Oktoberfest special offer "Mittagswiesn"

[floatright][/floatright]You hate being pushed along by the crowd doing the seat-seekers’ shuffle? You can’t stand being squashed at a table for 10 that only seats 8 comfortably? You yearn for traditional Bavarian music to go along with a full Maß and a fresh half chicken roasted to a turn? You want to share the special atmosphere of the Oktoberfest with your children but would rather not expose them to the less pleasant sights?

The Oktoberfest is a different place before the madness starts, and the Mittagswiesn, weekdays from 10am until 3pm (except 3 October) provides everything you ask for: Ample seating, Bavarian oom-pah music without amplifiers, no drunken locals or tourists throwing up on your shoes, and even special prices! Besides the tents and their special food and drink offers, several rides and booths participate, offering up to 30% discount. The main target group consists of families with young children on a tight budget or senior citizens who want to experience the Wiesn of their youth.

Take a day off from work, stroll around the grounds, let the kiddies pat the beautifully groomed brewery horses and experience what the Oktoberfest used to be like when it was all fields around here and cheese still tasted of cheese.

Look for the tents, rides and booths with the Mittagswiesn-poster!

I don't get it. Where is this?

Sorry, I thought it was clear. This is at the Oktoberfest grounds, the Theresienwiese itself. Same venue, different rules, lower prices, lots of kids in strollers and Omas and Opas with their canes and walkers. Probably dogs as well.

I don't get it either. It sounds like they're trying to encourage families and whatnot, but without actually banning the drunken Australians. So it's just like any other weekday, any other year.

I'm confusticated too. It's in the same place as the "drunken locals or tourists throwing up on your shoes" will be but they say you avoid that. How so?

well, the drunken locals will be at work and the drunken tourists will be in bed. yeah right.

And you think this is desirable? pfffft

We, the traditional Wiesn lunchers, actually like beery Aussies. Well I do and I do go for lunch to the Wiesn, probably more than most and very often in Tracht too.
This offer better not be on the Weissbier-Carousel, there's daily departmental meetings there...
Must admit I do like the old dears in Fischer Vroni having their Rentner-Mass (a Halbe) and a bit of a Schunkel. Very sweet.

There aren't any drunken Australians at that time of the day, they're all asleep on the grass by the Bavaria having drunk their first 2 Maß too quickly.

Don't knock it if you haven't tried it.
*note to self: Next time, follow your gut instinct and post this in Family Life*

I don't understand this either, but I'd like to.

Ooh they offer a discount now? Shame I'm not there this year, could have popped out at lunchtime! I thought that they served lunch later than that too, so thanks for posting those times (I can tell a friend who will be visiting).

I feel we need to practice. Wies'n for lunch, excellent...

I think I might go on the first Monday for lunch. Tents will still be relatively clean after only two days.

for investigative purposes and the greater benefit of TT no doubt. what a great guy you are taking one for the team, OG.

Hmm, that's the 22nd. Something might be arranged...

Hmm, we could pull a nooner.

I could arrange to be here as well and join you for a good monday lunch.

It looks like the fest could be a little "safer" this year with known hooligans and pick-pockets being "banned".

They are even putting up posters of the would-be offenders so you can bash them if you see them!!

http://www.thelocal.de/14265/20080912/

how the hell do you "ban" someone from the Wies'n platz?

Owain, that is what I was wondering though if my photograph was plastered everywhere stating I were banned, I would not be too keen to go near the place.

it is easy enough to put on a baseball cap and some glasses and in the crowd no-one will recognise you. The pickpockets will work outside the tents so they don't necessarily need to get past any security.

A few years back we went during the day (on a weekday) with my parents and our toddler- it was really much more family friendly. There were plenty of seats outside of the Tents, with room for the stroller as well. Definitely a more toned down version of the usual mayhem that happens later in the day/night...

The last time I went to the Wiesen it was also in the morning - We got the last four available seats in the "Ochsenbraterei" at something like 10:30 in the morning and by eleven the aussies were already throwing up over our shoes. I think this was a Friday.

Im having a terrible time equating the family-friendly idyll that was hinted at with my almost exclusively nightmarish real-life experiences.

Forget the Wiese, Bergkirchweih is the only way to go. Weathers better too.

andy M