A couple co-workers and I are going to Europe in September. Our first stop is in Munich for Oktoberfest. I've been to Germany many times, and Munich once before, but not for Oktoberfest.

How do the beer tents work? I've already inquired about getting reservations, but it seems that is only for larger groups of 10 or more. We will be there from September 24 to the 28th and so I've read that we shouldn't have too much trouble getting in as it isn't the weekend.

For those that have been; what was your experience? Were you able to get in later in the night or did you have better luck going for a late lunch?

Thanks!

I went on the last night of Oktoberfest, 1995. Final day attendance is MASSIVE and we still got seats in two tents (you have to have a seat to drink) and were able to ride roller coasters.

Definitely go, preferably on a weekday, and I'd suggest doing it for dinner; show up between 5 and 7, party and ride the rides until 10 or 11, go back to hotel and sleep it off.

I haven't been there since 1994, but there always seemed to be a lot of room at the tables. If there are only a couple of you, then you shouldn't have any problems getting a seat.

Those tents are HUGE (they seat at least 10,000 people each, I think).

Oh, and a bit of advice based on personal experience - don't drink 4 beers (they are a litre each and are VERY strong) on an empty stomach. That was the only time in my short drinking career that I blacked out while still wandering around interacting with people.

O'fest is really fun. It's the equivalent of a state fair combined with the world's largest beer party.

I was there on the last weekend in 2015. It was everything you could imagine. I would love to go back. But I would do it with reservations. That is the only way you are going to be guaranteed a seat. We had to settle for beer garden seating outside which was great but I would loved to have gotten inside the Hofbrau tent.

Taking a leak may have been harder than getting a seat.

I used to go every year with the Mrs but now we avoid Munich during Oktoberfest. It is just too unruly anymore and too crowded. Too many foreigners getting drunk and acting badly. If you don't have reservations the odds of getting a seat are slim. I would arrive early and be standing at the door at ten AM. If you don't drink you can't stay in the tent. Get up to take a leak and you better have someone guarding your seat. We now go to Oktoberfest in Mainz with family. It is almost all locals and the behavior is much better.

I went once, enough for me. It was the last weekend, very busy. They always have street carts that sell beer.

I’d just try to get in earlier in the day, well before any high time. Yes, I would recommend going. Pretty much all of Munich will be in party mode.

Not sure if I can handle Octoberfest, took me a while to recover.

Of all the years I spent in Germany, the Mrs. and I never had any urges to go to the Oktoberfest.

Finally when we were visiting a school friend of the Mrs who happened to live in Munich, we decided to go. It was interesting for a little while but then it got just plain boring.

We expected the German "ooompah" music from small live bands. Nope!!! Recorded jazz, "pop", and rock & roll music.

I don't like big crowds of people, and even less big crowds of drunk people. I truly hate that 360 degree body contact and that is what it was like. Had to actually push our way through the crowds, most of whom were too drunk to understand that other people wanted to get through.

Met several German police who were patrolling the areas outside the tents. They had SMGs strapped to their chests which I found interesting. Had a couple short conversations with some of them. Their primary duty was to patrol outside the tents, turning the drunks sleeping on their backs over on their stomachs so they would not aspirate their vomit.

Might have been different if we had been as drunk as most of the other attendees. We had a much better time at the Hofbrau Haus.

Not Oktoberfest related, but while in Munich, do not miss Schloss Nymphemburg.

I went a few times in the seventies and eighties. I don’t remember any problems getting seats. I understand things have changed greatly, especially in the last few years. Good luck and enjoy!

The last time we went was in 2002. We were fortunate we had tickets for two separate nights. One was at the Hacker Pschor and the other the Augustiner tent.

At least on the week-ends, to get a seat in the evening you need tickets. During the day time it is open seating but as I recall you have to leave at 4 pm to make room for those who arrive for the evening shift.

Anyone can go in the tents but to order a beer you must have a seat.

Be sure to get the roasted chicken as its outstanding. Also the Augustiner beer is the best, but like usual, it is a matter of personal opinion.

Whatever you do, do not drive after drinking. Just one beer will land you in jail and they are VERY strict about DUI.

Have a blast and let me know if you have any other questions.

I had no problem getting in Hofbrau tent during the day (2014). We were a party of 5 and were told we wouldn't be able to get in during the evening.

Daytime is no problem to get in, but at night you can forget it. Well, depending on when you try, but I think they'd kick you out if you had a table that was reserved for a certain time and were there when that time came. Taking a leak can really be a headache, and you can end up needing a lot of trips to the head. I hate crowds, so twice was enough for me and never again. But there are a ton, I mean countless, great beer gardens around Munich, where it's a lot more low key and cheaper, but with the exact same beer. If you want to get a BMW factory tour, you'll probably need a reservation. Walk-ons are sometimes available. Take a stroll through the Dallmayr shop behind the Rathaus and walk around the Viktualienmarkt. Also, take note of cops' sidearms. Last time I was there last summer, almost every Bavarian state cop I saw was still carrying an HK P7PSP.

Thanks for the advice. While there we will also do the following:

Dachau Memorial
Weihenstephan Brewery tour(oldest brewery in the world)
Walking tour of Munich
One day will be devoted to Nuremberg.

Then we fly to Rome. This will be my first visit to Rome.

I made it to Oktoberfest. And caught crabs. Not the edible type. I cant remember exactly how that happened.
I am feeling much better now!

quote:

Originally posted by Skull Leader:
For those that have been; what was your experience? Were you able to get in later in the night or did you have better luck going for a late lunch?

Entering the fairground is not a problem. Finding places after 7pm is if you are a small group. Best way to finde some is when you can hook up with a group that has a reservation and pay your share of their reservation fee. If not, best time to go is weekdays between 10am and 6pm. Beer and food is served all day long, Volksmusic is included. Check out oktoberfest2018.de .It's an FAQ site with more details about it. Your hotel might have additional information and can probably connect you with other guests to fill a table.

quote:

Originally posted by OMCHamlin:
For those that have been recently, would a staunch conservative have a hard time being comfortable over there?

Merkel electors, Pro EU People, Anti gun people, Muslims and grand children of Nazis everywhere. All of them have Merkelcare and free university education and noone is respecting the flag. Munich is catholic and pope abbiding too and there's thousands if not millions of them. They even have a public nudist park down town Munich. If you can live with that and act like a guest in a foreing country, Germany and especially Munich is a pretty comfortable place to be.

quote:

Originally posted by Skull Leader:
Weihenstephan Brewery tour(oldest brewery in the world)

That's on my bucket list.

Things have changed there tremendously. No smoking inside the tent anymore. Security will stop letting people inside when capacity is reached. They used to let me inside when I showed my police badge but not anymore. Security is much stricter.

Here's a Pro-Tip: if you are walking outside and the medics are rushing by with a gurney get out of the way ASAP. You have about a nano second to jump before they hit you. I mean really hit you and knock you out of the way. I got a solid open hand strike. At night you don't want to be there. Behind the tents are what we call the grassy knoll where all the fornicators and drunks go to piss and vomit and pass out. It all flows down those steep hills. You have been warned.

quote:

One day will be devoted to Nuremberg.

Don't miss this museum there:

Dokumentationszentrum Reichsparteitagsgelände

Following this thread. I am meeting 5 high school buddies in Munich on September 26th. We do a trip every 3 or 4 years and as we are turning 50 this year we decided to celebrate and make an overseas trip.

Ibanda, if you wanted to join our groups and get a reservation that would give us 9 out of 10 people. I have a relative in Frankfurt that might even join us to give us 10.

I did a quick look for openings on the 26th, but didn't find much. If you can find one let me know.