Part ghost story, part dark ride, part water coaster — De Vliegende Hollander (The Flying Dutchman) at Efteling in the Netherlands refuses to be just one thing. Opened on April 1, 2007 after a €20 million build, it wraps a full roller coaster and splashdown finale inside one of the most atmospheric legends in Dutch folklore.
Efteling, the fairy-tale park in Kaatsheuvel, is famous for storytelling first and thrills second. De Vliegende Hollander is where the two meet: a cursed sea captain, a haunted harbor, and a 70 km/h plunge into the water.
Key Stats
| Height | 22.5 m (74 ft) |
| Speed | 70 km/h (43 mph) |
| Length | 420 m (1,380 ft) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Duration | 3 minutes, 45 seconds |
| Riders per hour | 1,900 |
| Manufacturer | KumbaK |
| Designer | Karel Willemen |
| Opened | April 1, 2007 |
| Cost | €20 million |
The Legend Behind the Ride
The attraction tells the story of Captain Willem van der Decken, an officer of the Dutch East India Company who, according to the ride’s backstory, defied God and a raging storm by setting sail on Easter Day 1678 — and was cursed to sail the seas forever as the ghostly Flying Dutchman. Designer Karel Willemen built the entire attraction around this legend.
The queue winds through the captain’s abandoned house and smugglers’ tunnels before guests board wooden boats in a fog-shrouded 17th-century harbor. It is world-class scene-setting before the ride even starts.
Dark Ride Meets Water Coaster
The first act plays out indoors: boats drift through haunted harbor scenes as a storm builds and the ghost ship itself appears. Then the ride changes character — boats engage a lift and climb 22.5 meters (74 feet) into open air, with views across Efteling before gravity takes over.
The coaster section runs 420 meters (1,380 feet) at up to 70 km/h (43 mph), rolling over airtime hills before the signature splashdown finale slows the boat in a burst of spray. The whole voyage lasts a generous 3 minutes and 45 seconds — long enough to earn a place in any conversation about theme park rides with the longest ride times — and the ride still pushes through 1,900 guests per hour.
A Complicated Birth
De Vliegende Hollander’s construction was famously troubled. Originally slated to open in April 2006, the attraction was delayed a full year; during testing in July 2006, a vehicle rolled back on the lift and damaged equipment, prompting a redesign of the lift hill entrance. Built by Dutch manufacturer KumbaK, the finished ride opened in 2007 and quickly became one of Efteling’s signature attractions.
FAQ
Is De Vliegende Hollander a roller coaster or a water ride?
Both. It begins as an indoor dark ride through a haunted harbor, then becomes a genuine water coaster: a 22.5-meter lift, a 420-meter coaster section at up to 70 km/h, and a splashdown finale.
Do you get wet on De Vliegende Hollander?
The ride ends with a splashdown into water, so some spray is part of the experience — but it is a coaster splashdown, not a soaking flume drop.
What story is the ride based on?
It is based on the legend of the Flying Dutchman: in the ride’s telling, Captain Willem van der Decken set sail in a storm on Easter Day 1678 in defiance of the heavens and was cursed to sail forever.
Photo: Steven Lek via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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