We planned our stop at Neuschwanstein as an adventure to break up the drive between Munich and Innsbruck, Austria on our way to Venice. Unfortunately for us, thousands of other tourists also arrive every day by the bus load to tour Bavaria's most visited destination.
My dear friend Rick Steves recommended buying tickets online to avoid long lines at the ticket booth in the center of town. Timed tickets are required for the 30 minute tour of the castle, and I guessed that a 1:00 tour would give us plenty of time to drive the two hours from Munich, have lunch, and get up to the castle. I didn't account for the single road into town, blocked by tour buses, camper vans, and crazy European drivers. Mr. C&G dropped us in town then started the perilous journey to find parking. We discovered we missed the window for our 1:00 tour, but my look of desperation inspired the ticket guy to book us into the 2:30 tour. If you don't book your tickets ahead of time, you could easily be waiting hours on line at the ticket booth, so either book ahead or don't go at all (which is my recommendation).

Mad King Ludwig inherited his title in 1864 at the young age of 18, and then proceeded to construct a castle that matched his boyhood dream of a royal residence. He hired a theater set designer to draw up the plans and then turned it over to architects. Even after 17 years of construction it was never finished, and the crazy King only lived in it for 172 days before he died at the age of 40. Interior rooms reflect Ludwig's impression of medieval grandeur, but the 15 rooms on the tour were obviously decorated in the late 1800s. Both little C&Gs were more impressed by the story of the King's mysterious death in the lake at the bottom of the hill than they were by any part of the castle.
Unless you really feel the need to visit this castle on your trip through Germany, I would definitely skip it. Neuschwanstein is crowded, overpriced, a hassle to get to (especially with small kids in tow), and definitely not worth the time and effort. Tickets can only be bought online the day ahead of your visit, and adults are 12€ (roughly $15), children under 18 are free.
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