[Wanderlust]

Hey all, I'm new to the forum, but I've been a Roosh fan since the DC Bachelor days, back when I lived in DC and was trying to figure out what was broken about that city. I picked up a copy of Bang when it first came out: life changing. I wish I'd had it in high school/college.

I'm going to Munich for this year's Oktoberfest, and I'm wondering if anyone has gone and can offer some advice. I'm sure it's full of tourists, and I'm sure it's a complete sausagefest in more ways than one, so I plan on focusing on having fun rather than spitting game -- though I obviously wouldn't say no if the opportunities present themselves. I imagine the most available targets would be pudgy, beer-drinking American tourists looking for some bratwurst to go with their ale, while the local Frauen head for the hills in peak tourist season. Hopefully I'm wrong.

However, it also works out that I have a spare week off (about Sept 10- 17) before Oktoberfest starts, and I'm trying to decide where to go. I studied abroad in England, so I've already been all over Western Europe, but that was back before I had any game to speak of. The Poland theme has given me high hopes for that country, but my current number one is Estonia. I know a few Estonian girls from their own study abroads (I'm in Hawaii right now), which should be very helpful to get to know Talinn in my limited timeframe. Plus it saves me the trouble of thinking up a non-sex-tourism-related reason for being in their city. Can anyone offer a better European destination in mid-September? I figure the tourist meccas of Southern Europe would be dead or dying by then, but there's no guarantee that college would be in session yet.

[Peoloom]

I'm meeting my dad in Munich for Oktoberfest in late September. I went once in 2005; your assumptions are pretty much spot on. My only advice is to book a room NOW as they fill up months in advance.

[gig]

I haven't been to Oktoberfest but I have a good friend in Munich (local).

Book a room about a year ahead and except to pay a ton for your room (even a year ahead).

Basically it's tons of people sitting and drinking in huge tents.

Huuuuge lines to the toilets (and you do need those when you drink so much).

Madly drunk girls everywhere, walk down the street and just collect 10 makeouts without saying a word (says he did it, I believe him).

Overall, unless you have a special love for beer, I think it's best to actually avoid Munich at that time, despite the 10 makeouts phenomenon I just described.

South Europe is not dead mid september, it's actually a very good season to go.

North weather may be getting shittier. If you're lucky it's still sunny, but you can never know. Although in northern europe, even in the summer you can never know. Yes "the students come back" which means parties are more crowded, but it may be more difficult to see places if the weather does start getting more harsh. Hard to predict. Decision is up to you..

[Chase]

They are setting up "love containers" now:

http://www.conceivablytech.com/8790/off-...ktoberfest

[pitt]

Last time i checked, oktoberfest in Munich was a gay party, you may want to research a bit more before you go.

[Entropy4]

(08-12-2011 07:07 AM)pitt Wrote:  

Last time i checked, oktoberfest in Munich was a gay party, you may want to research a bit more before you go.

Uh... you may be the one who wants to research that.

[pitt]

A girl from germany told me this..so you tell me..i could be wrong.

[Vicious]

pitt, you are way off.

Regarding Oktoberfest the only way to experience for real is in Munich. While it is the world's premier drinking event it is NOT a good place for recruiting talent (low ROI). Still that shouldn't stop anyone that wants to guzzle insane amounts of some of the worlds best beer. Watch the brilliant documentary Beerfest. A friend of mine has a cameo in it.

[speakeasy]

(08-12-2011 06:29 AM)Chase Wrote:  

They are setting up "love containers" now:

http://www.conceivablytech.com/8790/off-...ktoberfest

Oh hell no...$240 on a weekend night for one of those?? That squashes any plans of me going to an Oktoberfest. Sounds like a ripoff to me. I can enjoy Munich any other time of year without the throngs of tourists for much cheaper.

[trapper_john]

(08-13-2011 01:45 PM)speakeasy Wrote:  

Oh hell no...$240 on a weekend night for one of those?? That squashes any plans of me going to an Oktoberfest. Sounds like a ripoff to me. I can enjoy Munich any other time of year without the throngs of tourists for much cheaper.

No, no, no. Oktoberfest is incredibly special and a once in a lifetime experience. Please don't fool yourself that it's the same the rest of the year. Munich is worth 2 visits. Once during Oktoberfest and once outside it. I used to live in Munich and have been to Oktoberfest 7 times and will go again this year for visit number 8.
If anyone thinks Oktoberfest is gay, search on flickr for oktoberfest girls.
I rest my case

[muc]

I'm a local in Munich and would recommend anyone to visit at least once. Oktoberfest is a lot of fun and foreigners should have an especially easy play with the local girls.

