Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Mako (SeaWorld Orlando)
Hi guys. I was just reading through a thread and I heard someone mention "the GP". This made me think to myself; has the rise of social media changed theme park enthusiasm? From my perspective, I personally think it has to a certain extent, even since I first became an enthusiast and started loitering around enthusiast sites in around 2013/14.
The first reason why I think the rise of social media has changed theme park enthusiasm is because I have personally noticed a massive change in the way we receive things like construction updates and reviews of attractions. When I first started viewing enthusiast sites, I mainly relied on forums for things like updates and reviews. To be fair, I still do to some extent. When I first became an enthusiast, theme park YouTube channels and social media pages didn't really exist in huge abundance like they do now. I'd say you only really had POV channels like CoasterForce and Theme Park Review and the occasional different channel like Theme Park Worldwide or Coaster Studios. But now, there are tons of different types of theme park YouTube channel. There are about umpteen different theme park vlogging channels, and there are a similar number of Coaster Studios-style channels. If you want an update or an opinion on the latest ride, there are now at least 20 different channels that can give you that in some form.
I also think that the rise of social media has changed theme park enthusiasm because I think it's almost introduced a sort of hierarchy among theme park enthusiasts, if you get what I mean. I'm not sure whether you'd agree, but I'd certainly say I've seen a rise in levels of superiority so to speak within the community in the last couple of years or so. For example, I've noticed that among the enthusiast community, there are certain opinions on certain things that become the accepted norm so to speak, and anyone who goes against the grain seems to get criticised and called "wrong". A particular example of this type of thing that I noticed recently was that when Taylor Bybee uploaded his top 25 coasters onto YouTube, there were quite a few YouTubers who posted videos reacting to his list and criticising his opinions and placement of certain rides. Now while I admit that these can sometimes be humorous, I do think that it sort of undermines the concept of everyone being entitled to their own opinion. Linking in with this, I'd also say I've seen a rise in the perception that enthusiasts are superior to your average theme park visitor, or "the GP", as many enthusiasts refer to them as. Now, I must admit I'm not a massive fan of this idea nor am I a fan of the term "the GP", as I personally feel that it almost undermines the sole purpose of theme parks as places to go and have fun and forget all of your ideas of politics and superiority. Also, not everyone has to be interested in theme parks, if you ask me; we all have our different interests. We just chose to be interested in theme parks, and in my mind, that doesn't make us any more superior than anyone else.
But what are your opinions on this matter?
The first reason why I think the rise of social media has changed theme park enthusiasm is because I have personally noticed a massive change in the way we receive things like construction updates and reviews of attractions. When I first started viewing enthusiast sites, I mainly relied on forums for things like updates and reviews. To be fair, I still do to some extent. When I first became an enthusiast, theme park YouTube channels and social media pages didn't really exist in huge abundance like they do now. I'd say you only really had POV channels like CoasterForce and Theme Park Review and the occasional different channel like Theme Park Worldwide or Coaster Studios. But now, there are tons of different types of theme park YouTube channel. There are about umpteen different theme park vlogging channels, and there are a similar number of Coaster Studios-style channels. If you want an update or an opinion on the latest ride, there are now at least 20 different channels that can give you that in some form.
I also think that the rise of social media has changed theme park enthusiasm because I think it's almost introduced a sort of hierarchy among theme park enthusiasts, if you get what I mean. I'm not sure whether you'd agree, but I'd certainly say I've seen a rise in levels of superiority so to speak within the community in the last couple of years or so. For example, I've noticed that among the enthusiast community, there are certain opinions on certain things that become the accepted norm so to speak, and anyone who goes against the grain seems to get criticised and called "wrong". A particular example of this type of thing that I noticed recently was that when Taylor Bybee uploaded his top 25 coasters onto YouTube, there were quite a few YouTubers who posted videos reacting to his list and criticising his opinions and placement of certain rides. Now while I admit that these can sometimes be humorous, I do think that it sort of undermines the concept of everyone being entitled to their own opinion. Linking in with this, I'd also say I've seen a rise in the perception that enthusiasts are superior to your average theme park visitor, or "the GP", as many enthusiasts refer to them as. Now, I must admit I'm not a massive fan of this idea nor am I a fan of the term "the GP", as I personally feel that it almost undermines the sole purpose of theme parks as places to go and have fun and forget all of your ideas of politics and superiority. Also, not everyone has to be interested in theme parks, if you ask me; we all have our different interests. We just chose to be interested in theme parks, and in my mind, that doesn't make us any more superior than anyone else.
But what are your opinions on this matter?