My phone call from Disney Internet Group

[FlyingPegasus]

Hi everybody,

I am at a conference at the Royal Plaza hotel in downtown disney. I received an unexpected phone call yesterday, while I was in the conference, and could not give the phone call my full attention. I was not expecting the phone call, so I don't think I got my message across very well.

The man that called me said he received my letter that I sent to the disney internet group. He wanted to thank me for all my support and then proceded to give me the same schmuck that you all have received in your e-mailed responses. "VMK was only meant to be a promotion, blah blah blah, and the game will close as scheduled on May 21."

I asked him how they could do this to us, this is not just a game to us. Told him about the sick kids, and that I use the game to stay in touch with my daughter who is away at college.

I then asked him if he was crying yet, because I was. He was very quiet through all this.

I then told him what I told my husband to get him to understand how we feel:

Imagine if the president of Budweiser came on the news and said thanks for enjoying our product, but we are not going to make it anymore, and you will just have to find a new beer to drink. Then I reminded him of when Coca-Cola tried to change to New Coke, and how that did not work out very well for them, now did it.

He told me he had not quite heard it put that way, and that he was sorry but the game was still going to close.

I then told him, that I did not understand how they could think their promotion was not working. We have bought passes, did the tours, bought the pins and shirts. If they would of sold anything that said vmk or came with a code we would of bought it. I explained how a group of us spent a combined amount of over $80,000, in February alone, just with all of us getting together for the wedding.

I told him we were upset the most about losing all of our wonderful friends, and are wondering how we will ever find each other again.

He told me to try some of the other disney games, and so I told him I tried the pirates game and did not like the violence in it.

He again told me that he was sorry, but the game was going to close. He also told me to enjoy the time we have left and all the magic stuff that was going to be released. I said "you know I have been saving for almost three years for my flying carpet magic pin, and the least they could do would be to release it, or tell Yavn to let me have his to use for the small amount of time we have left."

He said he was going to give a summary of our conversation to Yavn and Pirate Vinnie. Then he told me to have a magical day.


Well I was very upset after this phone call, and even though I am on disney property I am not enjoying the disney magic right now.

At least I know that my letter was read, and I do appreciate the phone call addressing my concerns, even though I was not happy with what he had to say.

KEEP THOSE LETTERS, E-MAILS, AND PHONE CALLS GOING MY FRIENDS!!

Fly

 

[Imagineer_Tech]

Double Post vvvv

 

[Imagineer_Tech]

Well that means were breaking through so keep writing and calling and doing whatever we can!

 

[poohluv2u]

Wow Fly, that is impressive that you got a phone call. I guess if you can't even move anyone to tears, when you are crying yourself, then they are very hard hearted indeed.

I guess 'have a magical day' is just Disney spiel

 

[mikeyandscoobyx2]

I'm sorry to hear that. We just need to keep trying!

 

[souper]

Fly:
Thanks for sharing. I'm sure you did great on the call. I particularly liked the the analogy you used in explaining VMK in terms of beverages.

Happy

 

[SkippyPaul]

Wow Fly, that is impressive that you got a phone call. I guess if you can't even move anyone to tears, when you are crying yourself, then they are very hard hearted indeed.

I guess 'have a magical day' is just Disney spiel

I agree with you, Disneys "image" is just that an image. The magic died with Walt as far as Im concerned. Im so tired of hearing their song and dance about a promotion I could barf. What they dont think of is this generation will carry this bad memory and hurt thru them and filter it down thru alot of ppl. Future kids, grandkids and they only have themselves to thank for being cold, calculating and heartless.

Very good Fly, you did great.

 

[MomsGoneGoofy]

Wow Fly, that is impressive that you got a phone call. I guess if you can't even move anyone to tears, when you are crying yourself, then they are very hard hearted indeed.

I guess 'have a magical day' is just Disney spiel

I agree very impressive that you got a phone call. You had me in tears reading your post .

But if the people they have making the phone calls are like the some of the cast members they had working in VMK central, they had no clue what VMK is about and can not possible understand how we feel.

We can still hope that our voices will be heard and make a difference.

Let's wish for much pixie dust to be sent for VMK to stay open

 

[JulyGirl]

and even though I am on disney property I am not enjoying the disney magic right now.

I'm not feeling the magic much either. My best friend asked me to drive to WDW with her and her daughter next month. I actually turned it down! I'm reallly going to need a break from Disney when this is all said and done. They will be losing whatever profits I may have added.

 

[SorcererDonald16]

I'm happy you got a call Fly, but wish the content was much better. There are two things I continue to not understand at all:

1. Why they are ignoring the fact that a bunch of us are practically begging them to let us pay THEM money just to keep the game alive.

2. The fact that they seem to not be able to comprehend that many of us have tried POTC or Toontown and found the games to be totally disinteresting or just plain horrible. Not in offense to anyone who enjoys either of course, as it's all about personal preference. I couldn't stand Toontown, and I have issues with all of the violence in POTC. I had free accounts and I will still never play either again, I dislike them both that much. Just wish they would get that there are many of us who REFUSE to play their other games, and they will lose us as online "guests" for good.

