Fanboyism

[Snoo]

I laugh when I see n00bs with a coaster count of 10 saying they love Boomerangs and SLCs and don't see the roughness, because their opinion is bound to change once they ride more and re-ride more, and realize what a joke those coasters are.

I disagree with that. I think it's perfectly okay for a person with a coaster count of 10 to say that an SLC is their favorite coaster, because, well, it is their favorite coaster.

Will that opinion change, as you said? Definitely. Is it right to laugh at these 'n00bs' because they haven't ridden enough coasters? No. We were all beginners once, and chances are we all thought, at one point or another, that we thought SLCs and Boomerangs were the bomb.

Never.. most because I'd been to Cedar Point before I'd ridden an SLC.

 

[CMonster]

Seeing as everybody else said what I was going to say ( :wink: ), I just want to give my opinion on the difference between a fan and a fanboy.

I find that many people can be fans of certain rides or parks or manufacturers without being radical. For instance, I think of myself of a fan of BGA. I don't obsess about every time I see a bright orange flag in the ground, but I do enjoy the park and tend to stand up to it in debates.

However, I don't believe that that park is God. Most fanboys seem to believe that their park/ride/company can do no wrong and any negative opinions concerning that park/ride/company are false by default and either dismissed as nonsense or fiercely attacked.

That is all.

 

[Mountain Madman]

Seeing as everybody else said what I was going to say ( :wink: ), I just want to give my opinion on the difference between a fan and a fanboy.

I find that many people can be fans of certain rides or parks or manufacturers without being radical. For instance, I think of myself of a fan of BGA. I don't obsess about every time I see a bright orange flag in the ground, but I do enjoy the park and tend to stand up to it in debates.

However, I don't believe that that park is God. Most fanboys seem to believe that their park/ride/company can do no wrong and any negative opinions concerning that park/ride/company are false by default and either dismissed as nonsense or fiercely attacked.

That is all.

I've found that there are several different 'levels' of fanboyism, as you said, and you put it very well. I consider myself a 'fanboy' of the Disneyland Resort but I accept that it has flaws and they need to be addressed.

But does that stop me at gasping at orange flags in the ground? Nope! My imagination kicks into overdrive whenever I see so much as an orange-colored wad of gum. cool)

 

[theRock-steel]

However, I don't believe that that park is God. Most fanboys seem to believe that their park/ride/company can do no wrong and any negative opinions concerning that park/ride/company are false by default and either dismissed as nonsense or fiercely attacked.

This is when fanboys have gone to far. I see this centered around CP all the time. I really think that some of their rides are rated so high because they are there. I really don't think that Blue Streak is one of the best woodens, Magnum is a great hyper, Mantis is an awesome stand up, Raptor is a top notch invert, or Wicked Twister is a LIM shuttle that can't be beat. Don't get me wrong; these are all good rides, but they are not the best even if they are at the great CP.
People can also be fanboys about manufacturers. B&M and Intamin can be prone to this. A lot of people pick one of these two builders and side with them and then bash the other. I guess that I am partically guilty of this myself. It's hard for me to pick a B&M that I really hate (although some stand ups have been close). Except for MF and TTD I haven't run into too many Intamin's that are truly as great as people have said that they are.
The bottom line is some people get in a mind set. When they really REALLY like a coaster, type of ride, park, or builder sometimes they are hard pressed to see why everyone else doesn't love it too.

 

[wolverinechris]

I personally use fanboy a couple of ways. When calling myself a fanboy, I typically am referring to something I like more than most people do. For example, I could call myself a flyer fanboy and a Disaster Transport fanboy.

When used in talking about other people, especially if it's in a negative way, I'm generally talking about people that are unwilling to acknowledge, recognize, or attempt to understand other peoples' viewpoints on something they enjoy.

There can also be reverse fanboys, people that hate on rides in a similar fashion.

A good example would be Millennium Force-Snoo is definitely a reverse fanboy; he doesn't give any respect to viewpoints other than his. Comparatively, while I love it a lot, I can certainly understand how people could consider it not great if they prefer other sensations. I might still call myself a fanboy because I like it so much, but it would be in a different sense than I would use for Snoo.

