Visiting Oktoberfest tents without reservations

Rather clever of them, I think. Placing the available tables close to the music so people leave before going deaf. Or at the entry where the incoming air can hit them and create a draft so they leave before getting ill*.
*Applies to Germans only

Well, guess the best chance is to queue up early on the 3rd of October. Do you think 08:00 is early enough to grab a table at Schottenhamel or the Hacker Festzelt?

Yes, you should be OK for 8am, but I don't have much experience with this tent, other than it's usually very busy but worth the effort!

Hey gang-

Speaking of tent options when without a reservation...My question is about the Stehbereich or Standing area in the Hofbrau tent (also lovingly known as "The Pigpen"). Does anyone know if you can move in and out of the Pigpen with a beer in hand- i.e. to circulate and visit other tables, etc.?

Thanks!

Kupe

You can.

Last year I visited Oktoberfest midweek, early (about 11:00ish) and could walk into several tents w/o a problem. We also ate from a menu and had a really nice meal.

I'm planning to do this again on Friday with a group of ladies. In reading the posts on this thread, I'm getting nervous that perhaps we won't be able to get in as easily w/o a reservation. Is it really different from last year, due to high number of reservations this year?

Also, I really don't want the 1/2 chicken for lunch. Did I just get lucky last year with a menu, or is this always available in the tents?

You should be ok that early on a weekday. There's always a menu, it's just that a chicken is what most people eat.
Edit; You do mean this Friday don't you, because next Friday is a Feiertag and it will be a lot busier.

Yes, this Friday, while the kids are in school (including mine). Thanks for your reply!

Some tents will be pretty full anyway (Augustiner, Winzerer Fähndl). Persevere, don't be too picky, have a good time.

there is a nice page about how crowded it was/it's expected to be:

Wiesnbarometer

Does the old trick of checking round the back and side entrances still have any effect these days?

Yeah, you can sometimes get in the side doors or back doors more easily than the main ones.
But that won#t help you get a table, it's primarily if you already have mates inside innit.

If there's only two or three of you (not tested with a mixed or a male group but it worked a charm with women), find a table of reasonably attractive men drinking beer. Bonus points if you know you all share a common language.

Tell them that the deal in the tents is that without a seat at a table, you can't get a beer, and so if they'll just let you sit while you get your beer you'll leave them alone afterwards.

In the time it takes you to flag a waitress, order, receive and pay for your beer, your attractive boys will either have realised you're hot enough to stay there, or have forgotten you ever said you were leaving.

Potentially unfortunate side effect is that you're then more or less obliged to flirt with them, and in our experience someone threw up into a glass and then insisted on giving it to the waitress, hence losing us the table.

All-Winning Bonus: the drunken boys are highly likely to share their beer with you or attempt to impress you by buying schnapps for the table.

Top tip there llees!

Also remember that when people say "their" table is full up with mates who have just got to the toilet, they are bullshitting 50% of the time.

I suspect at least one pair of boobs and some charm is required, but we had a really good day with our tableful of strangers.