• ℹ️ Heads up...

    This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.

What separates enthusiasts from the GP?

James said:
As far as I've been a theme park enthusiast (2006) I've always heard the term GP used to describe those who aren't enthusiasts. I don't see the harm of it being used in that context as it's an easy term to apply.
Click to expand...
Because theme parks are for everyone, enthusiasts are part of the general public. Other visitors can enjoy theme parks just as much as enthusiasts too, only they don't go home and turn it into a hobby. Everyone is a bit different

I only ever hear it used in a way that implies that enthusiasts are some kind of enlightened group of people who enjoy parks 'properly' while The GeePee don't. Often the people saying it are just kids and dont really realise, but the way the phrase is usually used shows up the strange and arrogant thinking that some enthusiasts have

Also sometimes I feel the more enthusiasty fans get, the more out of touch they become with what made them enjoy theme parks in the first place anyway, back when they were one of those Gee Pees.
 
Last edited:
Personally I don't mind being called referred to as a member of the GP, I'm quite happy to have different views to enthusiasts, it's bound to happen, I don't have as much to compare things to. I think you do tend to see things differently when you just enjoy rides for what they are without going into things too deeply. But that doesn't mean I don't take an interest in things either or that I don't like learning about rides and parks. However I'm happy to acknowledge in that department, enthusiasts generally know more.

I think both groups balance the other out. :)
 
The more "enthusiasty", the more out of touch with reality as a whole I think :)
Honestly don't care about the phrase 'general public' itself as it is a pretty neutral term and its easy to understand that people who don't follow theme parks as closely are described in those kinds of ways. It's how its used that I think brings up the issue of 'us vs them'

The problem is when the entitlement kicks in from people who think that just because they know basic facts about ride manufacturers or statistics from parks (we may as well call them stat junkies), and that this makes them above other non enthusiasts who don't look in to these things as much. Even worse is the type of person who acts entitled among enthusiasts , i.e that brags about 'knowing all the high up people at Merlin', talks down on other enthusiasts who don't know every single manufacturer, or exact model of car or type of track etc

It's just boring and off putting. And social media is probably the worst outlet for it because it helps organize these people in to cliques and reinforces their false view that they are somehow separate and above everyone else. I think the best advice is to try and always be in to theme parks (or any hobby) for your own reasons and avoid the need for subscribers or likes, and if this means staying anonymous on the internet then so be it, because its very easy to get a big ego and start doing things purely to gain attention from other people and leave the real passion behind. Thankfully, it would seem that most people on this forum like theme parks because they are fascinated by parks and rides, always wanting to learn more about them, share ideas, and wanting to talk to people who are likewise. It's definitely an issue for Youtube, twitter, facebook
 
Last edited:
We are all g p on the outside.
Enthusiasm is under the skin.
Back in the day of rare news clips, a well worn photocopy of First Drop, and meeting the one other geek you knew every summer holidays, that was your hobby!
It was very much a solo thing.
Computers have dragged the geeks out of the woodwork, so to speak.
And thence came the term g p.
 
rob666 said:
We are all g p on the outside.
Enthusiasm is under the skin.
Back in the day of rare news clips, a well worn photocopy of First Drop, and meeting the one other geek you knew every summer holidays, that was your hobby!
It was very much a solo thing.
Computers have dragged the geeks out of the woodwork, so to speak.
And thence came the term g p.
Click to expand...
What's First Drop?
 
Here's a difference, enthusiasts know a lot more about coasters. Some of the things I've heard the GP say
 
This is much more to do with science knowledge / ignorance than "GP" vs "enthusiast" distinction.

The number of people who straight up don't understand that coasters use gravity to get from start to finish, believing that if a ride breaks down it can just stop anywhere.

It's shocking. That kind of science knowledge should be firmly established by the end of primary school.
 
D4n said:
This is much more to do with science knowledge / ignorance than "GP" vs "enthusiast" distinction.

The number of people who straight up don't understand that coasters use gravity to get from start to finish, believing that if a ride breaks down it can just stop anywhere.

It's shocking. That kind of science knowledge should be firmly established by the end of primary school.
Click to expand...
Well the parks are working on that with their education programs!

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
 
From being about in the relatively early days of online theme park geekery I think the term GP was often used as a huge amount of active enthusiasts were staff at parks, so to them visitors are distinctly different who would not / should not know a lot of things that aren't customer facing. Over time that had leeched out to wider enthusiasts.

I'd say it has its place as a term in the right context, but is usually used obnoxiously by self important people who think they know better.
 
pluk said:
From being about in the relatively early days of online theme park geekery I think the term GP was often used as a huge amount of active enthusiasts were staff at parks, so to them visitors are distinctly different who would not / should not know a lot of things that aren't customer facing. Over time that had leeched out to wider enthusiasts.

I'd say it has its place as a term in the right context, but is usually used obnoxiously by self important people who think they know better.
Click to expand...

That makes perfect sense actually.

There is a lot of elitism online when it comes to who knows most about coasters and parks. Like it actually matters...
 
I've been on forums since about 2005 and it was always 'the general public', the GP abbreviation came a bit later I think.

Someone I used to work with once said she got stuck upside down on Hulk @ IOA. She was a properly sound, down to earth girl as well. Weird lie.
 
A belief by the enthusiast that the enthusiasts view is always correct?

And an attempt by the enthusiast to let you know that they are superior to you in every way? “Oh you’ve never ridden this, I’ve rode it 17000 times. It’s not as good as its sister coaster over at..... and the one at.....park is so much better than both but they were prepared to pay more money to have an extra inversion, I’ve ridden every coaster in the universe made by this manufacturer and this is the worst” blah blah blah

Proud member of the general public here and my experiences of “enthusiasts” are not good.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top