We visit the Efteling almost every week. With the whole family, sometimes together, or one parent with one child as quality time. Just grabbing a coffee and taking a walk through the Fairy Tale Forest, or getting some fries and doing a round of roller coasters.
With three children in completely different stages (a toddler, a preschooler, and a school-aged child), it can be quite difficult to organize your day at the Efteling. The youngest wants to go on Carnaval Festival and the oldest wants to ride all the roller coasters. So; this is everything you need to know for a day at the Efteling with kids, from baby to school-aged child. Honest, practical, and based on a lot — a lot — of Efteling visits… Also for people (especially for people!) without an annual pass.
1. Tickets and Annual Passes: What Is Smart?
Are you going once a year? Then always buy your day tickets online in advance via the official Efteling website. On the website, you can quickly and easily see the prices and the expected crowd levels. Ticket prices range between €47 and €57, depending on the season and holidays.
Do you go more often? Then an annual pass is quickly worth it. There are different options: Classic, Plus, and Premium. Calculate when it becomes worthwhile for you. If you go around four times a year, you will usually already have earned it back.
👉 Good to know: children up to and including 3 years old have free entry! Do bring an ID card to prove that your child is actually still three years old. If there is any doubt, they will ask for it.
2. Parking and Public Transport
Parking costs around €15 per day; per month this is €5. A parking subscription is optional. The Efteling staff will automatically guide you when you enter the parking area. They will assign a parking section where you can choose a spot. I strongly advise NOT to park in the surrounding neighborhoods: you risk a significant fine since these areas are for permit holders only. The residents in the neighborhood are also not very happy about it.
Right in front of the Efteling there is a bus stop: multiple buses run here from Tilburg and ‘s-Hertogenbosch, so you often don’t have to wait long. These are also the nearest train stations. From the bus stop, it is about a 3–5 minute walk to the entrance.
Eindhoven is the nearest airport. I do not have experience with transport from Eindhoven, although I expect there are enough bus connections or taxi companies nearby.
3. Staying at the Efteling
The Efteling has beautiful accommodations under its management. When you stay here, access to the park is included. Of course, the most well-known are:
– The Grand Hotel
This hotel is located at the entrance and is luxurious. You get earlier access to the park and from your room you look out over the Efteling. This is also the most expensive hotel. It has a swimming pool, two restaurants, and a coffee bar. There are regularly princesses and other entertainment present. The rooms are chic and the beds are comfortable. Feel like a real VIP here!
– The Wonder Hotel
The first original hotel of the Efteling. The “air castle” is located right next to the Efteling and has beautiful rooms and suites (with themes!). Will you sleep in the Raveleijn suite, the Fairy Tale Tree suite, or would you rather stay in the Jokie and Jet suite? You can find almost every fairy tale or character here! It has a restaurant and also entertainment for children (the Wondervaarder and the Luchtvaarder).
– Bosrijk
Within walking distance of the Efteling, you will find this beautiful park with holiday homes and hotel rooms. It has a small supermarket, a swimming pool (Badhuys), pizza delivery, playgrounds, and entertainment by Klaas often: there is plenty to do!
– Het Loonsche Land
Again within walking distance, you will find this park, mainly focused on nature and the local charm of the Loonse en Drunense Duinen. Here you will find lodges, a farmhouse for 12 people, comfort rooms by the water, between the treetops, and rooms in the main building. In Loonsche Land you will also find a restaurant and pizza delivery is also possible. There are also playgrounds here.
4. When Should You Go? My Honest View After Years of Having an Annual Pass
If you go as often as we do, you quickly learn when it is busy and when it is not. The big difference is not only in the season but also in which day of the week.
Quiet (and therefore nicer with small children):
– Weekdays, outside school holidays
– Tuesday and Thursday are quieter than Wednesday and Friday
– Early in the morning, at opening. Parking and entering can be busy, but once you are inside the park it is wonderfully calm.
