insideKENT Magazine Issue 86 - May 2019 | Page 133

LOONSCHE LAND HOTEL DE VLIEGENDE HOLLANDER
THE PYTHON SYMBOLICA
Having lived in Orlando – the theme-park capital
of the world – I’d consider myself a bit of a park
connoisseur. I’ve done ‘em all: Disney, Universal
Studios, Sea World, Busch Gardens, the lot. Once
you get used to Orlando attractions, it’s hard to find
the same magic anywhere else; nothing lives up to
your ridiculous Florida-resident expectations.
I can’t deny, Universal Studios is seriously impressive,
and Disney parks are another level of theme-park
fabulousness, but if you’re looking for an experience
that ticks all the boxes – a place where everyone can
all enjoy the same rides, where you don’t have to fly
nine hours to get there, where there’s space to run
around, genuinely nice staff, peaceful spots to relax
amongst carpets of colourful flowers, delicious food,
great weather (you most likely won’t die of heat
stroke in Holland, unlike Florida in the summer),
and unrivalled quality and cleanliness – Efteling is
your answer.
Originally a nature park with a fairytale forest
(opening three years before Disneyland in 1952),
Efteling has evolved into a full-blown, tourist-
attracting amusement park, but has managed to stay
true to its roots, combining elements of ancient
myths, legends and folklore with modern thrill rides
and technology.
We had the pleasure of staying at Loonsche Land
Hotel, Efteling’s nature-inspired accommodation.
A quick walk to Efteling itself (or take the land train
for an even shorter journey), Loonsche Land’s
perfectly formed family hotel rooms feature fun loft
beds for the kids, plus four more single beds to
accommodate up to six people comfortably.
Breakfast at the on-site restaurant, De Proeftuyn,
kept everyone happy and full – pastries, eggs cooked
the way you like them, fresh fruit, and my kids
wouldn’t forgive me if I didn’t mention the frosted
donuts and yogurt bar with chocolate sprinkles.
Dinner time saw a transformation of De Proeftyun
from a busy, buffet-style eatery into a more
sophisticated affair. The menu boasted plenty of
local fare and interesting choices – the farmer’s
chicken on the Josper grill served with seasonal veg
was a favourite at our table.
Being a guest at an Efteling hotel means you get
access to the park a half hour before the public,
which gave us the perfect amount of time to snoop
around and decide which rides to try first. The
greatest thing about Efteling for families with kids
of varying ages is that the kiddos only need to be
120cm to go on all but one of the rides. Seeing that
upside-down roller coasters are a no-no for my 6-
year-old anywhere else, the Python was our first stop
to give him his first twisty-turny experience. And he
loved it. We all loved it. My 6-, 8- and 15-year-old,
and the other half, all loved the same activity. What
is this miraculous place?!
We joyously skipped from ride to ride, starting with
a few goes on the Python, then woohooing our way
around De Vliegende Hollander (an
indoor/outdoor/water coaster), followed by go after
go after go on Vogel Rok, a pitch black, fast (very
fast), indoor roller coaster. We were blown away by
Sybolica, an enchanting palace ride that was maybe,
quite possibly even more extraordinary than some
of those Orlando attractions I’ve mentioned.
While us big kids went on Baron 1898 – a roller
coaster that plunges you down a 37.5m free fall at
a speed of 90km/h – the little ones raced around on
Joris en de Draak, a double-track wooden roller
coaster. We met up afterwards for some lunch, then
tried a few of the chilled out rides and a walk through
Efteling’s Fairytale Forest – a worthwhile end to the
day in the park.
The cherry on top of the Efteling cake was a visit to
Caro, a live show filled with acrobatics, music,
singing, dancing and the most magnificent moving
sets. After a long day of thrills, we were thoroughly
enchanted by the performance, and went back to
our hotel for a dream-filled sleep, ready to do it all
again tomorrow.
We spent three days at Efteling, each one just as
exciting as the last. Although it’s not a massive park,
the quality of each and every ride, and the care and
detail that went into every building, attraction and
even the benches and plant life, has placed Efteling
firmly on our family’s ‘top theme parks’ list.
The kids have decided a trip to Efteling should be
an annual thing, and that’s perfectly fine with me.
www.efteling.com
efteling
eftelingUK
eftelingUK
135