Distinction between "theme park enthusiast" and "Disney Adult"

[UNCgolf]

I think too many members of this board engage in gatekeeping and believe the only real Disney parks fans are the ones who turn their noses up at IP.

You're absolutely correct about the colloquial definition of theme park these days. If people are going to argue semantics like that, i.e. no Cedar Fair or Six Flags or SeaWorld or even Universal park is a "true" theme park, again, that's just gatekeeping elitism that serves no real purpose.

I think it's a stretch to call Six Flags a theme park, but I also think the term clearly applies to Universal, as well as some other places.

 

[Eric Graham]

Im more of a person who enjoys the quality experience of Disneyworld. I have been going to Disney for a long time. Since our high school marched in a parade at Disney as a Band nerd many a year ago. I have gone many times. When I married my wife, we started going to Disney World together and she turned into a true fan. She is so wonderful for putting up with all of my Disney galore. However, I'm more of an old school Disney person. I really enjoy the older movies of Disney including Star Wars, Pixar, etc. I really miss the quality of the Disney movies from way back. I enjoy watching and reading about how they filmed retro Disney movies. I also really liked how they had some animals on set to draw including deer. There used to be a local gallery and I tool my nephew and we learned to draw Mickey Mouse from an artist. So much fun! I'm a huge fan of Walt Disney. My Disney room, or my Disney house actually, are such a delight to me. I have movie posters downstairs of all of my favorite Disney movies. I have collected multiple things including my favorite a Hallmark Princess Carousel that plays different Disney songs. So wonderful! I enjoy learning so much about Disney through the Disney 23 and specials. Happy vacationing!

 

[MAGICFLOP]

The difference is easy to see, one hates strollers and "edible disability scooters" and thinks they should banned and the other doesn't.

 

[Touchdown]

IMHO, comparing a Theme Park Enthusiast to a Disney Adult is kinda like comparing a minor league baseball fan to a MLB fan…there’s really not a comparison because theme parks are all about thrills where with Disney, it’s more about the overall experience. I don’t leave Six Flags with the same feeling I get leaving WDW especially MK…to me, there’s really no comparison…

Six Flags sucks, you will see virtually no coaster enthusiast older than 30 defend them. It is absolutely the wrong comparison to make. The only Six Flags park I would consider going to currently is Six Flags Fiesta Texas, and even then it’s low on the list. Cedar Fair parks range from tollerable to quite nice, they aren’t immersive (outside of Ghost Town at Knotts) but deliver on thrills. Busch Gardens, Dollywood, Silver Dollar City are a big step up and tend to strattle the theme park/thrill park void incredibly well. If a Disney enthusiast wants to dip their toe outside of Disney Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Dollywood or SDC would be my top suggestions if they can’t stomach going to Universal. Speaking of “the dark side” it is clear that Universal turned over a new leaf after F&F Supercharged failed spectacularly. Epic Universe looks stunning, and appears to be a park with Harry Potter detail in every one of its lands.

For a completely different experience, and one I also enjoy, there are some really great independent amusement parks that have charm but provide an old school escape of yesteryear where the amusement park was a city park on steroids. Places like Canobie Lake in Salem, NH, Kennywood outside of Pittsburgh, Knobels in Elysburg, PA. They are good times in their own right I appreciate. Then there are places like Holiday World in Santa Claus IN, that while there is a light theme, provide a much closer experience to the amusement parks I just listed as opposed to Disney but is still incredibly charming.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

Six Flags sucks, you will see virtually no coaster enthusiast older than 30 defend them. It is absolutely the wrong comparison to make. The only Six Flags park I would consider going to currently is Six Flags Fiesta Texas, and even then it’s low on the list. Cedar Fair parks range from tollerable to quite nice, they aren’t immersive (outside of Ghost Town at Knotts) but deliver on thrills. Busch Gardens, Dollywood, Silver Dollar City are a big step up and tend to strattle the theme park/thrill park void incredibly well. If a Disney enthusiast wants to dip their toe outside of Disney Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Dollywood or SDC would be my top suggestions if they can’t stomach going to Universal. Speaking of “the dark side” it is clear that Universal turned over a new leaf after F&F Supercharged failed spectacularly. Epic Universe looks stunning, and appears to be a park with Harry Potter detail in every one of its lands.

