Disney Online will host the Grand Prix Weekend (GPW) over the four-day Memorial Day holiday weekend, during which players will race in up to four (4) Grand Prix circuits and Disney Online will award the top four (4) fastest players in each circuit, per day. This will result in a minimum of 16 winners per day (64 over the four-day weekend) with the potential for ties.

All players can, and are welcome to participate. This means that Free players will have all of Goofy Speedway/karting unlocked for this four-day weekend. They can kart as much as they like, and their ability to race is not tied to this event.

Also, Goofy will be supporting the event with updated chatter. Starting this week, his chatter will be centered on “fixing” the leaderboard that was broken during April Toons’ Week, and preparing players for the event. Then, during the week of the event, his chatter will be about the fixed leaderboard and the event.

I don’t post about Disney’s MMOs much because, frankly, the chatter has dropped way down since they canceled VMK. Anyone out there an active player?

Three more screenshots below the cut:

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ToonTown Grand Prix Weekend
The Disney Blog - Disney News and Information -- by fans, for fans

Disney stars Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, the Jonas Brothers, and Demi Lovato are among the 29 young stars participating in outreach messages as part of the Disney’s Friends for Change: Project Green initiative. Young people will join together to help the environment across four key areas: climate, water, waste and habitats. Kids will learn practical ways to preserve the planet, track their collective impact and have the opportunity to vote on how $1 million in donations from Disney will be divided and invested in various environmental causes over the course of a year.

If 500,000 kids participate in Disney Friends for Change: Project Green events, together they can:

• Prevent approximately 100,000 tons of CO2 per year from polluting the air by adjusting their home thermostats.
• Save 5 million gallons of water in a single day by reducing shower times.
• Prevent 1 million pounds of waste from entering landfills by bringing trash-free lunches for a week.
• Create new habitats for local animals by planting 500,000 trees.

“With Disney’s Friends for Change, we’re empowering kids to tap into the potential that lies within each and every one of them to make a difference,” said Bob Iger, president, The Walt Disney Company. “Building on our recently announced environmental goals, this program highlights what is possible as we leverage Disney’s reach to educate and inspire environmental stewardship in others.”

Starting tomorrow visit Disney.com and look for this logo to join Disney’s Friends for Change:

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Disney Urges Kids to Make Green Choices
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For those waiting to hear exactly what Disney’s D23, the new Official Community for Fans, will involve and what it will cost to join, DisneyShopping.com has spilled the beans a few hours earlier than the official announcement was scheduled for.

You can actually visit DisneyShopping right now and enroll or buy a membership for your family or friends.

Here’s an official description for D23:

D23 – Disney’s first official community for fans – celebrates the wonder and excitement that began in 1923 when Walt Disney opened his studio in Hollywood. Through the years, Disney’s stories, characters and experiences have captured the imagination of fans everywhere, and now D23 places you in the middle of the magic. Go backstage, behind closed doors, and get the inside scoop, while experiencing the nostalgia, adventure and fantasy of Disney as never before.

What does D23 mean?

“D” stands for Disney, and “23″ represents 1923, the year that Walt Disney arrived in California and founded what was to ultimately become The Walt Disney Company.

The cost of a membership is $74.99 and it can be given as a gift. If you buy your membership in 2009 you’ll become a D23 Charter Member. A one-year D23 Charter Membership includes:

• Disney ”twenty-three” Quarterly Publication: A one-year subscription (four issues) to D23’s exquisite collectible magazine, filled with stunning photography, dazzling illustrations and the ultimate Disney insider perspective. It’s your all-access pass to discovering the magic of Disney’s past, present and future!
• Membership Card and Certificate: Your membership card and personalized, suitable-for-framing charter member certificate feature many of Disney’s most beloved characters drawn by Disney Master Artist David Pacheco.
• Surprise Collectible Gift: A collectible just for D23 members. You’ll receive a gift you’ll cherish from the new Walt Disney Archives Collection.
• Exclusive Special Events and Merchandise: D23 offers its members unique special-event opportunities throughout the year, as well as access to exclusive, limited-edition merchandise and collectibles.
• D23 Expo: It’s the ultimate Disney fan experience, taking place in Anaheim, California from September 10-13, 2009. This can’t-miss event will feature guest speakers, celebrity appearances, breathtaking exhibitions, sneak peeks, film screenings, one-of-a-kind merchandise, and so much more! Admission will be discounted for D23 members.
• Subscription to bi-weekly D23 FanFare e-newsletter with breaking news and special offers. (You may opt out of receiving FanFare after your first e-newsletter arrives.)
• Plus, stay connected to D23 every day at Disney.com/D23, featuring up-to-the-minute Disney news, feature stories, event info, merchandise and more.

