KI Fanpeople

[SonofBaconator]

This is mainly in response to Theme Park Prediction's review on Orion. I don't really watch to much of his videos but he said something about KI enthusiasts saying we're butt kissers and we over praise everything. Its not just him who's brought up the KI fanboy thing though. I've heard from a couple YouTubers and seen people who comment on KI related videos claiming they hate KI fanboys (and girls) because were spoiled, overhype stuff, and go nuts when we don't get exactly what we want. Is there a justifiable reason for this? Do we act entitled and expect the park to give us only the absolute best and cry when we don't get our way? While the attractions we get are incredible, do we often label them as underwhelming because we give it too much hype? Do we overpraise things because we want something in return? Do we just come off as ungrateful or too overwhelming? I'd like to hear your thoughts 

[FUN&ONLY!]

59 minutes ago, SonofBaconator said:

This is mainly in response to Theme Park Prediction's reviee on Orion. I don't really watch to much of his videos but he said something about KI enthusiasts saying we're butt kissers and we over praise everything. Its not just him who's brought up the KI fanboy thing though. I've heard from a couple YouTubers and seen people who comment on KI related videos claiming they hate KI fanboys (and girls) because were spoiled, overhype stuff, and go nuts when we don't get exactly what we want. Is there a justifiable reason for this? Do we act entitled and expect the park to give us only the absolute best and cry when we don't get our way? While the attractions we get are incredible, do we often label them as underwhelming because we give it too much hype? Do we overpraise things because we want something in return? Do we just come off as ungrateful or too overwhelming? I'd like to hear your thoughts 

I think Theme Park Predictions definitely was biased in his review when it was supposed to be an honest review. He pushed many of his own opinions as facts like saying that not one person was initially disappointed by Orion, by saying that people who think Orion is the best coaster are definitely “suck ups,” or by saying that Orion and Diamondback are very similar no question. In terms of fanboys, fanboys exist for every park, and fanboys are, not surprisingly, biased towards their home park. Theme Park Predictions, for example, has Carowinds as him home park, and he basically did a one to one comparison of Orion and Fury 325, saying that Fury 325 was the better ride. He even compared Orion’s theming to Copperhead Strike in which he said that Copperhead Strike was better themed. These may be true, but this shows that he holds the rides at his home park very highly, going as far as to compare both of them to Orion. Kings Island fanboys are biased towards the rides at their home parks, but I don’t see the problem because everyone is allowed to have their own opinions like Theme Park Predictions can himself. Although, what disappointed me is that Theme Park Predictions basically said that Kings Island fanboys are allowed to have their own opinions but that nobody should trust them because they are infamous “suck ups.” So basically, you are not allowed to overrate anything at your home park or you are trying to get invited to a future media event.

[Klabergian Empire]

Why listen to them? There's more important issues. Like why is LaRosa's pizza better at Kings Island than at the restaurant?

[SonofBaconator]

As a KI enthusiast, I don't think I'm demanding. Do I want the park to get record breakers, be able to go on behind the scenes tours, and get perks? Of course I do, who wouldn't want that? Do I expect to get these things because I have a gold pass and visit the park constantly? Of course not. I think for the most part we're good people, but I cannot deny that there are those out there who extremely sway one way or another. There are those who think we need to completely praise everything the park does, that every addition is THE best in the world, the park can do no wrong, and that people shouldn't think otherwise. Then there are those who do nothing but criticize the park and everything they do. We get a giga, its not big enough. We get a GCI- why wasn't it an RMC? Why do we keep getting B&Ms? Antique Cars?- I thought Son of Beast was coming back. The povs aren't good enough. The list goes on...

I think most of us are in the middle. Yes Kings Island is a great park with great rides. Do they deserve to be ridiculed for not appealing to every enthusiast's wants and desires? No. Are we supposed to not be critical whenever the park does something? Again no. I'm grateful for what we've gotten and how the park is. Do I want some things to be different? Yes, but everyone has their own opinion and reasons why. I believe businesses need some criticism to improve and adapt. With that said though, I think some people take this concept to heart and make it a point to only see the negatives of things. We're such a historic park that revitalized the country's love of coasters, brought a lot of 1sts to the industry, and arguably broke the mold in a lot of ways- cut the park a break.

