Visiting Oktoberfest without table reservations

There's six of us just booked as a last minute thing for this years Oktoberfest, obviously we're struggling for reservations, can you still get in the tents (especially in the evenings) without one, if so what sort of time do you need to be there. We are their from Thur 4th Oct through until the Monday.

Any help would be great.

Cheers!

On weekdays it's not usually a problem to get into the tents, on the weekends it's almost impossible in the evenings unless you have a reservation. If you do want to go on saturday or sunday get there at 9am at the latest!!!

getting into the tents during the week is less of a problem than actually finding a table if you are group, though this is not impossible. You can only buy beer if you are sat at a table (or can convince the waitress you that you do actually have a seat at a table).

As Uncle Nick says, on the weekends you have to be there at 9am at the very latest and queue up outside till they open the doors. You are pretty much stuck in the tent then until you decide to leave because if you go out to enjoy the fairground, you probably won't be able to get back in.

Going to one of the biggest party universities in the US didn't prepare me for the debauchery of Oktoberfest. My suggestions:
1. Bring lots of money - easily gonna spend 75 Euro for a really GOOD day/night.
2. Look out for theives (friend had his camera stollen right off our table we were all standing on singing 'Country Roads')
3. Feel free to nap next to Mutter Bavaria
4. Carnival rides when you are piss drunk are too awesome
5. Be ready to learn new Italian soccer chants
6. Email hostels now about reservations, although I was able to find accomadation less than a month before I went, but I was alone.
7. Practice drinking lots of strong (stark) beer
8. Emphasis on suggestion #4
9. Get there early early early on weekends, weekdays are chill

well, like the others said, weekdays are easy to get a seat, my parents did a tent crawl- 4 tents in one day, they had a blast.
Start working on increasing your bladder size, there is usually a line up for the toilets, and bring lots of meds for the morning afterwards.

I would never even consider making a reservation for the Oktoberfest, and this goes doubly if you're coming as a tourist. If you're a tourist, you've got a head start on all the locals. If its a weekday (excluding Friday), get down there before 3pm. You will get in, and get a seat (even a table) for sure. If you go on Friday, you'll still probably get in at 3pm, but it'll be hard to find a table. Saturday and Sunday will require you to be there at 9am, although some Sunday's I've been there, there was no problems in the afternoon either at some of the smaller tents.

You're worrying about nothing.

When someone who went to Chico State makes a bold statement like that...best to heed their advice. I was planning on avoiding the Wiesn (leave town) but 2 friends who will be in Stuttgart at the same time wanted to check it out and asked about reservierung fur O'fest. Great to know its possible to have enjoy the event without having to commit to one tent the whole time. Vielen Dank jedermand !

After five years at the Wiesn I have tried to reserve a table this year in a couple different tents. I was denied for any evening table. I have been offered a day slot, and I am wondering, does it make sense to book the table in order to get a customer number which may help me book for an evening in future years?

Have you tried the smaller tents? Hochreiter, Wildmoser, Ammer?

I would like to know whether getting a table this year gives me more of an advantage to reserve a table in the evening for the following year. I can get reservations through work for the evening this year but I am trying to establish a name for myself so in the future years I can get a table. So thanks for the idea for the smaller tents, but I really would like to know how to get a better chance of table reservations.

you might be able to do that Brokenm, we have a standing reservation with the 'Hash house harriers' on the middle saturday evening, we haven't change the name of the reservation, but the name of the contact person.

On the first Sunday when the big parade takes place, get in around 3.00pm, you have a good chance of a table in most of the big tents as a lot of the Trachten clubs who have arrived from Italy, Austria or Norh Germany usually break off for the home journey

Except the Braürosl where you can just about get a table at 0830 in the morning.

With work drink ups people are heading down there by 3PM even on weekdays.
By 5PM unlikely to get space for 4 people.

EARLY EARLY EARLY

Ok, this is gay Sunday in this particular tent, so you have to be there early for that.. the other tents won't be quite as packed..

If you aren't going to the gay Sunday it can be a good trick to get seats as the Trachtler leave but I still think its risky with 6 people.
Give the drink issue thread it is interesting that to take part in the Wies'n you have to get there early and consume vast ammounts of beer.
I tied to pace it last year with a couple of strategic Spezi and even water but it was still a heavy session.

Gonna spend the money and buy a get in anytime pass for the Bräurosl when they go on sale.