Recieved Letter from 1 of the Addresses Posted Here(DISNEY)

[Bugdozer]

Hi,

I received a letter response today from the letters ink and I sent to Ed Grier which is one of the address listed to send letters. Here is a copy of the letter I scanned I removed our names and address it was addressed to both Slinkyman and me- which is rather interesting as I sent inks letter separate from mine on different days. Yet they addressed the envelope and the letter to the 2 of us....

Bug

 

[souper]

Bug:

Thanks for sharing.

"...we are constantly evaluating our operation and our success in generating happiness for our Guests..."

I'd be curious to see what Mr. Grier's most recent evaluation shows with regard to the approximately 250,000 VMK Guests.

 

[aengus]

Well it can be disappointing to read, but like Bug pointed out. We know we have a working mailing address. We also know they are reading the letters.

 

[Mnementh]

He has no idea of the scope of this, does he? The way this sounds, it's like he's talking about 20 or 30 fans.

 

[MomsGoneGoofy]

Thank you for sharing Bug.

I would have liked for them to give examples of some of the "extremely popular promotions" that they have had fans respond to.

Well here is some pixie dust for VMK.

 

[Bugdozer]

The comment I did not like was:

VMK was always designed as a promotional tool, not an ongoing virtual world

Excuse me but what do they think the last 3 years have been they have been an on going virtual world. I am not buying their rehearsed excuse.

Bug

 

[dizanimator]

So if VMK was really a promotional tool, and I don't remember it really being described that way when it opened, what are these other products? Will they later be closed with the explanation that they were just promotional tools as well? I think we need to start asking if those are meant to be ongoing virtual worlds?
I really think that VMK, or something like it with virtual parks and guests of all ages, makes a good ongoing virtual world for Disney to have. It gets people interested in visiting the parks to experience in real life what their avatars get to visit anytime they log in, buying things to get codes for virtual items, and it's even possible to promote different things in VMK. We've had pirates, High School Musical, and quests for various movies and other things. Not to mention that keeping VMK open will keep lots of guests happy now, and make others who join later happy as well.

 

[SorcererRocks]

"AS YOU ARE AWARE, Virtual Magic Kingdom (VMK) was created as an online promotion.....blah, blah, blah"

Yeah, only because they keep shoving it down our throats. Maybe it was announced as such in press releases but it was NEVER advertised that way on the main VMK page or any other advertisements that I know of. I did several of the tours when they were doing them at WDW and I don't ever recall my tour guides telling us that it was a promotion and could end and any time.

That's my biggest beef about the whole thing.....

Hey, Disney Internet Group....show me where on the VMK main page or anywhere else for that matter that VMK is not going to be an "ongoing virtual world!!

Yvette

 

[cteddiesgirl]

Sorry, but you don't go around creating communities for a limited time only. That's extremely irresponsible. Especially when it's aimed at children.

Nice that you got a letter. The return addresses were probably matched up which would be how they associated the two of you.

 

[TinkPinkPoem]

Sorry, but you don't go around creating communities for a limited time only. That's extremely irresponsible. Especially when it's aimed at children.

Agreed.

And I am sure we are all more than just guests.

 

[aengus]

The comment I did not like was:

VMK was always designed as a promotional tool, not an ongoing virtual world

Excuse me but what do they think the last 3 years have been they have been an on going virtual world. I am not buying their rehearsed excuse.

Bug

Would have been nice if we knew that up front huh?

Sorry, but you don't go around creating communities for a limited time only. That's extremely irresponsible. Especially when it's aimed at children.

great point! I got to address this exact point in the interview I did today.

It is irresponsible.

 

[TinkRBel_In_Training]

Thank you for sharing the response Bug.

It sounds exactly like the one from WDIG!

 

[TikiIslander]

Thanks for sharing your letter. "VMK was always designed as a promotional tool, not an ongoing virtual world" got me too. If it really was just a promotional tool, why did they hire a game designer to set it up? Seems more like a job for a marketing team. Honestly, if yavn knew that the game would only last a year, I doubt that he would want his name associated with it, or put in as much work as he (and everyone involved) obviously did. Whenever i hear "just a promotion," I think of how many times yavn said "no, vmk isn't closing- the game is still going strong."

