosed in a glass showcase for a museum. Dioramas are often built by hobbyists as part of related hobbies such as military vehicle mode ...

( Model railway/

, Anton Pieck)
1981 - Python (double

loop Loop or LOOP may refer to: Brands and enterprises * Loop (mobile), a Bulgarian virtual network operator and co-founder of Loop Live * Loop, clothing, a company founded by Carlos Vasquez in the 1990s and worn by Digable Planets * Loop Mobile, an ...

corkscrew

, Vekoma) (original demolished in 2018, replaced by a replica 3 months later)
1981 - Gondoletta (

tow boat ride A tow boat ride is a water ride constructed on a body of water. The course is defined by a main drive underwater cable, creating the impression of free floating boats. The station could be a revolving platform. Partial list of tow boat rides ...

, Ton van de Ven)
1982 - Half Moon (Dutch: ''Halve Maen'') ( ship swing, Ton van de Ven)
1983 -

Piraña A piranha or piraña (, , or ; or , ) is one of a number of freshwater fish in the family Serrasalmidae, or the subfamily Serrasalminae within the tetra family, Characidae in order Characiformes. These fish inhabit South American rivers, f ...

(

river rafting ride A river rapids ride (or river rafting ride) is an amusement ride that simulates whitewater rafting. History The river rapids ride concept was proposed by Bill Crandall (general manager of AstroWorld in Houston) and developed by Intamin. Astro ...

, Ton van de Ven)
1984 - Carnival Festival ( dark ride, Geesink)
1984 -

Tin Lizzies Tin Lizzies (or Old-timers ; "De Oude Tuffer" in Dutch) is a car ride in the amusement park Efteling in the Netherlands. The attraction was designed by Joop Geesink and built by Mack Rides, and started operating in 1984. History and details In ...

(Dutch: ''De Oude Tuffer'') (car ride, Ton van de Ven)
1986 - Fata Morgana (dark, tow boat ride, Ton van de Ven)
1987 - Pagode ( observation tower, Ton van de Ven)
1990 - The People of Laaf (Dutch: ''Volk van Laaf'') (Ton van de Ven)
1993 - Dreamflight (Dutch: ''Droomvlucht'') (dark ride, Ton van de Ven)
1996 -

The House of the Five Senses The House of the Five Senses is the main entrance of amusement park Efteling in the Netherlands. It was designed by Ton van de Ven and went operational in 1996, a year later than planned due to a general strike in the construction sector. Detai ...

(Dutch: ''Het huis van de 5 zintuigen'') (park entrance, Ton van de Ven)
1996 - Villa Volta ( madhouse, Ton van de Ven)
1998 -

Bird Rok Vogel Rok (" Bird Skirt" in English) is an enclosed roller coaster in the Efteling amusement park in the Netherlands. History and details The name of the ride, Vogel Rok, refers to the adventure of Sinbad and the Bird Roc from the 1001 Arab ...

(Dutch: ''Vogel Rok'') (

enclosed roller coaster An indoor roller coaster or enclosed roller coaster is a roller coaster built inside a structure. The structure may be unrelated to the ride, or it may be intended solely or primarily for the ride. Many indoor coasters are custom made and place ...

, Ton van de Ven)
2007 - The Flying Dutchman (Dutch: ''De Vliegende Hollander'') ( water coaster / dark ride, Karel Willemen)
2010 - George and the Dragon (Dutch: ''Joris en de Draak'') ( wooden racing coaster, Karel Willemen)
2011 -

Ravelin A ravelin is a triangular fortification or detached outwork, located in front of the innerworks of a fortress (the curtain walls and bastions). Originally called a ''demi-lune'', after the ''lunette'', the ravelin is placed outside a castle ...

(Dutch: ''Raveleijn'') ( theatre, Sander de Bruijn)
2012 -

Aquanura Aquanura is the name of a fountain system in the Efteling theme park in the Netherlands. The premiere took place on 31 May 2012 on the park's 60th anniversary, and it opened to the public the following day. The fountain was developed by WET Desig ...

