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Oktoberfest 2024
- Thread starter venny
- Start date
venny
TS Member
Having visited yesterday, here’s a few observations:
- the roof is a big positive, but it is also a necessity because they’ve now done away with the entertainment in the courtyard which obviously provided a coveted area previously. Without the new roof, the event would be a total washout every time it rained because of the courtyard cut.
- Entertainment was okay. The Party Pilots band were surprisingly decent. The singalong and Lebhaft Tanzen shows are now pretty stale.
- Robert Burton is as good as ever but it can feel as though he looks slightly out of place on such a large stage compared to previous years. Nothing he can do about that obviously, but his shows in past years in the courtyard felt more intimate and fitting for the nature of his performance.
- Oomparty are what we’ve come to expect. A crowd pleaser, although a lot of the same songs can quickly make it feel a little stale if you’ve seen them in previous years. It was nice to see a couple of new tunes thrown in, which were the ones I enjoyed most.
- the roaming entertainers are less plentiful this year. They used to really add to the atmosphere, so any cut to them is disappointing to see.
- There is no Darwin. A national scandal and disgrace.
- It’s £7.50 a pint on the lawns. £7.75 in the courtyard for both Spaten and the terrible selection from Rural Brewing Company (about £6.20 after discount).
- interestingly the Fantastich helles lager is the same strength exactly as the Laugh and Scream lager. They also taste similar. The Fantastich is the most astringent helles I’ve ever tasted.
- the lawns area feels nicely decorated, but the inside of the tent is a little spartan. A couple more decorations would easily sort that out. As has been pointed out, the axe throwing is a joke. Quite why they decided to use this in the marketing material is beyond me.
- the cut of the courtyard is a big loss. Whilst the outside bar is open, there is precisely no atmosphere and no decoration. This is a big loss.
In summary then, it’s pretty clear there has been a budget cut. The only significant new thing is the roof, which as I pointed out is both a positive but also a necessity because of the courtyard cut. The removal of the courtyard entertainment and the associated set up and decoration is clearly a big saving made. Not having that intimate atmosphere is a big loss both for that very atmosphere but also the variety you had between the two stages. Plus the convenience of close toilets and the MAP discounted bar.
It’s worrying to see the direction of the event. You can definitely visit and have a great time still though.
- the roof is a big positive, but it is also a necessity because they’ve now done away with the entertainment in the courtyard which obviously provided a coveted area previously. Without the new roof, the event would be a total washout every time it rained because of the courtyard cut.
- Entertainment was okay. The Party Pilots band were surprisingly decent. The singalong and Lebhaft Tanzen shows are now pretty stale.
- Robert Burton is as good as ever but it can feel as though he looks slightly out of place on such a large stage compared to previous years. Nothing he can do about that obviously, but his shows in past years in the courtyard felt more intimate and fitting for the nature of his performance.
- Oomparty are what we’ve come to expect. A crowd pleaser, although a lot of the same songs can quickly make it feel a little stale if you’ve seen them in previous years. It was nice to see a couple of new tunes thrown in, which were the ones I enjoyed most.
- the roaming entertainers are less plentiful this year. They used to really add to the atmosphere, so any cut to them is disappointing to see.
- There is no Darwin. A national scandal and disgrace.
- It’s £7.50 a pint on the lawns. £7.75 in the courtyard for both Spaten and the terrible selection from Rural Brewing Company (about £6.20 after discount).
- interestingly the Fantastich helles lager is the same strength exactly as the Laugh and Scream lager. They also taste similar. The Fantastich is the most astringent helles I’ve ever tasted.
- the lawns area feels nicely decorated, but the inside of the tent is a little spartan. A couple more decorations would easily sort that out. As has been pointed out, the axe throwing is a joke. Quite why they decided to use this in the marketing material is beyond me.
- the cut of the courtyard is a big loss. Whilst the outside bar is open, there is precisely no atmosphere and no decoration. This is a big loss.
In summary then, it’s pretty clear there has been a budget cut. The only significant new thing is the roof, which as I pointed out is both a positive but also a necessity because of the courtyard cut. The removal of the courtyard entertainment and the associated set up and decoration is clearly a big saving made. Not having that intimate atmosphere is a big loss both for that very atmosphere but also the variety you had between the two stages. Plus the convenience of close toilets and the MAP discounted bar.
It’s worrying to see the direction of the event. You can definitely visit and have a great time still though.
Steve74
TS Member
A good review, I wonder if any low cost/free tweaks will be made over the course of the event - such as adding background music to the courtyard, not live, just copyright free Oktoberfest stuff pumped out over speakers.
