Company Messaging
A collection of press releases from Disney which mention Virtual Magic Kingdom.
TWDC Annual Report 2004
BUILDING CLOSER GUEST RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH NEW TECHNOLOGY
The Internet has created exciting opportunities for Guests to take a piece of the Disney vacation experience home with them, while keeping the brand relevant for all age groups. [...]
Parks and Resorts’ most ambitious Internet project is a “massively multi-player” online theme park, scheduled to go live in 2005. In this “virtual Magic Kingdom,” online Guests can experience Disney theme parks from home by using an “avatar” – or online persona – to visit attractions, participate in an online Disney theme park community and customize their own virtual guest room.
TWDC Annual Report 2005
ENHANCING THE GUEST EXPERIENCE ONLINE Virtual Magic Kingdom extends the Disney theme park experience to the online world, building an entirely new connection to Guests and driving visitation to Disney theme parks. Guests can create online characters, compete in action-packed games based on real Disney attractions, hang out with friends, build and decorate their own rooms, and even win cool prizes. Virtual Magic Kingdom-themed locations at Disneyland in California and the Magic Kingdom in Florida encourage Guests to bring their online experience to the real world, as they embark on exciting quests in the parks and win rewards that can then be used in the virtual world.
Before, during and after Disney theme park visits, Virtual Magic Kingdom adds to the Disney experience by engaging tweens and teens with online adventures and real in-park missions (above).
Mickey Monitor, May 2005
Unleash Virtual Magic With New Online Game
Battle pirates. Chat with friends. Earn rewards. When the new “Virtual Magic Kingdom” online game goes live this summer, play- ers are gonna be pumped about a whole new kind of Disney magic!
Mickey Monitor, August 2005
Play awesome, new online Disney game. Free! This one goes out to all you kids out there
Seriously. It’s for the kids. So if you have ’em or know ’em ... give this to ’em! Because it’s online game time, and the kids have the keys to rule the kingdom. The “Virtual Magic Kingdom,” that is.
Ready to Unleash the MagicTM? Then here’s how. All you gotta do (assuming “you” is a reader who is not yet old enough to drive) is go to vmk.com and register to play for free. Then customize your Avatar for use in the game. You know ... your online character, complete with the hair and clothes of your choice and such. Now you’re ready to begin your journey throughout a virtual Disney Park. During this journey, you can fire cannons and battle buccaneers in Pirates of the Caribbean, sail along as part of a Jungle Cruise photo safari, master your own music mix, and even enter a competition to create the most kickin’ fireworks displays ever!
Virtual Magic KingdomTM (a.k.a. VMK) also lets you design and deco- rate guest rooms, join parties, and hang out in your very own Disney com- munities with tons of online buddies.
Bonus––the game extends beyond the computer and right into the actual Disney Theme Parks where rewards, both real and virtual, await. This means the Walt Disney World® fun can be had before, during and after your visit.
Swing by VMK Central at Main Street Cinema in the Magic Kingdom® Park to find out how to extend your virtual adventure into the real world. To play the game, just remember this: vmk.com. L8r.
Mickey Monitor, February 2006
In-Park Virtual Magic Kingdom Quests
This is part of the excitement of Disney’s Virtual Magic Kingdom™ online multi-Player game (vmk.com), where you can create your own character, play action-packed games and interact with players worldwide. The in-Park Quest is a scavenger hunt that extends the game into the real-life Magic Kingdom® Park.
Visit “VMK Central” at Main Street Cinema for your Adventureland®, Frontierland® and Fantasyland® Quest cards. Explore Magic Kingdom Park to answer the multiple-choice questions about attractions, shops and little details. Return the cards to Main Street Cinema and if your answers are correct, you’ll win a glow-in-the-dark wristband and virtual prizes you can use in the online game.
go 2 vmk.com kick some pirate booty join a jungle cruise
TWDC Investor Relations Newsletter, May 2006
VIRTUAL MAGIC KINGDOM HITS MILLION PLAYER MARK
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Online Announces Millionth Character Milestone and Expansions to Online Theme Park
Barely more than seven months after its official launch, Virtual Magic Kingdom (VMK), a free multiplayer gaming community inspired by Disney's famous theme parks, has acquired the one-millionth character in its virtual community. The virtual theme park at vmk.com has grown to include several new lands, fun new games and more than 1.3 million personalized rooms created by its players.
In addition to Adventureland, Main Street, and Fantasyland, VMK recently opened Frontierland, a Wild-West neighborhood with new areas to explore and brand-new games. Players can create their own log flume ride or hunt ghosts in a new Haunted Mansion multiplayer game. In a future phase set to launch later this year, Tomorrowland will add an exciting, outer-space dimension to the virtual theme park.
FROM THE VIRTUAL WORLD TO THE REAL WORLD
The fun continues on as it transcends its online community. Gamers can visit VMK Central in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World and Disneyland park at Disneyland Resort by visiting special VMK kiosks, and participate in exciting real-world Quests. And, best of all, guests who successfully complete a VMK Quest in the real world will earn secret codes for game credits and other virtual rewards to enhance game play.
ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW
VMK.com players can access a calendar of special online events designed to challenge and entertain while offering the chance to win rare virtual items. These new social activities and community-driven events enhance the dynamic nature of the game, complementing the permanent features players can enjoy throughout VMK. VMK guests can build their own Expedition Everest ride in celebration of the spring opening of Expedition Everest in Disney's Animal Kingdom.
BEYOND VMK
Other new Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Online destinations allow players an opportunity to take advantage of great VMK tie-ins. Guests can link to disneyeverest.com, an all-new web site for the thrilling new Expedition Everest attraction at Florida's Walt Disney World Resort where players can learn about the ride and win free stuff for VMK. A downloadable game called Yeti Vision lets players become the feared Yeti from the new attraction at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Protect the sacred realm from intruders and earn Yeti Vision Rewards to redeem in VMK by destroying train tracks, causing avalanches and solving ancient mysteries. After each episode, guests can earn different virtual prizes such as Everest pins, Everest ice furniture or an Everest guest room.
TWDC Annual Report, 2006
VIRTUAL FUN FOR YOUNGER GUESTS: VIRTUAL MAGIC KINGDOM
In 2005, a new kind of online theme park expe- rience was introduced: Virtual Magic Kingdom (VMK), a Web-based world with electronic adventures that match real-world activities at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Since then, an estimated 1 .7 million online characters have been created and more than 90,000 VMK players came to our parks to continue their online experiences with real-world quests. This combination of real- and Web-world adventures generates powerful incentives for a new generation of Disney fans to spend more of their leisure time with us.
WDPR Fact Sheet, Dec 2006
Magic Through Technology
Online players at home can play right along - in real time - with guests riding Buzz Lightyear Astra Blasters at the Disneyland Resort in California. There's even more magic to be found at the Virtual Magic Kingdom (vmk.com) - an online extension of the Disney theme park experience that began in July 2005. It's proving to be exceptionally popular too: After its first 16 months of operation, Virtual Magic Kingdom had more than 1.7 million online players.
Virtual Magic Kingdom brings the fun and excitement of Disney's theme parks to a magical online setting
