Twisney is a Microsoft Earth – Twitter/Email Mashup that throws real time updates from when folks are actually inside the theme parks up on a common map. You can also use it to upload photos to go with your messages if you desire. If you… Read More »Twisney – Real Time Updates from Walt Disney World
Author and social media strategist Shel Israel gazes into the crystal ball and sees a future populated by children who learned everything they needed to know about how to interact online from a Disney owned Social Network or Massively Multiplayer Online Game (MMOG).
Read More »Disney is raising your kids on social networks
Danny Sullivan is reporting that his sons are having problems with their Club Penguin accounts after a recent upgrade. Both Penguins has changed color and lost items after a recent upgrade to the game. If they hit Edit Player, the Color, Pin & Background tab… Read More »Club Penguin Upgrade Spells Problems For Members
This is the story of how Disney’s Virtual Magic Kingdom (VMK) came to its end and how and why it doesn’t have to be that way.
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).
Latest: Saving Disney’s Virtual Magic Kingdom – 4.15.08
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
Read More »Disney’s Virtual Magic Kingdom (VMK) closing in May
Lee Aase attended a speech by Duncan Wardle, Sr VP Disney Global PR, on Disney Park’s social media efforts. It’s worth a read. This was a very interesting presentation. If big brands like Disney are realizing they need to cede control of their messages (or… Read More »Disney’s growing Social Media efforts
The Walt Disney Company hasn’t released any official numbers, but the MMORPG tracking site MMOGChart estimates that Disney’s Pirates Of the Caribbean online game has about 10,000 active players. It’s a good number, but not impressive in an age when video games are outselling their… Read More »Disney’s Pirates Of The Caribbean MMORPG looks to grow
There is no shortage of news lately in changes to home/personal media access. Jon Gambrell of the Associated Press reports that Wal-Mart is shutting down its own online movie and television show download service. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has closed an online movie download service it launched less than a year ago. The retreat for Wal-Mart,… Read More »Home Viewing News Keeps Coming