In conclusion, I think those who are extremely loyal need to tone it down a notch and those who are extremely critical need to lighten up a bit. These are the people that give KI enthusiasts a bad name.

[dbackdreams]

Well I love King's island and I don't know why people get all bent over shape about it. We have awesome stuff like Daimonbdack and oroin and I even like merry go around!  The circus showed were great and so was that motorsickle in the giant spinning ball and hamster wheel thing from when I was little. But the people who think people are gonna die from going to King's island because of the dumb virus on here are like poison. And then the people that fight all the time about stuff I mean we should be like brothers and sisters not like mean Sally and mad owner of big candy company.  My preacher said we are to love each other

[coaster sally]

Its kinda true though isn't it?

[BeastForever]

On 7/29/2020 at 11:33 AM, FUN&ONLY! said:

So basically, you are not allowed to overrate anything at your home park or you are trying to get invited to a future media event.

And on that note, this is the impossible-to-escape box that we were put into with regards to Orion - one which, by its design we we're bound to draw some ire from the outside community, regardless of what our opinion on Orion was going to be.

On one hand, if we shower with it praise and are overwhelmingly positive, well then we're just "fanboys" blinded by love for our park, and unable to look at it objectively.

But on the other, if we dare posit any criticism of the ride or display any negative sentiment whatsoever (despite the fact that one could be mostly positive otherwise), well then it's PROOF that… “Ugh...KI fans are just SO entitled and are not happy with their $30M B&M!”

And often that leads into the "(insert park here) hasn't gotten a coaster in X years, and their fans would be SO much more grateful for it than KI fans", attack...

Therefore, there really was just no way for the us to get through this coaster speculation/construction/opening cycle without being dragged through the mud in some way, shape, or form. To be honest, this kind of happens to some extent every time around.

And I guarantee it will happen next time...

Now as for the supposition that us KI fans somehow are uniquely "entitled" or (insert negative adjective of choice here), more so than fanbases of other parks? I can’t say I agree with that all.

Look at almost any major coaster/ride announcement at basically any park, and you will find a portion of enthusiasts that react to it perhaps more negatively than they should.

As many of us know, there were a sizable number of Cedar Point fans who, when Maverick was announced, were either negative on it or at least somewhat skeptical of a ride that, from first looks of it, did not seem like anything that could live up to the legacies of Millennium Force, TTD, Magnum etc. And sure enough the rest is history as we all know how Maverick is regarded today.

But do I hold that over their heads (those who were negative on Maverick at their announcement)?

Of course not, because frankly I just do not understand the allure of ridiculing or making generalizations of other park’s fanbases for them not being “adequately grateful” for the actions of a profit-maximizing, publicly traded, multi-billion dollar corporation.

While it is true that the parks do not inherently “owe” enthusiasts anything (in terms of special privileges, events, coasters built specifically for us) It is also true that we don’t owe them unconditional praise for everything they do.

Now, obviously its generally a good thing to err on the side of optimism, and focus on the positives in things (as is the case for life in general), there’s most certainly nothing in wrong in giving honest critiques, questioning some of parks’ decisions, and wishing some things related to certain rides, attractions, operations etc. were done differently.

If there is one thing I’m not a fan of in the enthusiast community, it’s infighting. And I think the solution to this is to just try as best you can to not make generalizations of other park’s fanbases – generalizations which, usually are just based on observing a few outliers or bad apples and applying their behavior to the group as a whole.

In conclusion, the narrative that the KI community is somehow uniquely guilty in the enthusiast cardinal sin of "entitlement" is just utter bunk, in my opinion.

10 hours ago, coaster sally said:

Its kinda true though isn't it?

