How will your Loyalty to Disney Change?

[BriarRosie]

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

I think you understood what I was trying to say. My feelings are mixed. On the one hand, I'll always go to the parks. And on the other hand, I poured a lot of myself into VMK over the past three years, as well. And like you, I don't want to join another online game because of the terms of VMK's demise.

 

[Disney Dreams]

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.

I was having this EXACT discussion with my husband last night when I said goodbye to Hula and found myself crying.

VMK was my very first experience with truly connecting with people through an online game or community, short of a dachshund message board. I NEVER thought I would form connections with others through VMK. I NEVER EVER EVER thought I would meet any of those people in real life. I NEVER thought I would look forward to discussions with people I "met" in such a game, would turn to some of them for life advice, or would share a relationship so similar to that which I have with my "real" friends.

I struggled with realigning my thought process that these people were indeed real friends, friends that I would turn to during very difficult times and celebrate with during amazing high points.

I told "hub.by" last night, if it ever dawned on me that they (Disney) would pull it all away from me with a 30 day notice, I'm not sure I ever would have gotten involved.

The rooms I have built are expressions of my creativity, my dreams, and are in a way, mini-accomplishments. They are projects I am proud of creating. The friends I have made ARE real, they are just not face-to-face. The games I have excelled in are skills and those that I struggle in are challenges I continue to try to conquer. To lose all of that due to a decision some executive who has no clue (or care) about the Real Jegrezo's life, is painful.

Am I glad I had these opportunities and made these amazing friendships? Of course! Would I have signed on if I had realized that it really would end? Sad to say, probably not. I would not give up those friendships and experiences for anything on Earth in retrospect, but 2.5 years ago, I didn't know they were there... nor did I realize in the virtual world, just how much pain and loss can come with the flip of a switch.

As I venture into finding other online worlds that can somehow provide me with some form of the stress relief factor that VMK offers me, I have found myself cautious about forming connections with other players - unless I know I can contact them in other ways. The pain when you are FORCED to say goodbye, is just too much.

 

[EvlQueen]

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.

Well said redshoe. I find it VERY interesting that those who are so quick to defend Disney and who are so wise to understand their "business decision" never address the issue of HOW VMK was put to death, and how Disney broke our hearts. They never address the way we (and our children) were manipulated and used up until the very last minute (our time, our money, our enthusiasm). They never address why we should continue to trust a company who would treat us this way with no apology. You know who you are. Care to comment??

 

[VMK_Mouse]

Well said redshoe. I find it VERY interesting that those who are so quick to defend Disney and who are so wise to understand their "business decision" never address the issue of HOW VMK was put to death, and how Disney broke our hearts. They never address the way we (and our children) were manipulated and used up until the very last minute (our time, our money, our enthusiasm). They never address why we should continue to trust a company who would treat us this way with no apology. You know who you are. Care to comment??

While biting my lip I have though the same about some of those comments as well. Perhaps some of the comments come from Disney employees in hiding.

 

[snowgracefulstone]

While biting my lip I have though the same about some of those comments as well. Perhaps some of the comments come from Disney employees in hiding.

If they are, they want to be careful, they may find themselves out of a job without any warning or apology the next time Disney makes an "unemotional business decision"

 

[VMK_Mouse]

If they are, they want to be careful, they may find themselves out of a job without any warning or apology the next time Disney makes an "unemotional business decision"

You are correct my dearest snow! I am sure they are a statistic, a number on paper whose paycheck can be cut-off very easily.

 

[snowgracefulstone]

You are correct my dearest snow! I am sure they are a statistic, a number on paper whose paycheck can be cut-off very easily.

Hopefully their will be someone around to fight for them when this happens......or not

 

[TLinden16]

VMK closing does not change my feelings about Disney at all. In the next 16 months, I’ll probably be spending about 20 nights at a Disney resort (maybe even more), and eight nights on Disney cruises. VMK closing is not going to change my travel and spending habits. I’ve been a fan of Disney for as long as I can remember. I’ve been visiting Disney parks for 25 years. Disney movies, music, and books have always been a part of my life.

Disney brings a lot of joy into my life, and it’s not something that I would be willing to give up just because some online game is closing. The magic is still there for me, and I can’t imagine it ever going away. It rejuvenates me and excites me. It’s a part of each and every day of my life, with or without VMK.

It’s the rainy afternoon spent watching “Enchanted,” “The Goofy Movie,” and “Hunchback of Notre Dame” for the 20th time, and I knowing that I can still sing along, smile, and enjoy every second.

It’s in the hours upon hours of Disney music stored in my iPod that I listen to at work, while I commute, or when I’m doing housework. It’s the way I can just start singing songs from movies or attractions, and it makes me smile and recall how much I enjoyed a movie or an attraction.

It’s the way I can ride Expedition Everest 15 times in an hour and a half, and still want to go on it more and more. And still smile like a child, and scream with my arms flailing in the air.

It’s in the way I can go to the parks, and skip through puddles eating a Dole Whip, and feel like I’m a kid, and forgot the complications and issues in my life.

