Netherlands / Belgium Park Advice

[CUFCtheParrot]

I'm planning next year's holiday and was looking for advice (following excellent suggestions received previously).

 

I am looking to visit some parks next spring / early summer and Netherlands seems to have a wide choice.

 

What recommendations can you give for parks in Netherlands / Belgium/ or near this area. I will be travelling with 2 children (age 10 & 7), both are keen to go on bigger rides but the youngest will only be 1.25m, the eldest being 1.42m. What do you recommend for this age / height. The bigger the rides the better.

 

Thanks

[simon8899]

For the Netherlands I can recommend:

 

Efteling - one of the greatest parks in Europe, massive theming, world class dark rides and shows, a good woodie and a seldom found Intamin Swiss-Bob

Slagharen - if you like 80s and 90s Euro carnival rides this is the park including a Schwarzkopf Looping Star, a little off the beaten path

[coaster-mm]

1 simple answer to this question: Efteling.

 

For the reasons Simon gave.....and a bit more!

 

Aguanura: biggest watershow in europe (3th biggest in the world after Dubai and Las Vegas).

Joris and the dragon:A great GCI woodie racer.

And don't forget the awesome theming: in my opinion ( after Europapark) the most beautiful park in Europe.

 

Have fun!

 

Paul

Edited October 5, 2013 by coaster-mm

[RCT3Bross]

When coming to the Netherlands a visit to the Efteling (like the 2 above me suggest) is a must.

Personally I will suggest Toverland, It may not be the biggest park to find but it overs fun for all ages. Also if your kids like roller coasters they can ride the majority of them, the smallest won't be able to ride the booster bike though. Anyway I suggest you take a look at it.

[Jackdude101]

For themeing: Efteling (it was one of the parks that served as inspiration for Disneyland)

 

For roller coasters: Walibi Holland (it used to be a Six Flags park)

[Nrthwnd]

Efteling. For all of the above reasons.

 

And... lots of lush landscaping to enjoy,

several merry-o-rounds in the park,

including one indoors, with some great

diorama displays, as well.

 

Thrill rides, and family rides all over.

 

Here's that indoor merry-go-round (and dioramas) in Efteling Park.

[Belgiumcoasterfreak]

Netherlands:

- Of course Efteling, it's a lovely park with great theming and scenery. The rides are fun, but they still miss a mayor thrillride in the park. You can visit it in one single day, but go during week time and avoid weekends. The only downside in my opinion about the park is that the walks from attraction to attraction can be big in like "you can't find a ride after 10 minutes of walking". And yes, I visit it very often (just a 1 hour and 30 minutes away from my place).

 

- Walibi Holland is fun, especially Goliath is a great ride (I rank it above EGF, personal opinion). Speed of Sound (Vekoma Boomerang) is probably the best boomerang coaster you can find and they have an outdoor Rock&Rollercoaster. But be warned, they have the worst Vekoma SLC in the world (It was the first ever build, but still the worst of all).

 

- Toverland: Lovely place with a very good GCI woodie, Troy, and an amazingly intense spinning coaster Dwervelwind from Mack Rides. It isn't that big, but fun for all ages. They are putting more and more theming in the park. Only "problem" can be that you can't really spend a whole day in the park in my opinion, but never say never of course.

 

Belgium:

- Walibi Belgium is also pretty fun. It has some decent rides like Loup-Garou (a very decent Vekoma woodie), Challenge of Tutankhamon (Sally Corporation dark ride and ETF Ride System, excellent ride) and of course Psyké Undergound, a classic Schwarzkopf Shuttle loop that is fully indoor. The park is improved enormously during the past 2-3 years. They have a indoor water park to and is cheaper for park guests (5 to 9 euro's per person). Pitty they haven't got that much theming.

 

- Bobbejaanland: It has some descent rides like Sledge Hammer (Huss Gaint Frisbee) and Typhoon (Gerstlauer Eurofighter). They have also Revolution, a Vekoma Illusion model, and has the longest train on a rollercoaster. But the parks theming is not that amazing and most of the rides are just average.