Busier, but still very enjoyable:
– Weekends and during high season
– School holidays. More people and longer waiting times
Winter Efteling
It is truly magically beautiful. Lights, fairy tale atmosphere, and the children are amazed everywhere they look. Of course it is colder, but with the right clothing it is absolutely worth it. Our four-year-old absolutely loves the winter season! And really pay attention to the details; icicles on the lanterns, Long Neck wearing a hat, fire pits spread throughout the park, Christmas garlands along the houses… Dreamy beautiful!
Summer Efteling
The Summer Efteling is amazing again because of the extra shows, longer opening hours, and the fact that you can actually appreciate rides like the Flying Dutchman or the Piraña 😄. And then an annual pass becomes very nice again: with extended opening hours until 9:00 PM or 10:00 PM, you can stroll around on those warm evenings. There is live entertainment and the entire Efteling looks much more lively. And don’t underestimate it; there are many families who stay until late, even with young children!
5. What to Do with Small Children? Attractions by Age
With three children in very different ages, we really experience the Efteling from every angle. Here is what works per age group (and a small disclaimer: every child is different. Some children find things scary or get overstimulated quickly. You know your own child best. And also: only go on rides when your child can properly hold their head up or sit independently).
✔ Babies and toddlers (up to 3 years)
-Sprookjesbos / Fairy Tale Forest: Calm walking, looking, listening. No queues, no stress. Shade in summer and enough coverage for a rain shower in autumn. Some sound, but low-stimulation enough for a nap in the stroller. Multiple food spots and toilets available. This is where small children truly enjoy themselves.
–Droomvlucht: Soft, beautiful, no jump scares. This is a dark ride, meaning it is indoors (so dry but also dark!). Lovely scents in the different rooms and easy to get in and out with a baby (watch your head when entering). There is a slightly faster drop at the end, but this is manageable with a bigger baby. My 4-year-old’s favorite attraction!
–Oude tufferbaan / Old-timer Cars: Cars you can “drive” yourself. Most cars have two steering wheels (no fighting!) and a horn. Simple, but so fun. The four of us even fit in one!
–Symbolica: The big dark ride that feels different every time. Magical lights, music, and movements. The first room (waiting area) is already super fun with the staircase! (no spoilers haha). There are three routes you can choose, but a large part overlaps. Children are amazed. Note: your child must be able to sit independently. Not on your lap or in a carrier.
– Fata Morgana: Step into a boat and sail through the Middle East. There is so much to see! Keep in mind there are crocodiles, a big genie (“a scary giant”) at the end that you pass under, and one of the last rooms is completely dark and windy. Some children may find this scary, but it is only a short part.
–Aquanura: The fountain show on the lake. Make sure you are there on time. The evening show in the dark is unforgettable for every age.
–Nest: A playground with lots of possibilities and fun for all ages. Big slides for older kids, but also plenty for the little ones, even just playing in the sand.
–Carnaval Festival: Last but not least… Jokie and Jet! You sit in a gondola traveling through different countries. Jokie and Jet appear in every scene. Bright colors, dolls, decorations, and music create an unforgettable experience. A favorite for many children and often their very first attraction!
Preschoolers (3–6 years)
-(All of the above 🙂)
–Max & Moritz
For many children, their very first roller coaster! You need to be at least 1 meter tall. At the entrance, you can measure your child and receive a wristband with their height. The ride goes two rounds, with the second one being slightly faster!
–Sirocco
These used to be the cooking pots, now they are boats. Think teacups in Disneyland. Sit, spin, and turn — something kids absolutely love (parents… slightly less 😄).
–Pagode
A “temple” that slowly rises high into the sky while rotating. Feels a bit more comfortable with a preschooler than with a baby.
👉 Tip: skip this if your child is afraid of heights. The movement is gentle, but the view can feel quite high.
