How will your Loyalty to Disney Change?

[VMK_Mouse]

AND the simple fact is, once you've been lied to about something that's important to you, it's very difficult to trust again.

Yes, that is pretty much where I stand and the way I feel right now. I am not so upset about Disney closing VMK as I am them taking people's money by selling items in the parks and then when they are ready to call it quits they label it a promotion.

I saw a lot of kids in WDW buying these pins with their own money. I would see them ask their mom and dad for their souvenir money to buy vmk codes. Small kids, too.

I do not know if you have seen the pins but nobody in their right mind would purchase those in high volume for the pin alone. You did not even know what pin you were getting when you made the purchase. People who purchased them bought them for VMK codes. For Disney Corporation to sell items and then tell you, "hey sucker, now we are taking them away since we made some profit on them", is a very poor way to conduct business. If they intended for VMK to honestly be a promotion only, the boxes should have been labeled as that.

The DMRs that people cashed in for virtual items should have been labeled as promotional. When I looked at what I could have recieved for all my DMRs, I looked like him ----------> I would have been able to get gifts for several people using my rewards plus things my kid really wanted. Many movies I bought so that my kid could get all of those items. I actually bought movies I would not have purchased otherwise.

I feel like they sold me something and now they are making me give it back without a refund.
Some people may have money to throw around and really not care, but I am not one of those people. I am not a frivolous spender and when I buy something, I purchase it for longevity.

 

[paloma91]

Well, here is my two cents. I am here on a limited budget. Won't go into alot of details here about it. I WAS planning and saving to take the family to disneyland this summer, sacrificing alot to do it. I was buying instead of renting disney movies for the points. Now, I will not be doing either. When I do buy movies they will be second hand and it will be a long time to come before we venture into disneyland

 

[Mintz]

The only Disney games I play are Club Penguin and VMK. No more Club Penguin since Saint. Patricks Day and after VMK's closing they won't close CP down but playing CP is boring compared to VMK so its an end to all virtual online games for me.
My dad was thinking of taking me to Florida for a week next summer and we could spend some days in WDW, and some in Universal. I don't mind that but if he offers Disneyland I'm passing that for Universal..I would have love to go if there was a VMK central or quests at least. We went a few months ago and it was fun but there is are too many little kid rides and I'm more of a roller costar person..so Universal it is. Although I like Splash Mountain and Space Mountain and all those rides. And the Nemo Submarine ride was pretty cool. So was California Screamin', oh my..it is Soo beautiful at night to ride on that, the sky is dark but lighted with all the lights in the city and in the amusement parks. They play a radio while you're in the ride and its fun to listen and look and scream at the same time. WDW has lots to do there so sure. I am surprised that they're closing VMK and the only thing that makes me mad is them all in it for the money or so. So I will not buy any souveneirs in WDW. Maybe some keychain. Not really much but hey it was a good three years so I'm happy.

 

[Fonna]

You're making a business decision sound emotional. I don't think Disney made this decision lightly, nor do I think they did this to alienate anyone. That's just the unfortunate result of the decision.

I still would love Disney to bring back Horizons, but I realize that ain't happening. I feel the same way about VMK.

You are kidding right? UH, it's DISNEY!! All emotion, all the time~​

I am sorry Horizons closed for you but they didn't close an ENTIRE park. Idk how you even compare the two.​

 

[BriarRosie]

You are kidding right? UH, it's DISNEY!! All emotion, all the time~​

I am sorry Horizons closed for you but they didn't close an ENTIRE park. Idk how you even compare the two.[/CENTER]

I can compare the two because closing VMK and closing Horizons were both business decisions.

People were emotional about Mr. Toad's closing at WDW. They staged protests for that, too. But Mr. Toad still closed. It was also a business decision.

Yes, I know they replaced it with Pooh. VMK is being replaced by other games that are different in scope. Do I agree with both changes? Absolutely not. But I still realized that both were business decisions.

