Disney's Virtual Magic Kingdom explained by virtual world expert - OC Register, 5/20

[Darkbeer]

Sonya Smith interviews Linda Zimmer, a consultant for MarCom:Interactive for the Orange County Register.

http://ocresort.freedomblogging.com/...-world-expert/

Q:
Why do you think Walt Disney Co. is ending VMK? Do you agree that the site should end or do you think Disney should keep it going?

A:
Disney’s decision to close VMK was a business decision - so it is difficult for me to assign a “should” factor to it. However, I do think it is enormously - enormously - unfortunate that Disney has provided such little support for this hugely engaged community in the closing. Disney has a perfect opportunity here to have strategically communicated with this community, helping them transition into one of the new Disney world perhaps or providing some way to somehow archive some of the personal artifacts - not the least of which are the avatars, assets and personal environments which users have spent untold hours building - maybe that would be simply a digital VMK memory scrapbook - something that communicated Disney was tuned into the angst of the community being disbanded.
I do think any organization that actively builds a community has some responsibility to manage the dismantling of that community if it should be necessary. But, in the long view, any company that builds a community should be doing so as a long term commitment and ought to be considering at the outset what the “exit strategy” is.

Please note, I did shorten the answer in the above quote.

There is a lot more to read at the link above.

[stitchon]

I totally agree with that person. The really should have had a virtual scrapbook or something.

[EvilQueenRocks]

You can create your own virtual photo album using VMKPal or some other screen shot system. I have made a large file of such shots as I know others have done as well.

[Darkbeer]

Here is some related comments from John Frost over at The Disney Blog...

http://thedisneyblog.com/2008/05/21/...-of-the-magic/

The matter has finally started to attract the attention of online community experts and some national media; alas it’s too late to make any difference. I agree with the expert interviewed by the OC Register, Disney is failing in its responsibility to the users of this game by not providing some transitional community. But perhaps the biggest failing is that future users will be wary of Disney pulling this stunt again. Once burned shame on you, twice burned shame on me.

Although I don’t work for the mouse, I still want to apologize to all the community members of VMK. Disney should know better than to treat you like this. It’s not how they would want their sons and daughters to be treated and it’s totally out of line with the new ethics of cyberspace. Let’s hope they learn a lesson or two.