CMonster makes a good suggestion for distinct terms that might help clear up confusion. Good idea; I've changed my signature accordingly.

The term fanboy can also be used incorrectly used (ironically, by fanboys) to write off opposing opinions.

To jacoaster: I agree that things can get overly negative in the coaster community...truth be told, there are very few coasters I didn't enjoy riding (Mean Streak and Villain being a couple examples that come to mind).

People can also be fanboys about manufacturers. B&M and Intamin can be prone to this.

Some of that may just be due to what people like in a ride. B&M and Intamin both have very distinct styles. A person may favor a company simply because their preferences line up better with the types of rides that company produces.

We were all beginners once, and chances are we all thought, at one point or another, that we thought SLCs and Boomerangs were the bomb.

Not me . Then again, as with Snoo, I didn't ride those until after I'd ridden better.

 

[Jake]

I laugh when I see n00bs with a coaster count of 10 saying they love Boomerangs and SLCs and don't see the roughness, because their opinion is bound to change once they ride more and re-ride more, and realize what a joke those coasters are.

Bit obnoxious really... if we're playing that game then you're count of 100ish is hardly amazing. I could laugh at you for having Xcelerator and Goliath in your top ten, when I have been on those two, and would probably put them in my top 40 or 50.

Then, of course, someone like rollermonkey or Robb Alvey with a count of around 1000 would laugh at some of the coasters I've put in my top 20, because they've got so much more experience...

I guess everyone has to accept that everyone is in a different stage in their coaster riding. Some people will get to a couple of hundred and lose interest, whereas others will get over a thousand.

Let's say El Toro and Balder are being compared. If someone has ridden both, and prefers Balder, I will trust their opinion greater than I'd trust an El Toro fanboy who had never been to Europe, and vice versa. However, under no circumstances should anyone 'laugh' at someone else for having less experience, because we were all in their shoes once!

 

[CreditCrazy]

^ That wasn't my point. What I was trying to say was, if you've been on, say, 10 coasters, 9 of which are kiddie credits and one that's an SLC, you've ridden it once, and you go around saying it's awesome, have no idea what people are talking about when they call it rough, and just keep saying "you have to know how to ride it!!11!!1"...I'll laugh.

It's okay if you can't get to other parks and have a limited coaster experience, but you yourself should take into consideration before you go around saying something that nearly everyone hates is awesome. Ride it a few more times, realize that other coasters are out there, etc.

 

[theRock-steel]

There can also be reverse fanboys, people that hate on rides in a similar fashion.
To jacoaster: I agree that things can get overly negative in the coaster community...truth be told, there are very few coasters I didn't enjoy riding.

People can also be fanboys about manufacturers. B&M and Intamin can be prone to this.

Some of that may just be due to what people like in a ride. B&M and Intamin both have very distinct styles. A person may favor a company simply because their preferences line up better with the types of rides that company produces.

There seem to be some rides that are not really that bad and only truely hated by us (not the gp). Most normal boomerangs do stink; they give you more pain than gain. What I don't understand is: what is our problem with SLC's? They are inverts that are a little shorter and rougher than the B&M's. So, what's the big deal?
That's right about the companies. I think that it becomes fanboy when someone says "all B&M's are forceless and there is nothing new and exciting about them". Likewise, it's too much when we hear "Intamins are just a passing fad; whenever I'm on them they break down". There is truth here but that doesn't mean that one company is great and the other totally stinks.

 

[Snoo]

There can also be reverse fanboys, people that hate on rides in a similar fashion.

A good example would be Millennium Force-Snoo is definitely a reverse fanboy; he doesn't give any respect to viewpoints other than his. Comparatively, while I love it a lot, I can certainly understand how people could consider it not great if they prefer other sensations. I might still call myself a fanboy because I like it so much, but it would be in a different sense than I would use for Snoo.

Since when don't I give any respect? Just because I don't agree.. in a rather harsh way.. doesn't mean I don't have any respect.

Being that we are closer friends then most, I tend to be a little harsher.. just because I can with someone I know a little better.

When it comes down to it.. you will feel the way you feel.. no matter what I say.. which gets the biggest respect IMO.