 

[Beherenow]

I can already say that I have not purchased Disney toys and clothing because the desire to have them in my life has changed. The elation that I used to feel from the sight of Disney items is no longer there. Disney items just remind me that something I really enjoyed is going away because of a Disney decision. That happiness is now replaced with sadness and ill-feeling in my stomach. Our next trip to Florida will be to Universal Studios not WDW.

 

[Fonna]

I can compare the two because closing VMK and closing Horizons were both business decisions.

People were emotional about Mr. Toad's closing at WDW. They staged protests for that, too. But Mr. Toad still closed. It was also a business decision.

Yes, I know they replaced it with Pooh. VMK is being replaced by other games that are different in scope. Do I agree with both changes? Absolutely not. But I still realized that both were business decisions.

Again the point is they did not close the park down and leave you with NOTHING in any way comparable.

 

[BriarRosie]

Again the point is they did not close the park down and leave you with NOTHING in any way comparable.

I make the comparison that VMK isn't to be compared to a park, but rather an attraction. VMK should be compared to Club Penguin, ToonTown Online, POTC Online, and the new Cars and Pixie Hollow stuff coming soon.

It's hard not to compare VMK to a theme park, but in the grand scheme of things, it's just a game among all the other games produced by the DIG to the Powers That Be.

 

[dr_zero]

Coke made a business decision to quit making the original coke and it cost them customers took their money elsewhere.
So I think there is nothing wrong with folks wanting to pull their money and spend it somewhere else.

Sometimes in business you carry a certain item that might not be your best seller or your #1 money maker because it attracts the consumer, who in turn spend more money on other items.
Its done everyday and Disney can do this with VMK they can expand it and add ways to even make some money back with more cross promotions etc etc

Calling something a Business decision is a way of isolating the company from the consumer who are not figures on paper but living breathing souls who also have wallets.

Big companies forget we are real people not just some statistic or target audience or demographic and especially Disney who used to be geared toward the family they should know better than any!

So Disney sit there in your corporate tower and make your business decision or you can come down to the park level and meet your consumer like Walt did and see how things really are, sadly I already know your answer.

 

[Fonna]

I make the comparison that MK isn't to be compared to a park, but rather an attraction. MK should be compared to Club Penguin, Downtown On line, PO TC On line, and the new Cars and Pixie Hollow stuff coming soon.

It's hard not to compare MK to a theme park, but in the grand scheme of things, it's just a game among all the other games produced by the DIG to the Powers That Be.

I have tried to understand your opinion, to which you certainly are entitled, but i digress it is lost on me. I guess there just some of us that have come to care A LOT more for VMK and our friends there than to be able to just say - OH WELL, on to other games.
Shame on me I suppose for holding Disney to a higher standard and thinking they actually cared for more than my purse!
Glad you can go on t allow Disney to keep its hand in your wallet while caring nothing for you or your family. Sorry but that sounds like a very one sided business association to me. But good luck to you.

 

[VMK_Mouse]

I have tried to understand your opinion, to which you certainly are entitled, but i digress it is lost on me. I guess there just some of us that have come to care A LOT more for VMK and our friends there than to be able to just say - OH WELL, on to other games.
Shame on me I suppose for holding Disney to a higher standard and thinking they actually cared for more than my purse!
Glad you can go on t allow Disney to keep its hand in your wallet while caring nothing for you or your family. Sorry but that sounds like a very one sided business association to me. But good luck to you.

**claps loudly**

 

[CelebrationNM]

A business decision means that, after weighing costs and benefits, the company felt it was good for both their bottom line and future ability to serve customers. (A company wants to perform well so it can continue to grow and grow and make new things, so the fact that Disney wants to grow doesn’t mean it wants to take money and run!) There are a limited amount of resources available with which to operate and develop projects, so I think of it as WDIG reinvesting resources into something else that (they believe) will better serve their wide audience.

