Oktoberfest 2013
 

After numerous trips to Munich, we are finally going to my very first Okoberfest!
We are going other places and added on 5 days for Okoberfest. I booked the room last October and am so glad I did.
We are ready for big crowds, beer and, hopefully, no rain. We have also pledged not to buy any funny hats.

The thing that really surprised me was how a few people asked if they could come also once they found out we had a room. Seriously.

Who else is going this year?

Not for all the money in the world.

We thought about it but could not get a hotel for the return flight that wasn't super pricey. The reasonable priced ones were all shared baths. I have done shared baths but not for Oktoberfest. We were going to stay south of Munich but need a hotel for the night before an early flight. I have to plan better next year. You will love it. Go early for lunch and you will find places to sit. The reserved tables are filled by four or five. We dressed and silly hats are ok. Have a great time.

Thanks, we had thought we would go early. There will be two of us so hopefully we can get a place to sit.
I'm going with my 24 year old son. I'm so happy he wants to take me. We are even splitting expenses!

My grandparents were from Munich and I always told them one day I'm going to see that.

It's an awesome experience! My mouth dropped when I first looked inside the first beer tent - unbelievable! Try to imagine 10k people in one tent - now imagine that many in a dozen tents!!!

The only place I sat was outside - never did find room inside, but that didn't matter. Just so much fun people watching and dancing.

Have a wonderful time!!

Be sure to go to the carnival part - great rides I had never seen before, wine bars, food and the most delicious nuts I've ever tasted.

Ditto what baglady said!

Thanks , now I am really excited to see it all. We will go to the rides and eat a lot. I didn't know about the nuts, We both love beer so that's a plus. Maybe I"ll get a beer barrel hat if I can find one of those neon pink windbreakers that Cowboy mentioned on the other thread! (just kidding you).
I'll have a beer for all of you too!

We went a couple years ago. What an experience. Something you gotta do once in your life.

We did not have reservations for the tents so we much went at lunch time, sat anywhere we wanted that was open, had a great lunch. Wandered in and out of the tents.

Just remember to ride the carnival rides BEFORE you start your drinking!

Grin.. I bet you'll have fun, Goldens.
It's just that it is so much of a zoo these days that many locals don't got any longer.

Usually, the daytime is a much better time to go than the evening hours. Fridays and Saturdays can the worst.
Otherwise there are few "rules": You can find long lines at one tent, and no line at all at another.

Keep in mind that you must be seated to be served. And don't expect to have a lot of "personal space" once you managed to find a space to sit down.
Don't be shy to squeeze in! If you spot a space, squeeze in - it's either you or that ghastly halfdrunk couple from Berlin, Bristol or Brisbane.

Wear something that is not your best or is not expensive and can be easily cleaned. Beer and pork knuckle gravy gets spilled, and some don't take michele_d's last advice.
The best food with beer is the roasted "rotisserie" chicken. The big tents serve them by the hundred a minute, so these are always fresh, and usually very tasty.
Oktoberfest has the highest beer prices of all (except brothels).. this year, I think the liter hit the €10 mark.
If you want the best beer in town, try the Augustiner - either in their tent on the Wiesn -- which is what the locals call the Oktoberfest, appr. pronounces like reason but with a "w" at the beginning. Or HB (Hofbräuhaus) beer.
The other breweries, like Löwenbräu, Spaten, Hacker-Pschorr etc. are all subsidiaries of multi-nationals these days and serve horse p***.

And if you don't like the crowds on the Wiesn grounds, keep in mind that there is a good dozen really nice beergardens all over town where you can have beer and food in a more relaxed way. Hirschgarten and Augustinerkeller beergardens are nice, the former the biggest one in a nice park, the latter the biggest which is close to the city center (walking distance from Central Station).

Oans, zwoa, gsuffa! :-)
(No worries, after your first Maß/liter you will know how to say that)

Thanks, great tips. Augustiner is our first choice (my son told me). We are planning to visit the beer gardens in town also.
I can certainly understand why the locals would tend to avoid it. We have been to "strong beer fest" and also to spring beer fest (that was great). This is going to be a whole different ball game .
Now I've got to pack my pink windbreaker...

I hope to tell you all what fun we had when we get back.

If you don't already do so, you better lift some weights before you leave to prepare for that first mug of beer! It took two hands for me!!!

I rode the train to Munich with some Augustiner employees - real fun and a wealth of information.

You/son sound like the crowds wouldn't bother you - me,neither - I loved all the hoopla during the late afternoon and evening.

The nuts are covered with different flavored "stuff" (for lack of a better word) - you will smell them once you arrive at the carnival area.

I'm flying into MUC in 10 days, but not staying there. I'm going onward to ZRH. I imagine the flight should be a fun one though. (no wonder it's so full)

<If you don't already do so, you better lift some weights before you leave to prepare for that first mug of beer! It took two hands for me!!!>

Did you see the barmaids in the tents??? They carry three mugs in each hand. This must be a requirement of the job. Insane.

Have a great time! We saw the Oktoberfest "tents" being put up while we were in Munich. I second the Augustiner beer garden - very fun and great beer. We also did the Paulaner tour which I highly recommend. We had lots of fun with the beer and pretzels there too.

I've been 4 different days.

If you want to go at night, then you have to be with a company that has reservations.

I was lucky enough to be alone, so I was "adopted" a couple of times.

All the tents are interesting, during the day they are not very full.

When someone says to go to the Louvenbroy tent, that's Lowenbrau.

Expect to pay around 12 earo per Maß. BRW: Maß means one unit.

Don't drink and try to go on the rides. They aren't as tame as American rides are.

Just stumbled onto your post. My daughter and I are going to Munich (etc.) Oct. 2nd for 3 days. We had no trouble booking a hotel for those first 3 days and also one night at the airport for when we return 11 days later. We just booked them this past week. I am trying to find info about Oktoberfest as we will be able to walk there from our hotel. Reading some of these posts suggests we should go in the afternoon to get a seat then roam around towards evening. Kind of thought tickets would be required. Hope you enjoy your trip. I will check your post before we leave to see if you returned with some tips.

You can't get reservations, unless you pre-book a table or "booth" months in advance. Usually companies do that as it is pricey and you need to pay for a minimum number of people,.. six or so..
ALL you need to know about Oktoberfest can be found on the official website:
http://www.oktoberfest.de/en/

I just read that beer prices are fixed at €9.40-9.85 per Maß/liter this year. No tent will charge more (as if it was not already MUCH more than what you pay in a beergarden or beerhall).

I've been and it's ok. I prefer the smaller festivals.

I will be there for the first time this year as well. Thank you all for your contributions on this thread. It has been very helpful!

I can't wait! September 29th cannot come fast enough!

Yes we're going! And included in the group is my own 24 year old son! He was born in Worms and sadly I've never returned with him - until now! Leaving on the 21st and staying at an airbnb in Eglharting - outside of Munich.
He's taking his friend and my gf and hubby are coming too. I'm happy to be going back to where I spent 7 yrs as a military brat and later, 3 more as an adult brat. : )
We'll spend 3 nights in Munich before moving on to Stuttgart (another fantastic fest there - the Bad canstatter Volks fest) then Worms, Amsterdam and finally Rome - sans kids.
Happy travels to you! Can't wait to see the hat pics!