John Spelich says "We don't care about VMKers"

[Mnementh]

Okay, so he didn't exactly say that, but he might as well have. Read this article that I found on another site and you'll see what I mean.

Players protest closing of Disney's Virtual Magic Kingdom
By RYAN NAKASHIMA AP Business Writer
Article Launched: 05/09/2008 01:48:32 PM PDT

LOS ANGELES—OMG! VMK is going away.

A group that has invested three years in playing a free online game called Disney's Virtual Magic Kingdom is upset that the house that made Mickey Mouse is pulling the plug on the world.

The game, launched in the summer of 2005 to promote the 50th anniversary of Disneyland, attracted thousands of fans who created more than 1 million avatars who trade virtual items and play games to earn credits.

On Saturday morning, members of the group plan to protest the game's shuttering around the entrance to Disneyland in Anaheim. The game is set to close on May 21 at 10 p.m. Pacific time.

"I've put three years of my life into this," said Andrew Lawson, a 16-year-old from Sun City, Calif.

Lawson said he plays the game 20 hours a week and has developed friendships with other players that can't be replaced elsewhere.

According to VMK.com rules, players are not allowed to reveal their real identities, e-mail addresses or phone numbers as a safety measure—rules enforced by staff monitors. The game is only open when moderated, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Pacific time.

Scott Lawson, Andrew's father, said his family stayed at the Disneyland Resort three times, spending about $2,000 each time, to obtain a virtual hat based on Disney's "Lilo & Stitch" series.

"We're saddened and upset at how Disney handled this whole thing," said the 45-year-old traveling salesman.

Walt Disney Co. spokesman John Spelich, a vice president in the Walt Disney Internet Group, said the company decided to close the site because it was promotional and he encouraged players to go to other Disney virtual worlds.

DisneyFairies.com had nearly 6 million avatars created in its "Pixie Hollow" game, while Disney's "ToonTown Online" had more than 20 million, the company said.

Combined with "Pirates of the Caribbean Online" and "Club Penguin," more than 40 million avatars have been created in other Disney worlds. Portions of each site were free.

"You'd rather do anything in the world than disappoint a guest," Spelich said. "But in this particular instance, this promotional site is going to come to an end. We have invited those players who like features of VMK to sample the other ways we're offering to engage with Disney online."

Source: Associated Press

I hate that last part of the article. There should not be a "but" after that. "You'd rather do anything in the world than disappoint a guest." Period! That should be it. Putting a "but" after that is like saying "but we really don't care about our customers, so we're doing this anyway." Come on, John Spelich, don't sugar-coat this. Say what you mean... "We don't care about the players of VMK".

 

[ihavewaycutecats]

Is there really that many people who are members of those other sites? I find that kind of hard to believe, I mean by far vmk is the most advanced, at least in my opinion.

 

[Belle1997]

Well I think the fairie site is not a true number. When it first opened I made two then this week I made another 2 but not much to do there. I think kids can make avatars right now to their hearts content.

I think it is just sad that disney is hiding behind this "promotional" game. They were not up front with us. Why can we not get a reporter to asked the hard questions. Where did you say that this site was temporary and what did you provided to the players that let them know this?

 

[Shaymojack]

They should mention the number of actual active, paying accounts on those sites. I am 100% certain most of those are old abandoned free to play accounts.

There would be MANY MANY more accounts on VMK if they maybe, you know, TOLD PEOPLE ABOUT IT. There has been very little advertising for VMK. I would say none, but I saw one advertisement on a game site.

 

[ihavewaycutecats]

Yes I agree 100%, there was very little advertising for vmk, I don't think I have ever seen an advertisement anywhere for it.

 

[Jasonbobdude]

Well maybe I will try Cars Online... I never really liked that movie anyway. OK, I guess I don't want to play that. Thanks for the idea, Mr. Spelich.

 

[cteddiesgirl]

Can't they get it through their heads?

I've tried their other games and I don't like any of them!


I want my VMK!

 

[poohluv2u]

Yes I agree 100%, there was very little advertising for vmk, I don't think I have ever seen an advertisement anywhere for it.

As a person who didn't come into the game until it had been running for almost 2 years, I can vouch that Disney did not do much advertising for VMK. I was at Disneyland on the day of the 50th anniversary, thousands of us spent the night in California Adventure awaiting the opening of Disneyland on the 17th. What a prime opportunity to hand out advertising of VMK, people locked in a park with nothing to do .... VMK was the promotion that never got promoted

 

[SorcererDonald16]

Can't they get it through their heads?

I've tried their other games and I don't like any of them!


I want my VMK!

Agreed. I did not like the movie Cars, I do not like the Fairies (not even Tinker Bell all that much). Tried Toontown and found it too kiddie for me, and Pirates I object to the extreme violence in the game.

Bottom line, Disney: the day you close VMK is the day I am gone from your online games. Permanently.

 

[Fonna]

Therein lies the biggest problem Disney has ignored. There is no comparable game that they offer (or anyone at this point). We have all been trying to find something similar that offers what VMK has brought into our lives, there isn't anything.

We have been hung out to dry. ​

 

[paloma91]

well, I guess the "Suits" will have to look at their numbers again after VMK closes. They are dead set on closing it. Fine, see if I buy anything "Disney" related for quite a while.

 

[vmkfan13]

VMK should of told us in the beginning that it was only a promotion.

 

[SharkMeal]

VMK should of told us in the beginning that it was only a promotion.

Seriously! Talk about unfair shock!

And they're like: You should've expected the end, as we all knew it was a promotion.. blah blah blah

 

[Imagineer_Tech]

I wanna cry! How can they not care about us at all!

 

[Jasonbobdude]

VMK should of told us in the beginning that it was only a promotion.

If it was a promotion they shouldn't have had any social aspect to the game. It's just wrong to start a community as a "promotion."

 

[wdwdreamin]

My DH just Googled John Spelich and his email address follows the same pattern as the rest of the Disney execs, if anyone would like to comment to him directly on this interview. Remember to keep it civil!!

 

[Mintz]

There are one million dissappointed guests out here! Can't they get their minds right and make a Particular Instance for this case? An exception? It's not like VMK has a few hundred or thousand, there are a million registered players. Wish they would just say, "VMK is closing. We hate to disappoint our guests, and we checked our stats and hey..whaddaya know we've got a million out there, too bad..oh but for this particular instance we've gotta keep it open..come on, it's a million not a hundred."

 

[Imagineer_Tech]

I was already depressed from 8th period this just makes it worse.

 

[Belle1997]

I think what really upsets me about disney is they misled all of us. They did not tell us this was only temporary and never should have made the game so social then.

That is what angers me. I would never ever have put so much time into this game if I knew this as many feel the same.

 

[OneLittleSpark]

You know, I'm not sure if this was intended to be a temporary thing; at least, not after the event ended and they made the decision to keep it running. I think this promotion line is just an excuse to cover up their real reason for pulling the plug (whatever that may be). Besides, look at the money they've made by letting us think this was going to last forever. Sorry, I'm in a bit of a cynical mood right now.