The attractions reflect elements from ancient myths and legends, fairy tales, fables, and folklore.

[4][5] In 1950, Efteling Nature Park Foundation (Stichting Natuurpark de Efteling) was founded by the mayor of Loon op Zand, R.J. van der Heijden, filmmaker Peter Reijnders, and designer artist Anton Pieck (1895-1987).

Initially, the Fairy Tale Forest was home to some 10 different fairy tales, all of them brought to life using original drawings by Pieck alongside mechanics, lighting and sound effects designed by the Dutch filmmaker Peter Reijnders.

In the same year, English singer Kate Bush performed in the park in De Efteling Special, which was broadcast on 11 May 1978.

Bush, who just had a big hit in the Netherlands with "Wuthering Heights", made her debut on Dutch television in the special.

[citation needed] Gisela Williams, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, wrote a review of the park in early 2014.

[9] Williams praised Efteling but criticized the teacups-style ride Monsieur Cannibale due to ethnic stereotypes.

[10] Her review was later mentioned in De Telegraaf, a daily newspaper in the Netherlands, and drew several angry comments from its readership.

When Anton Pieck was asked to design the initial fairy tales for the Efteling, he made sure the park would live up to his personal high standards.

Pieck's illustration style, somewhat grim and dark, but also romantic and nostalgic, was the thematic base on which nearly all future expansions were built.

[18] Pieck worked for Efteling until the mid-1970s, when his position as chief designer was passed on to the younger Ton van de Ven.

The Haunted Castle (het Spookslot), which opened in 1978 as the park's first new large attraction, was Efteling's first to be designed entirely by Van de Ven.

[20] The park's foundation owns a total of 400 hectares (990 acres) also including young forest, nature reserve, some grassland, fields and roads.

[citation needed] Although the park was not built with these divisions in mind and the names may seem cryptic, they do make sense.

Perhaps the area most suited to its name is Ruigrijk, where most fast rides such as the double-loop roller coaster Python (constructed in 1981) are located.

[21] Efteling was largely built in an existing pine forest located in a rural area, giving it a 'nature park' feeling.

Together with its large ponds and gardens, its abundant green space is rather unusual among the world's leading theme parks.

Scheduled to open in the summer of 2025[22], it will be the largest hotel within the park and will provide direct access to its attractions.

The hotel will feature 140 rooms and suites[23], each designed with a unique color theme and incorporating subtle references to Efteling’s fairytale aesthetic.

[27] It is centrally located within Efteling, allowing guests easy access to the theme park’s attractions.

Former attractions: Other ventures operating independently from the amusement park: The Efteling is a private company limited by shares.

[58] About 16% of visitors live in areas such as Flanders (Belgium), Westphalia (Germany) and Southern England (UK).

[60] On December 11, 2008, theme park officials announced that they would spend EUR40 million during 2009–2012 on three large construction projects: a convention centre accommodating 1500 visitors (de Burcht), an arena from the Middle Ages for 750 show spectators (Raveleijn), and a redesign for snack bar "De Likkebaerd" to turn it into a station for the park's steam train.

In 2018, the zoning plan was unanimously adopted within the municipality of Loon op Zand, after which three objections were submitted to the Raad van State.

On January 24, 2022, the company announced that it would invest €75 million in the construction of a new hotel within the park on the square behind the entrance and in an attraction that will replace Spookslot.