Save VMK! : VMK Blog

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"Bad move: Disney shutting down Virtual Magic Kingdom:

Disney's Virtual Magic Kingdom to Close Doors

On May 21, Disney is closing down Virtual Magic Kindgom. Launched to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Disneyland in 2005, the virtual attraction saw strong enough numbers to keep it running for three unexpected years, but, as producer Seth "Yavn" Mendelsohn explained in a newsletter earlier this week, "the game has lived well beyond the originally intended time it was planned to run."

"At Disney we're still committed to building communities and online virtual worlds – and we're looking forward to providing you the opportunity to enjoy other exciting new experiences," Mendelsohn continued..."
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Source: Laurel Papworth -Social Networks

VMK R.I.P. 05.21.08

IsadoraQ from SaveVMK.com Would Like to Say Something...

"I have been thinking, and I wanted to say this:

In this world we come across many different types of people. We may find that people are generally doing positive and helpful things. Or, they may be doing negative and harmful actions, either by themselves, or by allowing others to do so.

It is always wise to try to steer clear of those who are so wrapped up in their own concerns that they will hurt others -- either on purpose, or indirectly because they simply don't care enough about other people to think about the consequences of what they are doing.

Even when we are careful about who we choose deal with, it can still be disappointing to find people choosing these negative actions, whether it is a single person, or a group of people, like a company.

We are sadly surprised to find Disney in this category. We are stunned at the way they have treated people all over the world, especially kids. They did not even give a sincere apology, but instead watered down their explanation with excuses and defenses. It is also sad to see how different the Walt Disney Corporation is now from the man, Walt Disney, himself. He was a good businessman also, but he kept his focus on making people -- especially children and families -- happy. He once said:

"A person should set his goals as early as he can and devote all his energy and talent to getting there. With enough effort, he may achieve it. Or he may find something that is even more rewarding. But in the end, no matter what the outcome, he will know he has been alive."

Happily for us, as in the words of Walt Disney, something even better has come along when something else goes away. Maybe VMK went away, so a better thing could come alive?! We want to express our profound gratitude and admiration for the folks over at www.virtualfamilykingdom.com. They are concerned families, just like we are, who wanted to help and not allow the friendships and lives of VMKers to die. The people at VFK have been working so hard to have their kingdom ready for everyone, so that no one need be disappointed. Their new world looks lovely and exciting! We feel very happy that they stood up and decided to help, thus becoming a true hero for us all, and saving the fun and friendships we enjoyed on VMK, and giving hope to all of us. May their kingdom last forever, and our friendships, too!!

Walt Disney also said,

"You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you."

This is, no doubt, true. But I don't think anyone -- including Disney himself -- would ever have imagined that the Walt Disney Corporation would be the one kicking millions of children in the teeth.

Lizzie_Magic wrote today, and said,

"Thanks so much for setting up this site IsadoraQ! It is too bad that Disney still refuses to listen to the voices of the people. I don't know about you, but after VMK is over, there is no way I am going to support the other Disney websites that they are trying to switch us to. Did you ever find out the REAL reason why they are shutting it down? Well, we have one day. Maybe there will be a sign tomorrow that says: BIG NEWS! VMK LIVES ON!!!! Otherwise, there will be a great sadness throughout the world. Oh well. Thanks again!"

So we will see what happens tomorrow. Regardless, please know that SaveVMK.com will still be here. Hang in there. Talk to your parents, or others who care about you, about how you feel. And, I'll see you all at Virtual Family Kingdom!!

Thanks to everyone for their support,
        IsadoraQ "

Source: SaveVMK.com

AN IMPORTANT NOTE FROM VMKBLOG.COM...
VMK KIDS PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do not post your e-mail address on any blog, YouTube video, comment, discussion forum or otherwise, with the hopes of tracking down your VMK friends.  I do not know what VFK has in store for us, but it is probably safer than posting your info online in an effort to find your friends.  PARENTS: PLEASE discuss with your kids/pre-teens/teenagers, etc. the risks of posting your personal information online.  DISNEY has most certainly let the VMK community down by not creating a safe harbor or transition period for the kids of VMK.  Disney hoped VMK kids would just transition over to their new virtual worlds, but due to understandable trust issues, it cannot be assumed they will automatically convert into a toon, pirate, penguin, fairy or car. 

