Disney's Virtual Magic Kingdom is shutting down About This Page:

[jpod523]

As of May 21st, 2008 Disney's Virtual Magic Kingdom, or VMK is shutting down. Kinda sad if you ask me. It was a fun place to go and kill some time. It was the reason I went to Disney World for the first time in 2006. I was playing it non stop that summer and I won something that you had to go to the park to redeem and I didn't want the coupon to go to waste! :wink:

Here's the official word from the VMK Web site. I don't totally buy their excuse...

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 a way, they're ending their free site so people (kids begging their parents) will buy subscriptions to toontown or club penguin. That's what it all boils down to...the almighty dollar. I'm going to miss VMK even though I haven't been on it much lately.

[chezp]

I'm sorry to hear that.

[Joanne929]

I had no idea it was a promotion.

[Chrissi]

Yeah, I had a feeling this was coming. I called to cancel DJ's subscription to Disney's Preschool Time online a few days ago and they started pushing the Disney Arcade Games, Pirates, and Club Penguin then. Anything to keep that annual $50 subscription fee. Preschool Time was worth it. The others - not so much.

[Teresa]

My heart dropped when I saw your post. I don't play - never could get into it, but DD Kathryn LOVES to play - she's on there almost daily.

[RobDVC]

Me and the boys will miss it. We did quite a bit, and even did the in-park quests on our last few trips. At least we'll have some tangible proof it existed (our glow-in-the-dark VMK bands and the item cards we received for completing the quests).

[Diz]

Another Dfamily very to see this end! My boys and I were avid players. What can I say?! It gave me the opportunity to walk into a Dpark - down Main Street every day. And it gave me an opportunity to talk and play games with my boys even though DS#2 is away at college and DS#1 is in wdw. It allowed a touch of Dmagic every day.

As a matter of fact I have vmk opened in another window.

We played online - did the park tours - even went to DL for the first time for the 50th and the vmk items. DH thought we were crazy! (But it was a great first trip to DL and the vmk tour was priceless! My Dgang still talks aobut it!)

DH never played. We had to drag him on vmk tours just so we could have his virtual prize items. Just a few weekends back they did this huge quest that required unbelievable teamwork. We dragged DH online for a pirates game. He actually liked that. We were so happy we finished the quest and then boom!

to everyone - children and adults - who will miss this wonderful Dsite!

[Diz]

Originally Posted by Chrissi

they started pushing the Disney Arcade Games, Pirates, and Club Penguin then. Anything to keep that annual $50 subscription fee. Preschool Time was worth it. The others - not so much.

I agree. The others are not worth the $$$. VMK had a lot of adult players so of course some will move on to pirates, but most want disney to make vmk a paid site. It is the only game that has so much park appeal!

[Belle*]

Uh-oh. I know one PassPorter who may be in mourning!

[tndisneyfam]

My DH will be very sad to hear this.

[MinnieMary]

I was shocked to see this today. DD played it quite a bit in the past. She has since become addicted to ToonTown. Of course, I have also become addicted to ToonTown, so I don't mind paying for the subscription. We get our money's worth!

[Fortissimo]

Originally Posted by Belle*

Uh-oh. I know one PassPorter who may be in mourning!

That would probably be me.

I spent 55 hours on the Quest two weekends (weak ends VMK spelling ) , helping friends and strangers get past the Pirate Ship Battle task so they could win grey Mickey ears. We also won Treasure Detector Magic and 75,000 credits, which will all be for naught next moon (month in VMK speak).

So, in about 5 weaks, I will have to hang up my chicken hat, Stitch hat, and my Pink Snow hat I won in the Gingerbread contest, turn off my Dancing Inferno, and walk away from a game I have met many wonderful people on.

I have no idea what I will do with the dog, Pirate, I bought at the Emporium last weak end. I think I will have all my VMK friends put their new dogs in one of my rooms so they do not get lonely. Don't worry, we will leave them water, shelter, and all the Gingerbread they can eat.

[MKBaughan]

Pirates is hard for me to manuver in... and it crashes my computer everytime I try to play it... I am not on VMK much any more, but I will miss it, and being able to talk online to my Disney Friends... I think they should keep it going... but you know Disney, that won't happen...I hate toontown, and Fairies looks stupid... at least VMK was alot like the parks...

[jpod523]

Originally Posted by Fortissimo

I have no idea what I will do with the dog, Pirate, I bought at the Emporium last weak end.

they sell dogs now? boy, i haven't been on in a long time i guess. i just had to say that Pirate was the name of my first dog! he had a black ring around his eye when he was a puppy and my cousins named him pirate! (either that or the fact that my dad is a big Pirates fan).

[Diz]

Originally Posted by jpod523

(either that or the fact that my dad is a big Pirates fan).

A Pirates fan in Ohio?! That's about as bad as a Steelers fan in Browns Country!

Originally Posted by Fortissimo

So, in about 5 weaks, I will have to hang up my chicken hat, Stitch hat, and my Pink Snow hat I won in the Gingerbread contest

I'll be hanging up my Sparrow Costume DS#2 won and gifted me!