 

- Plopsaland de Panne has the best theming in Belgium. But with only a Gerstlauer looper (a very good one), a Disc'o Coaster from Zamperla and a Starflyer as major Thrill rides, it doesn't offer that much. Great for kids, but nothing really superb.

[Portroller]

When you are in Belgium, you can also visit the theme park Bellewaerde Park. It isn't a giant one, but one that has a big footprint. Unfortunately, a lot of the ground is protected by a nature organisation that wants to save the threes. What's the specialest thing of this theme park is that it combines animals and rides. In this theme park you will find also the first Boomerang. The biggest trump of this park, is that it coveres their rides in the beautiful nature. Between the threes you will find a rapid river (a Vekoma's one), a pirat ship and Jungle Mission (a tow boat ride that is changing usually one times in 5 years). New from this year is the Zierer Family Coaster. It's a ride that starts as a dark ride, than it change in an outdoor rollercoaster, then in goes inside and pasts some curves and it finaly takes the brakes when you see a great lazer effect.

Bellewaerde Park without giant Intamin or B&M rollercoasters, but with a lot of atmosphere. It is absolutely a theme park that you have to visit with children between the age of 4 and 14.

[Groteslurf]

De Efteling, Walibi Holland for the above reasons. If you have limited time and your hotel is in Amsterdam or Rotterdam, you may be interested in combining Duinrel and Drievliet in 1 day. If you decide to go to Toverland, you might consider combining it with Moviepark Germany and maybe also Plopsacoo and/or Bobbejaanland. For these 4 parks you'll need 3 days. If you stay in the west of Belgium, you have to go to Plopsaland. When you have ample time and don't mind drving a longer drive, Europapark which can be combined with Holidaypark and a few rides on Ringracer.

[CUFCtheParrot]

Thanks for the advice people from a while back;

 

I am just finalising my week or so theme park holiday with my Children (Age 10 & 7), and am thinking;

 

Bellewarde

Bobbejaanland

Toverland

Efftelling

 

This is based on travelling via the Eurotunnel into Calais through Belgium, and up into Netherlands then travelling back to the UK from the Hoek van Holland. It was going to be Walibi Belgium, but based on the comment and reviews i have read it sounds like this is possible not as good as I expected, and has been ousted by Bellewarde.

 

Does this sound like a reasonable choice for adventurous 10 & 7 year olds, or is there anything in this area i am missing? Also, Is there anything worth visiting somewhere near this route worth visiting, which will interest me and my wife or the children that is not necessarily on the tourist tick-list (excluding Bruxelles, fantastic place but been there a few times before).

 

Thanks again.

[Groteslurf]

Hi, wise choice not going to Walibi Belgium:-). While I haven't been to Bellewaerde since several years, not that much has changed over there lately, and I would highly recommend going to the nearby Plopsaland in stead. Especially with kids of that age. It's really a very nice park with great theming and a lot of attractions. The attractions are themed to the tv shows the parkowners broadcast and you'll not know any of the characters or shows, but even without knowing them, I would definitely rank the park higher than Bellewaerde.

For side visits, I can only think of visiting Bruges or Antwerp. The old city centers are quite famous and enjoyable if you're into that.

[Belgiumcoasterfreak]

Hi, wise choice not going to Walibi Belgium:-)

 

LOL, in my personal opinion, Walibi Belgium isn't that bad as many people say it is. I think it's better then Bobbejaanland... It has much more to offer and the operations are far the best in Belgium (no, it isn't the same as some years ago. The staff is fast and very friendly). Plus some very interesting rides like Challenge of Tutankhamon , Psyké Underground, Loup Garou and Radja River. And 2 big kids areas...

Question to OP: when are going? Walibi Belgium offers a lower price during week times and for the month July, Aqualibi, the parks waterpark, is completely free for guest of Walibi Belgium! Just so you know if change your mind .

 

But I also would recommend Plopsa instead of Bellewearde Park. Bellewearde is a cute little park, but is just to small (but you can easily combine it with a visit to Ieper for a guide tour about WOI (In Flanders Fields)). Plopsaland is nicely themed and Anubis is great.