[MarkD]

After my many years of attending parks on the east coast from Canada to Florida and Germany, never made it out west yet, and the many years I've been on this site I would like to propose a question to all.

Do you consider yourself a Geek or Enthusiast?

I am an enthusiast 100%. As I love the industry I do not care to pack my brain of every statistic and detail about every park, ride, manufacturer, designer. I do like speculating and playing the what if game tho. I stay in touch with what's going on and what is coming up with just about all the parks but if you put 5 different pieces of track side by side I probably couldn't tell you with 100% certainty which would be for a giga, hyper, floorless, etc. I also could not tell you, until I look it up, who makes what flat ride.

It is more fun for me to think outside the box and look and what could be done with parks given I had blank checks. And no, it is not all about coasters, but yes that is what gets me to most parks.

So, what are you and why?

[Jonathan]

“If you boat a lot, you're known as a boating enthusiast. I like to boat, but I just don't want to ever be referred to as a 'boating enthusiast'. I hope they call me 'a guy who likes to boat'.”

[pproteinc]

I consider myself a geek. I'm all for not only riding coasters but the mechanics as well. When standing in line I find myself looking at the brake system, or whether on faster coasters are there any water sprinklers to cool the wheels. If it's a launch what system is used. What kind of restraints are used or wheel type. Yea I'm a geek. lol

[RollerBee]

Whats the differnece? One in the same.

[arby]

I've been a geek all my life but that has nothing to do with amusement parks. After seeing the way some 'enthusiasts' act at parks and towards the general public, I seldom refer to myself as an enthusiast any more.

Anyway, I love amusement and theme parks. While I often get put in the box of a coaster enthusiast since I can't do most flat rides any more (l get dizzy getting off the couch sometimes - just you wait), at the core it is amusement/theme parks that I love.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE roller coasters, but there is something about an amusement park that makes me feel like I'm in my element. It's the smell of funnel cake and popcorn, the suspense of what will be found behind the shade tree, the sounds of people screaming and roller coasters roaring by, the bouncing of prized balls that were won, and getting hit by somebody's huge stuffed animal that they will have no idea of where to store it, etc.

I am happy sometimes to drop by Carowinds in the evening, hit up Intimidator or Afterburn, and then sit for a few minutes to take in the atmosphere.

So I have largely stopped referring to myself as an enthusiast. While I love amusement/theme parks and roller coasters, rving, camping, hiking, traveling, geocaching, etc., you will be hard pressed to find the word enthusiast on my travel blog or social media sites. I don't know why people just can't have fun with it.

[MarkD]

Whats the differnece? One in the same.

No, at least I do not consider them the same. The main difference, IMO, is an enthusiast has fun with respect for the park and others and just enjoys what parks offer. A Geek has to know it all and reminds you they know it all making it a buzz kill when you are in line and hear every detail on how much torque a bolt has. I.M.O.

While I am an enthusiast I am not like one of those you describe. I call them fools. I give respect to the park and all I meet, unlike a certain 3 initial site.(IMO)

At 53 years old I'm kind of with you on the flats. If they aren't spinning me like a washing machine I can do them. I too like to just sit, eat my fries and watch people from time to time.

[Jay]

I am a know-it-all geek (definitely not as much as I used to be), but I keep all that information to myself unless someone else asks, since I know it's boring useless information. But I do get asked frequently, since people think I know everything.

On a broader scale I would say I'm an "amusement park enthusiast" rather than coaster-only enthusiast. I love everything that makes up an amusement park, which should be more than coasters (but unfortunately sometimes isn't).

I also identify myself as "credit-whore" but let's not get into that one..

[gabed]

I am a know-it-all geek (definitely not as much as I used to be), but I keep all that information to myself unless someone else asks, since I know it's boring useless information. But I do get asked frequently, since people think I know everything.

Same here, I used to tell everyone I knew about the amusement park industry and everything I know about it. But then one day I learned...

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[Atombomb]

You're not an enthusiast unless you've been to Cedar Point

[Merthecat]

Can I be both?

[Edwardo]

What does Cedar Point have to do with anything? They don't even have the most coasters as SFMM and CW both have more.

[tarheel1231]

You're not an enthusiast unless you've been to Cedar Point

I DID go to Cedar Point but I DIDN'T get my Maverick or TTD credits. Am I still an enthusiast? (I got my MF and MXL200 credits)

[Atombomb]

Yes but cedar point has the best coasters and the most history

[Jay]

Cedar Point doesn't have the best coasters. It is in fact, the world's largest collection of mediocre coasters. I've been on more coasters than anyone else on this forum and none of Cedar Point's rides make my Top 10. Why is that? Raptor and Maverick come the closest though probably. EDIT: Just checked Mitch Hawker poll ballot from the last time I did the steel one.. Magnum #19, Maverick #23, Raptor #26, Wicked Twister #34, Millennium Force #78, Top Thrill Dragster #99.

And who cares if they have history, when they haven't preserved any of it? Other than Blue Streak please tell me about the history that you can see at Cedar Point.

Idiotic discussion to be having, honestly.

[Atombomb]

2nd oldest amusement park in the us. And almost every time they build something it breaks records