Reading through this thread I realized how much trust and value people place in the Disney brand, which I think it really good because there are lots of reasons to have this kind of trust. If you want to let this change that for you, that’s certainly your choice. It’s your right to hold a corporation to whatever expectations you want to, but a company like Disney has a lot of people to please, and it can’t please all of them with every single decision. This was a single decision in a place where hundreds of decisions are made every day. The world of Disney doesn’t revolve around VMK or its players; we’re just a small segment of Disney’s audience and I think it’s over-reacting to take this decision so personally or as an indication that Disney doesn’t care. The end of VMK could very well make way for new games that will please Disney’s audiences to an even greater extent and actually make the Disney brand stronger.

When I visit the parks and resorts and see smiles on the faces of kids and their families, I have no doubt that this is a company full of people that care very much about the emotional experience of their guests and provides opportunities for a connection on an emotional level… Disney does it better than anybody else, anywhere. I think the best of Disney is yet to come, and I’m looking forward to it.

I wish VMK wasn't closing too, because I enjoy playing it. But, I am looking forward to seeing what's on the horizon and continuing to enjoy everything Disney has to offer, be it in theaters, on teleivison, at Parks and Resorts, and beyond.

 

[qruthie]

I agree that closing VMK is a business decision but given my experiences in the corporate world, I have no reason to believe the decision to close VMK was well thought out. I'm not saying it wasn't, Disney executives could have spent months discussing the risks and benefits of closing VMK but I think it's not likely they expended much effort on the decision. I definitely will not blindly back Disney and assume they put any quality time into the decision. My gut based on my experience in the corporate world says the decision went something like this: VMK is a line item on someone's budget and that someone was told to cut overhead expenses. On paper, VMK shows up as overhead so it got the ax.

I've seen the inner workings of companies and how they make their decisions. I've worked directly with people making bigger decisions than whether or not to close VMK. I have experienced the ramifications of those business decisions. I doubt the Disney corporation operates in a significantly different manner. Here's a real example of a business decision made by another large company about my job.

I was working on project Mumble (details changed so as not to violate any employee agreements I signed) which was critical for the company to comply with a specific industry standard. The company advertised itself as complying with that standard and was required by contract to do so, especially those all important government contracts. The company would lose most of its business if it didn't comply with the standard. I was the only person working on the project and was doing it quite well. Nobody else was trained to work on the project, nobody was available to take over my work, the company had a head count freeze (so someone would not be able to transfer into my position) and the company had a hiring freeze (so they couldn't hire anyone to replace me). We were a group of about 10 people and on the budget, we were 100% overhead for a 100% overhead organization. The organization got the orders to cut their headcount by 10%. Those orders were passed directly to my group (a questionable business practice in itself), we had to cut our headcount by 10%. Now it would seem that the obvious business decision would be to keep qruthie employed and working on this project as that would ensure the company would comply to the standard which was critical for them to do if they wanted to stay in business. But the decision about my job was not based on any of the above information.

Here's how it went down. Each person in my group (or should I say, each position in my group?) was funded by a different part of the organization. It wasn't up to our manager to decide who would go. Our performance on the job didn't matter. The importance of a particular project didn't matter. The business decision depended on which positions were funded and which weren't. In the end Fred (name changed) who sat a few cubicles over from me decided to fund my position from his budget so I got to keep my job.

I think they made the right business decision. However, I didn't like the way that business decision was made so I decided to leave that position for something more secure.

 

[EvlQueen]

A business decision means that, after weighing costs and benefits, the company felt it was good for both their bottom line and future ability to serve customers.

The world of Disney doesn’t revolve around VMK or its players; we’re just a small segment of Disney’s audience and I think it’s over-reacting to take this decision so personally or as an indication that Disney doesn’t care.

Please help me to understand these statements in the context that Disney LIED to and manipulated us!!!