As of now no family memberships are offered. You must be 18 years old to join or purchase membership (so there is no point of a family membership anyway as discounts will probably be applied to something like “up to 4 people” (see D23 Expo details below).

There will be a variety of D23 members-only events throughout the year. Check online at Disney.com/D23 to find out about upcoming events. Special promotional codes and information for some events will be sent out via email and e-newsletters, so once D23 members start receiving D23 emails and e-newsletters, they may not wish to “opt out” of receiving that correspondence.

Finally there are some additional details on the big D23 convention:

D23 Expo
What is the D23 Expo?

It’s the ultimate Disney fan experience, taking place at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California (across the street from Disneyland), September 10-13, 2009. This four-day can’t-miss event will feature incredible speakers, celebrity appearances, breathtaking exhibitions, sneak peeks, film screenings, one-of-a-kind merchandise, and so much more! There will be something for children of all ages, fans, the whole family, and friends.

When will tickets go on sale for the Expo?

Tickets will go on sale this spring. Check the D23 Web site for more information. Members will be alerted the day tickets go on sale.

How much will the Expo cost?

General Admission:
Adult 1-day $37
Child 1-day $27
Child 4-day $81 (4th day free)

D23 Member Admission (D23 members may purchase up to four discounted tickets per membership):
Adult 1-day $30
Adult 4-day $90 (4th day free)
Child 1-day $22
Child 4-day $66 (4th day free)

All details are scheduled to change, of course. More details can be found on the official FAQ.

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D23 Membership Cost and Benefits details
The Disney Blog - Disney News and Information -- by fans, for fans

Of course, Iger wants a subscription service and I think it should be something more akin to Hulu (paid for by advertising). He’s the big cheese, so you can guess what we’ll get.

More from Reuters and FanBoy over at LaughingPlace.com has some good coverage of Iger’s talk in general.

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Disney considering online movie rental service
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This week Disney Online invited a few Disneyland guests to the new Pixie Hollow attraction for an event celebrating the official launch of the Disney Fairies Pixie Hollow virtual world (www.PixieHollow.com). Teen celeb Debby Ryan, from Disney Channel’s Suite Life on Deck, was at the event and took a break from flying her fairy avatar around and playing games in the Pixie Hollow virtual world to sign autographs for excited fans.

Disney Fairies Pixie Hollow is an online virtual world where guests can create their own Fairy avatar to take flight alongside Tinker Bell and their Fairy friends. In the world, Fairies help bring about the change of seasons through meeting friends, playing games and collecting items in nature. It’s very easy to sign up and get going. It took me about 10 minutes to design my fairy and get going.

Learn more about Disney Fairies Pixie Hollow virtual world in the press release below the cut:

(Photos Courtesy Disney. Photo 1: Debby Ryan and Fan Enjoy Pixie Hollow Virtual World. Photo 2: Fan Meets Famous Fairies – Tinker Bell and Iridessa.)

DISNEY ONLINE LAUNCHES PIXIE HOLLOW VIRTUAL WORLD; MAGICAL DESTINATION BRINGS ENCHANTING FAIRY ADVENTURES TO LIFE

More Than 7.5 Million Fairies Created Can Now Take Flight

Disney Online, part of the Disney Interactive Media Group, invites guests to depart the mainland and set off on unforgettable journeys in the meadows of Pixie Hollow. Today marks the official opening of Disney Fairies Pixie Hollow (www.PixieHollow.com), an online virtual world where guests can create their very own Fairy to take flight alongside Tinker Bell and tons of Fairy friends. Inside Pixie Hollow, Fairies gather to help bring about the change of seasons through meeting friends, playing games and collecting items in nature.

“Pixie Hollow is an online destination where fans of all ages can become a Fairy and go to live in a magical world of Tinker Bell and her friends,” said Steve Parkis, senior vice president, Disney Online. “More than 7 and a half million Fairies have already been created and, until now, have been all dressed up with no place to go. Now, in Pixie Hollow, Fairies can join their friends, take flight and live their very own Fairy adventures.”