I agree booking rooms is expensive around that time, but if you book something near a suburban train or subway station you should have no problem to get to the Oktoberfest area in 30 - 45 minutes max. Check Google maps for stations (U and S labels) and look there.

I cannot offer any accommodation, but I'd be happy to have a beer and offer assistance (if thats necessary, most Germans speak good English) with anyone from this forum that is visiting. Send me a PM.

[speakeasy]

(08-26-2011 05:39 PM)muc Wrote:  

I'm a local in Munich and would recommend anyone to visit at least once. Oktoberfest is a lot of fun and foreigners should have an especially easy play with the local girls.

I agree booking rooms is expensive around that time, but if you book something near a suburban train or subway station you should have no problem to get to the Oktoberfest area in 30 - 45 minutes max. Check Google maps for stations (U and S labels) and look there.

I cannot offer any accommodation, but I'd be happy to have a beer and offer assistance (if thats necessary, most Germans speak good English) with anyone from this forum that is visiting. Send me a PM.

I'm going to look into this. Can you break down a data sheet on Oktoberfest? Is there a best week to be there? Any particular tent to be at? What cost can you expect other than accommodation? Any Nightspots you recommend nearby the festivities?

And also, if you are a solo traveler, is that going to make things difficult when you're inside the beer hall? I'm wondering if everyone is sitting down at tables with their closed social circle or is there a mingling culture.

[muc]

(08-26-2011 05:53 PM)speakeasy Wrote:  

(08-26-2011 05:39 PM)muc Wrote:  

I'm a local in Munich and would recommend anyone to visit at least once. Oktoberfest is a lot of fun and foreigners should have an especially easy play with the local girls.

I agree booking rooms is expensive around that time, but if you book something near a suburban train or subway station you should have no problem to get to the Oktoberfest area in 30 - 45 minutes max. Check Google maps for stations (U and S labels) and look there.

I cannot offer any accommodation, but I'd be happy to have a beer and offer assistance (if thats necessary, most Germans speak good English) with anyone from this forum that is visiting. Send me a PM.

I'm going to look into this. Can you break down a data sheet on Oktoberfest? Is there a best week to be there? Any particular tent to be at? What cost can you expect other than accommodation? Any Nightspots you recommend nearby the festivities?

And also, if you are a solo traveler, is that going to make things difficult when you're inside the beer hall? I'm wondering if everyone is sitting down at tables with their closed social circle or is there a mingling culture.

I don't know about accommodation prices during Octoberfest, but it's probably expensive. Might make sense to CouchSurf, if it's too late to book anything, as well. I just can say that rent here is very high. Not as bad as Tokyo or London, but probably highest in Germany.

I don't think there's a best week, although perhaps others might disagree. There are special events for families and it might be "Italy weekend" when you arrive, but those things don't matter much in the evenings.

As for tents it just depends what beer you prefer.. It's good to have a reservation, but it's no problem to have none. You just go to whatever tent and find some room there. The earlier you go the better your chances are to find a good spot. Oh and beers costs around 10 euro per litre.

Munich probably has 3 to 5 main areas for nightlife. There's some high-class clubs that are probably difficult to get in near "Stachus"/"Lenbachplatz" (although I don't know how the situation is during Octoberfest), some free-far-all clubs (including a large area that has 30 clubs in one place, about 20 - 30 minutes by train from Octoberfest - or 20 - 30 euros by taxi) "Kultfabrik"/"Optimolwerke", an area with many bars, some indie, some mainstream (,some gay) in "Glockenbachviertel" and here and there some clubs (For example in the "Sonnenstrasse"). There's not a problem to party on afterwards at all. It just depends what you like. You can also just go to one of the Youth hostels (e.g. Wombat's or Euro Youth Hostel in the "Senderfeldstrasse") and drink and meet people there ( I go there sometimes and I've more than once met German girls that hope to meet foreigners ). You can also go to the university area (subway-stop "Universität"), theres some nice bars and young folks, and to the (formerly?) very posh "Schwabing" area where richer folks hang out.

Inside the beer hall most people will be in groups of friends or coworkers at a table. However, if you join a table, especially if there's one or more foreigners sitting there (there usually will be - btw. Munich is the German city with most foreigners, about 40% I've heard), there's absolutely 0 problem to get to know them. After all, everyone is super-social after their 2nd "mass" (=1l) of beer. The trick is to not care and drink. (Or wait until they do, though you hardly will stay sober.) You will have to clink glasses with everyone every 10 minutes anyway.

(Btw. If you fall asleep, off your chair, or start some trouble you will be escorted out in 2 seconds.

Outside there are many small shops, roller coasters, haunted houses etc. which may be worth checking out, although most of the time will be spent inside the tents.

Finally it might be a nice idea to take the doubledecker-bus-tour when you arrive to get a feel for the city. It's not that big (not as big as Hamburg or Berlin anyway), but has a few sights worth checking out.

