Day 2

The day started with turning on the TV and watching the Making of Documentary Efteling did for Joris, because it’s never too early to be a goon. After some breakfast it was time to join the queue of people waiting for ERT on the poorly laid-out paving slabs.

You had one job!

Eventually let in, we headed straight to Vogel Rok for some back row times, and since it was completely empty, hopped on again further up the train because we could.

We quickly moved on as it was nearly opening time towards Joris, waving at the normal guests as we passed.

Themed vending machine

We were greeted by the extended queue being open and 2 train operation. Even though they were only loading one, it’s amazing how so many parks plan ahead for busier days by having both trains on and ready to go, rather than adding more trains later in the middle of the day. Oh well, a front row ride on each side and a more edging of preference towards the Water side.

A quick go on Python followed before heading over towards Spookslot, and it’s incredibly dark queue of darkness. This show attraction is similar to Twister and features a lot of animatronics and pepper ghosts dancing along to Danse Macabre (or, the theme to Johnathon Creek), which was pretty cool tbh. The quality of the huge set was again to an excellently high standard too.

Next up as it wasn’t as windy as the day before was Pagode, my first Flying Island. Certainly not the most interesting of attractions, but it provided a good view of the local woodland and the park as a whole.

It was lunch time, and that meant finding a Unox stand. Why? Because WINTER HATS OF AMAZING WARMTH!

Left-overs from their Winter event, €3.50 got you a hotdog and hat, whilst €4.50 got you a large soup and hat. Excellent value and an excellent idea, as LOTS of people were wearing these things.

We watched the Jokie Show by Carnival Festival which was weird, and featured more slightly racist times, before heading towards our next destination via a nice Diorama mini train room.

And now it was time for the Fairytale Forest of Forever. Efteling’s main attraction, being a walk through the woods with several set-ups of various fairytale stories based off Anton Pieck’s drawings. We spent 2.5 hours in this one area, as there’s plenty of show scenes and interesting animatronics to keep you wandering through. Favourites included the infamous pooping Donkey, the Indian Waterlilies and the Chinese Nightingale. Again, the high quality and upkeep of these things were there for all to see, especially for things mostly exposed to the elements. There was even a proper show in the middle of it all which still had a Christmas theme and unfortunate Dragon puppet placement.

Certainly this is the reason why Efteling is so popular in its country, not because of the rides, because of how they have created an area accessible to every age-range available that can be enjoyed by all. I’ll let the pictures speak for it.

Dancing red shoes

Speaking Parrot that would record loud children

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Pooping Donkey!

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50 cents gets you this out of the Donkey

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We took so long in getting out that the Puppet show had moved to outside the entrance/exit, so we watched that before heading back to awesome dark ride land, riding both Villa Volta and Dreamflight again.

Wandering back to Carnival Festival we caught the Jokie Show again, and then was time for the racist Teacups in Monsieur Cannibale.

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2 more rides on Joris before it was Pancake time again!

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We then legged it to Aquanura, and I took some pics of it this time.

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And that was Day 2. The Fairytale Forest does sum up Efteling in several ways. The beauty and presentation of it, with fantastic upkeep and updates to it on a constant basis keep the interest of guests of all ages. Tagging in a free hat with food purchases because its winter is also another perk that’s worthy of mention, especially when they don’t have to do it.

After this point, it had certainly shot up to the top of my favourite park list ever.