 

[CelebrationNM]

Thanks for sharing the story of your call.

First, I wouldn’t blame the person on the other end of the phone for being “hard-hearted”; he was probably trying to be professional and you have no idea how he felt about having to make these calls. I’ve had to make a number of phone calls to Guests that I didn’t want to make because I knew the Guests were going to be angry, so I just remained as calm and professional as I could and didn’t let myself get emotional one way or the other.

Disney is so much bigger than WDIG or VMK. WDW Resort alone has 60,000 Cast Members that work hard every day to make sure that each guest has the most fantastic time of his or her life. If you choose not to feel the magic while you’re there, by all means don’t, but I’ve learned that the attitude of kids has a lot to do with the attitudes of their parents and the kids will get over this a lot faster if the parents take the lead.

Finally, I would suggest Disney has done a lot more market research than all of us DIS Boards experts combined and that they are quite content with their decision to close VMK, and equally content with ToonTown and Pirates and other such games. So, there's no reason to suggest to them that they should be concerned about the economic consequences of ending this game, because they're not even in the slightest. This was part of the 50th promotion, and lots of great "Dreams" prizes are part of the YOMD promotion... YOMD was extended, but it won't last forever, and either will VMK.

I think VMK has been explicit since the beginning of the end that nothing was going to alter this decision; they never got our expectations up that any change in the plan was likely. I like VMK too and I’m sad to see it go, but decisions get made, life goes on, and something better is likely to be around the corner every single time, as long as you're ready to accept it.

 

[Candlz]

First of all - Well done - sounds like you did a very good job! One person is not going to sway them - the only chance we have is if we all work together and continue to fight. So - for those who don't know what to say... quantity may be more important than quality... send in the letters!

Second

even though I am on disney property I am not enjoying the disney magic right now

If you choose not to feel the magic while you’re there, by all means don’t,

I completely understand! I was in WDW this weekend and it seemed that every time I turned a corner I was reminded of VMK and what we were losing... I am one of the biggest Disney fans ever, I had annual passes for ten years - even though I lived in Massachusetts for a good portion of that time. I actually moved to Florida so I could visit Disney more often. This visit made me just plain sad. I sure didn't spend the money I spent with any intention of being unhappy... it was just there. I couldn't shake it and we cut our trip short.

I think I am going to be feeling the movie "magic" of Universal Studios for the next pass buying season...

 

[cteddiesgirl]

I still say that we have to send everything to those above WDIG. They've stated that they aren't changing their minds. We have to go to people that can change their minds for them.

 

[Amber_Kait]

wow, it's great that you got a phone call.
i'm agreeing, we still all have to try our hardest and keep calling, sending emails,snail mail, and everything else. we're making it somewhere at least

 

[RiceOwl]

As everyone on DIS is, I'm a big fan of all things Disney. I'm also a Disney stock holder and I understand Disney is a huge company with the same goal as other companies: be as profitable as possible. With that goal in mind, I fail to understand, nor have I yet to hear an explanation, why Disney management doesn't see that VMK could be just as profitable as their other online games. We all know examples of things that were originally developed for one purpose but found to be even better when used for a completely different purpose. As a VMK player, I'm heart broken that Disney is closing VMK without giving it a chance as a pay to play online game. As a stock holder, I'm angry at my company for being blind to a golden opportunity. Management comes and goes at big companies, so perhaps the current management will move on soon and be replaced by those with the vision needed to run the Disney Company in a more profitable, if not more sensitive, manner.

Fly, thank you for sharing your phone conversation.

Wishing all my VMK friends a long and happy life.

Rice

 

[rickyratsmom]

This makes me so sad. I always thought Walt Disney wanted to make the children smile, be happy, laught, now all I see is tears... he was all about the magic, dreams, fun and family. Now it all seems to be about money, profit, shareholders. Gosh where did the magic go?? Do tears of children not matter anymore?? Where are you Walt when we need you most?? Doesn't anyone out there care anymore?? Who can be so cruel to crush the dreams, the laughs, the smiles the magic of so many children?? Do they even know some of these kids are disabled and this is their only link to a normal life, with friends?? And what about us parents and grandparents who have devoted so much of our time to bring our kids and grandchildren to a family friendly safe environment?? This is NOT a game!! It is SO much more!! We are a family, a wonderful group of very diverse people who have come together and found a common ground where we can find fun, support and Disney magic!! For myself I have found great comfort in VMK after almost perishing in hurricane Rita. I now suffer from post traumatic stress, panic disorder and anxiety disorder. VMK has been my escape from my fears. The support and encouragement have literally saved my life!! Where else can I get this?? Nowhere!! I have no health insurance and no where else to go. VMK is now my lifeline, it where I go and log on when I feel an attack coming on, where my husband tells me to log on when he knows I am having an attack. Please, please don't just cut me off!!! You have no idea what this Disney community means to me, how it has helped me and so many more. Don't let down the children especially, they are our future and your future!! Ever since I heard VMK was closing I have thought of the movie Horton Hears a Who. We are small, but we are strong!! Never forget "We are here!! We are here!! We are Here!!

