New Attraction Opens At Efteling!
A new attraction has opened at Efteling! The long awaited arrival of a fantastical new addition to Efteling’s most beloved fairytale forest has officially been unveiled to the public this week.
Guests will now have the chance to immerse themselves in the magical, much loved fairytale The Princess and the Pea.
The Princess and the Pea is the latest new arrival in the fairytale forest and tells the story of a young girl who arrives at the doors of a palace one stormy night before being tested to see if she’s ‘princess material’ by a young prince’s mother.
The new attraction opened to the public on Wednesday 14th May with an official opening ceremony being conducted to welcome the princess into the forest by other fairytale residents.
Efteling’s new addition to the fairytale forest was unveiled at the end of 2024 with the news of a unique new attraction making it’s way into the forest for 2025.
Over the past 6 months construction of the princesses new home has been taking place alongside the build of the resort’s latest new signature hotel – The Efteling Grand Hotel, which is set to open to the public this Summer.
The Princess and the Pea is also the first fairytale forest addition to feature a musical score too with a ‘poetic song’ being featured in favour of traditional narration.
Speaking about this decision, Koen Sanders, director Product, Marketing & Image stated;
“The choice of this fairy tale, in which a sleeping princess plays the leading role, was obvious due to the pavilion’s location at the foot of the Efteling Grand Hotel”
“The pavilion forms a true fairytale scene in the tradition of the Fairytale Forest but this time replacing the spoken narration with a poetic song. This makes the moral of The Princess and the Pea even more apparent: real beauty is inside. It is clear that the princess’s sensitivity turns out to be her strength. And so, Efteling connects through the power of stories, also with its 31st fairy tale.”
Sharing her thoughts on the arrival of The Princess and the Pea in the fairytale forest, Veronique (22) who’d made the trip purely to witness the princess’ debut at the park with her mum stated;
“What a beautiful and warm addition to the Fairytale Forest. Enchantingly small and intimate with lots of details and an international feel.”
If you’re wondering how the fairytale of the Princess and the Pea goes, here’s what we understand from Efteling’s official release;
“Once upon a time, there was a prince who wanted to marry a real princess. On a stormy evening in the pouring rain, a princess from a distant land knocked on the palace’s door. The queen, intrigued by the girl, welcomed the ‘princess’ into her home and gave her a pea test to decipher whether she was a true princess fit for her son. Before the princess went to bed, the queen hid a pea under twenty mattresses and twenty down blankets. After all, only a real princess would be sensitive enough to feel the pea and, therefore, be unable to sleep.”
So, during your next trip to Efteling why not venture into the fairytale forest and discover the story of the Princess and the Pea for yourself? She’s be waiting!