Features of Pixie Hollow include:

• Play Talent Games – Help fellow Fairies bring about the change of seasons by playing talent mini games; help fish travel upstream with Silvermist and the other water Fairies, or light up fireflies with Iridessa and the light-talent fairies
• Collect Curious Things – Find and collect useful items like leaves, flowers, and rare mainland trinkets; use them as ingredients for crafting, to shop in the treetops and to earn badges
• Craft Incredible Creations – Create your own Fairy fashions and accessories by playing crafting games
• Earn Special Badges – Earn colorful badges that showcase your adventures and accomplishments in your personal Leaf Journal. Plus, when you earn a badge, everyone around you will see your accomplishments

New exciting content will continue to be added to Pixie Hollow as the world grows; upcoming features include fantastic Fairy parties, embarking on thrilling wilderness quests and more. Pixie Hollow is free to play with the opportunity to upgrade to a membership for a monthly fee of $5.95.

In conjunction with the launch, Disney Consumer Products (DCP) is introducing a unique assortment of Disney Fairies toys that connect to Pixie Hollow, including the new award-winning Clickables™ Fairy Collection, which features magical jewelry and toys that seamlessly bring the fun of virtual social networking, gaming, trading and collecting into the real world for continuous play. The toys unlock special content in Pixie Hollow, allowing girls to make online Fairy friendships and add special virtual clothing, accessories and décor to their online Fairies’ world by simply “clicking” their Disney Fairies jewelry with their real-world friends offline. Girls can also play a handheld electronic LCD game to earn Tink Points offline that can be redeemed online for special butterfly friends that fly with their Fairies in Pixie Hollow.

In addition to the Clickables Fairy Collection, select new Disney Fairies toys include a “Pixie Pass” in the package, enabling kids to log on to a special Web site to receive special items for their virtual Fairy. Pixie Passes are included in the following products: Tinker Bell’s Talking Café, Tinker Bell Style-N-Share Tink, Tinker Bell Pet Picnic, Tinker Bell & Cheese the Mouse, Pixie Hollow Purse Set and Pixie Flutter Tinker Bell.

In anticipation of Pixie Hollow launching and Walt Disney Pictures’ Tinker Bell releasing on Disney DVD and Blu-Ray October 28th, the new Disney Fairies connected toy line is available now at mass retailers and at DisneyShopping.com.

About Disney Fairies
Disney Fairies is rooted in Disney’s rich heritage of children’s storytelling. The franchise builds upon the enormous popularity of Tinker Bell and introduces girls to her secret, magical world and a new circle of enchanting fairy friends – each with an incredibly diverse talent, personality and look. Launched just three years ago, the franchise generated $800 Million in global retail sales in 2007 and boasts a thriving publishing and lifestyle merchandising program. To date, nearly 12 million Disney Fairies books have sold globally across 55 countries; Disney Fairies magazines have sold 3 million copies in 28 countries and an array of products from apparel and toys to electronics, home décor and stationery has extended storylines into many girls’ homes around the world. Fans have created more than 7.5 million personalized Fairy avatars that can now take flight in the virtual world of Pixie Hollow (www.PixieHollow.com). A series of four animated films is planned for release on Disney DVD and Blu-Ray beginning with Tinker Bell which will also release theatrically in select international markets.

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Disney Channel’s Debby Ryan meets fans and Pixies at Disneyland
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Disney has opened to beta play the Pixie Hollow MMORPG based on the Disney Fairies properties. If you previously created a fairy on the site, you can now log in and play that fairy. You can also start a new fairy and join in. I found the creation part easy to follow and the games were fun. Much of the game isn’t open yet, so I expect that area will get even better. But, perhaps due to the flighty nature of fairies, I found the interaction with other players to be difficult at best.

Also, we heard today that The World of Cars will open in beta later in October. Players will get Car avatars in the world created by Pixar’s movie of the same name.

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Pixie Hollow Game now in Beta, World of Cars opening in Beta Soon.
The Disney Blog - Disney News and Information -- by fans, for fans

The site provides a customizable online destination for moms and dads to connect with other parents through shared interests such as hobbies, age of child(ren), family setup, parenting tips, geographic location and more. The site also allows guests to interact with each other by posting comments, questions and images about parenting experiences and challenges they have in common, as well as posting reactions to content on Disney Family.com.