( Musical Fountain, WET)
2015 -

Baron 1898 Baron 1898 is a Dive Coaster produced by the Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard located in the Efteling in Kaatsheuvel, The Netherlands. It opened on July 1, 2015. The coaster's soundtrack was created by the Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra. ...

( dive coaster

Bolliger & Mabillard Bolliger & Mabillard, officially Bolliger & Mabillard Consulting Engineers, Inc. and often abbreviated B&M, is a roller coaster design consultancy based in Monthey, Switzerland. The company was founded in 1988 by Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabil ...

, Sander de Bruijn)
2017 -

( dark ride,

ETF Ride Systems ETF Ride Systems is a Dutch manufacturer of amusement ride systems. It was founded in 1999 and is owned by the ETF Group. The company has manufactured both tracked and trackless systems for both dark and outdoor rides. History ETF Ride Systems ...

/Sander de Bruijn and others)
2019 - Fabula replaces the former PandaVision (€3.5 million renovation by Efteling and Aardman Animations)
2020 - Max & Moritz (double roller coaster, Mack Rides), Robbert Jaap Janssen Former attractions: 1953 -

Rowing Pond The Rowing Pond was a rowing boat pond in the amusement park Efteling in the Netherlands. When still operating, it was one of the oldest attractions in the park. History Originally the rowing boats were located on a large artificial lake toge ...

( Dutch: ''Roeivijver''), replaced by

1953 - Swimming Pool ( Dutch: ''Zwembad''), closed in 1989
1966 - Water Organ ( Dutch: ''Waterorgel''), in use as a TV studio since 2010 1978 - Haunted Castle (Dutch: ''Spookslot'') ( haunted attraction, Ton van de Ven and Anton Pieck), closed 2022, will be replaced by Danse Macabre in 2024.
1984 -

Polka Marina Polka Marina was a Merry-go-round in the amusement park Efteling in the Netherlands. The attraction started operating in 1984. On 13 October 2020, Efteling announced that the attraction would make its last ride at the end of 2020 and would disapp ...

(a combination of a carousel and a minirollercoaster, Ton van de Ven)
1985 - Bob Track (Dutch: ''Bobbaan'') (

bobsled roller coaster A bobsled roller coaster is a roller coaster that uses a track design that is essentially a "pipe" with the top half removed and has cars that are sent down this pipe in a freewheeling mode. The name derives from the great similarity to the track ...

Intamin Intamin Amusement Rides is a design and manufacturing company in Schaan, Liechtenstein. It is best known for creating thrill rides and roller coasters worldwide. The Intamin brand name is a syllabic abbreviation for "international amusement ins ...

Ton van de Ven), demolished in 2019, replaced by Max & Moritz
1988 - Monsieur Cannibale ( teacups ride, Henny Knoet) Replaced by Sirocco
1991 -

Pegasus Pegasus ( grc-gre, Πήγασος, Pḗgasos; la, Pegasus, Pegasos) is one of the best known creatures in Greek mythology. He is a winged divine stallion usually depicted as pure white in color. He was sired by Poseidon, in his role as hor ...

(junior wooden roller coaster, demolished in 2009), replaced by George and the Dragon
2002 - PandaVision (Dutch: ''Pandadroom'') (a

4-D film 4D film is a high technology multisensory presentation system combining motion pictures with physical effects that are synchronized and occur in the theatre. Effects simulated in 4D films include motion, vibration, scent, rain, mist, bubbles, fo ...

cinema, Van Doorn and associates), replaced by Fabula Other ventures operating independently from the amusement park: Bosrijk dorpsplein

1992 - Tower Realm (Dutch: ''Torenrijk'') (theme hotel)
1995 - Efteling Golf course (Dutch: ''Golfclub Efteling'') ( golf course)
2002 -

