![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
A World of Wonders
On Saturday I went to The Efteling with ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sillie82; it's an awesome themepark in the South of The Netherlands with attractions based on fairytales. It's quite a long way to travel, but so worth it. Even the hassles with public transport on the way back haven't ruined my memories of a wonderful day. We had a great time. Even if we didn't have time to visit the fairytaleforest, aahw. But there was just SO MUCH TO DO!
Cycling to the trainstation around 7.30; such a gorgeous blue sky. Caught the 7.46 train to Utrecht, where I made it just in time for the train to Den Bosch, pfff. That was a crowded doubledecker, so I didn't even try to findsillie82; we met as planned at the busstop for the final part of the journey to the Efteling. \o/
Around 10.15 we walked to the gate, there were already long lines (the park opens at 10 a.m.) but we had tickets, so we could walk right in:)
I always want to start with this attraction; the Fata Morgana, a calm boatride through the mysterious Forbidden City from the Tales of One Thousand and One Nights.
After that it was time for some thrills in a new attraction: Joris & The Dragon, a wooden racer roller coaster. This is the announcement of the king asking for brave warriors to fight the dragon.
And this.... is the dragon!
The dragon tries to attack the warriors in the roller coaster; it breaths fire, even!
The roller coaster is divided in a water and a fire part and the racer that wins has beaten the dragon. We rode the fire racer in the morning and the water racer at night. Obviously we won both times, because we're awesome:)
This is the building were we get on The Flying Dutchman, a haunted ship that first goes through fog and ends up flying into the water.
I just love the attention to detail on all the rides, it makes standing in line a lot more interesting and really gets you in the mood for the ride. This VHe logo (Vliegende [Flying] Hollander [Dutchman] Efteling) is a play on the old Dutch VOC logo, the company that sailed all around the world in the Golden Age.
More pretty details: this mermaid holds the lantarn outside the old Dutch house.
Inside there is an old fashioned canal street in which all the houses have façade made of boats!
The lion at the front of the boat is carrying a lantarn in its mouth; the only source of light when you sail through the dark fog; very eery.
Outdoors again. I have no idea about the story that goes with this column with monkeys, but they look hauntingly real;)
Saint Nicolas square.
The entrance of Dream Flight; where you glide through an amazing world of floating castles, fluttering elves, naughty woodland spirits and King Oberon.
Again with the details; so pretty.
The two of us waiting in line; I think this was a 50 minute wait, well worth it though:)
The entrance of Vogelrok, a rollercoaster in the dark. It really feels like this big angry bird has caught you in her claws and is flying you up to her nest (because apparently we stole her eggs, oops).
View from the Pagode, a flying Thai temple that turns all the way around so you can see the whole park and its surroundings. We were so lucky it was sunny and clear!
That's the Joris & The Dragon ride in the distance (as well as the regular rollercoaster The Python, which we skipped and didn't have time left for, because we prefered to at least go on all the magical attractions;)
See the floating boats down there? That's our next ride.
The Gondoletta; a quiet boat trip on the lake. How funky is our birdboat?
That's the Pagode we were just on:)
A very relaxing ride. Again: so lucky with the weather. It was freezing but dry \o/ (We only had a bit of drizzle just when we had decided to sit down for food, so we didn't get wet at all - okay, I did get a bit of a splash in our second time on the Flying Dutchman, but not too bad;)
A short dinner break; the chandelier in the fast food restaurant made us think of Jared. Ensue fangirling;)
The frogprince, part of the Aquanura watershow at night. But it also looks great in daylight.
On our way to Pandadroom, a 3D film from the World Wildlife Fund; it also has quirky special effects. I had a little boy sitting next to me who was very excited, his giggles were contagious:)
Beautiful magical lights, beautiful moon, beautiful sky. *chinhands*
Another view of the Pagode.
We didn't manage a visit to the Fairytale Forest, but we had just enought time left to take a quick stroll through Laafland. This is the nursery:)
Such adorkable Laaf-babies.
We just couldn't resist another ride on Joris & The Dragon. Look at our happy faces, weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh. \o/
One final look at the Pagode before heading towards the Vonderlake for the final show.
Aquanura is an overwhelming watershow, starting with the fairytale of the Frogprince (and the princess who loses the golden ball) and turning into a true spectacle of fountains and fire, accompanied by music from all the attractions of the Efteling (my favorite was the grande finale with Dance Macabre from Saint-Saens, which is played in the creepy castle:)
I recorded a snippet of the show:
Link to YouTube
I won't bore you with the long tale of our trip back home, suffice it to say public transport was also a special attraction. This is my loot from a splendid day in The Efteling. \o/
The official map of the park. IT'S HUGE. (Definitely have to go back soon for all the things we missed today;)
If I remember correctly my first visit to the Efteling was when I was about 9 (let's say this was the late seventies;) and back then it was a lot smaller with just the fairytaleforest and a few basic rides. I've been going every couple of years since then. Last time I went was already almost four years ago! Winter 2008 with my sister in law and her sister & Summer 2007 with brotherdearest)
sillie82; it's an awesome themepark in the South of The Netherlands with attractions based on fairytales. It's quite a long way to travel, but so worth it. Even the hassles with public transport on the way back haven't ruined my memories of a wonderful day. We had a great time. Even if we didn't have time to visit the fairytaleforest, aahw. But there was just SO MUCH TO DO!