“Parents are increasingly sharing experiences, offering support and telling insightful stories about their families online through message boards and social networking,” said Emily Smith, Vice President of the Disney Family Group. “Disney Family.com Community creates a new online forum that combines social networking and insightful content to bring moms and dads together to make important connections while having fun.”

The community has been in beta-testing for a while now. So hopefully they have most of the quirks worked out and a good core of contributors to welcome new users. I hope to get more time to check it out myself this weekend.

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New Disney Family Social Network Announced
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While PotC has always had a free version, with some abilities and equipment reserved for those who paid for a membership, this weekend (August 15 — 18) all free members will get an upgrade to the full version and be able to do any of the tasks, quests, or other pirates stuff regular paying customers can. Sort of like an open house.

Register your free account today and get ready to enjoy full access this weekend.

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Pirates Of The Caribbean MMORPG Free Trial This Weekend
The Disney Blog - Disney News and Information -- by fans, for fans

But I digress.

Disney Interactive and Walt Disney Internet Group are in the process of finalizing their announced merger, that of course brings management changes. Steve Wadsworth remains the general BMOC, but:

Graham Hopper, the current EVP and GM of DIS, will continue to run Disney Interactive Studios while Paul Yanover, current EVP and GM of Disney Online in the US, will run Disney Online (DOL) globally. Club Penguin co-founder Lane Merrifield will run virtual worlds development and operations as part of DOL. Larry Shapiro will be responsible for DIMG global strategy, business development, corp communications and legal. Also, Mark Handler is retiring as head of WDIG International and has agreed to work with the company for the next six months.

The full memo is at the Washington Post.

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Merger brings management changes to Disney Interactive Media Group (DIM)
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The El Capitan is located in the heart of Hollywood, right across the street from the Kodak Theatre- you know, the Academy Awards place.  It originally opened in 1926 as “Hollywood’s First Home of Spoken Drama.”  In the ten years following its opening it featured over 100 stage productions starring the likes of Will Rogers, Joan Fontaine and Clark Gable.  In 1941 Citizen Kane made its World Premiere at the El Capitan Theatre.  Basically, the place has history.

Then there is the ice cream.  Disney’s Soda Fountain and Studio Store features an old fashioned ice cream parlor (with actual soda jerks!) serving Bakersfield’s famous Dewar’s and homemade candies.  They also make a mean peanut butter and jelly sandwich (Mickey-shaped, of course).

The store portion is basically a small Disney Store with DVDs and character merchandise, but with a strong emphasis, including theming, on the film currently featured in the adjacent theatre.

We saw WALL-E (my review here, and my kids’ review here).

One of the cool things about the theatre is that they overlay everything to fit the movie, and by everything I mean from the marquee to the ATM (it was space-themed, not a robot).  This is carried next door into the ice cream parlor where my son and I shared a WALL-E sundae, and by share I mean I had two bites and he went into a sugar-fueled eating frenzy (see above).

For WALL-E the El Capitan teamed with NASA and JPL.  The lobby was decorated in models and information regarding various satellites, robotics, and other milestones of space exploration.  It was out of this world (sorry, I couldn’t resist).  WALL-E runs through August 27th.

Prior to WALL-E there was a live stage show that incorporated scenes from classic Disney/Pixar movies into dance numbers featuring the characters from the corresponding films.  The show is called “Disney’s Flight of Fantasy” and the crowd went wild.

My family and I had a blast and I can’t recommend the experience enough.  If you’re visiting for a Disneyland Resort vacation you should really consider adding this to your itinerary, and if you’re local you’ll appreciate this: clean bathrooms in Hollywood.  That’s the Disney touch.

Upcoming shows include Sleeping Beauty, TinkerBell, Beverly Hills Chihuahua (Chihuahua!), The Nightmare Before Christmas (3-D), High School Musical 3: Senior Year, and Bolt (3-D).

You can call 1-800-DISNEY6 or visit www.elcapitantickets.com for tickets and information.

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Disney’s El Capitan Theatre, Hollywood
The Disney Blog - Disney News and Information -- by fans, for fans

What will those changes be? Well the NY Times says that for one thing, Disney will be changing the look and feel to be much more friendly to the websites younger users. There will be more free video (think YouTube), more games, and even some mobile applications.