(theatre, Ton van de Ven)
2008 - Efteling Radio (radio station)
2009 - Forest Realm (Dutch: ''Bosrijk'') (accommodation area, Karel Willemen)
2017 - The Loonsche Land (Dutch: ''Het Loonsche Land'') (accommodation)

Awards

* In 1971, the Efteling was the first theme park to receive the '' Pomme d'Or'' (Golden Apple), in recognition of superior efforts in promoting and raising Europe's level of tourism. The ''Pomme d'Or'' is the highest award in the European tourist industry. *In 1992, the Efteling was awarded the IAAPA Applause Award for best theme park in the world. *In 1997, Villa Volta, as the first 'new style' madhouse in the world, received the Thea Attraction Award. *In 2005, the Efteling received the Thea Classic Award for the year 2004, a notable token of recognition of quality awarded by other people in the themed entertainment industry. Efteling is the second park to receive a prize for their entire oeuvre, the first being Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark. *In 2014, 2015 and 2016, the Efteling won the award for the best holiday park in the Netherlands according to the booking sites BungalowSpecials.nl, BungalowSpecials.be, FerienparkSpecials.de and HolidayParkSpecials.co.uk. These awards were based solely on ratings from guests who have stayed at the Efteling. *In 2017, the Efteling was titled 'Best Themepark' in the world by Theme Park Insider, based on overall reader and visitor ratings. *In 2018, Symbolica received the TEA Award For Outstanding Achievement. *In 2018, 'Best Themepark' and 'Best new dark ride' in the world by Theme Park Insider. *In 2019, 'Best Themepark' in The Netherlands & Belgium. Diamond Theme Park Awards 2019.

Economy and governance

Structure

The Efteling is a private company limited by shares. The Efteling Nature Park Foundation (''Stichting Natuurpark de Efteling'') is the only shareholder. The foundation was founded in 1950 by R.J.Th. van der Heijden, Peter Reijnders, and Anton Pieck. The company is led by two directors. They manage four sections: the theme park, the Efteling Hotel, the Efteling Golf course, and the

. Since April 17, 2014, the company's

CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...

has been Fons Jurgens.

Employees

In the high season, Efteling employs 2,500 workers. In 2000, the number was 1670, of which 400 had a permanent contract (24%), 450 were seasonal employees (27%) and 820 had temp jobs (49%).

Visitors

ImageSize = width:677 height:336 PlotArea = left:70 right:10 top:10 bottom:20 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal AlignBars = justify Colors = id:gray1 value:gray(0.9) DateFormat = yyyy Period = from:2008 till:2020 ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:1 start:2008 PlotData = bar:16000000 color:gray1 width:1 from:start till:end bar:15000000 color:gray1 from:start till:end bar:14000000 color:gray1 width:1 from:start till:end bar:13000000 color:gray1 from:start till:end bar:12000000 color:gray1 from:start till:end bar:11000000 color:gray1 from:start till:end bar:10000000 color:gray1 from:start till:end bar:9000000 color:gray1 from:start till:end bar:8000000 color:gray1 from:start till:end bar:7000000 color:gray1 from:start till:end bar:6000000 color:gray1 from:start till:end bar:5000000 color:gray1 from:start till:end bar:4000000 color:gray1 from:start till:end bar:3000000 color:gray1 from:start till:end bar:2000000 color:gray1 from:start till:end bar:1000000 color:gray1 from:start till:end bar:0 color:gray1 # x: 70+((year-2007)×50) # y: 20+((305/16.000.000)×Attendance) LineData = layer:front points:(65,82)(70,82) color:blue width:2 #2008: 3.290.000 points:(70,82)(120,96) color:blue width:2 #2009: 4.000.000 points:(120,96)(170,96) color:blue width:2 #2010: 4.000.000 points:(170,96)(220,99) color:blue width:2 #2011: 4.125.000 points:(220,99)(270,101) color:blue width:2 #2012: 4.230.000 points:(270,101)(320,100) color:blue width:2 #2013: 4.150.000 points:(320,100)(370,104) color:blue width:2 #2014: 4.400.000 points:(370,104)(420,109) color:blue width:2 #2015: 4.680.000 points:(420,109)(470,111) color:blue width:2 #2016: 4.760.000 points:(470,111)(520,119) color:blue width:2 #2017: 5.180.000 points:(520,119)(570,123) color:blue width:2 #2018: 5.400.000 points:(570,123)(620,123) color:blue width:2 #2019: 5.400.000 points:(620,123)(670,75) color:blue width:2 #2020: 2.900.000 LineData = layer:front points:(65,262)(70,262) color:red width:2 #2008: 12.688.000 points:(70,262)(120,263) color:red width:2 #2009: 12.740.000 points:(120,263)(170,220) color:red width:2 #2010: 10.500.000 points:(170,220)(220,229) color:red width:2 #2011: 10.990.000 points:(220,229)(270,239) color:red width:2 #2012: 11.500.000 points:(270,239)(320,219) color:red width:2 #2013: 10.430.000 points:(320,219)(370,209) color:red width:2 #2014: 9.940.000 points:(370,209)(420,217) color:red width:2 #2015: 9.790.000 points:(420,217)(470,180) color:red width:2 #2016: 8.400.000 points:(470,180)(520,204) color:red width:2 #2017: 9.660.000 points:(520,204)(570,208) color:red width:2 #2018: 9.840.000 points:(570,208)(620,206) color:red width:2 #2019: 9.745.000 points:(620,206)(670,69) color:red width:2 #2020: 2.620.000 : Disneyland Paris,

