Winter Efteling: indoor and outdoor skating Camp fires, thousands of lights and Aquanura in the dark

Winter Efteling takes place from 18 November 2013 until 2 February 2014. For eleven weeks the park is wrapped up in winter atmosphere with crackling camp fires, thousands of lights and special winter attractions, such as the cross-country skiing course and the ice rink. A new feature this year is that you can also skate outdoors at the Ice Palace. In the enchantingly illuminated Fairytale Forest the vain emperor wanders around in the cold, showing off his new clothes, and the Bright Spots sing heart-warming gospel and soul numbers around the camp fires. After sunset visitors can see impressive illusions at three attractions: walls creak to life but nothing is what it seems. The winter’s day is brought to a close with Aquanura, Europe’s biggest water show, which is even more spellbinding in the dark. Winter Efteling is open daily from 11.00 to 18.00 hours and until 20.00 hours during the Christmas holidays. New Year’s Eve will also be celebrated at Winter Efteling once again this year.

Only during Winter Efteling – indoor and outdoor skating
Various special winter attractions are unique to Winter Efteling. You can skate indoors and outdoors this winter on the ice rink, for example. Shoot down a real snow slide, cross-country ski through a traditional Dutch landscape or stroll around the atmospheric Beierse market. Anything is possible. Apart from the Piraña and The Flying Dutchman, all attractions are open as long as the weather permits.

Aquanura
The four frogs from the Aquanura water show transform the lake into a musical extravaganza lasting 12 minutes. Fairytales like The Indian Water Lilies are brought to life to the sound of well-known Efteling melodies and the spectacle of around 200 coloured fountains. Attractions such as the Hounted House, Raveleijn and Dreamflight are also brought to life and Aquanura’s pageant of colour is even more spellbinding set against a pitch-black sky.

New Year’s Eve
Special tickets are available for Efteling’s New Year’s Eve party. These provide entry to the park from 19.00 hours and also include catering packages. The attractions stay open until midnight and there are live performances on various squares from 19.00 hours onwards. At midnight, the New Year will be celebrated in a festive manner with a spectacular firework display and the popping of corks.

Impressive illusions with 3D video mapping*
From twilight onwards, three attractions that house ghostly apparitions take on an entirely different appearance. A couple of residents manage to escape through the Creepy Castle’s walls and visitors can see the eternally roaming ghost ship, The Flying Dutchman, on the attraction’s outer walls. Villa Volta’s walls also creak to life, allowing its owner’s curse to break through into the outside world...

* The Winter Efteling illusions were created with the help of 3D video mapping: an extra layer is projected on to the buildings’ walls, creating an optical illusion between 2D and 3D. This illusion between projection and reality changes the appearance of the building in a matter of seconds. The buildings can appear to move or even collapse.

Raveleijn park show at Winter Efteling
The struggle against the wicked ruler of the magical city of Raveleijn takes on a special lustre during the evenings, through the use of lighting and fire. The park show, in which real horses and ravens play a leading role, is performed four or five times a day. The show lasts 20 minutes and is suitable for children aged six and upwards.

Fairytale musical Mr Sandman
During the winter months the Efteling Theatre is staging the brand new, Dutch-language, fairytale musical: Mr Sandman. With his magical sand Mr Sandman ensures that children all over the world have sweet dreams. Also in the Fairytale Forest. But it seems that the magic sand no longer works. Could Witch have something to do with this? And where does the black sand come from? After nightfall, Mr Sandman and his trusty owl friend set out to solve the puzzle once and for all. The fairytale musical can be seen exclusively at the Efteling Theatre from 13 September 2013 until 9 March 2014.

Opening dates and hours during Winter Efteling

• Monday 18 November 2013 until Sunday 2 February 2014
• Weekdays: 11.00-18.00 hours
• Christmas holidays (21 Dec – 5 Jan): 11.00-20.00 hours
• New Year’s Eve (31 December 2013): 11.00-18.00 and

19.00-01.00 hours(attractions until 00.00 hours)

Further information is available at www.efteling.com/winterefteling