Going to Efteling was the most trip so far. Sorry to all the museums and libraries but an amusement park is a little more fun. I think that Efteling was such a positive experience for me because of how well kept the grounds were, I do not know whether due to the fact that the park was not that large compared with the likes of Disneyworld, but just being able to walk around a clean area was good. However, not all of Efteling was good. The attraction that stood out the most to me was the journey through the forbidden city, an It's a Small World-esque ride, but nowhere near as cheerful. I understand that the whole point of the entire section that this ride is in is supposed to be a walk into a fantasy version of a place with a similar vibe as Arab/Middle Eastern culture, which in it of itself is weird at best in a country that is so overwhelmingly white. There were a multitude of factors that led to me feeling quite uncomfortable on the ride, chief among them was the poor animatronics of many of many of the figures throughout the ride. They were smack dab at the lowest point in the uncanny valley for realism. It also did not help that we did not speak any Dutch to fully understand the point of the ride because the entire ride made very little sense. This ride stuck out to me the most because I felt like it had little to do with the overall theme of the park—other than the fact there was a wizard in the ride. I felt the most confused at the end of the ride because it ended with us going through the legs a large caricature of a figure wearing only a loincloth. It felt offensive on so many levels.
The rest of my time at Efteling, however, was splendid. I have been on a rollercoaster for about two years so I was excited to go on all of them. Most of the attractions seemed tailored for kids so none of the roller coasters were too intense for me at least. The most innovative part of the entire experience was the app that was advertised to download on your phone. It displayed wait times for rides and walking times to the next ride, which were infinitely useful in planning out the day to maximize fun and minimize waiting around. The amusement park had a certain aura of positive which made me forget about a lot of things and stress, if only for a short while. I think that is what amusement parks are all about, letting go of daily stresses to just have fun. Efteling accomplished this goal to a tee, and while there were certainly things they could improve upon at the park, I would still love to go back some time.