This really is uncharted territory that Disney is entering. Since interactive virtual worlds are really part of a new field, there hasn't been an instance of a successful one shutting down- especially so suddenly. Obviously it's inevitable- eventually the game would come to an end. It seems like their top concern should be the community that they've helped to grow (especially if they want to retain any customers). Ship us all off to ToonTown? What's to say that they aren't going to close that game too?

Everyone is watching Disney as they handle this situation. I can't say that anyone is impressed so far.

 

[Bugdozer]

Thanks for sharing your letter. "VMK was always designed as a promotional tool, not an ongoing virtual world" got me too. If it really was just a promotional tool, why did they hire a game designer to set it up? Seems more like a job for a marketing team. Honestly, if yavn knew that the game would only last a year, I doubt that he would want his name associated with it, or put in as much work as he (and everyone involved) obviously did. Whenever i hear "just a promotion," I think of how many times yavn said "no, vmk isn't closing- the game is still going strong."

This really is uncharted territory that Disney is entering. Since interactive virtual worlds are really part of a new field, there hasn't been an instance of a successful one shutting down- especially so suddenly. Obviously it's inevitable- eventually the game would come to an end. It seems like their top concern should be the community that they've helped to grow (especially if they want to retain any customers). Ship us all off to ToonTown? What's to say that they aren't going to close that game too?

Everyone is watching Disney as they handle this situation. I can't say that anyone is impressed so far.

I agree with what you have said. I know this for a fact-I will not join another online community again. I put my heart and soul into this community. Shared a lot with my friends-cried and laughed together. I can not emotionally handle a 2 1/2-3 year commitment just to have my heart torn out and watch such sadness created by a company i adore. I will get over VMK as well as everyone else after a time of grief and when I bounce back this will have left a bitter feeling about online communities-not who are in them but what happens when they flip the switch on us. Disney means many amazing things to me but this will not be easy to forget.....


Bug

 

[aengus]

I agree with what you have said. I know this for a fact-I will not join another online community again. I put my heart and soul into this community. Shared a lot with my friends-cried and laughed together. I can not emotionally handle a 2 1/2-3 year commitment just to have my heart torn out and watch such sadness created by a company i adore. I will get over VMK as well as everyone else after a time of grief and when I bounce back this will have left a bitter feeling about online communities-not who are in them but what happens when they flip the switch on us. Disney means many amazing things to me but this will not be easy to forget.....


Bug

 

[aliceblue]

Since when does a "promotional tool" give a hoot whether players treat each other with respect and kindness?

Or carefully screen those who apply to become community leaders?

Or make an issue about how players choose to play the game?

Or reward those who create a welcoming atmosphere for others by designing a quest, game, or a special room?

Or encourage players to make friends, trade, link their rooms together, or just hang out with each other?

Sounds suspiciously like a community to me. And if it was never meant to become that, then somebody sure got their wires crossed.

 

[Mintz]

Since when does a "promotional tool" give a hoot whether players treat each other with respect and kindness?

Or carefully screen those who apply to become community leaders?

Or make an issue about how players choose to play the game?

Or reward those who create a welcoming atmosphere for others by designing a quest, game, or a special room?

Or encourage players to make friends, trade, link their rooms together, or just hang out with each other?

Sounds suspiciously like a community to me. And if it was never meant to become that, then somebody sure got their wires crossed.

Agreed. But hey it's just their excuse for disconnecting us. They probably thought we'd get madder if they just said "Sorry. We are closing VMK forever on May 21st, 2008, because this reason: ____. Enjoy your time here and thanks for playing" But they got their wires crossed again, because thinking it as a promotion doesn't satisfy us.

 

[redshoe]

Agreed. But hey it's just their excuse for disconnecting us. They probably thought we'd get madder if they just said "Sorry. We are closing VMK forever on May 21st, 2008, because this reason: ____. Enjoy your time here and thanks for playing" But they got their wires crossed again, because thinking it as a promotion doesn't satisfy us.