As for myself being a fanboy.. ejector/strong/good airtime is my fancy.. as I base most of my favorite rides off of this fact. Hence why a ride based around speed and height doesn't fit my fancy. While TTD remains high for me, the experience hasn't dulled like MF has just yet.

Yeah.

:lol:

 

[wolverinechris]

^ Heh, well, I suppose I take your criticism of it a bit too seriously...but at the same time, your anti-MF comments aren't always directed at me...and it does seem like you jump in and hate on it pretty much anytime it comes up .

When it comes down to it.. you will feel the way you feel.. no matter what I say.. which gets the biggest respect IMO.

Aww, thanks...I guess that goes for you as well . I hear ya about what you don't like about it, but I have my reasons to disagree...I guess it just wasn't clear to me that you were listening to why people do like it.

Ride on

 

[Snoo]

your anti-MF comments aren't always directed at me...and it does seem like you jump in and hate on it pretty much anytime it comes up

I find the same thing happening to many people who enjoy the ride.. not so much on here.. but many other places. I understand enjoying rides but jesus.. they give the ride a full BJ whenever it gets mentioned and most of the time it is WAY over the top. This, of course, is mostly a fanboy thing.. lol

 

[rollermonkey]

I think that my distaste for CP and Intamin offsets my enjoyment of MF enough that I can NOT be considered a fanboy of that ride.

 

[Snoo]

Fanboy.

 

[rollermonkey]

Pot meet Kettle.

 

[Snoo]

Kettle is a nice person, why'd you have to introduce him to Pot?

 

[Mark]

Hmmm, how to define it. Well it is pretty similar to what so many have already said.

For me, a fanboy, in the negative sense that it seems to have garnered is someone who is so in "love" with a park that they refuse to see any reality that some things are a bit bad, could be better or so on. A "fanboy" to me is someone who, regardless of the facts and reality of the situation still bleet on trying to make out something is perfect the way it is and refusing to see any form of reason.

To me, a true fan or enthusiast is someone who has a realistic attitude and can admit to the flaws and errors that a park may have. They have their total love of their chosen park but they don't allow it to cloud good honest judgement when it comes to things that could be better or so on.

Personally, I am a massive Disney fan. I totally love everything Disney and Disney park related. This doesn't mean that I love every single film and every single thing about the parks. It means I can be honest enough to see where there are some major flaws. I love to visit all of the resorts, some more then others, but again, I can see where ALL of the resorts have their flaws and so on.

It happens in all fan-related activities. Football (soccer) or even Formula 1 being a massive example. You get some fans who simply refuse to accept their team did bad, even when they lose it is someone elses fault, such as the referree or the opposing teams striker or whatever. Then you get fans who love their team but will call them on it when they have played totally pants!

So yes, a fanboy, is negative term, because it always was. It was always a word for someone who has gone beyond just being a fan of a park. Has beyond the edge of reality and reason in their love.

Of course, no park is perfect. There is nothing wrong in a fan being able to say that about their favourite place. Just because you are a fan of something does not mean you have to like absoltuely everything about it. As a coaster enthusiast, it does not mean that I HAVE to like every single one of them.

I think that makes sense...

 

[Martyn B]

^ You're a good example Mark, like you said, you love Disney, yet to me, you're not a fanboy as you still see everything from every angle, and you will criticise if need be.

I think it comes down to how each person defines the word 'fanboy'. To most people a fanboy is someone who cannot take criticism or any negative talk towards their ride/park, coughBlackpoolcough. I am one of them 'most' people who think that about fanboys.

People like Mark (Disney), Ian (Paultons) and Pierre (Mingo), I dont personally see as fanboys, they're just 'fans'.

Hope that made some sort of sense :|

 

[badger]

fanboy

I,m A fanbloke of Chessington just because i love the place,What better way to spend a Sunday than being somewhere that makes you happy .

 

[Ollie]

Don't you get bored of going to the same park EVERY week though?

 

[Nemesis Inferno]

^Evidently he didn't, since Alan kept that up for practically the entire open season bar a few odd Sundays...

It's a case opinion on how 'boring' the park is...