I could point to countless examples of times where some fans within other parks' fanbases (beyond the Maverick thing) reacted negatively to new rides when they were announced and/or before they've ridden them. But I am not going to, because as I said earlier I just don't believe that is conducive to well... anything, and I think all it leads to is unneeded animosity.

[Rivertown Rider]

I agree with what others have said.  I think it is more of a case of a few bad apples on both ends of the spectrum that cause the issues.

One thing that I think is somewhat interesting with KI is the mass abundance of sites, Facebook groups, YouTube channels, Twitter, etc. that the users have KI as their home park.  It is a large amount compared to many of the other regional parks.  There is also the rivalries between other parks' fans who think theirs is the best (CP vs. KI, Carowinds vs. KI, etc.).

Part of the abundance of enthusiasts I think is because a larger part of our attendance is locals/passholders where some of the other regionals either pull from a larger population base (Wonderland definitely would fit that mold) or are destination parks (CP and BGW, etc.).  When people are constantly going to a park they are going to notice more things right and wrong than people who are only there once or twice a year.

I don't think constructive criticism is bad and I think the park overall does a great job.  Are there things that could be better (more merchandise options like CP has, better food ops in some locations, etc.)? Sure.  But the park has made great strides under CF.  They have added four great brand new coasters, the theming has gotten better around the park, and the overall food quality has gotten much better.  I look forward to seeing what the park does in the future.

[wabashcr]

5 hours ago, BeastForever said:

 

Of course not, because frankly I just do not understand the allure of ridiculing or making generalizations of other park’s fanbases for them not being “adequately grateful” for the actions of a profit-maximizing, publicly traded, multi-billion dollar corporation.

While it is true that the parks do not inherently “owe” enthusiasts anything (in terms of special privileges, events, coasters built specifically for us) It is also true that we don’t owe them unconditional praise for everything they do.

 

I agree with everything you said, but especially this. ^^^  Along those same lines, though, I find it hard to fathom being upset or offended by anything someone says about the park or its fans in a youtube video.  Granted, I am in no way an enthusiast, at least the way most of the regulars here would be.  I love KI, and have been going there for 35 years.  But I usually only go once or twice a year.  I don't travel around the country to visit other parks (with the exception of a rare CP or HW trip).  And while I enjoy reading about KI and other parks here on KIC, I usually don't participate in the discussions.  I don't visit any other enthusiast communities besides this one. 

But I watched the video review that inspired this thread, and regardless of whether his claims about people sucking up to KI for access can be substantiated, and even though I know he wasn't talking about people like me, I still can't imagine being offended by anything he said.  I haven't ridden Orion, but even just reading all the reviews here, there's a substantial amount of people who think it's a step below some of the other gigas.  So while it may not necessarily be true or fair, I can understand why someone would come away with the opinion that people who are over the top in their praise of Orion are KI fanboys with ulterior motives.  I suppose I could see being offended if that accusation struck a nerve or hit a little too close to home.  But I don't believe that's the case for the overwhelming majority of posters here.  As an outsider, it feels like there's a good mix of all sorts of opinions here, good, bad, and indifferent.  And I have a hard time believing any of them are dishonest.  

So I guess my point is that I don't think the honest review guy was talking about anyone here.  Maybe I'm naive or completely off the mark.  I think he had a lot of good things to say about Orion and KI in general.  His opinion is also just one of many.  It doesn't carry any more or less weight just because he publishes it on youtube.  I didn't interpret his review as an attack on KI or its fans, only a small subset of fans who I suspect might exist, but haven't encountered myself.  He wasn't attacking the overwhelmingly reasonable and honest posters here, anyway.  I don't know anything about the guy other than that one video, but from his tone and tenor in that video, I suspect he would admit he wasn't referring to people here.

[Joshua]

The term "fan" carries too much of a negative stigma these days. Do toxic fans exist? Absolutely. But for every jerk there are at least five or six who are genuinely nice. 

[SonofBaconator]

Edit: didn't feel like dealing with the backlash

Edited August 25, 2020 by SonofBaconator