New hotel and themed park area for Efteling in 2024

Efteling – the fairytale theme park in the south of Holland – is expanding in 2024 with a new hotel, inside the amusement park gates, and a completely renewed thematic area with an indoor attraction. Although the park is currently closed due to national lockdown restrictions in the Netherlands, Efteling is looking ahead to the future. Construction  for both additions will start during 2022, which is Efteling’s 70th anniversary.

Not standing still but looking ahead

"Of course, we hope to reopen soon," says CEO Fons Jurgens. "Despite the temporary closure, we do not want to stand still but use this period to prepare ourselves for the future. Last year, the 'World of Efteling' development plan was adopted, which has given us a framework for the future and a possible expansion outside the current boundaries of the Efteling theme park. However, the focus for the time being lies on developments within the park itself, which involve less financial risks than a much more challenging expansion beyond the current park boundaries. These investments for the next two years fit our vision 2030 and focus on continuity and maintaining our independence and quality. This decision was not made overnight – investing in these unprecedented times remains tense. Nevertheless, it is important to look ahead in these times and to ensure that Efteling remains a World of Wonders for young and old."

Start of work

The closure of the park was used to carry out preparatory construction work for the new hotel. Over the coming months, works will be taking place underground and, in the course of 2022, the above-ground works are expected to start. Since the new hotel will be located near the main entrance, part of the Efteling car park will be used as a construction site. The works for the new thematic area will also start in 2022.

New hotel and new themed area

The new hotel will be the largest hotel in the World of Efteling, with 143 rooms, seven floors, two restaurants and a spa.  A particularly unique attribute is that for the first time, visitors will be able to stay overnight inside the theme park. The new hotel will be Efteling’s third on-site hotel, joining two other hotels (1992 and 2017) and two holiday villages (2009 and 2017) which are also located on the World of Efteling site, but outside the main theme park gates.

Efteling's attraction offering will be significantly increased with a new indoor attraction that is expected to welcome approximately 1250 visitors per hour.  The attraction will be located in a renewed thematic area, which will be built between the Pardoes Promenade, dive coaster Baron 1898 and family coaster Max & Moritz. The well-known Spookslot Haunted House attraction will make way for this.