#2 amusement park in Europe of annual attendance

: Efteling,

#1 amusement park in Europe of annual attendance

Efteling welcomed 3,240,000 visitors in 2007, making it the most popular theme park in the Netherlands. In 2009, the park's attendance surpassed for the first time since its opening 4,000,000 visitors and in 2017 roughly 5,180,000 visitors went to the park, making it the most popular tourist daytrip destination in all categories. The objective was to reach 5 million admissions in 2020. It is reached in 2017, three years earlier than expected. In its opening year (1952), the park had 222,941 visitors. In 1954, the millionth visitor since the official opening was welcomed. In 1983, the attendance increases by 30%. Efteling is the leading leisure park in Europe with 1.9 million visitors per year. In 1989, Efteling leads European parks in terms of attendance, 2.1 million people go to the park, including 1.6 million from the Netherlands. In 1991, Efteling is on the top step of the European podium with 2.6 million visitors. On the second step, three parks have 2 million admissions: Europa-Park,

Alton Towers Alton Towers Resort ( ) (often referred to as Alton Towers) is a theme park and resort complex in Staffordshire, England, near the village of Alton. The park is operated by Merlin Entertainments Group and incorporates a theme park, water park, ...

and

Phantasialand Phantasialand is a theme park in Brühl, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany that attracts approximately 2 million visitors annually. The park was opened in 1967 by Gottlieb Löffelhardt and Richard Schmidt. Although starting as a family-oriented p ...