Yup. The whole promotion excuse is just that...an excuse. And it's rubbing salt into the wound, and insulting our intelligence on top of that. It is NOT cutting it with me, even a little bit! And why would they even want it to be true? Even if that was the real reason, basically what they're saying is:

"We are supposedly this amazing visionary company, and yet we are incapable of shifting gears even a little bit when our original intent has evolved into something entirely different. We are completely blinded by what we say VMK was SUPPOSED to be, and simply cannot wrap our little stubborn suity corporate heads around what it is NOW. Therefore, that tiny leap between 'hey, this was supposed to end' and 'but think what we can do with it...maybe we should keep it going?' Is just not a trail our grey matter can wander down. Imagineering? Innovation? Riiiiight. It was intended as a temporary promotion, and therefore it must STAY a temporary promotion, no matter what. Adapt? Nope. Go with it? Nope. Not us."

So either they're ridiculous for hiding behind such a lame excuse, or they're even more ridiculous because the excuse is actually TRUE. Take your pick, Disney...neither one paints you in a very flattering light.

 

[Blackfaer]

While I totally share everyone's anger, frustration, and sorrow, and I do think Disney is making a big mistake, I think many of us are not looking at it all that logically.

If VMK wasn't for promotional purposes, what is it for? Of course it's a promotion. Marketing funds are what pay for it. How else do you expect it to be free? All these arguments are moot with regards to it not being a marketing plan; just because it requires computers and programmers and servers doesn't mean it's not marketing. Ford builds entire working demo cars that they never plan to sell for marketing. Sony built a walking talking humanoid robot, exclusively for marketing. VMK was always intended to be marketing, and very few marketing campaigns last more than a few months or years. In fact, it's very good marketing. All the more reason I think Disney is foolish to shut it down. But to argue that they're just being mean and never intended to use it as a temporary marketing plan is a stretch.

They did not, as some have said, take into account the differences between an online community like this and a regular promotion like the Monopoly game McDonalds does or a POTC toy tie-in with Burger King. That's where the problem lies. We have invested so much in VMK, I don't think Disney understands how much difference it makes to so many.

On the other hand, to Disney we are indeed only a few. Yes there are tens of thousands of us. But Disney could get $20 from every one of us in VMK and if they didn't have massive funds coming from other projects they'd still go bankrupt. It's a matter of scale. More people go into Disneyland (and pay upwards of $50 a person to do so) in one week than all the people who have ever played VMK. To Disney, we're a very small group of people.

I'm not saying give up hope - even a small group of people can get their voices heard. I'm not saying don't be upset either; I'm just suggesting maybe we can pull it back a notch back into a realm of reason.

We have every right to being upset for having our favourite rug pulled out from under us; that Disney has done so is upsetting enough. We don't need to start assigning nefarious motives and pretend they're eating babies as well.

 

[Blackfaer]

Even if that was the real reason, basically what they're saying is:

"We are supposedly this amazing visionary company, and yet we are incapable of shifting gears even a little bit when our original intent has evolved into something entirely different. We are completely blinded by what we say VMK was SUPPOSED to be, and simply cannot wrap our little stubborn suity corporate heads around what it is NOW. Therefore, that tiny leap between 'hey, this was supposed to end' and 'but think what we can do with it...maybe we should keep it going?' Is just not a trail our grey matter can wander down. Imagineering? Innovation? Riiiiight. It was intended as a temporary promotion, and therefore it must STAY a temporary promotion, no matter what. Adapt? Nope. Go with it? Nope. Not us."

So either they're ridiculous for hiding behind such a lame excuse, or they're even more ridiculous because the excuse is actually TRUE. Take your pick, Disney...neither one paints you in a very flattering light.

Honestly, having spoken personally with many Disney employees and read books on Disney execs and everything else - I have to say you've nailed it. Sadly, they simply don't have the perspective of the kids in mind anymore, and they're more focused on bottom-line numbers like whether the promotion is reaching enough new people to sell that many more mickey mouse t-shirts and Pirates toys. It's not that they're lying to us, it's just that they're too near-sighted and unimaginative to see other ways to proceed. I know this wouldn't have happened while Walt was around, and I know he would share our sorrow.