In September they said, Don't worry, VMK Central closing doesn't mean a thing. We were sad to see it go, but we tried to get over it. Sorry, folks, no Christmas quest either (oh did you book your trip with that in mind?), but here's a shiny Mickey TV to prove that we aren't closing. Have you seen our beautiful pirate pins? Hey, check out this cool magic you can get with your Disney Movie points! Cut to April 7th: Oh, did we fail to mention that after all the money you spent on virtual items, that this was just a promotion? Sorry! We feel your pain!

The point is that if we hadn't been so manipulated we would all just be dealing with the sadness of losing VMK. The reason that the trust is gone is not just because of the loss of VMK; it's because Disney had no trouble jerking us around while taking away something we loved.

5/7/08 Still waiting for your response CelebrationNM....

 

[Berry Princess]

Haven't read all the posts here but this will not change anything with how I feel about Disney. I grew up about 45-60 minutes from Disneyland. We would go at least 2 times a year. One I moved closer (about 20 minutes from it now) we have been annual passholders since my oldest was 3 yrs old. That was 7yrs ago. We buy the movies we like and merchandise we like when we can. My youngest is crazy about Playhouse Disney. She adores Pooh and Mickey and has a blast at 19 months going to the park and seeing them. We have taken the oldest since he was 2, the middle one since he was 2 months old and the princess since she was 1 month old. Heck I remember when the Disney Channel first started and how great it was. While now I feel only Playhouse Disney is the only good stuff on it since its nothing like it used to be. Things change though. I understand that they are a company and they have to make money. Its the way the world is with ALL companies of any size. They have people to pay, things to maintain, etc, etc. I can understand why lots are hurt by this though. But for me nothing will change with how I feel about Disney. They have done things I don't like at times too (putting Jack Sparrow in the POTC is one of them and the possible change to Small World will be another if it happens, Disney Channel not playing any classic stuff like they used to) but it has always been and always will be a HUGE part of my life and my families lives. And the magic for me is always there when I see my kids watching the Disney movies or in the parks having fun. Its such a big part of us that we do Mother's Day there every year and my MIL and SIL come as well. I think no matter what each of our opinions/feelings are about it there is no wrong. We each have a right to them no matter which way they go.

 

[queenj]

yes, sadly vmk closing has greatly affected my views on disney. i will walk into a disney store (yes i know disney doens not own them) and i walk out empty handed because i feel...... betrayed. i always look for flower (the skunk in bambi) because my last name is flowers. i go thru target and look at the disney toys but cant buy them because right now i am upsat sad and going on angry. when i lived in cali and drove to DL and did the quests i was NEVER told it was a promotion (ok ok ok put the shotgun down) and i spent way to much on virtual items only to have it shut down. i have my "flat" made but cant print it cause i dunno how to hook my laptop to the printer. while i do want to go on a disney cruise, i wonder if i book a cruise if it too will get canceled as a promotion. i can see in with the new and out with the old but ...if it ain't broke DON'T FIX IT! i too am from new england and try as hard as i can i can't do the pirate arrr either but.....
so yes my views are ..... jaded right now and i hope to get the love back but right now disney is on my "naughty" list and santa will not be nice to naughty disney.
just my opinion tho.....................

 

[Halloweenqueen]

Please help me to understand these statements in the context that Disney LIED to and manipulated us!!!

In September they said, Don't worry, VMK Central closing doesn't mean a thing. We were sad to see it go, but we tried to get over it. Sorry, folks, no Christmas quest either (oh did you book your trip with that in mind?), but here's a shiny Mickey TV to prove that we aren't closing. Have you seen our beautiful pirate pins? Hey, check out this cool magic you can get with your Disney Movie points! Cut to April 7th: Oh, did we fail to mention that after all the money you spent on virtual items, that this was just a promotion? Sorry! We feel your pain!

The point is that if we hadn't been so manipulated we would all just be dealing with the sadness of losing VMK. The reason that the trust is gone is not just because of the loss of VMK; it's because Disney had no trouble jerking us around while taking away something we loved.