. On the third step, two parks show 1.4 million admissions: Walibi Wavre and Parc Astérix. Most of the visitors are Dutch; 94% of the Dutch population has visited the park. About 16% of visitors live in areas such as Flanders (Belgium), Westphalia (Germany) and Southern England (UK). A graph of the number of visitors of the Efteling during the period 1952–2018: ImageSize = width:777 height:336 PlotArea = left:70 right:10 top:10 bottom:20 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal AlignBars = justify Colors = id:gray1 value:gray(0.9) DateFormat = yyyy Period = from:1952 till:2020 ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:5 start:1955 PlotData = bar:6000000 color:gray1 width:1 #gridlijn ywaarde6_3 from:start till:end bar:5000000 color:gray1 width:1 #gridlijn ywaarde5_3 from:start till:end bar:4000000 color:gray1 #gridlijn ywaarde4_3 from:start till:end bar:3000000 color:gray1 #gridlijn ywaarde3_3 from:start till:end bar:2000000 color:gray1 #gridlijn ywaarde2_3 from:start till:end bar:1000000 color:gray1 #gridlijn ywaarde1_3 from:start till:end bar:0 color:gray1 # berekening van xwaarde punt: 70+((jaartal-jaartalminimum)×10) # berekening van ywaarde punt: 20+(50×bezoekers) LineData = layer:front points:(90,31)(100,40) color:blue width:2 #1952: 222.941 & #1953: 411.671 points:(100,40)(110,48) color:blue width:2 #1954: 561.433 points:(110,48)(120,55) color:blue width:2 #1955: 705.941 points:(120,55)(130,57) color:blue width:2 #1956: 737.170 points:(130,57)(140,53) color:blue width:2 #1957: 664.384 points:(140,53)(150,53) color:blue width:2 #1958: 663.639 points:(150,53)(160,57) color:blue width:2 #1959: 743.862 points:(160,57)(170,55) color:blue width:2 #1960: 710.032 points:(170,55)(180,63) color:blue width:2 #1961: 862.701 points:(180,63)(190,66) color:blue width:2 #1962: 914.876 points:(190,66)(200,63) color:blue width:2 #1963: 862.687 points:(200,63)(210,66) color:blue width:2 #1964: 925.073 points:(210,66)(220,63) color:blue width:2 #1965: 858.156 points:(220,63)(230,77) color:blue width:2 #1966: 1.145.184 points:(230,77)(240,76) color:blue width:2 #1967: 1.114.926 points:(240,76)(250,76) color:blue width:2 #1968: 1.121.923 points:(250,76)(260,74) color:blue width:2 #1969: 1.080.137 points:(260,74)(270,75) color:blue width:2 #1970: 1.108.857 points:(270,75)(280,83) color:blue width:2 #1971: 1.254.812 points:(280,83)(290,83) color:blue width:2 #1972: 1.264.953 points:(290,83)(300,81) color:blue width:2 #1973: 1.220.969 points:(300,81)(310,81) color:blue width:2 #1974: 1.230.889 points:(310,81)(320,82) color:blue width:2 #1975: 1.246.649 points:(320,82)(330,78) color:blue