Best weekend to visit the Oktoberfest

What do think is the best weekend to visit the Oktoberfest? I know this year's hasn't even finished yet but I'm organising a trip for next year and flights etc get booked quickly.

I've been to the wiesn a few times before, usually for the middle weekend. Despite (or maybe because of) the famed Italian drunks, I've always had a great time. However, my last trip was on the final weekend and I didn't enjoy it as much - not sure why, maybe just the general feeling of a good thing coming to an end, and people slightly tired of the whole thing after 2 weeks of it.

I've never been to the opening weekend. How does it compare?

Sory to gatecrash the forum, but you're the experts!

My advice would be to avoid the weekends completely. It's much easier to get into the tents during the week and just as much fun. The first weekend is a nightmare unless you want to try and get into the tent at 8:30 in the morning, which of course several TTers did this year!

Opening weekend is fun for the parades. Even if you don't go to them, it's fun to see all the people in their regional "Tracht" (traditional folk costume) on the Oktoberfest grounds afterwards, instead of just the standard stuff people bought at Karstadt.

Anyway, the best weekend is whichever one has the best weather, which you can't plan for anyway.

Unfortunately, Allershausen, a couple of the people coming can only do so over a weekend so we're stuck choosing one of them.

Book a table and then you are assured of getting in, after that it doesn't matter too much which weekend you choose

I'd personally always choose the first weekend. Lots more locals, a giddy atmosphere because it's just started, the service staff is still relaxed and although it's busy, it's not as busy as the other two weekends.

Word to the wise, start reserving in January/February. Most of the tents start processing the requests in March. See also Oktoberfest reservations 2007.

Fair enough, then I think I'd definitely go for a reserved table. You'll need between 8 and 10 people, depending on the tent, but bare in mind if you book a table at about lunchtime you'll probably have to vacate it at 5:00pm as the next reserved group will arrive then, you haven't got the table for the day! So if you want to have a good evening go for the 5:00pm booking. You have to pay up front for 2 beers and a chicken per person, approx €29 at this years prices, so between €230 and €290 per table. Go for the first weekend because with a reservation you can watch the parades, which are definitely worth seeing, secure in the knowledge that you've got reserved places. However don't be late, because the waitresses will soon give your tables away, if you're not there.

I went every weekend this year, and I reckon the first is the best.

So did I, first was probably the best since it was new.

Thats how I feel anyway. Last year I went once and it was Weekend 2, and had a great time. So if you're only going to one weekend, I am not sure it matter so much.

first weekend

The coming weekend, when everyone has gone home. There's no beer, but since i don't like beer that suits me just fine.

First weekend was great this year, and we were able to get a table in Fischer Vroni tent by getting there at 8:30 a.m. before the parade, bringing food for breakfast, watching the parade and seeing the first barrel tapped at 12:00.

I've been going to the second weekend for many years, even when not living in Munich and have much preferred it to the last. By the last, the wait staff are fed up, and more often than not (like yesterday) it is pouring with rain. At least with the first two weekends, you have a much better chance of sunshine, as happened this year.

First. this year the second was also great. The weather helped but also on the last weekend the security and waitresses were less full of the joys of the Wiesn and it was JAMMERS, really really insanely full.

Was pretty quiet on the last day (Tuesday) though.. I think the weekend was so busy because most people had Monday off.

Hi everyone:-)
Have never been to Oktoberfest but ticking off my "things I have to do before I die" list.
Just wondering before I spend a fortune on flights and accom whether I am too late for this year?
There are 3 of us, and we thought it would be pretty cool to go for the opening w/e and do just the sat and sun.
I think on the 19th it starts at 12, so should we queue from 8am? We're obviously too late for reserving seats.
Also is the Festhalle Schottenhamel the best tent for this experience?
BTW I'm new here but really impressed by the helpfulness of this forum so far...so thanks.
One thing no one has mentioned which I'm curious about - with all the beer consumption are there really long queues for the loos and are they a mess?
Also can any females give any hints on footware (i know typical girl!) - its just i see some photos of beautiful girls in traditional dresses and i can never see what shoes they are wearing. I'd just imagine if one has to queue for hours and spend the day on your feet, trainers seem to be the way to go...but not if every one else is all pretty:-(
Sorry for all the questions, but would really appreciate any info.

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It will be difficult (but not impossible) to get unreserved seats in the Schottenhammel on the first day. This is the kind of "official" tent where the first keg is tapped, and most of it is reserved. You could show up at 8am (or sooner) and line up, but that doesn't mean that you'll be let in first. In the last couple of years, they tend to screw you over, by opening a random side door so even if you wait for hours, you can still get screwed over. On that first day, I would try for a different tent if you don't have a reservation.

There are no queues for the mens toilet, it's all pretty well setup, they know a lot of people have to piss. I don't know for the womens, but I don't think it's too bad.

The ladies' rooms are a joke. Get in line half an hour before you feel the urge to make room for more beer, the line seems endless when you're bursting. Also, don't expect Grade A hygiene standards. The turnover is so high that the cleaning women can barely keep up with replacing toilet paper and paper towels, mopping up bodily and other fluids and emptying the female hygiene containers. Still, tip them well, they have a thankless job compared to which Sisyphus was in clover.

But: The lines, providing they are parallel to the lines to the men's room, have a high flirt factor.

Plus all the traps in the gents loos get pirated by the ladies as an overflow routine.

Ok, seems I was wrong about the womens toilets. The men's work fine.

I just happened upon this and saw you were trying to figure out what shoes to wear. My advice is, especially if you're a group of 3 girls, don't worry about being pretty. Yes, it's fun to dress up in a dirndl, but that's normally better for when you're in a big group and/or have reservations. Even in one of the nicer areas I still managed to get 4 stitches in my foot after a piece of glass fell on top of it and I was just wearing heels. Trust me, it's a lot more fun if you don't have to spend 2 hours of the day in the medical tent.