neuschwanstein castle visit questions ?

"Is it possible to park your car, not buy any tickets, then walk up to the Neuschwanstein castle ( or perhaps get a horse drawn shuttle - maybe wait for one) and look around the castle, without doing a tour inside?" Yes. But why? I read all the time on this website about these horror stories of people waiting for hours in line for their tickets... which I think is mostly urban legend (except perhaps in July or August). Put this in perspective- I lived in Germany for several years and when friends and family from the US visited me, Neuschwanstein was usually near the top of their wish list. I never reserved tickets, and I don't think we ever had to wait longer than 15 minutes in the ticket line (usually much shorter), and I think the longest we ever waited for our tour of Hohenschwangau to start (with the combined ticket, you usually tour this castle first) was maybe an hour. Even if you have to wait a little while before your tour begins, there's plenty of scenic short walks you can take, and you can also visit the Wittelsbach family museum, which you can enter at any time.

If you have a car and you're coming from Obererammergau, I don't think you'll have any problems if you get there early. Particularly in May, which isn't quite busy season yet.

"which is the best to see Linderhof or Herren Chiemsee ( we have seen Versailles) ?" For me, the palaces are only a part of the picture. At Linderhof, the palace is pretty small, but the gardens, the grotto and the fantasy pavillions really make it worth visiting. The interior of Herrencheimsee is only about half complete, but the lake setting in the shadow of the Alps is also a pretty big portion of the reason to see it.

My experience at neuschwanstein was similar to Tom's. Maybe a 10 minute line to buy tickets. We did not preorder. We got there in the morning shortly before 10, so I don't know if that helped. The inside was interesting to see.

I have posted this before:

Take a few hours and walk around the Schwansee. Quiet and great views of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau. Just a short walk far away from the thousands of tourists. Don't confuse the Schwansee with the Aplsee right next to Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau.

The Füssener Kalvarienberg walk/hike is worth it too from Füssen or Schwansee. A church cut into the rock at the top of the mountain with viewing platform. Good Füssen, Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau views.

There are parking areas in the woods near the Schwansee. A small entrance road on the road to Füssen from Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau.

http://www.allgaeu-ausfluege.de/05schwansee.htm

http://www.acht-seligkeiten.de/2009%20AVWandern/09-Kalvarienberg.htm

Also, I think the horse drawn carriages to the top were discontinued a few years ago after an accident? There are now buses to the top that you exit near the iron bridge, then a short walk down to the castle.

Horse Drawn carriages discontinued? The website doesn't say anything about discontinuation of carriage transportation to the castle...

This is from Neuschwanstein's official website:
By horse-drawn carriage
Departure point: Hotel Müller, Alpseestraße in Hohenschwangau

Because of space limitations, the carriages cannot go right up to the castle. From the carriage turning area beneath the castle it is an uphill walk of about 300 metres or 5-10 minutes to the castle entrance.

Price: Uphill trip 6 euros / downhill trip 3 euros (as of 1 June 2014)
Tickets can be bought from the carriage driver.
The carriages operate all year round and shuttle between Hotel Müller and Neuschwanstein Castle according to demand, with no fixed timetable.

Reservations are unfortunately not possible.
The carriages do not operate when there is snow or ice on the roads.
Please note that the carriage service is not operated by the Bavarian Palace Department, but by independent companies.

About visiting just the outside...if you reserve your timed entrance tickets there should be no reason for long waits. However, having been inside Neuschwanstein several times I can say the outside of the castle is more impressive than the inside. I can definitely see why people might prefer to just visit the outside. Be prepared for hoards of tourists both inside AND outside the castle.

OK, I guess the horse carriage halt was only a short time after the accident: http://www.thelocal.de/20121008/45429. My bad.

Anyway, I do not know if the bus to the top requires a ticket into the Neuschwanstein castle, but the view from the iron bridge is one of the best.

I took the Tegelbergbahn to the top and hiked down once from the Tegelberg to the iron bridge, and then back to the Tegelbergbahn Talstation. Some good views from above similar to posters you have seen, but the hike down from the Tegelberg to the iron bridge is not a hike for seniors and young children. About a three hour hike from the top back to the Tegelbergbahn Talstation. http://www.tegelbergbahn.de/

"I read all the time on this website about these horror stories of people waiting for hours in line for their tickets."

It can happen. I was at Hohenschwangau on the last Saturday of Oktoberfest in 2013. I figured all the tourist would be in Munich drinking beer and singing silly songs, but apparently a lot weren't. I arrived before noon and the queue for tickets had more people outside the kiosk than inside, and they were already booking the tours for 4 PM. I knew that before I got through the line, they'd be booked for the day, so I went on.

I think I liked Linderhof a little better than Herrenchiemsee, but it was close. But Linderhof is only minutes from Oberammergau. Herrenchiemsee's a couple of hours by car, then you have the boat ride and a walk - not worth the extra effort. I'd definitely go to Linderhof.

I big thank you to everyone, just the information I need. I will investigate. This forum is great!!!