width:2 #1976: 1.163.974 points:(330,78)(340,77) color:blue width:2 #1977: 1.133.504 points:(340,77)(350,92) color:blue width:2 #1978: 1.449.078 points:(350,92)(360,86) color:blue width:2 #1979: 1.321.970 points:(360,86)(370,84) color:blue width:2 #1980: 1.287.440 points:(370,84)(380,103) color:blue width:2 #1981: 1.669.868 points:(380,103)(390,97) color:blue width:2 #1982: 1.536.479 points:(390,97)(400,119) color:blue width:2 #1983: 1.979.000 points:(400,119)(410,117) color:blue width:2 #1984: 1.942.000 points:(410,117)(420,128) color:blue width:2 #1985: 2.157.255 points:(420,128)(430,135) color:blue width:2 #1986: 2.304.768 points:(430,135)(440,131) color:blue width:2 #1987: 2.220.000 points:(440,131)(450,125) color:blue width:2 #1988: 2.100.000 points:(450,125)(460,123) color:blue width:2 #1989: 2.064.000 points:(460,123)(470,130) color:blue width:2 #1990: 2.200.000 points:(470,130)(480,145) color:blue width:2 #1991: 2.500.000 points:(480,145)(490,135) color:blue width:2 #1992: 2.300.000 points:(490,135)(500,156) color:blue width:2 #1993: 2.717.000 points:(500,156)(510,147) color:blue width:2 #1994: 2.530.000 points:(510,147)(520,153) color:blue width:2 #1995: 2.650.000 points:(520,153)(530,173) color:blue width:2 #1996: 3.051.311 points:(530,173)(540,175) color:blue width:2 #1997: 3.100.000 points:(540,175)(550,155) color:blue width:2 #1998: 2.700.000 points:(550,155)(560,170) color:blue width:2 #1999: 3.000.000 points:(560,170)(570,175) color:blue width:2 #2000: 3.100.000 points:(570,175)(580,178) color:blue width:2 #2001: 3.150.000 points:(580,178)(590,191) color:blue width:2 #2002: 3.417.000 points:(590,191)(600,182) color:blue width:2 #2003: 3.235.000 points:(600,182)(610,183) color:blue width:2 #2004: 3.253.000 points:(610,183)(620,179) color:blue width:2 #2005: 3.170.000 points:(620,179)(630,173) color:blue width:2 #2006: 3.050.000 points:(630,173)(640,182) color:blue width:2 #2007: 3.240.000 points:(640,182)(650,185) color:blue width:2 #2008: 3.290.000 points:(650,185)(660,219) color:blue width:2 #2009: 4.000.000 points:(660,219)(670,219) color:blue width:2 #2010: 4.000.000 points:(670,220)(680,226) color:blue width:2 #2011: 4.125.000 points:(680,226)(690,231) color:blue width:2 #2012: 4.230.000 points:(690,231)(700,227) color:blue width:2 #2013: 4.150.000 points:(700,227)(710,239) color:blue width:2 #2014: 4.400.000 points:(710,239)(720,254) color:blue width:2 #2015: 4.680.000 points:(720,254)(730,258) color:blue width:2 #2016: 4.760.000 points:(730,258)(740,279) color:blue width:2 #2017: 5.186.945 points:(740,279)(750,290) color:blue width:2 #2018: 5.400.000

