Being a 'new' enthusiast versus being an 'old' enthusiast

[Scott]

I was having a think about this today when lying in bed not wanting to get up (yes, I do lead an incredibly exciting life...) and I couldn't quite decide what would be the best time to be an enthusiast.

What I mean is, would you rather have experienced new rides and construction in the days before the Internet and sites like this, or could you imagine it ever being no different? For those who have seen both - which have you preferred?

Obviously, the modern day has so many advantages... We have the Internet which provides up to the minute updates on ride construction all over the world. Not only this but it allows us to discuss our passion with other like minded people every day! However, some of the mystique and intrigue surrounding new developments is lost due to this instantaneous influx of info.

In the past, there weren't easy ways to gather as groups of fans or to track the building of coasters. You couldn't go home and check out construction updates. However, is all this what makes people hark back to Oblivion's construction with such fondness? The absolute certainty of just not knowing at all?

I think I'd appreciate a bit of both. The magic, excitement and intrigue of the past fascinates me but I wouldn't change the opportunity to chat on a forum with like-minded people for anything...

What are your thoughts? And what could being an enthusiast be like in another 10 or 15 years?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk.

 

[pluk]

The past was a more rewarding time to be an enthusiast, not knowing what was happening gave real excitement to visits. Even now I invariably prefer rides and parks I stumble upon and know little about over ones I've 'ridden' and 'visited' on you tube. RCCGB managed to survive with paper and stamps, meets still happened and I imagine were much more special when they did as constant real time contact like this wasn't possible.

All this technology makes things easier, but not better. For me that goes for pretty much everything in life.

 

[DiogoJ42]

Back in the old days, They only way you would hear about a new ride as a casual enthusiast, was usually a TV advert. And growing up in London, as far as I knew there were only four parks in the UK: Chessington, Thorpe, Alton, and Blackpool. The last two may as well have been in Brazil for all it mattered

The pre-internet days will probably be refered to as the "second dark age" in the future.

 

[Ted]

I've been visiting Theme Parks since 1996, but I didn't start to gain a proper interest in them until 2005. As Diogo said, the only way I know about new rides and current theme parks was through the good old TV. I must admit I didn't hear about some parks until I joined TTF last year, but started to learn about loads when started to become a Enthusiast.

You learn a lot as a enthusiast for anything

 

[CGM]

As a six year old, I was completely wowed by Oblivion in its opening year as I was completely Oblivious to its existence before seeing it for the first time. I don't think there's a coaster anywhere that can match it for visual spectacle and it had a huge impression on me at that age.

Later on, I had an entire winter to speculate exactly what Alton meant by "world's first flying coaster" and the winter of speculation and anticipation before finally glimpsing Air from the car park was immensely exciting.

I'll always miss the sense of the unknown that came from not having comprehensive coverage of every bolt that arrives on site but I think that's the only downside of modern internet-based coaster enthusiasm.

You just can't put a price on being able to discuss and debate something you love with like-minded people pretty much whenever you want. Before I joined TTF, I didn't get the chance to talk about Alton or coasters. No-one at school shared my interest, it's not the most common thing to be interested in.

Also, the amount of coaster information available online is incredible. The closest I had before was a book in my school library (which I now own). As good as that book is, it just cant be compared to the likes of RCDB for knowledge.

pluk mentioned the good old days and RCCGB but unless you knew someone in the club or happened to catch a snippet featuring them on TV, how were you supposed to know about them? Even if you joined, you'd only get to talk to everyone a few times a year and the only coaster news would come in the form of a monthly news letter. Also, no offense if you're a member but that Oblivion film doesn't make the RCCGB seem particularly appealing.

I much prefer the internet based community, you don't have to pay to be a member, you can be a part of as many or as few communities as you want, there's no aging decades-old patch-jacket wearing hierarchy of leadership and it brings coaster enthusiasm to more people in all corners of the world.

Plus now we have some fantastic coasters that weren't built back then. So yeah.. I think that now is definitely the best time to be an enthusiast.

 

[Rowe]

This brings up a sub-question (your worst enquiry... UNDERGROUND) from me: Where's the time line between being an old enthusiast or a new enthusiast?

I ask because I've been interested in theme parks since 2000 but didn't exactly hone my enthusiasm until roughly 2004, which was when I started coming across the internet and it's plethora of enthusiast communities, and boosted again in 2008 in terms of activity.

 

[Dave]

I think there are downsides to the modern era of enthusiasm, for a start people tend to judge things before they have ridden and I tend to find if you decided something was going to be crap you would need perfection to change your mind. Also there is sometimes an unhealthy level of interest in the people behind the parks in this new era (don't recall Ralph getting the sort of public mud slinging the likes of Varney and Crabbe get).

On the flip side the modern era allows me to chat with fellow geeks who are a rare breed and see what parks around the world are doing. If it wasn't for the people on this community I would never have been to Phantasia, Europa Park or Parc Astrix to name but a few.

Like any change it comes with both good and bad.

 

[TheMan]

Now, now is WAY better - this is from "Mr Magic of the 90's Man" - which I almost state with a spangly flared trousers and bright flowery shirts, and a kipper tie.

(By the way, I take 2 sugars in my Kipper Tie, I'm from the West Midlands )

I'm actually from a family of enthusiasts, believe it or not. I HATED coasters when I was young, loved watching them, but they scared the poop out of me. So when I finally got on one, the internet was only just taking off properly and forums were non existent. The somehow mystical and Mason like RCCGB was the only way of meeting fellow enthusiasts, and was, at the time, revered.

Which is exactly why I didn't ever join it. It made no sense, it sounded glam back then, but also VERY EXPENSIVE to a youthful enthusiast like me.

Finding and reading TT expanded my knowledge and appreciation for coasters worldwide like nothing else could have. OK, the adverts and build up/excitement was good, but compared to now? I'd rather choose to ignore information (spoilers) rather than not have the option to read it at all. SW6 was the first coaster I properly "followed" online, it was fascinating, even if it did ruin it completely ha-ha!!

So, whilst I often return to the mid/late 90s for great coasters, great parks, great developments and what is more, great music - where the internet is concerned? I wouldn't have it any other way!

You can still have a 90's style avoidance to information if you want, just don't go online, it's amazing how LITTLE people still know about coasters in the GP.

Believe me, when SW7 gets close, I'll be no where near that particular message board this time, and WOE BETIDE anyone who throws out unconsidered spoilers!

But to have a community like this, full of people who share your passion, information that was so hard to find before, fascinating coverage of rides that we may never physically experience in far off places, and being able to truly get your geek on, for that... the internet rocks, and it's certainly worth the risk of spoiling a surprise on a ride a bit.

I love it.