Why We Make Our Blog & Vlog in English (Even Though We’re Dutch)

Yes, we’re Dutch, our accent gives it away in the first five seconds so why do you keep writing and vlogging in English when Dutch is your first language? It’s a fair question. One I get often. The simple answer is practical: most of the people we connect with online don’t speak Dutch but the real answer goes deeper.

Because being Dutch doesn’t mean we only speak Dutch

In the Netherlands, we grow up learning languages. For most of us, English is basically a second language. In school, many of us also learn French and German as a third and fourth language. So yes most Dutch people can communicate in English pretty proficiently, it feels natural to use it online.

And no, we’re not trying to hide the fact that we’re Dutch. You can definitely hear our accents. DTN isn’t “pretending to be international.” We’re proudly Dutch and that’s exactly why we have the insights we share about Dutch theme parks.

Because I grew up online in English

I grew up in the internet age, English was always there. My MySpace page glittered with broken HTML and dramatic musical confessions (yes, I’m that old 😉). My first real online friendships were in English. And my love for musicals and theme parks pulled me into English-speaking communities because that’s where most of the conversation was happening.

In English, I found more than just connection. I found people with the same passions and values, but completely different life experiences. People who taught me, often without realising it,  to see the world from other angles.

Because English fits the way I write and feel

Dutch is precise. Efficient. Direct to the point of brutal. Let’s be honest, it fits us. We’re a nation of traders. Dutch is brilliant at being clear. Efficient. Direct (sometimes… brutally direct). We say what we mean, mean what we say, and we don’t ask how you’re doing unless we genuinely want to know.

The average Dutch person knows about 40,000 words but only uses 4,000 to 5,000 of them regularly. Compare that to English, which has over 170,000 words in current use.

When it comes to storytelling, English gives me more room to breathe. The language stretches. It wraps itself around feelings instead of dissecting them. It lets me be a little more poetic, a little more expansive and I love that. I like using it to express myself.

Because English is where our community lives

Theme parks are international by nature. The moment you start planning trips to Orlando, California, or Japan, you quickly discover that the biggest pools of information, reviews, and trip reports are usually in English. That’s how it started for me, too: prepping trips by watching YouTube, absorbing tips, routes, hotel advice, and “what I wish I knew before I went” videos.

Somewhere along the way, I noticed something… missing. There wasn’t much content like that about Dutch theme parks at least not in a way that international visitors could actually use. So for years, I kept saying: “Somebody should really make this.” Then one day I realised: if you truly think it’s a good idea… do it yourself.

So that’s what we did at Dutch Theme Park Network.

Because we want Dutch parks to be part of the bigger conversation

Dutch theme parks deserve international attention. When you search for trip planning content, “what to expect,” honest reviews, seasonal updates, and practical tips, it shouldn’t stop at the border. English helps us open the door: for travellers, for enthusiasts, and for anyone who wants to understand why our parks are special.

And yes, we’re still Dutch. You’ll see Dutch from us in certain places like comments. But for DTN, English is the language that makes the most sense for who we want to reach and how we want to tell our stories.

What you can expect next

This is only the beginning.

• More Dutch theme parks: guides, updates, trip reports, and practical planning help

• More trip reports: because they are fun to make

• Expansion beyond the Netherlands: we also have extensive knowledge of parks in Germany, Belgium, and France, and we’re excited about creating more insider-style content there too

So if you’ve ever wondered why we sound a little less “gezellig” and a little more global now you know.

English is where our words feel most at home and it’s where we can help the most people.