Efteling connects people through the power of stories – in the Fairytale Forest as well as in its attractions of the theme park in the South of Holland. As part of the park’s new accessibility offering, subtitles will be available for most of the narrated stories in the park via the Efteling app. Visitors will be able to view where subtitles are offered and activate them whenever needed with the app’s software also being able to recognise the specific language required for the guest (English, French German and Dutch only). The on-screen text will automatically run in sync with the voices heard on location. This enables visitors who are deaf or hard of hearing to follow the stories, ensuring the experience is as complete as possible. Subtitles are available in German, French and English. For visitors with a visual impairment, audio description will be added later this year in the Fairytale Forest and at selected attractions.
Research informed by experts through lived experience
Efteling worked together with organisations dedicated to accessibility, including the Dutch company Bartiméus, as well as groups of people with lived experience. Jolanda de Boer from Vlaardingen, who is hard of hearing, advised on aspects such as design and user-friendliness of potential solutions. As a result, she was one of the first to test the subtitles. “I took part in the research because I think it is important that everyone can visit a place and enjoy it just as much as anyone else,” Jolanda explains. “With subtitles, I can follow so much more of the stories. For example, I didn’t really know the story of Longneck – the Efteling’s iconic figure – until I used subtitles. And at an attraction like Danse Macabre, the experience is completely different if you miss the narration. Now that is possible, and that truly makes a world of difference.”
Audio description in development
Later this year, audio description will gradually be introduced to the Fairytale Forest and at selected attractions. Audio description describes what can be seen, allowing visitors with a visual impairment to experience the stories in a more complete way. Femke van Es, Community, Communication & Environment manager , explains: “Efteling is a place for everyone, and we want all visitors to be able to understand our stories as fully as possible. Subtitles are the first step, followed by audio description. Within our industry, this is innovative and quite a challenge, as it requires different technologies to work seamlessly together. Together with our sole shareholder, Efteling Nature Park Foundation, we are allocating the necessary time and resources. With these measures, we are once again removing barriers and making the park more accessible.”