Cycling to the trainstation around 7.30; such a gorgeous blue sky. Caught the 7.46 train to Utrecht, where I made it just in time for the train to Den Bosch, pfff. That was a crowded doubledecker, so I didn't even try to find
sillie82; we met as planned at the busstop for the final part of the journey to the Efteling. \o/
Around 10.15 we walked to the gate, there were already long lines (the park opens at 10 a.m.) but we had tickets, so we could walk right in:)
I always want to start with this attraction; the Fata Morgana, a calm boatride through the mysterious Forbidden City from the Tales of One Thousand and One Nights.
After that it was time for some thrills in a new attraction: Joris & The Dragon, a wooden racer roller coaster. This is the announcement of the king asking for brave warriors to fight the dragon.
And this.... is the dragon!
The dragon tries to attack the warriors in the roller coaster; it breaths fire, even!
The roller coaster is divided in a water and a fire part and the racer that wins has beaten the dragon. We rode the fire racer in the morning and the water racer at night. Obviously we won both times, because we're awesome:)
This is the building were we get on The Flying Dutchman, a haunted ship that first goes through fog and ends up flying into the water.
I just love the attention to detail on all the rides, it makes standing in line a lot more interesting and really gets you in the mood for the ride. This VHe logo (Vliegende [Flying] Hollander [Dutchman] Efteling) is a play on the old Dutch VOC logo, the company that sailed all around the world in the Golden Age.
More pretty details: this mermaid holds the lantarn outside the old Dutch house.
Inside there is an old fashioned canal street in which all the houses have façade made of boats!
The lion at the front of the boat is carrying a lantarn in its mouth; the only source of light when you sail through the dark fog; very eery.
Outdoors again. I have no idea about the story that goes with this column with monkeys, but they look hauntingly real;)
Saint Nicolas square.
The entrance of Dream Flight; where you glide through an amazing world of floating castles, fluttering elves, naughty woodland spirits and King Oberon.
Again with the details; so pretty.
The two of us waiting in line; I think this was a 50 minute wait, well worth it though:)
The entrance of Vogelrok, a rollercoaster in the dark. It really feels like this big angry bird has caught you in her claws and is flying you up to her nest (because apparently we stole her eggs, oops).
View from the Pagode, a flying Thai temple that turns all the way around so you can see the whole park and its surroundings. We were so lucky it was sunny and clear!
That's the Joris & The Dragon ride in the distance (as well as the regular rollercoaster The Python, which we skipped and didn't have time left for, because we prefered to at least go on all the magical attractions;)
See the floating boats down there? That's our next ride.
The Gondoletta; a quiet boat trip on the lake. How funky is our birdboat?
That's the Pagode we were just on:)
A very relaxing ride. Again: so lucky with the weather. It was freezing but dry \o/ (We only had a bit of drizzle just when we had decided to sit down for food, so we didn't get wet at all - okay, I did get a bit of a splash in our second time on the Flying Dutchman, but not too bad;)
A short dinner break; the chandelier in the fast food restaurant made us think of Jared. Ensue fangirling;)
The frogprince, part of the Aquanura watershow at night. But it also looks great in daylight.
On our way to Pandadroom, a 3D film from the World Wildlife Fund; it also has quirky special effects. I had a little boy sitting next to me who was very excited, his giggles were contagious:)
Beautiful magical lights, beautiful moon, beautiful sky. *chinhands*
Another view of the Pagode.
We didn't manage a visit to the Fairytale Forest, but we had just enought time left to take a quick stroll through Laafland. This is the nursery:)
Such adorkable Laaf-babies.
We just couldn't resist another ride on Joris & The Dragon. Look at our happy faces, weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh. \o/
One final look at the Pagode before heading towards the Vonderlake for the final show.
Aquanura is an overwhelming watershow, starting with the fairytale of the Frogprince (and the princess who loses the golden ball) and turning into a true spectacle of fountains and fire, accompanied by music from all the attractions of the Efteling (my favorite was the grande finale with Dance Macabre from Saint-Saens, which is played in the creepy castle:)
I recorded a snippet of the show:
Link to YouTube
I won't bore you with the long tale of our trip back home, suffice it to say public transport was also a special attraction. This is my loot from a splendid day in The Efteling. \o/
The official map of the park. IT'S HUGE. (Definitely have to go back soon for all the things we missed today;)
If I remember correctly my first visit to the Efteling was when I was about 9 (let's say this was the late seventies;) and back then it was a lot smaller with just the fairytaleforest and a few basic rides. I've been going every couple of years since then. Last time I went was already almost four years ago! Winter 2008 with my sister in law and her sister & Summer 2007 with brotherdearest)
no subject
no subject
On the other hand: skipping those might leave time for a visit to the Fairytale forest;)
no subject
no subject