Oktoberfest Fun Rides
Besides the famous beer tents and numerous places that offer traditional meals and sweets, there are approximately 200 show establishments and businesses that can be found at the Octoberfest. Most of them root back to the 19th century, run today and show a lively family tradition of generations of showmen and fairground merchants.
Hexenschaukel – Swing
This attraction is definitely fazing your sense of balance and gives you the feeling of riding a rollercoaster without appreciable physical charges. While the seats are bending only easily, the whole space rotates perfectly ajusted. Therefore the Hexenschaukel is a really unique experience for the whole family! To boost the illusion, there have been added 4D effects lately, such as air-jet weaving machines and water splashing.
by oh@ Sueddeutsche.de
Olympia Looping
Since 1989 the Olympia Looping is entitled to be a visitor's magnet at the Munich Octoberfest. At a speed of 100 km/h one races at a distance of 1.250 meters through five different loopings.
by Herby Crus @ flickr.com
Toboggan
Fun slides already exist since the early 19th century. In 1906 Anton Bausch built probably the first German Toboggan slide according to one that already existed in Paris. The word "Toboggan" itself comes from Canadian Algonkin Indians and was originally used to name a snow sledge.
The Toboggan at the Octoberfest is a tower slide: The passenger will be transported on a quickly running belt-conveyor on approx. six meters of height. Again this business is even more fun for the audience looking and laughing at people, sometimes of course those who tasted too much beer before, trying to make their way up. It often seems like a real challenge to the participants and gets even funnier for the audience the harder people try not to fall.
Krinoline
The nostalgic carousel used to be pushed by strong men to make it turn when it was put up first at the Octoberfest in 1924. Although the Krinoline today is powered by modern technic, it has not lost its charm pleasuring young and old folks when riding it to traditional and live brass band music.
Ghost Castle
People who love the thrill of being frightened should take a ride at the Ghost Castle. The nearly 60 year old ghost ride was built in 1947 out of the old inventories of a bakery remaining from World War II. Today the ghost ride encloses two floors and even owns speaking and living ghosts. Experiencing this unique horror cabinet is worth anyway!
by litlnemo @ flickr.com
Big Wheel
When visiting the Oktoberfest, there is one attraction that should not be missed: Take a romantic ride on the Big Wheel and enjoy a stunning view over the Theresienwiese with its numerous visitors, beer tents, Munich skyline, and if weather condition allow, do not miss to take a picture of the close by Alps. The gigantic steel construction with a height of 50m and is decorated in blue and white – demonstrating the Bavarian colors.
by Nina Stastny
Flea Circus
More than 50 years ago the Flea Circus started at the Oktoberfest. The owner, Johann Mathes was born into a real showman dynasty that has been running a flea circus for more than 150 years. Fleas are amazing athletes as they are able to shoot a football which weighs 30 times the weight of a flea and as they turn carousels and do other acrobatic shows.
by litlnemo @ flickr.com
Schichtl
"Auf geht´s beim Schichtl!" means "On it goes with the Schichtl!"This call is cried out a lot during Octoberfest time when you pass this biggest hand-made fun. Schichtl is an amusing but also macabre pleasure which has already survived generations. Daily dozens lose their heads. The decapitation of a living person on open, brightly enlightened stage by means of guillotine is of one of the oldest, serious Munich showed-traditions. The Schichtl crew consists of the owner of the so called "magic theater" and his accomplices: Hangman Ringo, the awful, hangman's assistant Andi as the "Hamperer", the "Schichtlin" (Ingrid Wagner) and splits-amazone Elvira with her traditional butterfly's dance.
by sparafucile
Feldl´s Teufelsrad – Devil´s Wheel
This traditional amusement ride has been around since 1910. You can either participate in riding the devil´s wheel which basically challenges expertise skills or you can join the audience and stay as long as you like watching people with gloating and laughing.
by Nina Stasnty
Chairoplane
People not liking thrilling roller coasters, will love this traditional chairoplane. This carousel only turns in circles and is known to be the most peaceful of its kind. The only requirement is that you do not have problems with heights and balances, as the rotating speed increases during the journey while the seats stand almost horizontally to the earth. The chairoplane used to be the oldest carousel placed on the Oktoberfest and is run in family hands since 1919. In 2004 the classical "Munich wave flight" was substituted with a new model.
by ragingwire @ flickr.com
"Hau den Lukas" – High Striker
Strong men compare their power with traditional "Hau-den-Lukas" while the little ones may try out the white-blue smurf hammers. Owner Peter Sachs offers a big fun for everyone and, as a local he loves to exhibit his business every year in his hometown Munich.
by leolo2u @ flickr.com
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