Homemade Virtual Family Kingdom Set to Replace Disney's Virtual Magic Kingdom

The news that Disney would be shutting down Virtual Magic Kingdom on May 21, hit fans hard [see these comments]. Some have taken to petitions and write-in campaigns, others are looking to roll out their own replacement. A "small group of technology specialists and engineers who primarily create complex internet applications for insurance companies and universities" has spent 8 months adapting those skills to working on social networks and virtual worlds. Originally intended to create a business platform, the technology instead became the background for Virtual Family Kingdom.

Disney's Virtual Magic Kingdom isn't specifically referenced as an inspiration and the first area being shown off on Virtual Family Kingdom is a Colonial Williamsburg setting instead of a Frontierland or Adventureland. The VFK site does, though, host a banner ad for the VMK petition sites, and is set to launch in beta on May 22, a day after Disney's virtual world is set to shut down.  And also available are Victorian Turn of the Century Main Street settings and a Wild West theme.

The site, to some degree, is a labor of love to provide the creators and their families a virtual world replacement. It's also a business, though. The details just haven't been released.

"The game will be free, just as you have experienced," explains the site's About Us page. "We will not be accepting advertising, as we believe this is inappropriate when children are involved. We have put together a solid business model for this effort and you can rest assured that the Virtual Family Kingdom will not disappear in three years."

With items, stores, and customization options, though, it seems likely that microtransactions will come into play.

When virtual worlds and MMOGs have shut down in the past, other enthusiast groups have taken the hosting and operation duties on themselves to keep the world engaged. It'll be interesting to see if Disney lets this one continue.

Comments

[Amelia]

Hey my name is amelia and i used to play vmk

[diana]

i love vmk it can not close or i have no life plz do not close

[jessica]

hi i play vmk i hope vfk will be better because ppl in disney dont no that my once in a life time best friend i will never talk to again i cant belive thay would do this

[VMK Fan ;)]

I can't beileve VMK would do this. I was so trusting in them. I mean, kids with cancer are playing VMK to just live a normal life, and they are taking it away.
Grrrr... Great job Disney.... >:(

[Anonymous]

Oh my god. VMK has been my second life for 3 years now. It's throwing me out of my personal orbit; out of whack. God...I used to love disney but now i'm starting to have doubts.

[Hope For VMK]

I Hope VMK's creater change their mind since everyone still love to play it!!! I agree about the cancered kids... =( poor kiddys =( !!!!! I hope VFK is as good ad VMK, maybe better!

Im mad at VMK right now, But im still playing it... ODD

[VMK FAN]

I Loveeee VMK, id hate to see it close, it has always been the thing i go to when i dont feel like actually talking or when im sick and cant talk, i come and type to all my virtual friends. If i cannot come here i dont know what ill do with the extra hours of my life! It has been my second life for three years and now im all on my own. DISNEY PLEEAASSEE RECONSIDER CLOSING!! WE ALL BEG YOU!!

[kelsey]

vmk is closing bc disney is too cheap to upgrade there surver!!

[maggie]

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG are they really closing vmk down i've been playing it for about one year and thats all i do on the computer i really do hope they dont close it and hope vfk is better

[CynAnne]

I'm still hoping against hope that Disney DOESN'T close VMK (I'll pay to play gladly, rather than lose my beloved VMK - I'm a 'grown-up', btw, who's been playing VMK for three years..). Regarding VFK, from the demo that I've seen at the VFK page the art is on a par with my VMK standards (lol). So I'll keep my toes crossed for luck, and hope for the best of both worlds..! :)

[Rachel]

this is cool i was upset about vmkclosing now i have something to look forward to!!

[VMKer]

i'm sad vmk is shutting down but vfk looks like fun. let's all make the best of the situation even though they may be taking away part of our lives. together we can be strong. we, the vmkers, can continue vmk traditions in vfk, as well as start new traditions. vfk may be replacing vmk in real life, but in our hearts, souls, and spirits, vmk will remain alive and well in tact. vmk may just be a game, but we have created friends on there. though we have no idea of their real identities, they are still friends and losing friends hurts. so ask your friends what their username on vfk will be so you can keep in touch. i did that with two of my many friends. it might just make things seem better than they really are. don't pretend you don't miss vmk, cuz you will. remember vmk, and everything else should fall into place. best of luck on vfk! my username is gonna be Alphabeta.

[VMKer]

also, i'm a girl.

[Tony]

this is not fare vmk has been keeping me out of trouble i use to be bad but know befor i do bad things i just play VMK not to do them

[Rachel]

omg save vmk don't let it close

[brownrichtop]

plz oh plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz dont close vmk i love this place its the best place ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bob]

hi

[Sharkhearts]

plz do not close :(

i will be your bff :)

[marissa]

I DONT WANT VMK TO CLOSE ITS MY LIFE, YOUR TAKING AWAY VMK AND YOU TAKING AWAY FRIENDS.PEOPLE HAVE MADE GOOD FRIENDS AND YOUR TAKING THEM AWAY.PLZ DONT CLOSE VMK ITS MY LIFE NOT JUST MINE YOUVE TAKEN AWAY EVERYONES.:(

[Jean]

VMK's closing is indeed a loss to our family! We too have playing for several years and have bought into the game and community; hook line and sinker. We, along with others, have purchased Disney movies for rewards points to use for virtual items; pins at the parks for codes and made visits to the parks solely to get addtional codes. We have spent hours upon hours building up our collection of virtual items. I think it was very poor planning on Disney's part to let a game continue to this extent only to come back and say it was just supposed to be temporary! Shame on you Disney.