Myself, I was never particularly won over by either the old or new design. For me Disney.com has always been a utility site. I go there when I need an answer to a question, a movie or tv show website, or occasionally to see some original content. So, I’ll reserve judgment until I see the new changes, but from what I hear it sounds like they’re leaving users like me behind for people who see Disney.com as an entertainment channel.

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Disney.com to receive another overhaul
The Disney Blog - Disney News and Information -- by fans, for fans

Don’t forget that beginning today Disney.com will stream the Disney Channel Original Movie “Camp Rock” Disney.com/CampRock. The Disney.com “Camp Rock” online event will include unique interactive content so fans can chat and play games while watching. Fans can also watch in a full screen experience featuring “Camp Rock” trivia and an interactive map of the camp.

Visit www.Disney.com/CampRock then come back and let us know what you think of the experience. For instance, what was your favorite song from the movie?

Update: 9pm 6/23 – Apparently Disney.com is having problems handling the load of fans flocking to see Camp Rock streaming on the site.

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Camp Rock rocks Disney.com and more
The Disney Blog - Disney News and Information -- by fans, for fans

I’ve been waiting for this move to happen for a long time. There is a ton of potential cost savings here, not to mention making it easier for one hand to know what the other is doing. It also makes sense to have one reporting structure for this group since so much of Bob Iger’s strategy for the future depends on being able to leverage these technologies and media to tell quality Disney stories.

My one complaint, DIMG isn’t as fun an acronym as WDIG. Just change the “I” from Internet to Interactive and there you go. The media is implied.

(via AllThingsD and CNNmoney)

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Disney to Combine Digital Media Group with Video Gaming Division
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So what happens when this Online Generation grows up and enters the market and takes seats in the cubicles of your business? How will this Online Generation emerge? Will they be the same or different from their own parents in the market and as professionals?

Here are the answers of Walt Disney Internet Group President Steve Wadsworth and others at DIS.

Many of these comments shed some light on Disney’s recent decision to shutter their Virtual Magic Kingdom property. It just didn’t fit in their long-term strategic goals.

More at Shel’s Global Neighbourhoods blog.

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Disney is raising your kids on social networks
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The site’s public rationale is that the community was never supposed to last forever. It was just a Disneyland milestone promotion. That’s hogwash. You don’t spend years shoving codes in cereal boxes and selling cards and pins in the actual parks for virtual goodies that will be deemed worthless in a few weeks. More importantly, if you want consumers to devote time to the new communities, you’re setting a terrible loyalty precedent by dismantling the one that started it all. Do you think any of the ex-VMK users will trust the new vibrant worlds Disney creates if they know they can all vanish under the guise of an anniversary promotion?

That’s a point made over and over again by the games players who are fighting to keep their community alive. But I think the mal-ease will extend beyond just the ex-VMK users. Any player of other games who might be looking at Disney will think twice before joining when they know Disney can and will pull the rug at any time. (Read)

Previously:

• Saving VMK
• News of VMK end brings anger and petitions
• VMK To End May 21st 2008

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Why close VMK? Wonders Disney Analyst.
The Disney Blog - Disney News and Information -- by fans, for fans

If they hit Edit Player, the Color, Pin & Background tab shows nothing. That’s bad, because his penguin color was changed, and now he can’t change it back. And the Clothing and Award tab shows nothing. And these tabs mean like nothing to me, by the way.

It’s unclear if this is a system wide error or just happening sporadically. The Club Penguin Blog mentions a few bugs, but nothing system wide.

The Walt Disney Company purchased Club Penguin in a $700 million deal to grow its stable of online multiplayer games. Disney recently announced the closing of Virtual Magic Kingdom on May 21st which has resulted in over 11,000 fans signing a petition to keep the game open. The general feeling is that Disney wants to move players from the free VMK game to the pay games like Club Penguin.

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Club Penguin Upgrade Spells Problems For Members
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The year is 1959. Walt Disney’s Magic Kingdom of Disneyland is just about to enter its third year of operations. Disneyland has been very successful not just in attendance, but in creating a new type of community; a remaking of Main Street America in Walt’s image. Walt calls Disneyland his great experiment. He uses it to cross-promote his movies, television shows, and his growing interest in urban planning.

