Sign up for the Dutch Theme Park Network email list and receive two free e books designed to make your theme park visits easier and more enjoyable.
Register once and the guides will be sent straight to your inbox.
There’s a Dutch saying that goes, “Once you step outside your door, the hardest part is already behind you.” And it’s true, planning a trip and heading out on the road is often much easier than you expect. The hardest moment is deciding to go. That one step means change, excitement, and leaving your comfort zone for something new.
We know the feeling well, we’ve taken that same step ourselves. And so have millions of theme park fans and travelers who discovered how rewarding it is to explore the world beyond their hometown.
If you’re unsure where to begin or still wondering whether travel is right for you, don’t worry. We’ve gathered some inspiring guides, stories, and tips to help you take that first step.
Let’s make your next journey unforgettable.
Last week I heard a story. A story about someone who went to a theme park for a multi-day stay and did absolutely everything on the first day. Miles and miles of walking. Ride after ride. Pushing through tiredness. Ignoring the signals their body was giving them because they were excited, happy and wanted to make the most of it all and because of that, they were sick for the rest of their stay.
When you’re planning your next park adventure, you’ve probably seen both terms thrown around: theme park and amusement park. They’re often used interchangeably, yet they’re not the same. And if you love parks as much as we do at Dutch Theme Park Network, you’ll know: the difference matters especially when you’re choosing where to go next.
No one is born a good travelers and definitely not good theme park traveler. That comes from experience, from forgetting to check opening hours and arriving two hours early to Efteling, from realising your battery hit 3% right before your Lightning Lane window or from learning (way too late) that sunscreen in Orlando is not optional.
Traveling right now seems to come with a question that pops up more and more often: is it still safe? I get that question a lot and even more frequently now. With my plans for a US road trip and a European rail trip, I hear it from both sides of the ocean. People in Europe look at my US plans as if I’ve completely lost my mind. Meanwhile, people in the US ask whether Europe is still safe to visit. And the funny thing is: when you point that out people look at you full of wonder: "Naturally my side of the ocean is safe. Why wouldn't it be?"
I love a good countdown. There is something magical about having a trip on the horizon. Looking forward to it can almost be part of the experience itself. The dreaming, the planning, the researching, the little moments where you suddenly remember: wait, that amazing thing is actually going to happen.
Theme parks are basically fear factories… but in the best possible way. They take the things that normally make our brains go NOPE (height, speed, dropping, going upside down, screaming next to strangers) and turn them into something we pay money for. On purpose. Repeatedly. and the reason we can do that?
Travel is more than just getting up and going. It’s about being knowledgeable so you can travel better, cheaper, and longer. So besides the destination guides above, below you will find links to articles I’ve written that deal with planning your trip and other general advice, so your total vacation is as amazing as it can be. These articles are relevant for any trip, no matter how long!
