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

[LittleBuford]

Little Buford, are you a woman? Just asking. Because it would make a lot of sense. Californian Elitist mentioned she is. It is hard to understand how to act like a man if you are not a man. I'm sorry, the dude in the video is a man-child. That is likely the point of the video.

I'm a gay man.

There is no single correct way to "act like a man". Liking Pirates of the Caribbean does not make you masculine, and being normatively masculine does not make you a better man than those of us who may express ourselves differently.

For the record, I haven't watched the video and have no interest in doing so. If some random person on the internet wants to record themselves (fake?) crying over a trailer, that's their prerogative. It seems he found a very keen audience in you.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

I'm a gay man.

There is no single correct way to "act like a man". Liking Pirates of the Caribbean does not make you masculine, and being normatively masculine does not make you a better man than those of us who may express ourselves differently.

For the record, I haven't watched the video and have no interest in doing so. If some random person on the internet wants to record themselves (fake?) crying over a trailer, that's their prerogative. It seems he found a very keen audience in you.

Well, if you haven't seen the video, I can assure you it is an embarrassing way for a grown man to act. That is, if he isn't trolling and sort of making fun of the Star Wars nerds. Either way, it hit a nerve for you I can see. I'd post the video, but both times it got removed so I can tell the humour offends people.

 

[LittleBuford]

Either way, it hit a nerve for you I can see.

I don’t think you recognise the irony of this statement.

 

[Poseidon Quest]

Either way, it hit a nerve for you I can see.

You came here to publicly announce your own masculinity crisis and didn't seem to recognize the delicious irony of this statement.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

You came here to publicly announce your own masculinity crisis and didn't seem to recognize the delicious irony of this statement.

It is our society's masculinity crisis, not mine.

I don’t think you recognise the irony of this statement.

I didn't censor the video on here. I pointed out a while back that even if that video is purposely trolling or genuine, that it is the definition of the "Disney Adult" that the company panders to. I just used that dude as an example - a comical example - and a couple of you guys lost your mind and surprisingly defended it. Hmmm. Didn't see that coming to be honest. Thought it was pretty universally funny in general.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Yes. Thank you. I had 4 responses and yours was the only one that made sense, lol. I think I hit a nerve when I posted that video. I just as well assumed grown adults would find it funny....................and yet it offended so many I guess that's why they removed it.


I will repeat, he is crying over a Star Wars trailer. Not at a funeral. It's funny. I'm sorry, but it is actually very funny to watch. Mainly because I tend to lean on the side that this guy in the video is self-aware and he is trolling by what he is doing. I don't think you and a couple others are "in" on the joke here.






I think the joke in that video has sort of flown over your head. The idea of that video, as I see it, is that it is quite entertaining to see a grown man react to something so irrelevant and trivial. I am quite sure the man in the video is trolling. Just a guess. If he isn't, then it still is actually pretty funny to watch. Grown men don't blubber uncontrollably over a movie trailer. They just don't. And they certainly don't post it on the internet. Anyway, you guys either get the joke or you don't. I don't think you do though.

I mean, we love Disney World, sure, but heck I was in Dollywood last year and I loved that as well. I love the atmosphere, the architecture, the attention to detail, the rides. It was built for the very reasons so that all ages could enjoy it. I get a bit of a chuckle out of it that you compare a grown man who may or may not have even left his parent's basement that sobs over a movie trailer to that. Its apples and oranges. My favourite ride is Pirates. I can say with great certainty I've never sobbed while on the ride. Little Buford, are you a woman? Just asking. Because it would make a lot of sense. Californian Elitist mentioned she is. It is hard to understand how to act like a man if you are not a man. I'm sorry, the dude in the video is a man-child. That is likely the point of the video.

Grown men don’t go on Disney Parks forums to talk about their excitement for Mickey and friends, castles, rides, and atmosphere. It’s weird, unmanly, kiddie, and way too girlie.

Seriously, your views on gender are outdated and very strange. “How to act like a man…” Good lord, no.

 

[LittleBuford]

Seriously, your views on gender are outdated and very strange. “How to act like a man…” Good lord, no.

 

[Californian Elitist]

That’s exactly what it’s giving. “I use antlers in all of my deeeeecorating!” No, thank you. Hate it.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

Grown men don’t go on Disney Parks forums to talk about their excitement for Mickey and friends, castles, rides, and atmosphere. It’s weird, unmanly, kiddie, and way too girlie.