Ticket price

A graph of the ticket price in euros of the Efteling during the period 1952-2014: ImageSize = width:736 height:230 PlotArea = left:70 right:10 top:10 bottom:20 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal AlignBars = justify Colors = id:gray1 value:gray(0.9) DateFormat = yyyy Period = from:1952 till:2015 ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:5 start:1955 PlotData = bar:40 color:gray1 width:1 #gridline ywaarde4_3 from:start till:end bar:30 color:gray1 #gridline yvalue3_3 from:start till:end bar:20 color:gray1 #gridline yvalue2_3 from:start till:end bar:10 color:gray1 #gridline yvalue1_3 from:start till:end bar:0 color:gray1 # calculation of value x point: 70+((year minus minimumyear)×10) # calculation of value y point: ticket price in euro's LineData = layer:front points:(90,22)(100,22) color:blue width:2 #1952: 0,36 & #1953: 0,36 points:(100,22)(110,22) color:blue width:2 #1954: 0,39 points:(110,22)(120,22) color:blue width:2 #1955: 0,41 points:(120,22)(130,23) color:blue width:2 #1956: 0,45 points:(130,23)(140,23) color:blue width:2 #1957: 0,45 points:(140,23)(150,23) color:blue width:2 #1958: 0,45 points:(150,23)(160,23) color:blue width:2 #1959: 0,45 points:(160,23)(170,23) color:blue width:2 #1960: 0,45 points:(170,23)(180,23) color:blue width:2 #1961: 0,45 points:(180,23)(190,23) color:blue width:2 #1962: 0,45 points:(190,23)(200,23) color:blue width:2 #1963: 0,45 points:(200,23)(210,23) color:blue width:2 #1964: 0,45 points:(210,23)(220,24) color:blue width:2 #1965: 0,68 points:(220,24)(230,25) color:blue width:2 #1966: 0,73 points:(230,25)(240,26) color:blue width:2 #1967: 0,91 points:(240,26)(250,26) color:blue width:2 #1968: 0,91 points:(250,26)(260,26) color:blue width:2 #1969: 0,91 points:(260,26)(270,27) color:blue width:2 #1970: 1,13 points:(270,27)(280,28) color:blue width:2 #1971: 1,36 points:(280,28)(290,28) color:blue width:2 #1972: 1,36 points:(290,28)(300,29) color:blue width:2 #1973: 1,59 points:(300,29)(310,30) color:blue width:2 #1974: 1,82 points:(310,30)(320,32) color:blue width:2 #1975: 2,27 points:(320,32)(330,35) color:blue width:2 #1976: 2,72 points:(330,35)(340,37) color:blue width:2 #1977: 3,18 points:(340,37)(350,38) color:blue width:2 #1978: 3,40 points:(350,38)(360,39) color:blue width:2 #1979: 3,63 points:(360,39)(370,40) color:blue width:2 #1980: 3,86 points:(370,40)(380,44) color:blue width:2 #1981: 4,54 points:(380,44)(390,46) color:blue width:2 #1982: 4,99 points:(390,46)(400,49) color:blue width:2 #1983: 5,67 points:(400,49)(410,52) color:blue width:2 #1984: 6,13 points:(410,52)(420,55) color:blue width:2 #1985: 6,81 points:(420,55)(430,58) color:blue width:2 #1986: 7,49 points:(430,58)(440,62) color:blue width:2 #1987: 8,17 points:(440,62)(450,64) color:blue width:2 #1988: 8,62 points:(450,64)(460,66) color:blue width:2 #1989: 9,08 points:(460,66)(470,69) color:blue width:2 #1990: 9,53 points:(470,69)(480,72) color:blue width:2 #1991: 10,21 points:(480,72)(490,78) color:blue width:2 #1992: 11,34 points:(490,78)(500,85) color:blue width:2 #1993: 12,71 points:(500,85)(510,89) color:blue width:2 #1994: 13,61 points:(510,89)(520,91) color:blue width:2 #1995: 14,70 points:(520,91)(530,95) color:blue width:2 #1996: 14,75 points:(530,95)(540,100) color:blue width:2 #1997: 15,88 points:(540,100)(550,100) color:blue width:2 #1998: 15,88 points:(550,100)(560,106) color:blue width:2 #1999: 17,02 points:(560,106)(570,109) color:blue width:2 #2000: 17,70 points:(570,109)(580,116) color:blue width:2 #2001: 19,06 points:(580,116)(590,126) color:blue width:2 #2002: 21 points:(590,126)(600,131) color:blue width:2 #2003: 22 points:(600,131)(610,136) color:blue width:2 #2004: 23 points:(610,136)(620,141) color:blue width:2 #2005: 24 points:(620,141)(630,146) color:blue width:2 #2006: 25 points:(630,146)(640,151) color:blue width:2 #2007: 26 points:(640,151)(650,156) color:blue width:2 #2008: 27 points:(650,156)(660,161) color:blue width:2 #2009: 28 points:(660,161)(670,166) color:blue width:2 #2010: 29 points:(670,166)(680,181) color:blue width:2 #2011: 32 points:(680,181)(690,186) color:blue width:2 #2012: 33 points:(690,186)(700,193) color:blue width:2 #2013: 34,50 points:(700,193)(710,196) color:blue width:2 #2014: 35,00 points:(710,196)(720,201) color:blue width:2 #2014: 36,00 From 1952 to 2002, the ticket price was set in Dutch guilders. These prices were converted to euros using a conversion factor of 0,45378. In 1952, the ticket price was 0,80 Dutch guilders (0,36 euro). From 1956 to 1965, the ticket price was 1 Dutch guilder. The price had risen to 42 Dutch guilders by 2001 and was converted to 21 euros in 2002, during the switch to the euro in the Netherlands. tickets cost 42.00 Euros or 40.00 Euros by "low season". There are also "luxe" tickets for €68.00 that include i.a. lunch, dinner and free parking. Tickets ordered online are sold with a discount of 2 euros. Admission is free for children under 4.