–Gondoletta
Boats that take you on a 20-minute ride through the park, including views of the Baron. Perfect moment to eat your lunch. Hold onto your child carefully so they don’t lean too far over the water!
– Stoomtrein/ Steam Train
A real authentic steam train that rides through the entire Efteling with multiple stations. Strollers are allowed if you can fold them.
–Monorail
In the Land of Laven, you hop into one of the snails. A calm ride with a great view from above. Again, one of my kids’ favorites!
–Draaimolens / Carousels
At Anton Pieckplein you’ll find multiple carousels and a swing ride. A hit for every age.
–Piraña
Lovely and refreshing in summer, but you can get very wet — keep that in mind.
School-Aged Children (6+)
Our oldest (8) now dares to do everything and wants to do everything. As mentioned earlier, you know best what your child can handle — some kids may be older than 6 before they try these. It also depends on your child’s height.
–Joris and the Dragon
The wooden roller coaster! And don’t underestimate it — it’s faster than you think. There’s a fire side and a water side. It’s a racing coaster: which track finishes first? Our daughter always picks the water side (because rumor has it, that one wins most often).
– De Vliegende Hollander / The Flying Dutchman
Pay attention: you might get wet! It starts as a dark ride, then suddenly you’re launched outside. You end in the water, so yes… you might get soaked. An amazing coaster with a fantastic queue experience.
–Baron 1898
The big roller coaster. The one where you hang still for a moment and look straight down before dropping. Take off your glasses, hat, etc., and enjoy the ride.
My daughter is not tall enough yet (1.32 m), but she is literally counting the days (or centimeters) until she can ride it… exciting!
–Vogel Rok
A roller coaster in the dark! For many kids, this is the next step after Max & Moritz, because it’s not extremely fast. But in the dark, it still feels exciting! No loops, but definitely very cool.
–Python
The classic. Not the most beautiful in terms of theming, but for many kids, it’s their “first looping coaster.” Don’t forget to ask for a diploma after their first ride!
👉 Good to know: at Baron 1898, you can ask for a companion card (bovengronds kompelkaart). You can enter the attraction, watch the pre-show, and then exit via the “chicken exit.” Perfect if you don’t want to ride but still want to experience it with someone.
6. Handling Waiting Times Smartly
The Efteling App is truly your best friend. Download it in advance, create an account, and open it as soon as you enter the park. You can see the live waiting times for all attractions and immediately check where it is busy. You can also sort by the different park areas, but also by waiting time in minutes! Set it to “waiting time low – high” and decide what you want to do.
Head towards Droomvlucht at opening: most people stay around Symbolica, Fata Morgana, or go to Max & Moritz. These are the first attractions you encounter when entering the park. Throughout the day, there is always a queue at Droomvlucht, so do this one first. Fata Morgana is best done when you are on your way back towards the exit. Later in the day, it is often quieter!
Have lunch between 12:00 and 14:00: this is the busiest time for attractions. Use it wisely: go eat while everyone else is standing in line. You also have a much higher chance of getting a seat at the restaurants!
Popular attractions early or late: at opening and during the last hour and a half before closing, waiting times are the shortest. Save your favorites for those moments.
7. Use Single Rider and the Baby Switch
In the single rider queue, you are basically used to fill empty seats in the attraction, so the capacity is used as efficiently as possible. You can be faster this way, but be aware that you will not always be seated together. This queue is also ideal if only one person in your group wants to ride an attraction!
The baby switch is available at many attractions. Tell the staff at the entrance that you would like to use the baby switch. In some cases, you will receive a card or wristband, sometimes reporting at the exit is enough. One adult goes on the ride, the other waits with the baby. When the ride is finished, you switch. This way, you don’t have to wait twice with your baby!
8. Food and Drinks: How We Do It
Food in the park is expensive, just like any other theme park or tourist location. But you are allowed to bring your own food, so do it. We always bring a bag with:
-Lunch (sandwiches for the kids, something for myself)
– Reusable water bottles — easy to refill!