My thoughts exactly! My kids spent birthday money/allowances on VMK pins, codes, and movies to increase out reward points. At no time were we told these things would be worthless, in fact they reassured us multiple times that VMK was here to stay!

We are seriously thinking of canceling our trip in November. The kids just don't feel the magic after this mess.

Yes, it was a business decision, but I think it has more to do with a contract for the future games than the end of a promotion.

Imagine if you bought something and only used it a couple of times and Disney flipped a switch to make your "shirt, toy, or pin" to disappear?

 

[Dreamytime]

I know that my loyalty toward Disney's online games changed yesterday with the new Terms of Use.


All information, materials, functions and other content (including Submissions, as defined in Section 3, entitled "SUBMISSIONS") ("Content") contained on WDIG Sites are our copyrighted property or the copyrighted property of our licensors or licensees. All trademarks, service marks, trade names, and trade dress are proprietary to us and/or our licensors or licensees. We may change the WDIG Sites or delete Content or features at any time, in any way, for any or no reason.

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
WE MAY TERMINATE YOUR FURTHER ACCESS TO WDIG SITES OR CHANGE THE WDIG SITES OR DELETE CONTENT OR FEATURES IN ANY WAY, AT ANY TIME AND FOR ANY REASON OR NO REASON.

Which to me says, don't get too invested because the rug can be pulled out from under you at any time for any reason.

To them we are just pixels and will never be more than that. They do not see the people behind the pixels and probably never truly will.

 

[redshoe]

I don't know why people are implying that we are somehow irrational because we're getting "emotional" about a "business decision." Disney for years has capitalized on the emotions of families. Those lines were completely blurred a long time ago. Disney put themselves in this position. They set themselves up to be held to these standards. Their schtick for years has been how much they care about the family, and how everything is about "the magic." Granted, they are a company that must make money, but they've done a bang-up job of creating the illusion that it isn't entirely about the almighty dollar. That's how they earned the trust of many of us, and believe me, that effort was a conscious one. And now we're just supposed to put aside everything THEY created, and not call them on it when they make a cold, calculated decision that leaves so many adults and children out in the cold with nothing to show for their time spent, their friendships, their reward points and their pin money?

Business decision? Sorry, no...Disney can't have it both ways. You better believe I'm emotional about this.

Yet again, I'd probably feel better about it if there were some effort being made to take care of us. Maybe if they'd pulled the pins from the parks so that we couldn't waste our money on them. Maybe if they'd not offered VMK items through Movie Rewards. Maybe if they'd started working on a sort of VMK 2.0 when they figured out that VMK itself was going to go away. Maybe if they showed a sincere effort to make VMK profitable before axing it altogether.

Maybe, maybe, maybe.

 

[Bugdozer]

Hi,

I have so many mixed emotions about all of this. VMK is close to our hearts as you all know. It was there when Ink and I needed it to get through life altering events. It brought a wonderful real life friend into our life and many many countless other friends and acquaintances. We love Disney. Inks and my favorite times in life are when we are at the parks. We just got back Sunday from our first ever trip to Disneyland. It was beautiful, amazing and I loved every moment there with my son- he is all ready asking when can we go back. We will not stop going to the parks. Ink informed me that this year makes 10 years since his first WDW trip. We have been going to the parks long before VMK and will be going long after.

What this has done to me is that I will NEVER join another online game again. I just can't do it. I put my heart and soul into this "game" for almost 3 years and I can not do that again just to have it ripped from me. I am encouraging slinkyman to also not get involved again with another online world. There is just no accountability yet for these companies that own these worlds.

If I knew back in the beginning what I know today would i still have joined? Yes! as VMK has brought many wonderful people into our lives and much joy to us. But as they say- been there done that and not doing it again-there is no replacement for VMK.

I hope somewhere out there someone high up heres the sobs that will be coming from this house on May 21 when VMK closes as 3 players here are hit with the reality that this is the end- but in the end they will not hear the sobs after all we are nothing but a promotion...


Bug