Investments

On December 11, 2008, theme park officials announced that they would spend EUR40 million during 2009-2012 on three large construction projects: a convention centre accommodating 1500 visitors (de Burcht), an arena from the Middle Ages for 750 show spectators (Raveleijn), and a redesign for snack bar "De Likkebaerd" to turn it into a station for the park's steam train. They also said they did not expect to suffer from the Financial crisis of 2007–2008. In 2009, the Efteling announced that the Burcht has been cancelled. The park announced in 2015 that they had the ambition to welcome 7 million guests by 2030. For this they drew up a zoning plan in the period from 2015 to 2018 called
Bestemmingsplan Wereld van de Efteling 2030
. The park will at first expand to the east as far as the road De Horst and the highway N261. After the eastern expansion, the park will expand in a western direction on the site where parking spaces are currently located. In 2018, the zoning plan was unanimously adopted within the municipality of Loon op Zand, after which three objections were submitted to the

Raad van State The Council of State ( nl, ) is a constitutionally established advisory body in the Netherlands to the government and States General that officially consists of members of the royal family and Crown-appointed members generally having political, ...

. Two objections were investigated by the council and in the meantime the council decided that De Efteling was not allowed to start implementing the plan. With an adjustment on a number of points, the council approved the zoning plan in June 2021. Due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic that led to the multiple closures of the park, the park had to review its investments. It decided to postpone the expansion towards the east side for a few years and to focus on expansions within the existing park boundaries. On January 24, 2022, the company announced that it would invest €75 million in the construction of a new hotel within the park on the square behind the entrance and in an attraction that will replace Spookslot.

Rumors of The Walt Disney Company's connection to the Efteling

Efteling has a good relationship with The Walt Disney Company's theme parks. Disneyland Paris consulted Efteling during its construction and design phase, to adapt the American park to European tastes. As a token of appreciation, the Disney Company gave Efteling a small statue. Ton van de Ven, who designed many of Efteling's attractions, was also a good friend of Tony Baxter (senior vice president of Walt Disney Imagineering). The relationship between the two parks was emphasized when Efteling won the 2004 Thea Classic Award, the highest honor awarded by the Themed Entertainment Association: Efteling had, as it turned out, been nominated by Tony Baxter. Also, a popular legend further links Disney and Efteling. For years, rumors have circulated that Walt Disney derived his inspiration for Disneyland (which opened in 1955), from Efteling (which opened in 1952). According to the legend, in the early 1950s, Walt Disney traveled to Europe a few times and visited several tourist attractions. Reportedly, a brochure from the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions even states that Disney "spent a great deal of time studying Pieck's work at Efteling before beginning his own park". However, the rumor was later discredited by Efteling. An off-hand remark by a PR person for Efteling during a presentation for a group of reporters further extend the legend's longevity. Walt Disney likely never actually visited Efteling, though he did visit

Madurodam Madurodam (, opened 1952) is a miniature park and tourist attraction in the Scheveningen district of The Hague in the Netherlands. It is home to a range of 1:25 scale model replicas of famous Dutch landmarks, historical cities and large developme ...

and Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen. The latter actually did provide some inspiration for Disneyland.

Gallery

File:Efteling (NL)800px-Photo-0570.jpg, Efteling logo seen from Pagode File:Efteling Spookslot hoofdshow.jpg, Haunted Castle (1978-2022) File:Efteling Pirana.jpg, The Piraña, a river rafting ride in a pre-Columbian atmosphere File:Efteling - Villa Volta.jpg, '' Villa Volta'', the first modern Madhouse in the world File:Python DSCF5907.JPG, The Python File:Winterefteling - panoramio (4).jpg, Entrance to ''Raveleijn'', Park Show File:Sprookjesboom.jpg, Fairytale Tree, Fairytale Forest File:Troll king.jpg, "Troll King"

References

External links

* {{Authority control Efteling 1952 establishments in the Netherlands Amusement parks in the Netherlands Buildings and structures in North Brabant Tourist attractions in North Brabant Loon op Zand Amusement parks opened in 1952