@EK<IM@<N 98IK;<9F<I hen Walt Disney came Inspiring Disney, defying the recession and expanding to Europe in 1954 to into film and tv are among Efteling’s achievements, as it research attraction parks, ÈN he came here and was celebrates its 60th birthday. CEO Bart de Boer tells us why inspired by our park,” says Efteling’s CEO the Netherland’s oldest theme park is so successful Bart de Boer. “Actually, that’s just a story,” he admits with a smile. “He may well have B8K?C<<EÛN?PD8EÛÝÛD8E8>@E>Û<;@KFIÛÝÛ8KKI8:K@FEJÛD8E8><D<EK come, but there’s no proof of it. We like to say it though.” The Netherland’s oldest theme park is “It’s an important step,” acknowledges de The park offer now includes coasters, so revered in its home country that when Boer. “We’re part of history and we’re very but the core business hasn’t changed. it marketed Raveleijn – a medieval city- careful with that history.” “We never wanted the fastest, highest or themed entertainment venue – as a “new The history started back in 1952 when most dangerous rides; we always have the town”, 70 per cent of the country’s mayors, Efteling opened as a family amusement extended family in mind,” explains de Boer. resplendent in their chains of office, park using attractions to tell 10 stories “The park is very large and is beautifully attended the opening ceremony in 2011. within a Fairytale Forest. The park was landscaped. Visitor feedback shows that Raveleijn also forms the backdrop to founded to bring employment into the they like the way they can wander around a tv show, book and online game. While region and to conserve nature. While that’s and enjoy being a part of nature.” investing in rides and entertainment to still the park’s aim, 60 years on, Efteling ensure guests have a great time is the has evolved into a theme park with more REALMS main aim of Efteling, which is run by than four million visitors each year, a variety Efteling is divided into four realms – Efteling Nature Park Foundation, media of coasters, dark rides and experiences, Ruigrijk (Adventure), Reizenrijk (Travel), has become a large part of the park’s theatre shows, a hotel, a holiday park, a Marerijk (Fairy) and Anderrikj (Alternative). offer. After producing several tv series, it golf course and its own tv series. Each are tailored to different members of premiered its first film, Sprookjesboom De Boer credits Efteling’s success to a family. The Fairytale Forest and shows (The Fairytale Tree) in February and it went staying close to its Fairytale Forest roots. are for everyone. Older children and adults gold in March. “One park started with a While the designers employed over the will enjoy the coasters and dark rides while mouse and became quite successful, so years have all left their imprint on the park, their younger siblings spend time in the we’re working to that,” smiles de Boer. the original style, created by Anton Pieck, playground. Carnival Festival, which takes has continued to the extent that fairytale- visitors on an eight-minute journey past HISTORY related stories appearing in Dutch, and 15 different countries and 270 different 2012 marks the park’s 60th anniversary, some German and Belgium, media are animatronics, is popular with all ages. The which is being celebrated all year long. referred to as “Efteling-like”. ride is currently being refurbished to mark 20 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 2 2012 ©cybertrek 2012 Roller coaster De Vliegende Hollander – The Flying Dutchman (Above) George and the Dragon wooden coaster; (below) the show Raveleijn; (left) Mother Holle Efteling’s anniversary. It’s rumoured that visitors attended. Events will be held park show for up to 1,200 people. The Carnival Festival was the inspiration for throughout the year but the big attraction 20-minute show details the adventures Walt Disney Parks and Resorts’ It’s a Small is Aquanura, a spectaculars show using of fi ve children who become knights and World musical boat ride. “There are photos water, fi re and light. “The park’s birthday is is performed up to fi ve times a day. It of Disney executives looking at Carnival the 31st May and we’ll have a big show on features horses, ravens, an owl, a falcon, Festival and It’s a Small World is similar – that day culminating with Aquanura, which actors and a fi ve-headed dragon. visitors travel through countries while a is just amazing,” says de Boer. song plays throughout,” says de Boer. Also