Europe (All EU Countries)1

I have driven extensively through Europe visiting parks. My random observations:

1. Skip Poland and optimise your route. There are other parks more worthy than Energylandia, like Walibi BE, Efteling, Plopsa DE, Tripsdrill. This way you drive less per day and can almost.make a park a day. My driving rule is 2 hours max, one in the morning and one in the evening, and choose hotels accordingly.
2. Sightseeing: between Bruges, Strasbourg and Colmar, go in this inverted order. 
3. Gmaps is accurate, but I always use Waze in Europe. Although expensive, go for toll highways whenever possible. 
4. Respect speed limits as radars can be hidden and are accurate. Fines will reach you through the rental company. 
5. Be very wary of restricted  access to city centers. Before entering a city, find about its restrictions. Some.cities demand a window sticker, some.demand a prepaid permit. 
6. In Paris, I would visit by public transportation and then rent the car at night only, to go to a.hotel near Parc Astérix. 

Having been to all these parks, I think you’re trying to do too much. We live in Portugal now, for the last 3 1/2 years, so have experienced traveling around Europe.

I would absolutely skip Energylandia in Poland, in favor of spending a little bit extra time in the Netherlands or Germany. Tripsdrill and/or Plopsaland Deutschland would work better.

Efteling is a 2-day park, as is Phantasialand if you want to enjoy them. Be aware that traffic in Paris, Netherlands and Germany can be VERY heavy at times, even outside of rush hour. On recent trips by ACE Europe, our drive times were at least 50% longer than what Google said. I would personally never want a car in Paris. Instead, rent a car on your way out of town from the airport.

If it were my trip:

fly to Paris, take the train into central Paris and stay overnight. Force yourself to stay up as late as possible.

day 1: recover from jetlag, walk around central Paris, stay overnight in Paris.

Day 2: pick up rental car, drive to Parc Asterix and stay there.

Day 3: Drive to Plopsaland Belgium and stay there.

Day 4: Drive to Walibi Belgium, stay nearby.

Day 5: Drive to Efteling, and stay there.

Day 6: Efteling

Day 7: drive to Phantasialand, stay at a park hotel.

Day 8: morning Phantasialand, drive to Tripsdrill, stay nearby.

Day 9: drive to Europa-Park, stay at a park hotel

Day 10: Europa-Park

Day 11: Drive to Nigloaland, stay nearby

Day 12: Back to CGD to fly out

For more days, consider:

Extra day in Paris, visit the cute amusement park Jardin d’Aclimatation.

Staying in Brussels between Plopsaland and Walibi. 

Add a day in Cologne near Phantasialand.
In Belgium add Bobbejaaland and/or in Netherlands add Toverland, at least 1/2 day each.

In Germany add Plopsaland Deutschland, at least 1/2 day.

I’m not aware you can bring food into parks, but security is much less strict…because…well, no guns (really).

Also, be aware that drink cups are reusable and recyclable, so don’t throw them out. Take them back to a counter for a euro refund, or keep as a souvenir.  Food and drinks at European theme parks are far more reasonable than at American theme parks, as is park admission. The price of food and drinks all includes tax, and a table service 10% tip is more than enough.

Where costs will really get you, though, is the price of gasoline, which is upwards of $10 a gallon now! (Thanks to the “war“.)

Hi, as a European the quick answer is no.

The tips from Jamey are great! I would say visit Toverland above Bobbejaanland (Belgium, Jamey!😜) Also mind that not all regional parks are open during weekdays and if they are it's proberly time for schooltrips. So a lot of youngsters! Phantasialand is possible in 1 day during that time of year, but get a quickpass (comes with hotel, don't do Charles Lindbergh unless you want to for views of Fly). Also most parks close early around 18.00 so driving for 2 hours after closing should work fine.

Definitely take trains from CDG <--> Paris, they are very frequent and easy. By 0900 do you mean 9pm that day? Another way to do this is to go straight to Asterix (close drive from the airport), and have your Paris sightseeing day later in the trip before flying to Krakow (after dropping off the car). 

I love Energylandia's coasters, and won't discourage you from going! I recommend Krakow for sightseeing (you could stay there instead of Zator), and you might be able to fit in Legendia too. 

As for Holland, I'm not sure about the drives (I've only been by train), but for coasters choose Walibi Holland, and for theming/dark rides choose Efteling. I recommend 2 days for Phantasialand (or 1.5 days) to fully immerse and explore.

Keep us posted on what you decide to do!

--Xandra (not Zadra) from Scotland