cteddiesgirl
<font color=deeppink>Not invisible to the Tag Fair
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2005
Here is my letter that I wish to send out. I'm not really that happy with it. But there's just so much to say and I know it would be a miracle for them to read it at all let alone 3 or 4 pages.
To whom it may concern,
I am a single adult female with no children who has played VMK for the last 2.5 years. I believe that the Disney Company needs to take another look at this little place on the internet called Virtual Magic Kingdom. How can it not be the most magical and probably one of the most viable and lucrative "games" on the internet? VMK has only begun to really start in my eyes.
There is still so much that can be done with it. I also believe at one point in time, Yavn (the lead producer) even stated that he would like to see Epcot (my own favorite park) be built into the game. And why stop there? There's still Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom and California Adventure.
For me, Disney has always been a magical experience. Ever since my very first trip to Walt Disney World in 1972 while still in the womb (so, I didnt have a very good view). Over the years, Ive had many happy memories of going to WDW with my parents and my sister. The last time I went, it was just my niece and I. Since that time, I have been missing the park. Imagine my surprise when in September 2005 I found out about this game on a Disney fan site. I ignored it at first because Im not really a gamer. Then I looked at the people posting in the forum about it and thought, what the heck? I instantly fell in love with VMK. Here was a place where I could experience the magic of my beloved park without actually having to be there. And not only that, it was not your ordinary game. I didnt have to worry about doing tasks and getting to higher levels. I could just walk through the park exploring at my leisure. I could just sit on a bench and watch the people go by. Or meet new friends who share my love of Disney. I could just play mini games all the time. Or I could spend my time trading or decorating my rooms. There really is no pressure to do anything and theres so much to do. Its like a vacation inside the virtual world.
VMK is the Happiest Place on the Internet. The people are generally so friendly and so kind. When I couldnt afford to go to the parks to do park quest items, some people just gave me some of those items. When people are having a tough time in their real lives, they log in and are comforted by their friends. There are those players who will sit in the Esplanade for hours at a time and just give away things to new people coming in. There are those that will see that a player has been playing a game for a while and still cant get it, so they help them out. During the last big quest, we had to reach a near impossible score on a certain mini-game. Many of us tried to help as many people through it as we could and we ended up with far more people finishing than was ever expected by the staff. And when the quest was suddenly ended 10 hours early, some people just gave away some of their prizes they worked so hard to get to others that couldnt finish.
Then there are those people that play to escape their lives. Many people that play have disabilities or illness. I know quite a few who have various forms of Autism, cancer or other debilitating problems. Some have used the game as a form of therapy or recovery. Some have formed friendships in VMK when they couldnt form friendships elsewhere. There have been kids who have learned to spell better due to the dictionary within the game.
There are also many families that play VMK. Entire families. Ive known several where everyone in the household plays. Kids and parents alike. Also, I have seen where grandparents and aunts and uncles are playing. Even my Godchildren will log in at their home and play along with me. VMK really is an extension of the real parks. One quote from Walt Disney that really does fit VMK: "We believed in our idea - a family park where parents and children could have fun - together." No other game on the internet has this kind of appeal to all ages.
This is why I believe that you have the best online promotional tool available in internet "games". VMK is capable of advertising and promoting Anything the Disney Company does. It's not tied to only one movie or one park. It's everything Disney. It's the parks, it's the resorts, it's the movies, it's the TV shows, it's the clothes, the dvd's, the music, etc. The company needs to just puts a few ads for the "game" on sites such as Neopets or Yahoo, AOL, etc to increase the amount of players (and possible new consumers). Then use the "game" to promote anything that Disney wishes to promote. It can be ads included on the actual screen or it can be in "game" items to promote something. Also, I do believe that the Disney Movie Rewards was a brilliant idea. Or just sell card packs with various codes for things that can only be received through the packs. Or just make the game pay to play. This is just a couple of ways to make VMK profitable for Disney. Oh. And one very important thing, get better servers for the game. That is a must so that more players can be online at the same time.
I believe that the company is just wasting its money on short term internet games to promote something. Want to promote a new attraction at the parks? Promote in VMK. Want to promote a new movie in the theaters? Promote it in VMK. Want to get word out about a new show on the Disney Channel? Promote it in VMK.
Oh. And you have probably wondered why when referring to VMK as a game I used quotes. Its because VMK is not just a game, nor is it just a promotion. It is a community.
By shutting down VMK, you are losing a great promotional tool and destroying a community and children along with it. Walt would never have disappointed so many children.