I still think that any budget cuts from events were pumped into the ridiculously over-long CbeebiesLand celebration. In my mind there was absolutely no need to have that for May half term and for the entirety of the summer holidays. And for that reason I'm glad the Darwin show has gone from Oktoberfest - it should be a slightly more grownup themed event in my opinion.
I still think that any budget cuts from events were pumped into the ridiculously over-long CbeebiesLand celebration. In my mind there was absolutely no need to have that for May half term and for the entirety of the summer holidays. And for that reason I'm glad the Darwin show has gone from Oktoberfest - it should be a slightly more grownup themed event in my opinion.
Steve74
TS Member
Best review of Octoberfest so far. Slay.
From: https://youtube.com/shorts/3zV6XGhAd1E?si=0iGHcJ8XthmOVG7V
From: https://youtube.com/shorts/3zV6XGhAd1E?si=0iGHcJ8XthmOVG7V
Dave
TS Founding Member
Isn’t a tote a type of bag?
DavidRock
TS Member
A type of bag and also a type of box that supermarkets use when you have home delivery.....
I think the video cuts off but I reckon Totes is totally ?
Im not down with the kids speak (you get me fam and getting Merc'd up * even typing it the spell checker changed it to Mercedes.)
I'm an early 80's kid by the way.
Still fun watching it with subtitles though.
I think the video cuts off but I reckon Totes is totally ?
Im not down with the kids speak (you get me fam and getting Merc'd up * even typing it the spell checker changed it to Mercedes.)
I'm an early 80's kid by the way.
Still fun watching it with subtitles though.
Rob
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
Agreed, just a shame we don't get discount from the bars on the lawns and it's a trek over to the Tavern where it sounds like the atmosphere is non-existent!
Thanks for providing your thoughts @venny, I'm looking forward to experiencing Oktoberfest myself this weekend but am wary about some of the changes. The weather has been a bit pants all round this year, so the huge tent is clearly a bonus. I did see a photo of Robert Burton on the main stage and did think he looked a tad out of place; I agree that his performance is more suited to an intimate venue like the Courtyard.
As for Fantastich, I believe it is different to Laugh and Scream but only slightly. I'd suspect it is the same basic recipe with a hop switch or something like that. When looking on Untappd, they do bother have different IBUs.
Steve74
TS Member
From the few vlogs I've seen from Saturday, some people had the same reservations as to whether Robert Burton's act would transfer to the main stage successfully and they all said it did. I think the covered area - although not covering the very front few tables - does go some way to making it a bit more intimate rather than playing to a huge open field as in previous years.
It's swings and roundabouts really - I rarely saw him perform as I didn't go to the courtyard (except en route to the toilets!) and I'm sure that's the same for thousands of others, so having him on the main stage - while losing that intimate setting - he'll reach a wider audience during the day. Him and the [monk's] barrel seem to be developing a bit of a following!
Skyscraper
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
He's the accordionist, very good!
Steve74
TS Member
BenTechy66
TS Member
The frogs are "totes serving [expletive]". Totally serving [expletive]. What is serving [that]? It's hard to pin a definition down, but basically it just means they're slaying. They have high rizz, if you will.
Squiggs
TS Team
lozzyhickers
TS Member
Sadly no Currywürst. And although Käsespäezle was listed, we were told they didn’t have any when we ordered
Rob
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
Well thankfully Oktoberfest is still a cracking event! The lack of any entertainment in the Courtyard is a shame, and the Courtyard feels slightly abandoned to be honest, but the set up on the lawns was fantastic.
The huge tent does really add to the atmosphere and it was great to see so many people enjoying the entertainment throughout the day. The acts were also good, especially Robert Burton, the Party Pilots and the Oomparty Band.
Lots of choice on the beer front this year as well, although they had run out of most of them come the end of the day on Saturday!
Oktoberfest is the highlight of the season at Alton Towers and the lawns are such a perfect venue for the event.
The huge tent does really add to the atmosphere and it was great to see so many people enjoying the entertainment throughout the day. The acts were also good, especially Robert Burton, the Party Pilots and the Oomparty Band.
Lots of choice on the beer front this year as well, although they had run out of most of them come the end of the day on Saturday!
Oktoberfest is the highlight of the season at Alton Towers and the lawns are such a perfect venue for the event.
DiogoJ42
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Metropolitan Line
I think this year's 'fest felt a lot more festive than last year, to me. Proper German music, rather than cheesey pop for a start. 
They fixed the Bavarian cheque (was square last year).
Running out of Spaten at the start if the day was unforgivable though.
And still no currywürst.
They fixed the Bavarian cheque (was square last year). Running out of Spaten at the start if the day was unforgivable though.
And still no currywürst.