Munich is also a very safe city. There's lots of police and people usually behave civilized, even when drunk.

Prices for food etc. are about the same as in any west-european city. Probably more expensive than USA, but cheaper than Switzerland.

[speakeasy]

+1 for the Munich info.

[Lumiere]

Any accomodation recommendations?

[muc]

(09-10-2011 07:37 AM)Lumiere Wrote:  

Any accomodation recommendations?

I think its too late now to recommend the usual places like hostels. You have to book months in advance. Try CouchSurfing, airbnb etc. and also check out hotels/hostels outside of the city. (make sure they are near a suburban train station for convenience.)

[nightstar]

When you think of festivals the first thought which comes to your mind may very well be Oktoberfest! If you are going to Oktoberfest you must go to Munich. Any place else is a cheap imitation. Munich's Oktoberfest should be near the top of everyone’s bucket list, especially if you love to travel.

[Peoloom]

Just a head's up to anyone who is interested in going to Oktoberfest at some point in the future: I decided to book a last-minute trip to Munich to catch the last weekend of Oktoberfest this year (Oct 1 and 2). I found a cheap-ish flight for 250 euros, but a bed in a 10-bed hostel dorm cost me 90 euros per night -- and there were only two hostels that even had beds available for both nights.

[hunter7]

edit

[Lumiere]

I found accomodation here

http://www.checkin-muenchen.de/index.html?

2 nights was 260 euro for a beautiful private apt 5 mins walk from oktoberfest so 130 per night which made it 65 euros per night each (2 bed apt and I was with a girl)

Cheaper than even the cheapest shared dorm room in a hostel.

[Pilgrim37]

(10-03-2011 08:06 AM)Lumiere Wrote:  

I found accomodation here

http://www.checkin-muenchen.de/index.html?

2 nights was 260 euro for a beautiful private apt 5 mins walk from oktoberfest so 130 per night which made it 65 euros per night each (2 bed apt and I was with a girl)

Cheaper than even the cheapest shared dorm room in a hostel.

Great site...cheaper than a hostel room and your own apartment...outstanding !!

[Wanderlust]

Just got back a few days ago, so here's my follow-up.

The consensus opinion here on Oktoberfest is pretty spot on. The beer is incredible and ever-flowing, and the food is made for men, by men. I hadn't realized how much of a carnival atmosphere there was, with roller coasters and games everywhere. I also saw a few elementary school field trips during the week, which is way better than anywhere I ever went as a kid.

There was a lot of talent on display; I'd say about half the girls wore traditional costume, which shows off an admirable amount of cleavage. But there really isn't too much of a pickup atmosphere there. It's a great venue for hanging out with and drinking with your friends, which is what pretty much everyone is doing, all the time. There are a few standing tables, but otherwise you need to be seated at a table to get served in any tent. I'd really recommend doing any meet ups or game outside the tents, or out in town the night before. Otherwise you're trying to make approaches to seated groups of friends in a loud environment, which doesn't have very good odds.

Both of the guys I was planning to meet couldn't get time off at the last minute, so I went through couchsurfing.com to meet some random young people who were looking to be sociable. It gave me people to hang out with, but they were overwhelmingly dudes, and almost all the girls were with their husbands/boyfriends.

Like everyone's said, get to the tents early to get a spot. I was there the first week, which is more touristy, especially the opening weekend. The locals I spoke with said that they all avoid Oktoberfest on the weekends, and just go after work during the week. You can show up any time before noon during the weeks and get into the tents without a wait. The price info was all accurate.

Overall, I'd say it's a great experience, but not a very good venue for game. There are tons of tourists, so you don't enjoy any unique status, and there are throngs of drunk and belligerent Brits, Aussies, and Germans causing trouble. Go with your friends and just have a good time, and then head to Poland or wherever to work your game.

Sidenote, a friend of mine happened to be renting some millionaire's beach house in Phuket, Thailand for the very week I was trying to fill. A bit out of my way, but highly recommended.

[Luckystar]

What about Estonia?

[slubu]

Just curious, anybody else have information on Oktoberfest in Munich? Tickets bought - headed there in September as the initial stop in a 4 week trip.

[Brian]

(06-18-2012 07:32 PM)slubu Wrote:  

Just curious, anybody else have information on Oktoberfest in Munich? Tickets bought - headed there in September as the initial stop in a 4 week trip.

i did it about 10 or so years ago. its something i'm glad i did once and is fun for about 3 days but after that its just a bunch of australian, italian, and american dudes drinking together and gets kind of old. munich is a cool city so check it out, head over to the beer tents, spend an afternoon and early evening there, then head out elsewhere for the night.