 

[qruthie]

Well I was very upset after this phone call, and even though I am on disney property I am not enjoying the disney magic right now.

Hugs Fly! I was with Fly shortly after she received this call. I can confirm that she was very upset which in turn upset me. I suppose it is nice someone actually took the time to call Fly but the dismissive attitude of the caller, and Disney in general, bothers me. As far as I could tell, after that call ended, Fly didn't seem to feel like she had been listened to. That's sad. Fly deserves to be treated with more respect than that as does anyone who has taken the time to write thoughtful letters to Disney asking them to reconsider their decision to close VMK.

After we went to bed, I spent the bulk of the night crying as silently as possible so Fly could get some sleep before her early morning meeting. I wasn't crying about VMK closing, I'll get over that, I was crying because I feel like so many of us have presented valid reasons for Disney to reconsider their decision to close VMK but Disney continues to give the same bull fertilizer filled form letter response. I wish they would have the decency to thank us for our ideas and suggestions, and to let us know those factors were taken into account when they made the decision to close VMK (if in fact they were).

Not all good promotions have to come to an end. I remember when Disney created Mickey's Birthdayland at Walt Disney World to celebrate Mickey Mouse's 60th birthday in 1988. It really was a promotion with a planned end date. It turned out to be very successful, especially because it provided an excellent solution for making Mickey Mouse more available for greeting guests. It has been 20 years since that promotion started. Mickey's Birthdayland is still around, only now it has changed a bit and is called Mickey's Toontown Fair.

 

[cteddiesgirl]

As everyone on DIS is, I'm a big fan of all things Disney. I'm also a Disney stock holder and I understand Disney is a huge company with the same goal as other companies: be as profitable as possible. With that goal in mind, I fail to understand, nor have I yet to hear an explanation, why Disney management doesn't see that VMK could be just as profitable as their other online games. We all know examples of things that were originally developed for one purpose but found to be even better when used for a completely different purpose. As a VMK player, I'm heart broken that Disney is closing VMK without giving it a chance as a pay to play online game. As a stock holder, I'm angry at my company for being blind to a golden opportunity. Management comes and goes at big companies, so perhaps the current management will move on soon and be replaced by those with the vision needed to run the Disney Company in a more profitable, if not more sensitive, manner.

Fly, thank you for sharing your phone conversation.

Wishing all my VMK friends a long and happy life.

Rice

Maybe we should start going in the route of the stockholders? They should all find out what Disney is doing. That Disney is missing out on a great money making opportunity. I'm sure stockholders would be very interested in knowing that Disney isn't doing all they can to increase their profits. Not to mention the bad PR they are causing with calls like this and some of the letters.
We are being dismissed without anyone really giving any answers. And this is just not good business. Even for a company as big as Disney.


Q: Hugs to you too. I'm sorry that something like this is ruining your trip and your time together. At least you are together right now to help each other through this.

 

[qruthie]

Q: Hugs to you too. I'm sorry that something like this is ruining your trip and your time together. At least you are together right now to help each other through this.

Thank you Sea Tea. Sadly, I was already home when I wrote my post so the real life hugs will have to wait until July. Fly's call didn't ruin my trip but it didn't add any magic either.

For those of you who feel the Disney magic belongs on a milk carton, I highly recommend visiting Kennywood Park. It's a lovely amusement park just outside of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. They have a wonderful collection of very old rides for people who like nostalgia or are into amusement park history. I believe they have the only operating Noah's Ark in the USA now. They also have some of the world's best roller coasters. The park itself is very clean, well cared for and family oriented. I also like Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey. The atmosphere is frenetic compared to Kennywood but if you like riding different kinds of roller coasters and other rides that throw you around, it's great! They have a lot of other kinds of rides too, something for everyone. I happen to like Marvin the Martian and Tweety Bird much more than I'll ever like Mickey and Minnie so that makes it even better!

 

[cteddiesgirl]

Thank you Sea Tea. Sadly, I was already home when I wrote my post so the real life hugs will have to wait until July. Fly's call didn't ruin my trip but it didn't add any magic either.

For those of you who feel the Disney magic belongs on a milk carton, I highly recommend visiting Kennywood Park. It's a lovely amusement park just outside of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. They have a wonderful collection of very old rides for people who like nostalgia or are into amusement park history. I believe they have the only operating Noah's Ark in the USA now. They also have some of the world's best roller coasters. The park itself is very clean, well cared for and family oriented. I also like Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey. The atmosphere is frenetic compared to Kennywood but if you like riding different kinds of roller coasters and other rides that throw you around, it's great! They have a lot of other kinds of rides too, something for everyone. I happen to like Marvin the Martian and Tweety Bird much more than I'll ever like Mickey and Minnie so that makes it even better!

Aww!


I can vouch for Kennywood. I went there a couple years ago when I lived in Pittsburgh. One of it's coasters has a 228' drop when it's only 160' tall.

In the midwest, we also have Indiana Beach and Holiday World. Holiday world even has one of the best wooden coasters.