We Need to still WORK if you loved VMK!

[RedScorch]

Dear VMK Community:

We need to be loud and bold with Disney. If we really want to save the virtual kingdom, we must continue to send emails (daily), write hard copy letters (weekly), and make phone calls. Disney often times tries to wait out the wave. When it is calm, they move on. If the wave continues, they start looking at the issues and tries to resolve them.

Disney WANTS us to be quiet. DON'T BE QUIET AND LET DISNEY WIN. We NEED to WIN.

To promote the cause, I am copying a letter I just emailed to Disney yesterday, here. I emailed it, and I will mail out shortly a hard copy to executives (just in case they delete their emails).

This isn't just about a online game, this is about how Disney treats their guests. The Walt Disney Company has a long standing tradition of putting the guest first. With this decision, they are tossing that philosophy aside.

Good luck VMKers!


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Dear Disney:

The Walt Disney Company and Walt Disney Internet Group are becoming liars and thieves instead of magic makers. “Why?” you ask. . You steal our money and our Disney Movie Rewards, for one big scam. You sold us, got us hooked on a genius online community based on your theme parks, and now you dismiss everyone that invested LOYAL dollars, time, and energy to making a great community. A prime example: Disney Movie Rewards. It cost 550 reward points to obtain a red Stitch Helmet for VMK. At an average of $20.00 a movie, 5 movies, roughly equals $100.00. Add the remaining needed points by attending a movie, tickets worth 50 points. Here movies are $12.00. So it costs $112.42 (postage included) to get a virtual prize for VMK.

True Disney fans who took the tours and read all the literature, know Virtual Magic Kingdom was meant for longer than the 50th Celebration. At least it was sold that way in the theme parks. You put ads in all of the literature, music CD’s, Disney Adventure Magazine, Disney Vacation Club newsletter, Stock holder’s report, Disney Movie Rewards, and tons of other places. Why do this to people, if it was a “temporary” promotion, did we not see any such disclaimers or reminders when redeeming points, if you weren’t trying to defraud the public. Also, it is cheaper in points (200points) to get a 1 month subscription to Toontown Online via DMR than get the Stitch Helmet. Interesting isn’t it?

When working for Radio Disney, our Promotions Director always said, “It took 50 years to build the Disney Brand. If there is a problem, take care of it. You will not be the person that ruins the wholesome family Disney image.” Well, obviously the Walt Disney Internet Group needs to take those words to heart, because the Walt Disney Internet Group is successful at destroying people’s belief in magic, dreams, and a safe online environment, by closing their online theme park, Virtual Magic Kingdom.
While destroying dreams, why not just close down Disneyland and Walt Disney World too? Purchase Universal Studios, and then give everyone that had a season pass to those two parks, a free one month pass to Universal Studios, to try to appease them, and hook them into an inferior idea.

Disney people may be fanatical because we love the brand more than some of the people working at Disney, but we are not stupid. We know what we want. Some of us won’t play pirates because it is violent. Toontown is boring after a while and who the heck wants to be a penguin at Club Penguin. As for your other online communities, like Pixie Hallow, that too is monotonous. You close the best franchise Disney has ever owned. I don’t want to be a pirate, a toon, a pixie, or a penguin. I want to be a person. I want to be me.

Disney is so out of touch with their audience. As a stockholder, stakeholder in Disney Vacation Club real estate, Disney loyalist, former cast member, and someone who cares about children, it infuriates me that you are harming the Disney brand for thousands of young minds and their parents. This very well could be my final straw with this company, as I have only been 25 years loyal. I have plenty of years loyalty left, but loyalty is a two way street, Walt Disney Company, and the Walt Disney Internet Group.

We invested thousands of dollars to play this game by booking vacations, purchasing extra items at the parks, magazines, and movies. Although it was a “free” product, we spent more money per year on this game, than your paid subscribers with your pay to play franchises. Most companies are adding “free” online communities to their brands, not taking them away. For example, Build A Bear Workshop, Coca Cola, Webkins, and TY, to name a few.

The Walt Disney Company and the Walt Disney Internet Group really need to read some of the blogs, watch some of the youtube.com videos and media sites that have covered the closing of VMK. It is not good press.

Thank you for infuriating me. As a young adult, I figure I am going to be saving myself over a $500,000.00 dollars over my lifetime, by not continuing to purchase your products. My future children will not learn Disney brand loyalty from me, as I did from my parents, so that will be more loss of revenue dollars gone. And I am just ONE of the many.

As a customer service oriented professional, I expect a response to this letter, that is not the typical “promotion” explanation story, or the template form response. Be honest with your guests. I do expect my free 30 day membership to Toontown and Pirates, even though I don’t expect to use it.

Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
VMK RedScorch

 

[hogwartsdropout]

I know, we still need to fight. It just seems like all the fansites and VMK players have given up.