Seriously, your views on gender are outdated and very strange. “How to act like a man…” Good lord, no.

And there in lies the difference and it is right in the title. A person, like all of us, is on here because we appreciate the Disney parks. Disney as a company I don't care for, modern Disney more like it. That person is a theme park enthusiast. It is like posting about your favourite sports team. I do that as well.

Now...................crying over a movie trailer brought out by Disney. That's a "Disney Adult". And I don't think the term is meant to be a compliment. That's just abnormal. It's.................weird. I'll leave it there.

You know, it's okay if you feel different. It isn't the end of the world, even if most people find the video funny. It is why a show like the "Big Bang Theory" was funny.

 

[LittleBuford]

That’s exactly what it’s giving. “I use antlers in all of my deeeeecorating!” No, thank you. Hate it.

(I have a secret crush on Gaston. )

 

[Californian Elitist]

(I have a secret crush on Gaston. )

Only for the looks. We’ve all been there. Like… I hate you, but also let’s make out?

 

[S.I.R. the Robot]

I'm a theme park enthusiast. I actually hate Disney.

 

[S.I.R. the Robot]

(I have a secret crush on Gaston. )

Suddenly, my crush on S.I.R. makes sense

 

[BlakeW39]

I think, regarding IP in the parks, the Disney Adults and theme park enthusiasts are actually arguing about different topics.

On one hand, you have the "Disney Adults" arguing that Disney IP is the reason people go to Disney Parks, and Disney basing all their lands and attractions off of their already existing movie/film IPs makes perfect sense.

On the other hand, you have the "theme park enthusiasts" arguing that Disney never creating anything new for their parks and only using existing IP to create (or more likely, retheme) lands and attractions is a bad thing artistically.

See, one side is arguing that popular IP are beneficial to the parks economically, and the other side arguing that using only established IP, or as a result not creating anything new, is detrimental to the parks thematically and artistically. Both arguments can be true, so using these arguments against one another isn't very effective.

Just my two cents.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

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…

 

[UNCgolf]

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…

I think you're mixing up theme parks and amusement parks. Amusement parks are about thrills; theme parks are about theme. Theme parks can certainly have thrills, but those thrill attractions are generally going to be themed as well -- think Tower of Terror vs. a random drop tower.

Disney is a theme park; Six Flags is an amusement park.

 

[RobWDW1971]

For me, it is the difference of acting like an adult with a "childish spirit" while enjoying your day at Disneyland vs. actually acting like a child.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

I think you're mixing up theme parks and amusement parks. Amusement parks are about thrills; theme parks are about theme. Theme parks can certainly have thrills, but those thrill attractions are generally going to be themed as well -- think Tower of Terror vs. a random drop tower.

Disney is a theme park; Six Flags is an amusement park.

I still think Disney is in a category all by itself…

ETA: when Great Adventure opened in the mid 70’s, it was called a theme park not an amusement park…to me, IMHO, the two terms are somewhat interchangeable.

 

[BlakeW39]

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…

Yeah, I think I agree. But I don't really see the point in dividing all Disney Parks fans into two discrete categories. In reality, Disney fans come in many different forms. Some may be fans of the parks, others the films, others Marvel or Star Wars, etc. They may have varying opinions on the company and may approach discussion on the subject differently depending on their specific personality, values, likes and dislikes. I don't think Disney Parks fans fall into neat categories like OP is claiming.

Linguistically, the term Disney Adult and theme park enthusiast do mean different things, but they also probably have a good amount of overlap. And I do agree that, although it makes more sense for theme parks to be parks based on central themes, the term theme park is often used intergchangably with the term amusement park in colloquial discussion.

 

[OrlandoRising]

Yeah, I think I agree. But I don't really see the point in dividing all Disney Parks fans into two discrete categories. In reality, Disney fans come in many different forms. Some may be fans of the parks, others the films, others Marvel or Star Wars, etc. They may have varying opinions on the company and may approach discussion on the subject differently depending on their specific personality, values, likes and dislikes. I don't think Disney Parks fans fall into neat categories like OP is claiming.

Linguistically, the term Disney Adult and theme park enthusiast do mean different things, but they also probably have a good amount of overlap. And I do agree that, although it makes more sense for theme parks to be parks based on central themes, the term theme park is often used intergchangably with the term amusement park in colloquial discussion.

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.