However, something is not quite right. The surrounding area has penned his magical kingdom in with cheap looking motels and tourist traps. Disneyland really needs to grow, add new attractions, even remake whole parts of the theme park that just aren’t working. Walt has got grand ideas, add a steel roller coaster hidden inside the Matterhorn, bring online a monorail system (even extending to Downtown Los Angeles), remake parts of Fantasyland, Frontierland, Tomorrowland and even Main Street. Perhaps to open even a whole new city where urban blight will be a thing of the past.

All that will cost money, take time, and talent. Those are resources Walt could use elsewhere in his growing company. So he decides that his ‘experiment’ in 360 degree themed entertainment has been a success. But he wants those customers go enjoy one of his other projects where there is a higher margin so he can afford his future plans.

So, shocking everyone who has come to love and enjoy Disneyland, worked there, made friends there, even come to regard its wide avenues and wondrous attractions as part of Americana itself, Walt Disney decides to end his experiment and set up shop elsewhere (perhaps Florida, where he’ll have more room).

In retrospect, we know that Walt Disney would have been crazy to make that move. Spending the money in the years between 1959 and 1967 was a great investment in Disneyland and in the Disney company brand. But at the time, it probably seemed like a reasonable option when faced with plenty of other opportunities to spend that cash.

Plus, by 1959, just a scant four years after opening, Disneyland really did belong to America. Walt’s tie-ins with his other properties (Mickey Mouse Club, True Life Adventures, the animated films) and his great sense of knowing what Americans wanted in their entertainment diet, even if they didn’t, made sure that Disneyland and America were inextricably tied.

Now, I’m not trying to equate the Disney’s Virtual Magic Kingdom (VMK) with present day Disneyland. But isn’t it a lot like Disneyland was in 1959?

Ironically, Disneyland plays a part in the killing of VMK, or rather, the way the Walt Disney Company does its internal accounting played a role. You see while you and I may see The Walt Disney Company as one behemoth organization with just a few brands — Disney, ESPN, Pixar (?) — that’s even how it presents itself in the annual report, the company sees itself as hundreds of little businesses (or divisions) each operating on two levels of sales.

The first level is with the general public. Each division is required to maximize its sales to the public. Eisner and crew saw this as a short term thing with 20% profits required from nearly every business unit (down to each individual churro cart at the theme parks) in order to justify its continued existence. Was that magic margin not reached, then cuts were required. Luckily it seems as if the current management team is a little more broad and long-term in its thinking. But they still want to maximize profit.

The second level is internal sales. As it turns out when Disneyland wants something built by Imagineering, they have to “pay” WDI to do it for them. Yes, it’s still the same company, but internal accounting rules require it. Those Pirates Of The Caribbean premieres at Disneyland the last five years? All paid for by Walt Disney Pictures, even the extra cast member hours required to staff the event.

When Disney Parks (I still hate that name for the division — could it be any less magical) wanted an online promotion as part of the world wide celebration of Disneyland’s 50th Anniversary, they paid Disney Online to set it up for them. Disney Online then went and licensed the software from Sulake Corporation to build the Virtual Magic Kingdom. I understand that Disney Online also did some additional programming work on top of what Sulake provided.

There have been some discussions recently that VMK is closing due to the original licensing agreement with Sulake coming to an end. Sulake did just sign an ‘exclusive’ agreement with Paramount Studios to provide virtual worlds for their film properties. That may have had something to do with it, but I haven’t been able to confirm that one way or another.

What I am hearing is that Disney Parks considers the 50th Anniversary promotion all wrapped up. They cut off funding for the project to Disney Online many months ago and that Disney Online has been looking at ways to continue VMK since then despite the loss of internal funding.

To switch to a pay-for-play system would require re-coding the entire game nearly from the ground up. It’s not even clear that Sulake would license them to do so. VMK has not attracted the kinds of numbers that would sustain an advertising supported system, and it’s not clear that Disney would want to do that anyway. Plus Disney does have other virtual worlds that these players can migrate too, so it’s not as if they’re totally cut off. Without any funds coming from the promotional budget of another department, it was time to turn out the virtual lights at the Virtual Magic Kingdom.

So, I guess the real villain of this story is Disney Parks who paid for the creation of such a wonderful place like VMK; fostered an online community of die-hard brand loyalists; and then cut off funding for the project without a care for the world they created and the people that inhabit it.

Of course, none of this internal accounting matters to fans of Disney’s VMK. They just know that their virtual Disneyland is going away.

