Fear and Lapbars: In Life You Don’t Get to “Test Ride” or do you?

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?

Because in a theme park, fear comes with a safety system.

Thrill rides = fear, but with a checklist

A good coaster is designed so you can feel out of control… while everything is actually under control.

• Engineers design the track and trains

• The ride is tested, inspected, and maintained

• Operators are trained

• And before dispatch… someone checks your lapbar

You don’t have to be a ride technician to trust the ride. You just sit down, pull the restraint, and think: “Okay… this is scary. But it’s safe scary.” That’s the magic of thrill rides: they let you face fear without real risk.

Real life doesn’t have ride operators

Outside the park, there’s no one doing the lapbar check for you. There’s no “all clear” light. No height stick.
No test seat. No maintenance crew quietly keeping things running in the background.

Life is more like:

“Welcome aboard. Good luck. You’re the operator now.”

You get to design your own track:

• your routines

• your choices

• your work

• your dreams

• and yes… the people you let ride along with you

And sometimes that’s exciting. Sometimes it’s terrifying and sometimes it’s both on the same day.

DTN started practical… and turned into something bigger

Dutch Theme Park Network is three and a half years old now.

It started pretty simple: helping people who don’t speak Dutch get the most out of their Efteling day. The kind of info you actually need, where to go first, what to skip, what to book, how to avoid queues, where to eat and what hotel fits your style and budget.

That practical “we’ve got you” vibe is still the heart of DTN.

But in the last three years this little hobby turned into a dream of building a worldwide community of theme park fans, people who just get it. People who can talk about atmosphere, details, storytelling, ride systems, park days… without anyone saying:

“Wait… you travelled for that?”

The fear isn’t failing 

I’m not scared of failing. If something doesn’t work, I adjust. We try again. That’s part of building anything but I am scared of something else:

What if I do try it and it is not as good as imagined. Because I have an objectively good life right now. So my brain sometimes goes: “Why risk changing anything?” Even though I know the biggest regrets are usually the things you never did.

So I test the water, I also check my own lapbar. (twice 😅)

So… here’s the practical part: I need your help

If DTN is going to become the community I’m dreaming of, it can’t be a one-person ride. So I’m asking you something very simple:

Does this sound like your kind of community?

If you love:

• theme park atmosphere and storytelling

• meeting other fans (in a relaxed way, not forced or awkward)

• smart planning without rushing

• sharing the joy together

…then you’ll probably love where this is going.

Want to join today?

You can already be part of the DTN community through Patreon that’s where we can go more behind-the-scenes, more personal, and more connected.

But there’s another thing we’re exploring…

We’re currently testing interest for something bigger:

Would you ever consider travelling with us?

We’re exploring a DTN group trip to Efteling in 2027 (and maybe other Dutch theme parks too).

Important: this is not a booking yet. No pressure, no commitment this is just me checking if the idea has enough riders to dispatch the train.

👉 If it sounds fun, fill out the form on this page to join the interest list.
If you join, you’ll get:

• first access to potential dates

• a first look at what’s included (hotel options, park days, group moments)

• updates before anything is announced publicly

Because if we do this… we want to do it the DTN way:
relaxed, well planned, and full of theme park joy.

Honestly?

Facing fear is easier when you’re not doing it alone.

See you in the queue. 🎢