For a completely different experience, and one I also enjoy, there are some really great independent amusement parks that have charm but provide an old school escape of yesteryear where the amusement park was a city park on steroids. Places like Canobie Lake in Salem, NH, Kennywood outside of Pittsburgh, Knobels in Elysburg, PA. They are good times in their own right I appreciate. Then there are places like Holiday World in Santa Claus IN, that while there is a light theme, provide a much closer experience to the amusement parks I just listed as opposed to Disney but is still incredibly charming.

You sound like a coaster version of a foodie…lol…I just used SF as an example because Great Adventure is so close to me…there was just a group of coaster enthusiasts from Europe that dust visited GA to ride their offerings. I don’t have a pony in this race…other than EE, my days of thrill coaster riding are done. I’m glad though, that you’re so passionate about them.

 

[Touchdown]

You sound like a coaster version of a foodie…lol…I just used SF as an example because Great Adventure is so close to me…there was just a group of coaster enthusiasts from Europe that dust visited GA to ride their offerings. I don’t have a pony in this race…other than EE, my days of thrill coaster riding are done. I’m glad though, that you’re so passionate about them.

Of course people from far away are going to go once, they’ve never been! However there exists a concept we have called a “credit coaster” it is essentially a bad coaster that you ride once to add to your total count but intend to never ride again. I would argue that they’re are also “credit parks” baring a phenomenal ride being built or a chain drastically changing their operations there are parks I’ve been to, glad I’ve been to, but don’t ever intend to go back on my own. Practically every Six Flags park is on that list (exception being SFFT for sure, SFOT and SFOG maybe if management changes) including Magic Mountain. They aren’t for me, others skew more towards thrills and aren’t as negative on the SF experience but that chain is currently being run so poorly that everyone is negative on them.

BTW, a lot of us older enthusiasts recognize the hobby has two distinct phases, the quantity phase and the quality phase. Early on it’s all about increasing experiences to add to your bucket. Eventually, you go to enough places to form an opinion on what you like and what you don’t and decide to stop wasting money on things you don’t like and instead just experience the stuff you do, even if that means repeating yourself.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

Of course people from far away are going to go once, they’ve never been! However there exists a concept we have called a “credit coaster” it is essentially a bad coaster that you ride once to add to your total count but intend to never ride again. I would argue that they’re are also “credit parks” baring a phenomenal ride being built or a chain drastically changing their operations there are parks I’ve been to, glad I’ve been to, but don’t ever intend to go back on my own. Practically every Six Flags park is on that list (exception being SFFT for sure, SFOT and SFOG maybe if management changes) including Magic Mountain. They aren’t for me, others skew more towards thrills and aren’t as negative on the SF experience but that chain is currently being run so poorly that everyone is negative on them.

BTW, a lot of us older enthusiasts recognize the hobby has two distinct phases, the quantity phase and the quality phase. Early on it’s all about increasing experiences to add to your bucket. Eventually, you go to enough places to form an opinion on what you like and what you don’t and decide to stop wasting money on things you don’t like and instead just experience the stuff you do, even if that means repeating yourself.

I absolutely agree with you in the way SF is run…just in appearance, peeling paint, potholes and uneven sidewalks…no arguments from me.

 

[celluloid]

Plus all kinds of animatronics, staff and more than one show. I don't know how much the actors were paid but I doubt it was minimum wage.

I imagine the cost of the Edison to have its talent is similar, but the food profit margin to be a big open space provides more ROI.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I imagine the cost of the Edison to have its talent is similar, but the food profit margin to be a big open space provides more ROI.

I will admit that I only went to the Adventurer's Club once, but the time I was there I didn't see any food served and most did like myself and just bought one drink and nursed it through the entire program. You know how we are, we want the best but are unwilling to understand how the best is kept and with a business it is how much money did they make. My thought at the time was that although this is quite fascinating, it was probably to fascinating because people went in and soaked up the entertainment but I didn't see a lot of spending otherwise. I saw more money spent at the Comedy Warehouse then Adventurer's.

 

[celluloid]

I will admit that I only went to the Adventurer's Club once, but the time I was there I didn't see any food served and most did like myself and just bought one drink and nursed it through the entire program. You know how we are, we want the best but are unwilling to understand how the best is kept and with a business it is how much money did they make. My thought at the time was that although this is quite fascinating, it was probably to fascinating because people went in and soaked up the entertainment but I didn't see a lot of spending otherwise. I saw more money spent at the Comedy Warehouse then Adventurer's.

I don't really ever see the Edison booming outside of holidays, but again, the profit margin is probably better.