It’s knowing that when I am looking for something to watch on TV, I can count on the Disney Channel to have good quality, wholesome shows without excessive violence and adult themes for me to watch.

Disney continues to provide quality entertainment for kids and adults to enjoy, and as long at they continue to do that, the magic will still be there for me.

I totally agree with Briar--VMK closing is ultimately a business decision. Disney is ultimately a corporation that has to answer to their shareholders (which I’m one--I own over 100 shares of Disney stock), and they have a responsibility to those shareholders to be fiscally sound. VMK is not a profitable venture for them.

And you can’t really compare Disney closing VMK to closing down a park. As Briar said, it’s more of an attraction than a park, and probably an A-ticket attraction at that. If it was a park, we’d be paying $70 a day to enter Attractions open and close at the parks all the time. When one closes, it just means something new is coming along. Maybe it will be a hit, maybe it won't be, but life gets boring very fast if you don't have new things come into it.

And in the scheme of things while 50,000 or so VMK players may seem like a lot, in the big picture it’s really not that big in the entertainment world. Compare that to the 8 or 10 million viewers who watch Hannah Montana. “Enchanted” grossed over $338 million dollars world wide, so if the movies cost say $10 a pop for a ticket, you’re talking about 33 million people seeing that movie.

Which group of people would you be catering to if you had a corporation? Why should Disney pour money into something that attracts 50,000 when they have other online communities that have a lot more active users?

The number of people who boycott Disney because VMK is closing is not going to have a big enough impact to affect Disney’s bottom line to make a difference here. I think that the number of people willing to forgo trips, and buying Disney products because VMK is closing is going to be so miniscule that it won’t even be noticeable.

 

[TLinden16]

Oh, and just as an addition to my previous post, the community will still be alive after VMK. The people who we have met, and who have become a part of our lives will still be there when VMK closes. I know I have made some excellent friends through VMK who I honestly feel will be a part of my life for the rest of my life.

I don't need to have an avatar sitting in a chair to communicate with the friends I've made through VMK. I don't need magic pins to enjoy the company of my friends.

The overall collective community is not what matters here. It is the smaller groups of friends that we have each taken from VMK that really matter. If the friends you have made through VMK are truly your friends, they will find a way to communicate with you and keep in touch with you after the game closes.

 

[aliceblue]

I really hope that in the midst of all this, we can allow for differences in our personal reactions to the closing of VMK. I have seen some replies here that border on being accusatory, and that saddens me.

We are all trying to process this in the way that best helps us to cope.

 

[BriarRosie]

Well said redshoe. I find it VERY interesting that those who are so quick to defend Disney and who are so wise to understand their "business decision" never address the issue of HOW VMK was put to death, and how Disney broke our hearts. They never address the way we (and our children) were manipulated and used up until the very last minute (our time, our money, our enthusiasm). They never address why we should continue to trust a company who would treat us this way with no apology. You know who you are. Care to comment??

I find it very interesting that you just joined the DIS and wish to troll a bit. Whatever.

I think it could have been much worse. They could have closed VMK without any notice whatsoever. VMK isn't the entire Disney company. It's just a fraction of what I liked about Disney as a whole. If you or anyone else making general accusations don't like Disney after this, fine. You'll all be fewer people standing in line for Soarin'.

I'm grateful for the time I've had playing VMK. I'm not about to vilify it now because I feel it cheapens it.

 

[BriarRosie]

Oh, and just as an addition to my previous post, the community will still be alive after VMK. The people who we have met, and who have become a part of our lives will still be there when VMK closes. I know I have made some excellent friends through VMK who I honestly feel will be a part of my life for the rest of my life.

I don't need to have an avatar sitting in a chair to communicate with the friends I've made through VMK. I don't need magic pins to enjoy the company of my friends.

The overall collective community is not what matters here. It is the smaller groups of friends that we have each taken from VMK that really matter. If the friends you have made through VMK are truly your friends, they will find a way to communicate with you and keep in touch with you after the game closes.

That's what many of us were saying all along.

VMK isn't the magic. The friends we've made in VMK...that's the true magic.

VMK is going away, but I'll still have the friends I've made. Sadly, some of them I will lose contact with. I'm grateful that many of my friends are here on the DIS.

Edit to add: You know, I might actually pick up the cross-stitch project I haven't worked on in let's see....about 3 years! ROFL!

 

[EvlQueen]

Sigh. Where do I start? Well, first of all let me say that no one needs to sell me on Disney. I was sold long ago. I've been a passholder for many years, and have taken multiple trips a year to WDW since my daughter was 3 (she's 11). Had I not been such a fiercely loyal Disney fan, I would not have been so "emotional". I felt the magic. My license plate reads "Evl Qn". My post this morning was angry and I should have done better; but my point was simply that in their quest to defend Disney against any criticism, many pointed the finger at the ones who were feeling hurt, and with condescension and ridicule lectured us about the business decision Disney had to make. No one, including me, questioned that it was a business decision. We certainly didn’t agree with it, but that wasn’t the main point. We questioned the way Disney allowed us to believe that VMK was going strong (they lied, alright?), and allowed us to spend our money on something that was going to be worthless. We felt so gullible. That is just not a feeling we ever associated with Disney. They always made us feel safe. It hurt - a lot. When someone you trust punches you it hurts much more than if it were a stranger. We have a right to feel angry about being manipulated. Some may not love VMK like we do; that's okay! But please don't tell us not to have an emotional reaction because it was just business. And don’t defend them so blindly that you can’t see the hurt of others.

