Disney VMK or Virtual Magic Kingdom

Thank you for your article on the announced closure of VMK. In my house, my wife called me with her "this is serious" voice and I found my daughter -- who goes by the VMK name IsadoraQ -- sobbing in her room. I thought she had been assaulted or something terrible. And as it turned out, I was right. I just hadn't thought it would have been a Disney staffer who was responsible. I promised her we would do what we could. So, we started an online petition website, SaveVMK.com. Please take a moment to browse the thousands of comments from children -- handicapped, minorities, ordinary kids trying to find their way in the world -- who are absolutely heart-broken to have their dearest friends taken away from them forever.
I have spoken with Fred Waid, head of a software development firm and another father who is in the same boat as we are. His firm is now developing "Virtual Family Kingdom" as an improved virtual world for people like the soon-to-be VMK refugees, with an exciting history-based concept. The site will be at www.virtualfamilykingdom.com. Perhaps that will be of some comfort to your children, as it has for mine. We all hope Disney will step up and do the right thing for these children (especially after spending $350 million for the vastly inferior and goofy clubpenguin). But if they don't, I pray Fred & company will offer a kinder, gentler alternative to what appears to be a new, unwelcome harshness at Disney. "Firing your customers" may be all the rage in international corporate circles, but when those customers are fragile children, it takes a much darker tone. And I have to say, Walt Disney (or even Jake Winebaum) would never have tolerated this. Particularly when simply including ads or charging for access would have covered expenses and maintained brand loyalty. In the meantime, I have written off any future plans for upcoming Disney vacations. With Disney going to the dark side, I think we'll go camping instead.

This really hit hard in my home with my own daughter. She has been so upset for weeks now and I honestly don't see this just blowing over so easily. She has already cried real tears more than once even though right now she can still get on and play. I fear the day when indeed disney closes down this community on May 21st.

Why? My daughter has a severe neuromuscular disease called spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 1. She was not expected to live past the age of 2. By the grace of God and a few miracles she is still here with us. But every day could be her last. One little cold could be deadly. She doesn't live in a "bubble" but we are very careful with the amount of exposure she gets. She relies on me or a nurse to do everything for her. The one activity she can do all by herself is the computer. With a special mouse pad and onscreen keyboard she can travel the web. She has been searching for a virtual game now for a long time where she can play and do some of the things she can't do on her own in real life. She just wants to be like other kids her age. Her mind is not affected by this disease so she thinks, feels and has the same wants as other kids.

Think about it for a moment. Children want to play ( hey-even adults want time to play). Children get the most satisfaction and sense of worth and accomplishment when they can do things on their own. When her friends have free time, they can run outside, play a game, pick up a book, go shopping or to a movie without even thinking about it. My daughter can't. Even the computer has to be placed in front of her just right and her hand adjusted several times for her to do the one thing she can do on her own.

This past summer she found VMK. There was no mention of this being a "promotion" and that it would disappear when the "promotion" was over. Even when they shut down VMK Central in the parks and stopped all of the in park quests the newsletter stated that the game would go on and that indeed it would not be going anywhere. This is DISNEY! DISNEY that I grew up loving and dreaming about and forced my family to love as well. Who wouldn't BELIEVE in DISNEY to do the right thing and continue to provide the ONLY simple, safe, family oriented virtual game? At least tell us the real reason NOT because it was a “promotion”. How do you explain this to a child who believes and hopes and has faith in the world every day?

At first my daughter loved to be able to just shop, change her clothes, and decorate her room. There were lots of "firsts" to watch- "firsts" that most of us take for granted. I watched her walk, dance, swim, eat, drive a car and ride on rides (without having to be held or sitting in a wheelchair). She then discovered a whole new way to really "play". There is a virtual school she would visit and be a part of or even teach at. There were restaurants she could get a job at and she would actually get on at a specific time/day to go to work. At Christmas she was able to build (for the very FIRST time) her very own gingerbread house. This is something we have had a tradition of doing every Christmas but that she always had difficulty fully participating in. This past February I was able to have a birthday party for her which included friends (for the very FIRST time). She has made some really wonderful friends in VMK. When it gets right down to the bottem line that is what she will miss the most- playing with her friends! Her real friends will be lost to her forever when VMK closes. VMK has been her playground, her classroom, and her canvas. This has also been a place where we can play and interact together.

She has and will play other virtual games but not in the same way. Other virtual worlds that I have even spent money paying monthly for or have bought a special toy/code to connect to have been a "virtual" disappointment. They don't hold her attention like VMK and she gets bored with them very easily because they are so task/game oriented. Or they promote acts of violence like fighting, killing and destroying. Oh lets not forget gambling and YES some of these are DISNEY sites I am talking about here. She plays VMK whenever she has some free time and checks first to see if her friends are on.

There is no other virtual game like VMK where the spirit and magic of Walt lives on every day.
There are so many random acts of kindness that go on in VMK. That warm fuzzy feeling that you get in the park is recreated in VMK. THERE IS NO OTHER GAME LIKE IT! It’s a very simple, safe and family oriented game where everyone can remember and relive the magic!

So Disney, please do the right thing for the right reason. Continue to make a difference in the life of a child!