[samantha]

i loved vmk i bet i will lovevfk to

[katrina]

Has anyone been able to log into vfk yet?

[Lisa]

I think Disney really hurt themselves this time. There were So many kids that look forward to this VMK. Many kids that are ill this was their life and they looked up to disney for providing them with this happeness. Disney has hurt millions of kids and will lose business because of this. I feel Disney could of found a way to keep vmk opened if they wanted to. But oh well it's their loss. I think virtual family kingdom will be the life savor to this big upset.

[tricia]

i still can't get in to virtual family kingdom and it is now 1:30 on may 22nd 2008 and am wondering if i will be able to get in?

[CuteTabitha]

♥♥
I hope this will be as good as VMK.

-CuteTabitha
♥♥

[Aaron]

How do you get on Virtual Family Kingdom?

[kate]

OK GUYS!!
VIRTUAL FAMILY KINGDOM IS WORKING!!
I JUST GOT ON THE WEBSITE BUT IT IS EXPERIENCING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES!!
IF YOU WERE NOT ABLE TO GET ON EARLIER, TRY IN A LITTLE BIT!!!

[Cameron]

EVERY TIME I GET ON VIRTUAL FAMILY KINGDOM IT MESSES UP AND IT'S MAKING ME MAD! I TRY TO LOGIN, REGESTER, EVERYTHING

[Cameron]

I KNOW T'S WORKING BUT IT KEEPS GOING OFF TO ANOTHER SCEEN AND IT'S TAKING TO LONG IT GOES TO A GOOGLE PAGE THAT SAYS CANNOT FIND WEBSITE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT

[Cameron]

HAS ANYONE GOT ON VIRTUAL FAMILY KINGDOM (VFK) YET AND STAYED AND GOT TO PLAY AND STUFF

[Tyanna]

VFK IS WORKING A LITTLE BUT SOMETIMES .. IT GOES AND SAYS INTERNET EXPLORER CANNOT DISPLAY WEB PAGE IM GONNA KEEP ON REFRESHING!!!!!!! PLZ PLZ PLZ PLZ PLZ PLZ SOMEONE PLZ HELP ME; HELP ME KNOW HOW TO REGISTER WITHOUT IT SAYING WHAT IT SAYS !

[Tyanna]

HELP PLZ !

[allie]

vmk was sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo fun you could find ppl there who liked you for you , and the ppl who liked you didnt know you so they wouldnt judge you. god .................. if any of u vmk players new me i was splashcarrie my bro was iamspencer

[Julia]

I'm having a lot of trouble getting on VFK. When I type in my name and password it brings me to yet another page telling me to put in my name and password... Or it will say Internet explorer page isn't working or something.

Has anbody gotten on yet? If so, How?? And what's it like?

[Esme]

Hi im ashagreat on vmk.I have just been on vfk and...well you cant really chat!!! it wont show up on the screen and ....theres no1 there!!! i also wanna say hi to daisy ( ninanik ) daddy ( agen ) stepdaddy (adventurebalto) and mummy,taylor,glad and EVERYONE!!! like darkfairy_girl and such.

i mean....how gay was it to shut down vmk? it was my life!!!! and vmk might actually try shutting vfk down! lets be prepared vmkers....lets be prepared

[Esme]

hi again,its me!!! i just wanna say...can anyone help me? and if you know ninanik evry1 who knows me....please go on....

[Esme]

im ALSO stuck theres nowhere to go and vfk is gettin on my nerves!!! theres nowhere to go and i feel like im the only 1

HEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!

[Mackenzie]

Virtual Family Kingdom is so boring like there is nobody on!!! There is no reason playing!

[Mackenzie]

Virtual Family Kingdom is so boring like there is nobody on!!! There is no reason playing!

[rhiannon]

idk why they are closeing vmk but they like...shoulden't vmk may be a little bad but i dont think they should :( i < 3vmk i wish they would not close it

[Samantha]

if you close this site down think about all the people that u r taking it away from! y can't u just leave vmk alone and just create the other but dont plzz dont close vmk down its me and all my fiends life on there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so plz dont close it.!?

[osmello]

I have logged in to vfk, no one shows up on my screen except me. I have been on top of buildings and stuck in trees. No response to comment form either. Hope they can get this worked out, i am so lonely without my vmk friends. Disney will find that they have lost a very large community of people who supported their movie and vacation clubs, spent nights in their hotels, and wished to be there. This was free advertising for their whole organization and they let it get away.

