Skip the line tours for Neuschwanstein castle?

It would not be my choice to invest much money in this place. How much do you know about it?

Schloss (which means "palace" in German) Neuschwanstein is to tourists what flypaper is to flies. While tour operators and the wider German hospitality industry are very happy that this late-19th-century construction brings in so many Euro-dropping visitors, and while they will often refer to it in printed materials and on tours (as English-speaking tourists do) as "Neuschwanstein Castle", in their honest moments, they will confess that N'stein really is not really a castle at all, and that nothing of historical importance ever took place there. For this reason, it's a good idea to self-assess your interest in dedicating an entire day's outing from Munich - and untold travel dollars - before making plans to visit the place.

It's actually an incredible building for its time (the same era in which skyscrapers began to adorn the Chicago skyline.) The modern building materials and techniques that went into it were hugely expensive. What makes it really unique is that the new materials and techniques and so much cash went into the completion of a fake castle... also surprising is how little purpose this building ever served. The Bavarian king who built it filled it with fancy furniture and elaborate artwork - and then he ended up enjoying his unique private palace for a mere 6 months before his untimely death. Since then, it's been used for no other purpose (except for generating income from tourists.) It reminds me slightly of the concrete dinosaurs and jackalopes you might come across back home at roadside stops on a cross-country road trip, just much more elaborate and more expensive.

So the 25-minute tour may or may not be what you are looking for, even if you are paying only the €18 entry fee.

I wasn't a fan of this "castle". Are you sure your 4 year old will be willing to climb all those steps? Also, the building highlights the king's love of Wagner, so if you're not an opera fan, you will find that boring.

I loved our visit to Neuschwanstein. We ordered tickets online in advance for the guided tour and picking them up at the Ticket Center Hohenschwangau was easy. We chose to walk up to the castle (but didn't have a 4-year-old with us), LOVED the scenery (!), and enjoyed the tour. I would happily visit Neuschwanstein again (the grounds/outside), and the guided tour was worth doing once. We went off-season and for us, the lack of crowds facilitated having a great experience.

Our 2017 Christmas card with the spectacular exterior of the castle and amazing view behind us gave the illusion that the inside must be incredible. That would be false. Interior and tour were boring. I wouldn’t pay for the upgrade. Your kids may enjoy seeing the inside without really even listening to the guide; using their own imagination. Let them come up with a better story than the actual story. The saying, “nothing to see here” applies. It was very very hot that day, so that probably didn’t help. The king forgot to install air conditioning, so maybe a cold day is better. Have to say it’s a bit smoke and mirrors like Cinderella’s castle at Disneyland.

We haven't been there post-COVID, but have visited twice and enjoyed the castle (but much more the grounds, the view from above, and the hike back down). I definitely do not remember lines of any length, but we also did off-peak like you. Perhaps on a weekend it would be a small potential issue, but late November seems super unlikely.

Obviously, kids are a wild card, but at the least, we can assume you dress them properly for the weather, and that one adult could hold a space in line as another adult supervises the children running around the courtyard area.

I will point out that it really is a "much prettier from the outside" situation. For kids that age (and most adults), the interior will likely be not all that exciting. Maybe a carriage ride from the bottom to the entrance will be a good "spend a little extra" option, too?

The Bavarian king who built it filled it with fancy furniture and
elaborate artwork - and then he ended up enjoying his unique private
palace for a mere 6 months before his untimely death. Since then, it's
been used for no other purpose (except for generating income from
tourists.)

There is one interesting purpose it once served aside from tourism. In WWII the Nazi's stored up to 21,000 pieces of methodically cataloged pieces of artwork, furniture, jewelry and other valuables in Neuschwanstein Castle, most of which had been stolen from France. The schloss was considered an ideal spot for safekeeping the loot due to its remote location and distance from areas most likely to be targeted for attack by the allies.

I imagine the Allies' post-WW II tour of Neuschwanstein 80 years ago, with all those stowed treasures, WAS an interesting one.

I can't imagine paying a lot for a private tour unless you are phobic about being in a crowd. Just buy a timed ticket in advance from the official website. Or gamble on availability on the day of your visit. Either way, you won't be allowed to wander through the Schloss interior on your own. You will be in a group which enters at a specific time, with a guide who will describe what you are seeing, and you must stick with your group. The tour lasts half an hour or so, and then you exit thru the gift shop. You are free to wander the grounds on your own. And the Hohenschwangau palace is also there. IMO, it's more worthwhile to visit, given that it was a real palace, was actually lived in, and had a history.

Took 4 kids here. The castle is okay, but the best part of the experience is the outside (hiking to and from in nature). I would not pay “extra” to get inside or go on a private tour. If I go back to the area, I would not go to the castle.

All tickets are for specific times which you should purchase in advance. It takes time to get up the hill either walking, carriage, or bus ( weather permitting ). I would do as suggested and take the carriage ride down at least as It is ( or at least used to be ) 1/2 price.

I like the interior, having been 2 or 3 times. As with many attractions, the tours 50 years ago allowed more time than today.

I would recommend not only skipping the line, but skipping the entire experience. This place is as touristy as it gets, IMHO.
And in late November, you may have grey skies yielding no fairytale- like pictures.
But, obviously , it's your vacation, so enjoy whatever choice you make. Safe travels!

I’m surprised at the general attitude in this post of dislike. We were there back in May and absolutely loved it. My children are 14 and 17 and they thought it was awesome. If your kids (well, probably not the 4-year old but possibly the eight year) old have read the Land of Stories books, book 3, there is a whole scene where the protagonists visit the castle, which made my kids really excited to see it.
As far as lines, they were not an issue the whole day, despite the castle being sold out. We had one of the first tours of the day so that may have been a major part of it. It was well worth it to get up early and catch the first bus up the mountain because we had Mary’s Bridge all to ourselves and got some fantastic pictures.

I can't imagine paying a lot for a private tour unless you are phobic
about being in a crowd.

I don't think the "private tour" puts you in a different group than you would be in with a regular ticket. AFAIK, they just put you into one of the regularly scheduled tours. Note, the website says the max group size is 30.

As far as I can tell, the main thing they do is buy the ticket for you. The last time I was at Neuschwanstein, I ordered my ticket in advance, online, and picked it up at the special ticket pickup counter at the kiosk in the valley. There was no line and it only took a few minutes. Note, a ticket for a child is free on the official website, although they do charge you 2,50€ for the reservation. The tour website charges over $20 to pickup a free child ticket.

The only other thing the tour does for you is take you up to the Pöllat gorge bridge (for free I hope) and guide you down the steep trail to the castle. That route is closed if there is snow or ice on the ground (late November?).

You can purchase tickets in advance from the Hohenschwangau website and pick up your tickets on the day you tour the castle.

BTW, I visited Neuschwanstein for the first time in 1988 and enjoyed it enough to return twice with people who had not seen it. I am NOT an opera fan, but I found the interior to be fascinating. No, it's not a real castle, it's a palace, modeled after a knight's castle. As long as you know that going in, it is still a beautiful edifice and a glimpse into the life of an eccentric king.