An Analysis of VMK, from Chris

"No need to try to contact me unless you wish to.

I noticed the following things that happened in rapid order:

Following the end of the pirate celebration, specifically the big pirate quest, there was the Yavn "scolding" about all the cheating and other stuff going on in regards to that quest. A couple of days later, VMK announces its closure. The next day, I start seeing a surge in the "Year of a Million Dreams" television promotion. Then, I see commercials for the Disney pirates online game within days of that. As April rolls around, a new batch of Disney travel shows on The Travel Channel(which I have recorded). Also, notice sites such as MSN and other high traffic sites with Disney travel banner ads.

Obviously, Disney is spending millions on marketing, promotional and other advertising, with no real method of finding out what is working for them.

And here it is, VMK, a great promotional tool, which they have used to promote a good many things Disney. And like the print, television and internet ads, no real way of knowing what is driving income into the big pot of money that is Disney. The other games are not open ended enough to allow the direct and blatant interjection of promotional material. VMK allows this. Proof? Pirates stuff during the releases of POTC3. High School Musical mania promoted via a long running quest. Hannah Montana and Twitches got similar treatments. Ongoing games from the Narnia, POTC and Terabithia promotional sites handing out codes for use with VMK. The game helped get my little kids excited about their trip to WDW last November.

So, axe VMK. Let's make every a penguin. Make everyone a pirate. Make everyone a toon. Soon, make everyone a fairy(let's avoid crude jokes). Let's make everyone a car.

Sorry. I like Disney parks. I want to be me. Unlike some people, I chose to make my little avatar look like me. I walk around in black shorts, black shoes, wear glasses and it even came with hair similar to mine.

VMK: I could be ME in Disney, as if I was there without the costs. My daily escape. The other games won't do it for me.

Oh well. I'm a technician. What do I know about marketing?"

Source: Save VMK Comments (please give this page time to load, there 4,311 comments)

On Disney's Puzzling Online Move: Buy vs. Build

"This Wall Street Journal article lays out one of the most perplexing things about how established companies, leaders in their industries, behave with an incumbent's mind-set...

"The situation shows how sticky things can get when free, nonrevenue-generating gimmicks blossom into hits. In 2006, Disney boasted that one million avatars had been created inside VMK, though the company declines to say how many users the site actually has (individuals can create multiple characters). The site, which operates from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. Pacific time, still boasts a few thousand daily users."

Couple of remarkable takeaways from this little quote.

1.  Disney managed to get a million folks to translate their off-line affinity for Disney parks into some online activity.  It fizzled in growing users from there  of course, since the whole thing was designed just as a short-term "promotion" for the perennial off-line properties.

2.  Disney actually had off-line operating hours for an online site, which presumably can be accessed 24/7, from anywhere in the world.

Some of these questions popped into my mind reading this saga:

1. How much does it cost to keep the site running?  How does that cost compare to other promotional initiatives by Disney for it's off-line properties that last for years or indefinitely?

2. What are the pros and cons of moving the site from it's marketing/promotional departments, to the operational side?  What if this were turned over to some in-house employees with a "start-up mentality", and ask them to see how something like this could be turned into a sustainable virtual presence of Disney's real-world properties?  Could it be morphed into being both a permanent promotional and an entertaining  online property in it's own right?  And of course, could that be turned into a profitable operation in the long-term?

3.  Would an effort like this cost anywhere near the $700 million it cost Disney to buy Club Penguin last year from outside entrepreneurs with the right "startup mentality"?..."
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Source:   *michael parekh on IT* Ruminations on the Internet, Technology, and Interesting Trends around the globe.

Closing a Disney Community: Church of the Customer Blog

"Disney's Virtual Magic Kingdom is a virtual representation of the real-life Disneyland theme park. It's also an online community for evangelists of Disneyland.

More than a million avatars have been created at VMK. By almost any standard, it's a popular site.

But Disney plans to shutter VMK tomorrow night, and that's caused consternation in paradise. Petitions have been signed, protest sites have been created. VMK citizens wonder why Disney would want to close something that solidifies and extends their loyalty.

Here's one reason: Disney envisioned VMK as an 18-month promotion, not a long-term loyalty effort.