new is a themed pancake VISITORS The update may mean the park can restaurant, Polle’s Kitchen, which is Almost every Dutch child visits Efteling, as expect another visit from Disney execu- the fi rst phase of a new Fantasy Realm. it’s the most popular destination for Dutch tives in the future. “We sent about 1,000 of Costing %42.5m (£35.3m, $55.4m), and school trips. “They come here as a child, our 2,200 employees to Disneyland Paris with an estimated opening date of 2015, then a parent and a grandparent,” says in batches of 200 in March to celebrate our the realm will be Efteling’s biggest and de Boer. “Most Dutch people will come to Diamond Jubilee,” he says. “Hopefully they most expensive expansion to date and will Efteling several times during their lifetime.” will send all theirs to Efteling!” include a dramatic dark ride. Efteling received 4.1 million visitors De Boer has spent the last fi ve years in 2011 and de Boer anticipates another CELEBRATIONS focusing on content. These include a 200,000 visitors this year. “The anniversary All well as the employees, all visitors to double wooden speeding coaster which helps, but we’d expect an increase anyway, Efteling are invited to be a part of the year- spins visitors around a fi re-breathing as the visitor numbers are growing every long anniversary celebrations. They started dragon and Raveleijn, the medieval city year,” he says. “We predict that by 2020 on the 31st December 2011 and 10,000 that provides the setting for a spectacular we’ll be up to fi ve million visitors each year.” AM 2 2012 ©cybertrek 2012 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 21 @EK<IM@<N È@8GGC@<;=FIK?@JAF9@E)''/% 89FLK 98:BK?<EK?<PJ8@;@N8JEËK 9Xik[\ HL8C@=@<;JFKFC8K<I9< 9f\i 8GGIF8:?<;=FIK?<IFC< @JJN<<KI<M<E><É The majority of Efteling’s visitors are from the Netherlands with about 10 per What are your hobbies? cent from Germany and another 10 per I had a private pilot’s licence but I had cent from Belgium. “We do have visitors to quit fl ying when I started working from Spain, Israel and the UK, but it’s not here so I fl y in a coaster instead now. I as accessible,” says de Boer. also like cooking and photography Ten per cent of visitors stay at Efteling’s 122-room hotel or in one of the 203 What’s your favourite food? accommodations in the holiday park I’m a bit of a foodie. I’ve visited Heston Efteling Village Bosrijk. Both the hotel and Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck in the resort are constantly fully booked. “Many UK. I’m desperate to eat at Noma in resorts in the Netherlands are having Copenhagen, but it’s hard to get in – if a diffi cult time, but we’re not and are anyone’s reading this, who can get me thinking of expanding,” says de Boer. “I in, please let me know think we’re the equivalent of the movie theatres in the 1930s – we give a day away Favourite fi lm? from all the troubles. People need to have It’d be a bit cheap to say The Fairytale money to pay for it of course, so if things Tree! I don’t have a favourite fi lm, but I get worse it’ll start to impact, but up til now love the Swedish thriller tv series The we haven’t been affected at all.” Bridge. It’s excellent and I’d love to be Eftleing’s employees are as loyal as its able to produce a programme like that visitors. “Many stay here for years and we have whole families who have worked for How do you spend your spare time? us across generations. Everyone is very With this job there isn’t too much spare involved, which is wonderful,” says de Boer. time – there’s always something to do. “But this can result in the organisation I live a 45-minute drive from the park, being a bit slow to react to suggestions which is good or I’d always be here. because so many people are involved. I I like reading, walking the dogs and have to try and hurry things along without cooking nice meals to try and entice the disturbing that very special Efteling feeling. kids back home That’s my biggest challenge here.” Efteling won a Brass Ring Award in What drives you? HR Excellence in 2010 with its internal I’m not a caretaker. When I’m program Betovering (Enchantment). “Key somewhere I want change and growth to this program is that our employees are and results. But at Efteling I’m building told they can make the difference between and our daily show De Schatkamer has on a lot of history. This combination a normal day in an attraction park or an about 100,000 viewers a day.