Many of them are fighting mad. They’re doing what they can with websites, letters, petitions, comments to this blog and every other story they can find, in order to saveVMK.

The effort is getting some play in industry websites and in the news media as well. The WKMG story was picked up by briefly by CNN.com.

As of this writing savevmk.com has over 11,000 signatures on its petition and www.savevmktoday.com has over 7800. While there is probably some overlap there, that’s fairly large numbers. But in Disney’s world of accounting, it’s probably not enough to save VMK.

Game operators at VMK have responded to the player’s outcry:

Please know that the decision to close VMK was not made without a great deal of thought and discussion – because we loved creating VMK just as much as you loved playing it. We considered many options prior to closing but ultimately determined that VMK had accomplished its goal and then some. VMK was a valuable part of the Disneyland 50th Celebration, but it was never meant to live on forever. It’s now time to focus our resources on our new virtual worlds.

If you read between the lines you see the fingerprints of internal accounting everywhere in this statement. You also see a decision to abandon the game. I’m sure it was not made lightly. But it was made nonetheless and they don’t appear likely to reverse it.

So what can Disney do to relieve some of the pain being felt by their players?

Having been actively involved in various internet communities since the early 90s, I’ve gone through a few of these situations myself. Of the two that stand out, one was a Listserv (automated email list) and the other a MUD (a text based virtual world). In both cases they were shuttered by the owner, but rescued by a sympathetic system admin who had access to a recent subscriber list. Listservs and MUDs are fairly easy to set up assuming you have access to server resources required to run them. Both communities survive to this day, different from the original, but close enough that friends were able to stay in contact, etc.

The situation with Disney’s Virtual Magic Kingdom is a bit different. First, its not a bunch of college students playing hookie from class to complete that last quest before they level. Second, VMK has a lot of children. There are restrictions on chatting and what-not that restrict the dynamic of the game, but also made it a relatively safe place to play online. Along the same lines privacy is taken seriously, Disney isn’t just going to hand over the subscriber list to anyone. Third, Disney has internal goals. Those include directing existing players to other products.

That does not excuse Disney from setting up some sort of safe place where the community can still function while it transitions. This not only provides a win for the community, but a channel to direct these players to other properties, perhaps even as focus group members or other special status. It could be a discussion group (similar to Google groups) or a special sub-area of one of the new games where VMK handles and logins will still work. There are no doubt a few technical and privacy challenges to overcome here, but certainly fewer than recreating VMK from the ground up.

One of the lessons of Web 2.0, Social Media, whatever you want to call, it is that there is a responsibility to the community you foster. The information superhighway is now a two way street with content being created by brands and by consumers of those brands. There is co-ownership of that content. You have to respect the bonds that creates.

The decision to terminate VMK would be different if it was a buy-out or the Walt Disney Company was in financial trouble of some sort. Fans and players expect some change in those instances. However, neither are the case here. Instead this is abandonment of loyal brand loving consumers, pure and simple.

The game itself may die, but Disney’s responsibility to the community does not. I’m hoping that Disney will make some sort of effort to do the right thing and create a transitional space for VMK’s community until it is able to find a home in one of the other nooks and crannies of the net. It may not be the easiest thing to do, but it’s the right thing to do. Your fans will thank you for it instead of hate you as is happening now.

Previously: News of VMK Closing brings protests, Disney closing VMK in May 2008.

Yolto Thread

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VMK: Saving Disney’s Virtual Magic Kingdom
The Disney Blog - Disney News and Information -- by fans, for fans

May 21st, 2008 will mark the end of one very cool MMO game brought to you by Disney Online. Disney’s Virtual Magic Kingdom is wrapping up play and urging its players to join in on one of Disney’s other offerings. The only hitch, those games require pay-for-play to get full functionality.

Needless to say this is causing an uproar among the games fans who have invested time and effort in building their characters, rooms, and friends in VMK. VMKMagic.com has started a petition to save the game.

I’ve included the full notice of closure and faq from VMK’s newsletter below the cut

Speaking of things lasting forever, recently several of you have been asking about how much longer VMK will last. Well today I have some news about our future.

As many of you know, Virtual Magic Kingdom was created and launched back in 2005 as part of the Disneyland 50th Anniversary Celebration. VMK exceeded expectations in terms of performance, and as a result we extended the promotion (that is, VMK, the game) well beyond the 50th Celebration.