The closing of VMK illustrates a schism prevalent today at many companies, especially larger ones: the battle between short-term campaigns vs. long-term evangelism..."
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Source: Church of the Customer Blog

Disney’s Virtual Magic Kingdom explained by virtual world expert: OC Register

This article is worth an entire read...

Parents with children VMK'ers...read the last question entitled "What do you suggest VMK people do when VMK ends? Why?"

Excerpt:
"Why do you think Walt Disney Co. is ending VMK? Do you agree that the site should end or do you think Disney should keep it going?

I believe VMK is being closed for a variety of reasons, although this is my professional conjecture. VMK represented an early entrant into virtual social worlds. Technology has advanced, as have business models, user expectations and “mainstream” acceptance. Disney is in the process of launching several new worlds in which they can capitalize on these new market conditions and realities.

VMK seems to have had about 15,000 people as active daily users at the time of its closing. With constant quests and activities, this represents a cost which is likely unsustainable at that level of use - especially since there is dedicated staff (cast members) who are in world at all times it is open for users.

Also, because VMK was originally conceived as a 50th anniversary promotion, there was likely no long-term strategy in place beyond an early “experiment” in these kinds of multi-user environments.

Disney’s decision to close VMK was a business decision - so it is difficult for me to assign a “should” factor to it. However, I do think it is enormously - enormously - unfortunate that Disney has provided such little support for this hugely engaged community in the closing. Disney has a perfect opportunity here to have strategically communicated with this community, helping them transition into one of the new Disney world perhaps or providing some way to somehow archive some of the personal artifacts - not the least of which are the avatars, assets and personal environments which users have spent untold hours building - maybe that would be simply a digital VMK memory scrapbook - something that communicated Disney was tuned into the angst of the community being disbanded.

I do think any organization that actively builds a community has some responsibility to manage the dismantling of that community if it should be necessary. But, in the long view, any company that builds a community should be doing so as a long term commitment and ought to be considering at the outset what the “exit strategy” is..."
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Source: Orange County Register

On Another Note: Nielsen: Club Penguin Growth Slows

"In Nielsen's social networking numbers for April, Club Penguin's growth slowed -7% compared to April 2007. Caroline McCarthy at CNET points out that last  August, Nielsen was showing   Penguin with 250% year-over-year growth, emphasizing the current slump. Perhaps coincidentally, that growth came the same month that Disney acquired the kids virtual world.  Club Penguin might have drawn its big blast of users then and is simply evening out now. Or, of course, there's the good chance that increasing competition from the wealth of other youth-focused virtual worlds is simply drawing away potential users..."
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Source: Virtual Worlds News

Maybe Disney should have built on something good...that they already had...hmm...let me think...VMK!

Virtual Worlds News: WSJ Notes Virtual Magic Kingdom Backlash

"The Wall Street Journal has a lengthy write-up on the user backlash against Disney over its decision to shut down Virtual Magic Kingdom tomorrow. There's no new news in the story, but it's worth noting that the coverage has reached page B1 levels in the WSJ. AS the Journal points out (and hits the nail on the head): "The situation shows how sticky things can get when free, nonrevenue-generating gimmicks blossom into hits.""
Source: Virtual Worlds News

Real People Feel Pained as Virtual Drawbridge Goes Up

"The 3-d web and Virtual Worlds are - I contend - the future of communication and a big part of community as we connect with wider and wider diverse groups of people. But there are glitches.

If truth be told there's more than one glitch.

The Disney folks have discovered that.

Or should have.

The Wall Street Journal sums the situation up neatly when it points out that "For Walt Disney Co., the task of opening a virtual version of Disneyland on the Web was relatively easy. Closing it, though, is proving to be quite a bit more difficult, thanks to the wrath of obsessive fans of Disney's theme parks."

It started with the launch, in 2005, of the free online game Virtual Magic Kingdom, based on the design and feel of the real world Disneyland park.

Fans wanting to visit Tomorrowland or princesses in catles were able to do just that in virtual reality through avatars they created. Plus the Kingdom gave visitors - or did until tomorrow - lots of opportunity to interact with others who share an interest in Disney and online virtual reality games.

Players, participants, or those who WSJ calls "Disney's notoriously obsessive fans" were quickly hooked and Disney bragged that over a million avatars had been created.

So far so good.

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Source: Susan Reynolds' Blog