[Abby]

OMG PPL! NOBODY IS THERE BECAUSE YESTERDAY WAS TESTING DAY AND U CAN'T DO ANYTHING ON THAT DAY ECCEPT... WALK AROUND AND WHAT U SAY WON'T SHOW UP EITHER

[Abby]

thats why

[Abby]

i hope everybody reads what i just said bc u are just being stupid when u say all of that stuff

[bluekatrina]

I have been a member of Vmk for three years. I just had gotton to go the inner space shop. then Disney had to make that STUPID AND DUMB MOVE by having VMK close. Its not fair. Way to go disney. (sarcasticlly) Don't expect me to buy any of your movies or any of your products.

[BlondeAmazingEdge]

Disney, U CANT JUST PULL THE PLUG AND LET US DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! savvmk.com

[PencilAce]

I understand why VMK has to go. It is because : VMK bought computers 3 years ago, they lasted 3 years until now those computers that run VMK's servers are out of date and work slowly; which adds to tons of lag and crashing, VMK of course is a Free Online Game, they ran out of enough money to buy a ton of new computers. People, please understand that everything has to go someday, like lets say.. : your Mother just bought a pie and after a week its gone. Everything Has To Go Someday. But of course now that Toon Town has just made it to were you may go to places like.. Minnie's Melody Land and all those others. Pirates Online has just added new items such as light galleon or voodoodoll. These games Will Grow, and yet maybe, someday, Pirates Online or ToonTown will grow as big as VMK. VMK'ers Calm Down Disney Is Not Crazy! You just have to trust what Disney does, with hope, and trust , and a little bit of pixie dust, Disney will work out some sort of different game just as good as VMK. I understand of your weeping over loss of Great Friendships. I have lost many a friends. The True Reason for me typing this all is for your own Future of Online Gaming :)

Yours Always,
PencilAce

[jasmine]

hi this is jasmine why do they have to close vmk they are making so much money for each player they get and i dont know how to sign up for virtual family kingdom

[coolgamerjeff]

No doubt PencilAce was hired by Disney or something to try to make us forget about VMK. NICE TRY DISNEY! (sarcasticly) WE WILL NOT FORGET YOUR GREAT MISDEED! .\/.
----

[Grace]

Hey, have you guys had a chance to follow up on this site? I did, and it is sketch-tacular.

They're claiming that the in-game moderators from VMK (hired by Sulake) have all moved over to their game (which is *terrible*) and these ex-VMK players are just believing every word from their mouths. This new game is supposed to be family-friendly, but the moderators can't really do anything (I checked- there's no mod panel, and the "help" tool isn't functional)- it's a predator's dream.

I get that anything goes on teh internets, but this is ridiculous.

[horsewranglergal]

i'm sad about vmk closing but got really excited about vfk coming. But whenever I put in a address for vfk...........I CANT FIND VFK ANYWHERE!! WHAT'S THE ADDRESS

[horsewranglergal]

HELP!!!!!!

[coolgamerjeff]

The URL for VFK is virtualfamilykingdom.com

[bluecutekalibear]

now, vfk won't let me log in anymore... >:(
so much for the NEW vmk, the great vfk, the thing everyone's been waiting for...

Deeply Concerned,
(vmk name) bluecutekalibear

[horsewranglergal]

ty for telling me where it was. i couldn't find. What is there to do on vfk?

[coolgamerjeff]

idk

[coolgamerjeff]

P.S. Coolgamerjeff was my vmk name and trying to get it as my vfk name

[coolgamerjeff]

confirmed, I am coolgamerjeff on vfk

[opencrazyweather]

Uh........ How do u actually play on vfk? I signed up & all but it says they are booked. When can i play?

[luisa]

When can i play?
BERNARDO-S-ROCKS

[horsewranglergal]

is virtul family kingdom down i can't sign on.

[horsewranglergal]

nvm

[CynAnne]

At this time, only players who signed up for the "Beta" program have access to playing VFK, but the homepage does have a 'waiting list' that people can sign up for, and they will have the chance to play in the near future. Hope that helps some, and look forward to seeing you all in VFK..soon! :)

[Sharkhearts]

lalalalalalalalalalala.................................................................. me wish vmk no close.......................

PPL VMK COME BACK IN OCTOBER!!

[Kait]

Uh, can someone tell me ( or us ) how you acutally get on...like I preregister, but I don't HAVE a character, then I TRY to register, but it just keeps refreshing itself.......ppl PLEASE help me, and I hear rumors that VMK will reopen in October.....

my old VMK name was PrincessGinnyGran

[horsewranglergal]

where you hear that vmk coming back. I really wanna see

[horsewranglergal]

respond soon PLZZZZZZZZZzz!!!!!

[nikkie]

hi im ninanik on vmk and vfkrose:( ( esme,Ashagreat ) i miss you and i cant find you!!! plz plz come search me and tell me that you're ok

[hi]

well i cant lofg intovfk nomore and i know my password and username some one help me