The Dutch theme park Efteling has officially closed its historic “Chinese Nightingale” fairy tale attraction for renovations, with the experience set to return in a new form next year as part of a broader expansion of the park’s iconic Fairy Tale Forest.
The attraction’s final day for visitors came on March 8, 2026. To mark the occasion, seven fans were granted a behind-the-scenes look at the installation after winning a contest organized by the park.
The area surrounding the Emperor of China’s palace and ornamental garden has since been cordoned off to make way for construction. According to Efteling, the site will be transformed to accommodate the park’s 32nd fairy tale: the “Fairy Tale Library,” scheduled to open in 2027. The reimagined Chinese Nightingale attraction will be located nearby.
Before demolition work began, Efteling’s Heritage Management team documented the existing installation extensively through photography and video. Key elements — including the two nightingale figures, the emperor, the death character, and decorative masks — have been preserved.
To coincide with the closure, the park released a room spray capturing the scent associated with the attraction, available for €17.50 at the in-park souvenir shop In den Ouden Marskramer, while supplies last.
Source: Efteling
A Long History at Efteling
The Chinese Nightingale has deep roots at the park. When the Fairy Tale Forest opened in 1952 with ten attractions, a version of the story was among the original lineup. That early installation was replaced in 1979 by a dragon exhibit. The current version, designed by Ton van de Ven, opened in 1999 and is considered one of the final fairy tale installations he created for the park.
Concept art by Ton van de Ven. Source: Efteling
The story itself is drawn from a fairy tale by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen (1805–1875), in which a gravely ill Emperor of China is revived by the song of a real nightingale after his beloved mechanical bird breaks down. Andersen is said to have conceived the story during a walk through the silent woods of the Nysø estate in southern Zealand, Denmark, where birdsong high in the trees caught his attention. He is also known for such classics as The Little Mermaid, Thumbelina, and The Princess and the Pea.