In short, build on what you already have instead of tearing it down and save the community of VMK
Sincerely,
Teresa aka cteddiesgirl
To whom it may concern,
I am a single adult female with no children who has played VMK for the last 2.5 years. I believe that the Disney Company needs to take another look at this little place on the internet called Virtual Magic Kingdom. How can it not be the most magical and probably one of the most viable and lucrative "games" on the internet? VMK has only begun to really start in my eyes.
There is still so much that can be done with it. I also believe at one point in time, Yavn (the lead producer) even stated that he would like to see Epcot (my own favorite park) be built into the game. And why stop there? There's still Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom and California Adventure.
For me, Disney has always been a magical experience. Ever since my very first trip to Walt Disney World in 1972 while still in the womb (so, I didnt have a very good view). Over the years, Ive had many happy memories of going to WDW with my parents and my sister. The last time I went, it was just my niece and I. Since that time, I have been missing the park. Imagine my surprise when in September 2005 I found out about this game on a Disney fan site. I ignored it at first because Im not really a gamer. Then I looked at the people posting in the forum about it and thought, what the heck? I instantly fell in love with VMK. Here was a place where I could experience the magic of my beloved park without actually having to be there. And not only that, it was not your ordinary game. I didnt have to worry about doing tasks and getting to higher levels. I could just walk through the park exploring at my leisure. I could just sit on a bench and watch the people go by. Or meet new friends who share my love of Disney. I could just play mini games all the time. Or I could spend my time trading or decorating my rooms. There really is no pressure to do anything and theres so much to do. Its like a vacation inside the virtual world.
VMK is the Happiest Place on the Internet. The people are generally so friendly and so kind. When I couldnt afford to go to the parks to do park quest items, some people just gave me some of those items. When people are having a tough time in their real lives, they log in and are comforted by their friends. There are those players who will sit in the Esplanade for hours at a time and just give away things to new people coming in. There are those that will see that a player has been playing a game for a while and still cant get it, so they help them out. During the last big quest, we had to reach a near impossible score on a certain mini-game. Many of us tried to help as many people through it as we could and we ended up with far more people finishing than was ever expected by the staff. And when the quest was suddenly ended 10 hours early, some people just gave away some of their prizes they worked so hard to get to others that couldnt finish.
Then there are those people that play to escape their lives. Many people that play have disabilities or illness. I know quite a few who have various forms of Autism, cancer or other debilitating problems. Some have used the game as a form of therapy or recovery. Some have formed friendships in VMK when they couldnt form friendships elsewhere. There have been kids who have learned to spell better due to the dictionary within the game.
There are also many families that play VMK. Entire families. Ive known several where everyone in the household plays. Kids and parents alike. Also, I have seen where grandparents and aunts and uncles are playing. Even my Godchildren will log in at their home and play along with me. VMK really is an extension of the real parks. One quote from Walt Disney that really does fit VMK: "We believed in our idea - a family park where parents and children could have fun - together." No other game on the internet has this kind of appeal to all ages.
This is why I believe that you have the best online promotional tool available in internet "games". VMK is capable of advertising and promoting Anything the Disney Company does. It's not tied to only one movie or one park. It's everything Disney. It's the parks, it's the resorts, it's the movies, it's the TV shows, it's the clothes, the dvd's, the music, etc. The company needs to just puts a few ads for the "game" on sites such as Neopets or Yahoo, AOL, etc to increase the amount of players (and possible new consumers). Then use the "game" to promote anything that Disney wishes to promote. It can be ads included on the actual screen or it can be in "game" items to promote something. Also, I do believe that the Disney Movie Rewards was a brilliant idea. Or just sell card packs with various codes for things that can only be received through the packs. Or just make the game pay to play. This is just a couple of ways to make VMK profitable for Disney. Oh. And one very important thing, get better servers for the game. That is a must so that more players can be online at the same time.
I believe that the company is just wasting its money on short term internet games to promote something. Want to promote a new attraction at the parks? Promote in VMK. Want to promote a new movie in the theaters? Promote it in VMK. Want to get word out about a new show on the Disney Channel? Promote it in VMK.
Oh. And you have probably wondered why when referring to VMK as a game I used quotes. Its because VMK is not just a game, nor is it just a promotion. It is a community.
By shutting down VMK, you are losing a great promotional tool and destroying a community and children along with it. Walt would never have disappointed so many children.
In short, build on what you already have instead of tearing it down and save the community of VMK
Sincerely,
Teresa aka cteddiesgirl
I like how you give options on how Disney can profit from their own "game." You would think a company as large as they are would be aware of this already... *sigh* 
