The day Efteling turned into a Fairytale

Last week we hit the jackpot. We were staying at Efteling when the first snowflakes started to fall… and then they just kept coming. Hour after hour. Day after day. The kind of snow that doesn’t just decorate a theme park, but completely transforms it. I think it’s been at least ten years since we last saw Efteling like this: a real winter wonderland. Not the “winter vibes” version. The real deal.

There’s something unreal about seeing a theme park in deep snow. Familiar places suddenly feel brand new. Lights glow softer. Music feels warmer. The Fairytale Forest looks like it stepped out of an old storybook and that’s where something interesting happened.

In the snow, we noticed two very different kinds of visitors.

The first group leaned into it. They admired the beauty. They had snowball fights. Built snowmen. Took a million photos. They ducked inside for hot cocoa, warmed their hands, laughed about frozen eyelashes, and treated the whole day like the rare gift it was.

The second group focused on what wasn’t perfect. Paths that couldn’t stay completely clean (as if that was realistic with that much snowfall). Rides that opened later. Attractions that couldn’t open at all due to the cold. The Fairytale Forest that had to close for safety for a couple of hours because heavy branches needed to be cleared of snow.

And yes, I understand that frustration. You pay for a day, you hope for everything to be available. But still… watching people stand annoyed in front of a closed entrance while snow fell all around them felt almost surreal.

Because you could also choose to look up.

What impressed me the most wasn’t just the snow. It was the effort. Efteling employees were out there constantly, clearing paths, making routes safer, working in conditions that were honestly intense. And they still managed to perform the last Raveleijn shows, which meant the entire arena had to be cleared of snow first. That is not a small job. That’s commitment. That’s teamwork. That’s “we’re doing everything we can to make this day special” energy. As a visitor, that kind of dedication makes the magic even stronger.

I’m proud to say I fully belonged to the people who embraced it. I had such a magical time. And the funny thing is: I didn’t even have to try to ignore the closures. I genuinely didn’t notice them much, because I was busy enjoying myself. The snow wasn’t a problem to solve it was part of the experience. A once-in-a-decade version of Efteling, happening right in front of us.

If you want a New Year’s resolution let it be this:

Enjoy what life gives you.

If it snows, enjoy the snowball fights. Enjoy the beauty. Enjoy the rare, once-in-ten-years experience. Drink the hot cocoa. Take the photo. Make the memory.

Don’t stand in front of Python feeling bummed that it’s closed—while something magical is literally falling from the sky.

Because the best days aren’t the ones where everything goes according to plan. The best days are the ones where you choose to see the magic anyway.