Attractions 

Once upon a time...and still alive today: Fairground traditions at the Oktoberfest 

Of the 151 fairground attractions at this year's Oktoberfest, about 90 percent have their roots in the 19th century. Today, many of these nostalgic rides are only ever operated at the Oktoberfest – not only by professional amusement operators, but also, in some cases, by private individuals. Together, they embody a living and vibrant fairground tradition.

For more information see: https://www.oktoberfest.de/en/attractions/rides

Chair o'plane 

Also known as the Wellenflug (wave-flight). One of the very oldest fairground attractions at the Oktoberfest is Kalb's chair o'plane, created by Berlin-based Gundelwein and Fischer in 1919. The decorative elements of this high-flying carousel still bear the original paintwork by fairground painter Konrad Ochs. The Kalb family are now operating the ride in the third and fourth generation, with Hans Martin and his son Florian at the helm. The first small high-flying carousels probably appeared around the turn of the 20th century and were inspired by aviation themes (Zeppelins and the Wright Brothers).

Bumper cars 

The first bumper cars to thrill funfair visitors in the US and the UK were called “Dodgems” and date back to 1921. Heinrich Haase, the first major German amusement park operator, brought the innovative festival attraction to this country in 1926. And before the end of the decade, Munich sideshow operator Willi Lindner had acquired the sleek speedsters from Haase and incorporated them in the Oktoberfest. The first bumper cars were imports from America and Britain, but German manufacturers began making their own versions in 1926/27. The German name “Autoskooter” emerged around 1939 and, after the Second World War, became the standard term for this attraction. In 1958, Heinz Distel introduced chips for bumper cars to Germany. His automated Dodgems paved the way to the continuation of this popular funfair ride.

Calypso 

In 1958, Munich fairground amusement operators Anton Bausch and Eugen Distel, both known for their innovative approach, presented a new type of carousel for the first time at the Oktoberfest. The new design was built by Mack, a Waldkirch-based company. A popular dance from the Caribbean inspired not only the name but also the sophisticated design. A typical 1950s design, rapid acceleration and unpredictable changes of direction quickly made this ride a hot favorite with the public. The Calypso installed at the Oide Wiesn dates back to 1962 and was knocked back into shape by Hubert Winheim for the Oktoberfest anniversary in 2010 – much to the elation of countless fans.

Journey to Paradise 

The original roller coasters usually had eight gondolas in a row, each seating eight to ten people in a circle, and would go up and down over two “mountains” and two “valleys”. These rides were invented under the name “switchbacks”, probably in England in the 1880s. Around 1890, Hugo Haase became one of the first German manufacturers of roller coasters, with Bothmann and Stuhr also bringing similar products to market in the same year. The four-hilled roller coaster “Fahrt ins Paradies” (“Journey to Paradise”) was commissioned by ride operator Jacob Pfeiffer and built by the renowned Friedrich Heyn carousel factory in Neustadt/Orla, Thuringia, in 1939. In the 1950s, the ride was stored away and left in its original condition, until Toni and Jakob Schleifer bought it and painstakingly restored it in 2003. T

Olympia Looping

The Olympia Looping is a roller coaster with 5 loops of "death." It is the largest mobile roller coaster in the world at 1,200 meters in length. The wagons speed along at over 100 km per hour. The largest loop of death is over 20 meters in diameter. 

Ghost trains 

The first ghost train in Germany stood at the Hamburg Dom fair in 1931. It must have been a tremendous success, because a year later, no fewer than four ghost trains were already frightening the life out of visitors to the Munich Oktoberfest. 

Ferris Wheel

The first Ferris wheel of the kind we know today was built for the Chicago World Expo in 1893: a stationary steel construction standing 76 meters tall. Of the permanent replicas erected in London (1894), Vienna (1897) and Paris (1898), the one at the Prater in Vienna is the only one that has survived to this day. It was not until the 1960s that the modern traveling Ferris wheels made of steel were developed. In Germany, a small group of fairground families still operate these Ferris wheels, and competition is forcing them to grow taller and taller. Munich's Oktoberfest Ferris wheel belongs to the Willenborg family. 

Swingboat 

The two-person swingboat as we know it today first appeared around 1890. Evidence of forerunners to this funfair attraction can already be found in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, however – at the Prater in Vienna, for example. Today, swingboats are the only funfair attraction where the riders themselves generate the motion; and it is surely the apply of playing an active part that accounts for the unabated popularity of this distinctly nostalgic ride. More advanced variations on the same theme include the roll-over and communal swings that cropped up in the 1930s, a development that culminated in the “Flying Dutchman” of the early 1980s. 

Devil's Wheel 

This funfair amusement premiered around 1910. It is a test of skill for the passengers – and a whole lot of fun for the gleeful onlookers. The success of a devil's wheel stands or falls with the “barker”, who animates the audience and comments on the participants. Karl Valentin and Liesl Karlstadt rank among the many visitors who have had a whale of a time at Feldl's “Devil's Wheel”, which nowadays is only ever set up at the Oktoberfest.

Toboggan 

Slides have been around since the early 19th century. In 1906, Anton Bausch from Baden, southern Germany, built what was probably the first German toboggan, following the Parisian example of what was originally an American tower slide. The word “toboggan” comes from the language of the Canadian Algonquin Indians and refers to a light snow sledge. At the 1908 Oktoberfest, three of these toboggans were installed – and required an abundant staff presence! Spectators and sliders alike loved it. The ascent to the top of the tower by conveyor belt was not without its comical aspects, and the gentle slide down was great fun. In that respect, nothing has changed at the Oktoberfest to this day, and this attraction is unique in the whole of Germany.