Efteling school holidays vs UK
Efteling in the Netherlands is one of Europe’s oldest theme parks, open since 1952, and it has an unusual characteristic: UK half-terms are often quieter than you’d expect, because Dutch school breaks run on a different regional schedule. Score blends UK (40%) and Dutch (60%) school calendars.
Planning a trip to Netherlands? Netherlands school holidays has the full crowd calendar and source market breakdown.
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In 2026 Scottish schools are off 12–23 October. England's half-term is 26–30 October. Dutch autumn break (most regions) is 24–30 October. Visiting 12–17 October captures Scottish-family demand only — before English families and Dutch domestic visitors peak. Efteling's autumn programming is fully running with the Winter Efteling season starting in November.
School-holiday demand by period
A low score means fewer school-age children from both the UK and the Netherlands at the park. Summer is the highest-demand period when both markets overlap. UK half-terms are often surprisingly clear.
Summer 2026
Fewest school-age families: 7–11 Sep 2026 (0% of schools off)
| Week (Mon–Fri) | School-holiday demand | Booking options |
|---|---|---|
| 22–26 Jun 2026 | Very low | |
| 29 Jun – 3 Jul 2026 | Low | |
| 6–10 Jul 2026 | Low | |
| 13–17 Jul 2026 | Low | |
| 20–24 Jul 2026 | High | |
| 27–31 Jul 2026 | Peak | |
| 3–7 Aug 2026 | Peak | |
| 10–14 Aug 2026 | Peak | |
| 17–21 Aug 2026 | High | |
| 24–28 Aug 2026 | High | |
| 31 Aug – 4 Sep 2026 | Low | |
| 7–11 Sep 2026 | Very low |
October half-term 2026
Fewest school-age families: 2–6 Nov 2026 (0% of schools off)
| Week (Mon–Fri) | School-holiday demand | Booking options |
|---|---|---|
| 5–9 Oct 2026 | Very low | |
| 12–16 Oct 2026 | Low | |
| 19–23 Oct 2026 | Low | |
| 26–30 Oct 2026 | High | |
| 2–6 Nov 2026 | Very low |
Christmas 2026–27
Fewest school-age families: 14–18 Dec 2026 (0% of schools off)
| Week (Mon–Fri) | School-holiday demand | Booking options |
|---|---|---|
| 14–18 Dec 2026 | Very low | |
| 21–25 Dec 2026 | Peak | |
| 28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 | Peak | |
| 4–8 Jan 2027 | Very low | |
| 11–15 Jan 2027 | Very low |
February half-term 2027
Fewest school-age families: 22–26 Feb 2027 (0% of schools off)
| Week (Mon–Fri) | School-holiday demand | Booking options |
|---|---|---|
| 1–5 Feb 2027 | Very low | |
| 8–12 Feb 2027 | Low | |
| 15–19 Feb 2027 | High | |
| 22–26 Feb 2027 | Very low | |
| 1–5 Mar 2027 | Very low |
Easter 2027
Fewest school-age families: 15–19 Mar 2027 (0% of schools off)
| Week (Mon–Fri) | School-holiday demand | Booking options |
|---|---|---|
| 15–19 Mar 2027 | Very low | |
| 22–26 Mar 2027 | Moderate | |
| 29 Mar – 2 Apr 2027 | Peak | |
| 5–9 Apr 2027 | High | |
| 12–16 Apr 2027 | Low | |
| 19–23 Apr 2027 | Very low |
May half-term 2027
Fewest school-age families: 7–11 Jun 2027 (0% of schools off)
| Week (Mon–Fri) | School-holiday demand | Booking options |
|---|---|---|
| 17–21 May 2027 | Very low | |
| 24–28 May 2027 | Very low | |
| 31 May – 4 Jun 2027 | High | |
| 7–11 Jun 2027 | Very low | |
| 14–18 Jun 2027 | Very low |
Summer 2027
Fewest school-age families: 6–10 Sep 2027 (0% of schools off)
| Week (Mon–Fri) | School-holiday demand | Booking options |
|---|---|---|
| 21–25 Jun 2027 | Very low | |
| 28 Jun – 2 Jul 2027 | Low | |
| 5–9 Jul 2027 | Low | |
| 12–16 Jul 2027 | Low | |
| 19–23 Jul 2027 | Moderate | |
| 26–30 Jul 2027 | Peak | |
| 2–6 Aug 2027 | Peak | |
| 9–13 Aug 2027 | Peak | |
| 16–20 Aug 2027 | Peak | |
| 23–27 Aug 2027 | Peak | |
| 30 Aug – 3 Sep 2027 | Moderate | |
| 6–10 Sep 2027 | Very low |
Score blends UK (40%) and Dutch (60%) school-holiday demand. Weekends are always busier than weekdays. Mon-Fri school-day demand only. For Dutch school holiday dates see the Netherlands school holidays page. Data from 218 UK local authority term dates.