 

[buggin']

i am behind u 110% of the way! i have sent my letters, got no response also.
everything u put in words is what the vmk community needs 2 get across.

keep us informed if any new updates come ur way!!!

 

[MissVMK678:0)]

I am also 110% Behind you.

Sent A Email To Disney No One Got Back To Me!

BTW: Welcome To DIS

-Missvmk

 

[cteddiesgirl]

Nice letter!

At this point, they won't re-open VMK. But, if we continue fighting, maybe we can get them to create another version without Sulake's involvment.

Unfortunately, I saw too many people giving up in the fight just to keep it open. Almost everyone has completely given up by now.

But, I will keep bugging them about VMK and letting them know how much money they are losing because I refuse to play any of their other games.

 

[Jasonbobdude]

They might not want to read VMK mail, which is why they aren't sending a reply of any kind. I suggest we write the topics of the letters to sound like something positive about their other games, like "Cars Online Is Awesome!" so that they read it, and then go on to describe how said game is NOT awesome and we would rather have VMK.

It's worth a shot.

 

[teal-drop]

Great Letter!!
Sadly many have given up Many dreams were crushed when that last message appeared telling us vmk would be no more. I agree 110% with you in that we have to keep on fighting. We need to remain strong and united in this fight.

 

[SkippyPaul]

I just saw a report from Disney regarding the new Narnia movie they released. Apparently its not doing well at all. Im sure like they say it has alot to do with the release of other movies, ie Indiana Jones for example BUT I cant help but wonder if it has something to do with vmk'rs boycotting disney. Maybe Im dreaming but its a thought. I know we have not gone to see it, and Im sure there has to be others. LIke I said many times we loved disney but what they did to vmk turned me completely. Im sure others somewhere out there feel the same as I do.
Just a thought.
rob

 

[angelcake170]

Your letter touched me. I don't think that Disney understands kids anymore. They crushed a bunch of dreams with three words. "VMK is closing". Disney doesn't understand that many kids, plus me as a 12-year old, cried themselves to sleep on May 21, 2008. They don't understand kids with disabilities won't have a place where kids actually accept them and a place where abused children can be safe. Disney doesn't care anymore. I'm with you. I don't want to be a pirate, I don't want to be a fairy, I don't want to be a toon, I want to be me. I want to be Cheer_Girlie. The one who makes her friends laugh and wears the craziest outfits ever and people think they are cute. They accept me. In real life everyone teases me for being "anorexic", which I'm not but I am quite small. You guys don't care what I look like! You don't care that I'm blonde, or that I'm small or that I'm a cheerleader. You like me for who I am and that's all that matters. I don't think that Disney understands that. They should be ashamed.

 

[GoofyWaterCoaster]

I don't really want to keep fighting. I'm over with it. Life moves on.

 

[OneLittleSpark]

I can completely understand those who no longer want to fight; it's not 'giving up' or 'quitting', just moving on. Hugs to you all and the best of luck wherever life takes you.

That said, I intend to keep fighting, in the hope that we'll get a new VMK soon. Remember, it was the flood of Guest letters and emails that got Figment put back into the Imagination Ride after only two years, in what must have been another costly refit. As with Figment, so with life... I mean VMK (we hope)

 

[piratesLifeYoho]

I can completely understand those who no longer want to fight; it's not 'giving up' or 'quitting', just moving on. Hugs to you all and the best of luck wherever life takes you.

That said, I intend to keep fighting, in the hope that we'll get a new VMK soon. Remember, it was the flood of Guest letters and emails that got Figment put back into the Imagination Ride after only two years, in what must have been another costly refit. As with Figment, so with life... I mean VMK (we hope)

great point!! as soon as i get a free moment (next month ) im definitely going to send in more letters keep up the good work

 

[Jerren]

I applaud your efforts but I think Disney culture is against you in one respect, email is not given the same weight as written mail which MUST be answered. If you write letters to anyone at Disney the rule is they must be responded to in kind, failure to do so used to mean termination of employment. (Not sure if that still holds true) So good luck to you, I too spent way too many movie rewards points on VMK items for me and my daughter and have nothing to show for it. Even though I have a fully paid up subscription to POTC onlline I'm now just so put off by it over the VMK situation I don't even bother to play anymore.

 

[aengus]

I applaud your efforts but I think Disney culture is against you in one respect, email is not given the same weight as written mail which MUST be answered. If you write letters to anyone at Disney the rule is they must be responded to in kind, failure to do so used to mean termination of employment. (Not sure if that still holds true) So good luck to you, I too spent way too many movie rewards points on VMK items for me and my daughter and have nothing to show for it. Even though I have a fully paid up subscription to POTC onlline I'm now just so put off by it over the VMK situation I don't even bother to play anymore.

that sounds like a great rule, I sent several actual letters and even with that got no response!!! Bitter? yup