In over fifty years the park has evolved from a nature park with playground and a Fairy Tale Forest, into a full-size theme park along the lines of Disneyland. In 1992 Efteling received the IAAPA Applause Award for Best Amusement Park in the World.

There are four main zones or lands in the Park:

Marerijk (Fairy Realm), where the attractions are based on story book characters

Anderrijk (Alternative Realm), where visitors will find things a bit out of the ordinary

Ruigrjik (Adventure Realm), where you'll find most of the coasters and white knuckle rides

Reizenrijk (Travel Realm), attractions based on journeys and travels around the world

Efteling currently covers approximately 160 acres (650,000 m²). This area has changed only marginally over the course of its history. However, the park's foundation owns a much larger area of land, covered mostly with young forests, some grassland, roads and an 18-hole golf course.

The park is open from 10:00 until 18:00 daily.

Closing times - It is sometimes necessary to close queues for various attractions before the official closing time, to ensure that those waiting will have a chance to enjoy the attraction.

From Rotterdam: (A16), follow Dordrecht-Breda, exit 's-Hertogenbosch (A59), follow Waalwijk/Kaatsheuvel (N261), follow signs to "Efteling".

From Utrecht: (A2), follow 's-Hertogenbosch, exit Gorinchem-Breda (A27), exit Waalwijk (A59), at Waalwijk follow signs to "Efteling" (N261).

From Breda: follow Tilburg (A58), exit Tilburg-West / Goirle / Efteling (N261), from here, follow signs to "Efteling" (follow Waalwijk / Kaatsheuvel).

From Eindhoven: follow Tilburg, exit Tilburg-Noord / Waalwijk, follow signs to "Efteling".

Coach parking is free. Parking a car costs € 7,00 per day.

Babies - For the care of our youngest visitors, a special area has been fitted up in the toilets in the Adventure Realm, beside Bird Rok, and in the toilets near ' t Kleuterhof playground in the Travel Realm.

Efteling money - Special Efteling money, costing € 2, is obtainable for cash at the group cash desk and at the Entrance Visitors' Service, and can be used throughout the park.

Pets - There is a free kennel for dogs at the entrance 'The House of the Five Senses'. Pets are not permitted in the park. Efteling will not provide food and/or walk the dog.

Toilets - There are free toilets, also suitable for disabled visitors, throughout the entire park.

Wheelchairs - Almost all the attractions are accessible for those in wheelchairs. Exceptions are: Dream Flight, Villa Volta, the Monorail in the Laaf Village and the Polka Marina. In Villa Volta, people in wheelchairs can follow what is happening inside on a video screen. At all the other attractions, wheelchair users with two escorts are given priority. To take advantage of this, you should use the wheelchair entrance. 

Wheelchairs are available free of charge if reserved in good time. Call +31 (0)416-288 157.

Pushchairs - Pushchairs can be hired at the main entrance for € 3.00 each.

First Aid - The First Aid post is on the left side of the Carrousel Palace in the Fairy Realm. Visitors can also come here to report and collect lost children and to report and hand in lost and found items.

• Buy your tickets online before you go so you don’t have to worry about queuing when you get there!
• Make sure you understand what your ticket includes before you book, as the tickets might have certain restrictions.
• If you can, pick a good time of the year to travel: think about the weather, number of visitors, special events or firework nights.  
• Get to the theme parks early to avoid too much overcrowding and queuing at the rides and water parks.
• Try going on the most popular rides at lunch or later in the day, when everyone else has already been.
• Try not to eat too many hot dogs before you go on the biggest ride of the park!
• Bring snacks and drinks, this will help you save money when it’s a long day and you or your kids need refreshments.
• Meeting point: always arrange one, as someone is bound to get lost if it’s a large park and it’s busy!
• This is common sense, but remember to buy gifts and merchandise at the end of the day so you’re not carrying everything around with you.
• Normally there are lockers too if you have any other items you want to get rid of at the beginning of the day.

The park is divided into four themed areas or 'realms', though these are not entirely comparable to Disney's 'lands'. Originally, the park was divided into four areas called North, West, East, and South, with most of the park's historical rides and attractions, like the Fairy Tale Forest, located in West. When the park reorganized its infrastructure in the late 1990s (adding the Pardoes Promenade and a central hub called Efteling Brink), it also changed its area names. North was changed to Reizenrijk (Travel Realm), West became Marerijk (Fairy Realm), East became Ruigrijk (Adventure Realm (literally: Rough Realm)) and South became Anderrijk (Alternative Realm).

The area most suited to its name is Ruigrijk, where most fast rides like the double-loop roller coaster Python (constructed in 1981) are located. However, on closer inspection the other names make some sense too. Marerijk is the home to the Fairy Tale Forest and the Fairies of the Droomvlucht, Anderrijk has some rides that are inspired by non-Western cultures (e.g. Fata Morgana and Piraña) while Reizenrijk has the Carnaval Festival ride, which travels through several different 'countries'.

Not only the Fairy Tale Forest, but almost the entire Efteling park was built in a rather rural area, with lots of pine trees, giving the park a very special and unique 'nature park' feeling. Together with the large ponds and gardens (with thousands of flowers and an army of gardeners) it gives the park a green and friendly feeling, which is rather unusual among the world's leading theme parks.

Wheelchairs are available free of charge if reserved in good time. Call +31 (0)416-288 157.

Pushchairs - Pushchairs can be hired at the main entrance for € 3.00 each.

First Aid - The First Aid post is on the left side of the Carrousel Palace in the Fairy Realm. Visitors can also come here to report and collect lost children and to report and hand in lost and found items.