– Snacks for the kids, for example fruit pouches or an apple
– Something small and sweet as a distraction during meltdowns
Do you still want to eat something in the park? Our favorite snacks are a Unox sausage roll, Eigenheymer fries, a corkscrew pastry (kurkentrekker), and for dinner Polles Kitchen. Pancakes are always a good choice in this amazing restaurant!
9. What Do You Bring?
I think as a parent you can judge quite well what your child needs, but below are the must-haves for a day at the Efteling with kids:
–Stroller or baby carrier for your toddler: the Efteling is big. Even children who can walk well will get tired (and so will you). Don’t do this to yourself by going without one. You will end up carrying your child, and with a bit of bad luck, you still have to walk all the way back to your hotel somewhere in Kaatsheuvel with tired little legs.
–Spare clothes for small children: The Flying Dutchman. The Piraña. Ice cream on their pants. Jumping in puddles. Enough said.
–Power bank: using the app all day drains your battery quickly. Without a power bank, your phone will be dead by the afternoon. Definitely a must-have!
–Comfortable shoes: for everyone. Really. Just wear them.
10. Practical Tips
– The photo pass!
For a relatively small amount, you get all photos taken that day, unlimited. So if you go on the Flying Dutchman 14 times, you can also add the photo 14 times to your pass. The pass is €25, a single photo is around €10. If you ride a lot of attractions, it is definitely worth the money! (especially compared to Disney, where the photo pass is €95 — although valid for 10 days).
– Pumping and nursing rooms
At the Efteling, there are several rooms specifically for mothers who pump or breastfeed. Not the most luxurious spaces, but perfectly fine to rest and feed your baby. Also a very nice place if you need to calm down a crying baby or an overstimulated child. You can find them in the app under “facilities.” There is one in Ruigrijk, Station de Oost, and in the Volk van Laaf.
– Walking route
Honestly, I don’t have fixed walking routes; it really depends on the season and who I am with. Sometimes it’s just wandering around aimlessly, sometimes it’s “getting everything out of the visit because someone still needs an afternoon nap.” It’s always about making choices and asking what they want to do. What works for us:
– With the youngest
Symbolica, Jokie & Jet, Monorail (the snails), Droomvlucht, and then back home through the Fairy Tale Forest.
– With the middle child
Fata Morgana, Max & Moritz, Sirocco, Carnaval Festival, carousel, Droomvlucht, Symbolica.
– With the oldest
Max & Moritz, The Flying Dutchman, Joris and the Dragon, Nest, Python, Vogel Rok (unfortunately still too small for Baron).
– Rest / breaks
The Efteling is magical. Magical and beautiful, but also busy and intense. Children walk a lot, have to wait, take shorter naps (or none at all)… So don’t overfill your day and make sure to leave room for rest and breaks. Tired from walking? A Gondoletta ride will do wonders. Or the steam train: being driven around while not missing anything… Or just sit down on a bench or in the grass and calmly eat your sandwich. Sit by the water near the Flying Dutchman and watch the roller coasters. Rest is really worth a lot!
– Accessible toilet
Relatively new (April 2026): the accessible toilet for people in wheelchairs. Extra wide, with a shower, lift, changing bed, etc. This makes it much easier for people with disabilities to also enjoy their day at the Efteling!
– Souvenirs
There are plenty of things under €10 that children love. A bracelet, fridge magnet, keychain, pins, diamonds, lollipops — every shop has something you can find, sometimes even themed to specific attractions. So don’t make it unnecessarily difficult or expensive for yourself.
Conclusion: Is the Efteling Worth It?
We go there weekly, so my answer might be a bit predictable 😄
But honestly: yes.
The Efteling is not cheap, but it is one of the most carefully designed and child-friendly theme parks in Europe. There is something for every age; from babies to adrenaline lovers. Definitely worth your visit!