 

[DenverVal]

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.

This was my first thought when DD told me the news. I don't think VMK was very important to corporate from the beginning. I bought the 2005 yearbook, and not only was VMK not mentioned as one of the 50th anniversary celebration items, it was not mentioned anywhere at all - I searched the book from cover to cover looking specifically for it.

I think they made the decision and then made up a story in true "CYA" fashion. I think they never expected it to be as successful as it was, and its success caused them to require more monetary investment in equipment, technology, and staff, and their operation was pure cost with negligible income. Of course people booked trips to do in-park quests and to search for the real pins and to get their "free" Everest photo - we did! It was icing on the cake. But the budget folks can't really prove that this income was directly due to VMK. So sure, I get that. I still feel betrayed. I didn't lose interest; this was taken away from me. I never felt such intense disappointment about any attraction that closed at any Disney resort on either coast as I feel about the closure of VMK.

The rooms I have built are expressions of my creativity, my dreams, and are in a way, mini-accomplishments. They are projects I am proud of creating. The friends I have made ARE real, they are just not face-to-face. The games I have excelled in are skills and those that I struggle in are challenges I continue to try to conquer. To lose all of that due to a decision some executive who has no clue (or care) about the Real Jegrezo's life, is painful.

I wholeheartedly agree. My rooms are my masterpieces. I have a screenshot of one of yours. I loved it that much! The Rainbow Connection

I have no interest in any of their offerings. I won't be subscribing to ToonTown or Pirates or Fairies. It isn't what I'm looking for. I live far from either park, and cutting off my virtual Disneyland fix will not make my trips to Disney any more frequent. Quite the opposite. Out of sight, out of mind. Sorry, Mickey.

This from a Disney fanatic.

 

[aengus]

I thought why it closed has been answered. I thought Wadsworth (finally) made a very candid statement.

We didn't scale. I don't see the point in arguing that anymore.

I have to admit I find it hard to believe you have NO ill feelings at all.

I pointed out it won't change my theme park behavior, I can differentiate between different Disney departments.

did you both join pirates or toontown?

 

[DenverVal]

Are you speaking to me?

I must have missed some crucial bit of information. Which post is Wadsworth's? Link please.

I have very hard feelings about VMK closing. My post was simply an expression of my feelings, not an argument. I have no plans to join pirates. I hated that game. Toontown has been done to death in my house and I wasn't interested in it then or now. Fireworks would be a different story.

 

[disvaclub92]

This was my first thought when DD told me the news. I don't think VMK was very important to corporate from the beginning. I bought the 2005 yearbook, and not only was VMK not mentioned as one of the 50th anniversary celebration items, it was not mentioned anywhere at all - I searched the book from cover to cover looking specifically for it.

I think they made the decision and then made up a story in true "CYA" fashion.

I agree they did. All articles written around VMK from the beginning said it was being "rolled out" during the 50th celebration promotion. But as we all know it promoted more that just the 50th celebration. To me, it was a promotion tool that could have performed well for Disney if they utilized it in a fashion like we see Webkinz and now the Beta Buildabear.

But as you will see from the article below, some things just make me shake my head from senior management.

The article is here.

http://www.latimes.com/technology/la-fiw-disney22-2008may22,0,7430876.story

In addition, I will bump up a post to comments we made in regards to this article. Still in shock that someone would admit to spending large dollars and not having a business model.

 

[aengus]

Are you speaking to me?

I must have missed some crucial bit of information. Which post is Wadsworth's? Link please.

I have very hard feelings about VMK closing. My post was simply an expression of my feelings, not an argument. I have no plans to join pirates. I hated that game. Toontown has been done to death in my house and I wasn't interested in it then or now. Fireworks would be a different story.

sorry for the confusion, I was not speaking to you

I was SCREAMING at my two friends rolls and briar

 

[mtblujeans]

I spent money on Disney products just to get a VMK code....some of which I still had not used when VMK disappeared....I will NEVER do that again! I will forgo the promotions and gimics in future.

 

[DenverVal]

The article is here.

http://www.latimes.com/technology/la-fiw-disney22-2008may22,0,7430876.story

In addition, I will bump up a post to comments we made in regards to this article. Still in shock that someone would admit to spending large dollars and not having a business model.

Thank you very much for the link. I will pass it on to my real-world friends who joined me in VMK.

They're very mistaken if they think I will "migrate". Why in heaven's name would I want to play among pixies? I think I'll go back to quilting.