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What separates enthusiasts from the GP?

An enthusiast is someone that has an interest in something (according to dictionary).

However, there is a large spectrum in regards to someone's interest in something. At the bottom, there will be those that have absolute not interest in themeparks for whatsoever reasons. You will have those that will visit a themepark once every few years, others may make it an annual visit. Then you got your nerds and geeks at the top end.

I don't consider myself to be a nerd or geek. I Just love theme parks and rides, probably part of it is because of my showbiz side of me. I personally not too fussed about knowing every little detail, facts and figures regarding themeparks.

I do like to consider that I also have got a life away from themeparks too

A GP is what I would class as someone that visits a themepark for fun, but won't be into all the ins and outs and will get on with their day to day life not thinking about a themepark until they decide to plan for their next visit.

I was so tempted to post that a GP is what you call a Doctor o_O

:)
 
I was so tempted to post that a GP is what you call a Doctor o_O

Haha! I was so confused when I first started reading comments from enthusiasts saying "The GP did this or that", and I was thinking, why was a doctor there, and why on earth did they do that particular thing...?
 
Enthusiast: “Did you know John Wardley built this ride?”

GP: “I thought Chessington did?”
 
Enthusiastic have annual passes where the normal GP just go to theme parks if there’s sun tickets available or cheap tickets available.
Also the normal GP are the usual people moaning on Trip adviser about the costs and the length of queues.
 
Enthusiastic have annual passes where the normal GP just go to theme parks if there’s sun tickets available or cheap tickets available.

Disagree, plenty of those non enthusiast sorts have MAPs and other annual passes, more often due to decent value if you're a local...
 
A ride breaks down on the lift hill and you get evacuated

GP = "OMG, this ride is dangerous, I'm going to die, lets phone the press, what an inconvenience..."

Enthusiast = "Wow, I get to do a free lift hill walk"

____________________________________________________________________________________

GP's spend most of their day getting on with their day to day life, an enthusiast spends the whole day watching the ride times website, even during the close season waiting for the slightest change o_O
 
Smiler broke down while I was on the break run last week and I was so excited at the prospect of being evacuated. First ever evacuation!

Then nope, ride was successfully restarted. Boo. Still waiting for my first evac, can only dream of it happening at the top of the lift hill.

Or a rollback on a launched coaster with a top hat, where it nearly crests but doesn't quite have the speed.

Maybe one day. Very grateful however to the staff who keep the rides operating with few delays and breakdowns, and even in the circumstances where these do occur keeping people safe. All the teams who have designed built and run the rides deserve a round of applause for their hard work keeping the fun wacky machines running with such excellent safety records.

I think I might be an enthusiast for holding these views and wishes. If I am an enthusiast I'm not a very good one with plenty to learn and explore!
 
@Lurker Be careful what you wish for. The first time I rode Kingda Ka it rolled back from the peak of the top hat and didn't reopen. Finally rode the second half three years later!

Good job I don't count my credits as I'd be stuck with a half!
 
Good job I don't count my credits
Can someone explain that to me - I've heard references to 'credits' in some YT videos, a TPR video perhaps. I'm assuming it's just the number of times you've ridden coasters? All coasters or do they have to fit some criteria? Does it count each time you do any ride, or just the first time? And what do you, err... do... with your credits? Do people boast about them?

Incidentally, my only ride evac happened earlier this year; there was an E-stop on the Vikings River Splash at LEGOLAND Windsor when I was there with my nephews. Apparently a door came open on another raft so we were stuck on the lift hill for a while (is it still a lift hill on a river rapids type ride?). The guys with their climbing harnesses came along and we all trekked down the hill. Nabbed a few priority passes from a manager because of it, but I think they expire this season and I doubt I'll get back there.
 
Usually, a credit is a coaster that you haven't ridden before.
Simple as that.
Then it gets complicated.
By many arbitrary rules.
Many of us never count, many do.
I only count beers.
 
When you develop a lust for listing things is certainly on the path to becoming a certain kind of enthusiast.

I can't tell you how many coasters I've ridden or even begin to put together a top 10, that's a level of interest and thought reserved for real things!
 
I don't usually find 'GP' mistakes particularly amusing, but one incident sticks in my mind. I was at Disney in Orlando about ten years ago, when a red-faced British father in a queue took the time to explain to me how Fastpass is just another way to fleece guests out of hard-earned dollars and create an atmosphere of divide-and-rule. I couldn't bring myself to break it to him. :confused1:
 
Describing Nemesis:

Enthusiasts - "It's an Inverted Coaster by B&M"
GP - "It's a dangling coaster, which means you're sitting in a chair with your legs dangling"
 
Enthusiasts Watching the coaster go round the track from different angles of the queue line.
GP just stay glued to there phones

Enthusiasts On Forums (Lost count how many I’m a member of)
GP just go on Tripadvisor for reviews
 
Does theme parks being actually significant for you count as a difference?

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