Efteling 2024 – Baron 1898 Review

Baron 1898 at the Efteling looks as if it promises intense thrills. As one of the park’s most popular attractions, it can also be the attraction with the longest wait time.

So, is the thrill worth the wait? Lets take a look at my honest review of Baron 1898.

Baron 1898 Review Breakdown

My last ride on the Baron was on the 18th of July. This time I happened to be solo, it was a Summer Efteling evening and the wait time was only 15 minutes. Lets look at my Baron 1898 review breakdown and why I’ve only rated it as 3.3 stars out of 5.

Baron 1898 Overall Experience

The Baron is worth 4 stars when it comes to overall experience. While I do think that the ride is way too short verses the average wait time of 30+ minutes, the dive does provide that breath stealing moment.

I appreciate the fact that the ride restraint is comfortable, even for a shorter (167cm or 5 feet 6 inch) individual. I also appreciate the fact that the middle seats of each row accommodates larger bodies. However, I just can’t give it that last star which will be apparent if you continue reading.

Overall Thrill Factor of the Baron

The Baron only has 2 inversions and is pretty short. So the most thrilling thing is the dive into the tunnel. I really don’t have much else to say. I’ve found other coasters at other parks to be much more intense and thrilling.

Overall Theming and Aesthetics

Compared to other parts of the Efteling, the Baron has always left me a little puzzled with in comes to the theming.

The building is awesome looking and the pre-show is fairly well themed. However, the area around the coaster and the queue have zero theming. It would be a lot neater if the attraction’s employees were not only in costume, but in character as well. They should be warning guests about the curse of the mine!

Queue Experience and Time

Well, like I mentioned above, there is zero experience in the queue. If the wait is shorter, you’re just queued up along side the building. If the wait time is in the 40-60 minute area, you’re going to be going through the expanded queue.

If it’s sunny out (or raining) there’s very little protection from the elements. If you’re in the expanded queue that runs behind the building, there’s one area that has a shack with a roof over the queue. There’s also some trees that can block out the sun, depending on the time of day. If you’re attending on a nice day, better have some sun screen with you.

As far as the time, it does tend to move fairly quick all things considered. Last month I took my niece, nephew and husband to the Efteling and we went into the regular standby queue. The app and time board said it was a 40 minute wait but it was closer to 30.

Size Friendly Factor

The final point I want to cover in my review is the ride accessibility. First, as I mentioned in the Overall Experience, there are two seats per row that can accommodate larger bodies. The overhead harness doesn’t need to come down as far and there’s a 2 point seatbelt connection instead of the 1 of the other seats.

The Baron also provides a test seat that you can use. To date, I haven’t been able to take a picture of the test seat since there’s always someone just chilling in it. However, if you want to check to see if you fit, just ask the staff member that’s at the front of the line to clear out the kids.

Now, the reason I only gave the Size Friendly Factor 3 stars instead of 5 is because my body is the limit of what the ride seat will allow. Unfortunately, not all bodies can fit on this attraction – that’s how a ride gets 5 stars.

Baron 1898 Review Conclusion

At the end of the day, if you’re a roller coaster enthusiast, you’re not going to want to miss the opportunity to ride the Baron. It’s not the worst roller coaster I’ve ever been on by any means. However, it’s not the best. It’s actually not even in my current top 5.

If you go to the Efteling frequently, or can just give or take a roller coaster, you might want to skip it in favor of the many other attractions that the Efteling hosts.

Are you going to ride the coaster anytime soon? Want to plan ahead and know what you’re getting into? Check out Themepark Freak’s Baron 1898 Ride Guide.

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