Photos and videos are increasingly appearing of visitors trying to take money from the wishing wells in Efteling. A new trend seems to be emerging, according to behavioral scientist Kees Keizer. He says that people have no shame towards the amusement park in Kaatsheuvel and comes up with a possible solution.
On Saturday, a visitor tried to fish money from a wish well with a string with a magnet on it. In August, images also appeared of someone wearing shorts who entered a wishing pond to get money. According to Efteling, these types of situations occur more often.
Behavioral scientist Kees Keizer tries to explain the behavior of these types of visitors. “Some people have no shame. They think they are really smart. They see this as an easy way to make money.” According to Keizer, this is not something recent, but timeless.
“They don’t realize that they are taking a wish from a small child or even worse, money from charity.”
According to Keizer, these visitors have no moral sense. “They think they are taking the money from Efteling. They do not realize that they are taking away a wish from a small child or even worse, money from charity.” Because the money thrown into the wish wells goes to charities: Save The Children, which helps children in crisis situations and Villa Pardoes, a holiday home for seriously ill children.
According to the behavioral scientist, that is where the solution lies. “Maybe they should put up signs and make it clear that the money is not for Efteling but for charity. If someone still does it, I’m sure there will be reactions from other visitors. The public will then intervene.”
People don’t seem to mind taking money from Efteling because the amusement park charges quite a lot of money for an entrance ticket. “Money has been a thing lately anyway,” Keizer refers to inflation.
“If people see this more often in others, they will copy that behavior.”
He does fear a domino effect. “If people see this more often in others, they will copy that behavior. Young people in particular may start to think that this is a smart way to earn money. Once they have seen this five times, they will start to think it is normal.”
Efteling says it will not take any serious action against these ‘grabbers’ for the time being. “We have no intention of evicting people from our park. We do address these people. As soon as we tell them that the money is for charity, they come to understand.”
At the end of August, a man stepped into the wishing well, apparently he was looking for money, as can be seen in the video below.
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