Efteling’s Danse Macabre Faces Weekend Closure Due to Technical Malfunction

Kaatsheuvel, Netherlands – visitors planning a trip to the popular Efteling theme park this weekend may have to bypass the highly anticipated Danse Macabre attraction. The ride, which opened to much fanfare in October last year, has been hit by a technical malfunction that began on Thursday morning, leading to its probable closure for the entire weekend.

This unexpected closure is a notable setback for both Efteling and its guests, especially during the busy summer months. Typically, maintenance is scheduled during the quieter winter and autumn periods, not during peak season.

Efteling spokeswoman Karin Koppelmans confirmed the issue, stating, “It is a technical malfunction and we are still looking for the cause.” Unlike routine maintenance, which is usually listed on the park’s official page, Efteling has opted to publicly announce this closure due to the attraction’s popularity and the uncertainty surrounding its repair timeline. “We have chosen that now, because it is such a popular attraction and we are not yet sure when it will be repaired,” Koppelmans explained. “So we now report as a precaution that Danse Macabre will stay closed for the entire weekend, but when it is indeed repaired, the attraction will instantly open again. And we hope that this is quickly.”

Data from Eftelstats, a website that monitors Efteling attractions, indicates that Danse Macabre has experienced the longest periods of downtime due to malfunctions since May. Jan van Kampen of Eftelstats reported that the attraction has been out of service for a total of 3,936 minutes since May, equating to over 65 hours while the park was open. In the same period, The Flying Dutchman experienced over eight hours of downtime.

In the initial months following its opening, Danse Macabre had minimal downtime, with less than six hours of malfunctions per month.However, Van Kampen noted a significant increase since May, with downtime exceeding eleven hours in some months.

while Efteling’s spokeswoman suggested that maintenance and the introduction of a new ride program in May might have contributed to the increased issues, she stressed that these events are not necessarily linked. The park remains focused on resolving the current technical fault and hopes to have the popular attraction operational again swiftly.