Since we are driving to Hohenschwangau from Heidelberg, I am leery of making reservations, since we won't know how the roads are, when we will be able to get started, and how many times my kids will need to go to the restroom! We are going the Friday before Christmas. Are reserved times necessary? How often do English tours run? Will we have more chance if we take a German tour instead? Thanks!
Cate, I would suggest you go to Michelin or a site like that to find out how long it takes for the drive and then allow an extra hour. The area around the castles is very pretty, and you can spend your extra time walking around. I'm not sure how many English tours there are, but having just been there, I think you would miss a lot if you took the German tour. Please be aware that if you have a reservation, you can call in advance to change the time or day. Check the web site, but I think you can call up to an hour ahead, or maybe two.