Eventually though, all promotions must come to an end, so I’m announcing today that on May 21, 2008, VMK will open our virtual gates for the last time. You read that right: VMK was never intended to last forever – we’ll close the game for good at the end of day on May 21st, 2008.

This is not an April Fool’s joke.

Now we understand this news may be upsetting to you but let me explain. Again, VMK was launched as part of Disneyland’s 50th Celebration in 2005 and the game has lived well beyond the originally intended time it was planned to run.

Over time you’ve seen our in-Park presence and other parts of VMK go away. You may remember our V.I.P Tours at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, or our in-Park Quest. We didn’t stop doing those things because we don’t love the game or our Guests, but because the time to run those promotions ended.

At Disney we’re still committed to building communities and online virtual worlds – and we’re looking forward to providing you the opportunity to enjoy other exciting new experiences.

Don’t look at VMK ending as a bad thing – think of it as a new beginning, a chance to explore something fresh and new! Think of it like school: You don’t want to leave your old friends, but still, the time has come to graduate and move onto another great adventure.

In the time since we’ve launched VMK, we’ve seen many players come and go, and we’re hoping you will graduate from VMK too – in particular, to games like Pirates of the Caribbean Online, Disney’s ToonTown Online, Club Penguin and the upcoming Fairies and Cars online virtual worlds. We think you’ll find you enjoy those just as much as VMK – if not more.

In the meantime, VMK will run like it always has, with great events and new items every week until we close – we might even fit in one or two more surprises along the way (of the virtual item kind).

So what’s going to happen to the VMK Staff when VMK closes? Well, we’re all moving onto other projects here at Disney and positively looking ahead to the future. Me and a few other team members have already moved to other projects (but are still making sure VMK is running smoothly until it closes).

I know that this is sad news for you, but we’re all thankful we’ve had the opportunity to enjoy the game for as long as we did. Just know there are even cooler things on the horizon ahead, for you as players and for us as game creators. So as my good friend Captain Jack Sparrow would say…

“Bring me that horizon!”
-Yavn

Questions? We’ve prepared this Q&A:

Why is this happening? Why are you closing Virtual Magic Kingdom?

As Yavn mentioned in the Newsletter, VMK was created and launched as part of a promotion to celebrate Disneyland’s 50th Anniversary.

The game/promotion has ran well beyond the original time it was intended to.

When is the last time I can play?

The game will close at 10:00PM PST, Wednesday, May 21st, 2008.

Will I still be able to buy cards and pins in the Parks?

Yes, you can still buy VMK Cards and Pins at Disneyland and Walt Disney World Parks while supplies last but after May 21st, 2008 the codes will no longer work in the game.

What will happen to the game and the website?

The website will remain up for a few weeks to let people know what has happened, but you will not be able to log into the game after May 21th, 2008.

What will happen to all my virtual stuff in VMK?

Since the virtual items live only in VMK, you won’t be able to access your VMK items or take them with you to another Disney Online Virtual World.

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Disney’s Virtual Magic Kingdom (VMK) closing in May
The Disney Blog - Disney News and Information -- by fans, for fans

This happens to be a desktop application for Disney’s travel agents. It sure looks nice! It’s all drag and drop and features a ’scrapbook’ like feel so agents can compose their own scrapbook presentations for their clients. My only question is, with an interface as easy and beautiful as this is, why would Disney want to offer this only to travel agents? I think anyone could benefit planning and quoting their Disney trip with this. (Link)

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Video of the Disney Travel AIR application
The Disney Blog - Disney News and Information -- by fans, for fans

Now, I haven’t logged into the POTC MMORPG myself. But I have played a few other MMORPGs in my day and I know that player interaction is one of the big reasons for joining up (the other being how rich a world has been built). Right now Pirates of the Caribbean is rated E10+ by the ESRB which means suitable for everyone 10 and older. There has been some debate recently about whether the game is even appropriate for the pre-teens which it is attracting. Disney may find that by making the game PG-13 they can allow more player interaction and attract more long term customers.

Any existing players wish to chime in in the comments?

(Hat tip to Colin Stewart at the OC Reg for this article)

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Disney’s Pirates Of The Caribbean MMORPG looks to grow
The Disney Blog - Disney News and Information -- by fans, for fans