Virtual Magic Kingdom Magic Kingdom Archives

Disney's Virtual Magic Kingdom (VMK), a free, online, multi-player game, is now in beta testing mode. The game allows you to create your own character and virtual experiences while interacting with players from around the world. On June 1, the virtual fun steps into reality, when VMK Central, an in-park computer station hosted by a "VMK Expert" Cast Member, opens in the Main Street Cinema. You can stop by VMK Central to sign up for VMK and to learn about the special in-park quests (scavenger hunts) for virtual or real prizes that will begin on June 13. To read more about the online game, which is scheduled to go live June 27, visit:
http://vmk.disney.go.com/vmk/en_US/index?name=VMKHomePage

EDITOR'S NOTE: ALL EARS® Reader Travis adds, "I just signed up for Disney's new online game, Virtual Magic Kingdom, and it's a lot of fun! While, as of now it has some problems, I'm sure that they'll be fixed by the time it officially opens. The coolest aspect of the game is perhaps the real, in-park quests that will come next month. You'll do scavenger hunts in the REAL parks and then go to a nearby VMK station to get online rewards for your character. This game is fun and will only get better with time. I rate it 4 out of 5 stars."

…from Chris White: There's a BRAND NEW, FREE tour that started June 27 — the VIRTUAL MAGIC KINGDOM TOUR! To take advantage of this tour, you must visit the Main Street Cinema and pick up the Quest brochures — as of July 1, only Frontierland, Adventureland, and Fantasyland are available. They coincide with the current "lands" available on Disney's new Virtual Magic Kingdom online game. There are questions in each land. You must find the answer and scratch it off on your Quest/Questions card. Then you return it to Main Street Cinema to get your virtual prizes for the online game — trading cards with unique online codes. When you have finished all three Quests, you are eligble to sign up for the free (yes, FREE!) Virtual Magic Kingdom Tour, which currently occurs at 1 and 4:30 p.m. Sign up is in the City Hall. The tour was great. While my husband has played VMK since it was released in the Beta version, I knew very little about this game, but still enjoyed the tour. It lasts 1.5 to 2 hours. You are given information about the development/background of VMK and get to see a sketch book that your tour guide carries around. The cast member takes you on the Jungle Cruise, on your group's private boat… Your VMK guide asks you lots of VMK trivia questions on the boat. The person who answers the question correctly gets a virtual prize — a card to use online. You are also taken to the Haunted Mansion and given the Quest card. You look for the answers as you ride the attraction. Finally, back at the cinema, you are given more virtual prizes and your tour guide shares some favorite spots on VMK. We had Jeff as our guide and he was absolutely fantastic! The cast members in the cinema also know everything about the game. This tour was lots of fun, and oh, let me say it again — it's FREE!

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VIRTUALLY MAGICAL!
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by Joshua Olive

Sometimes you're dying to go to the Magic Kingdom and it's just not feasible for whatever reason: the money isn't there, the time isn't there, or the kids aren't old enough yet to really get the most out of the park. Never fear! Now you can enjoy the delights of the Magic Kingdom at home!

Disney has recently brought us the Virtual Magic Kingdom and, even though it's only in the Beta test phase right now, it's still a lot of fun. If you're itching for a little Disney magic, all you need is a computer and an Internet connection to find it!

You start off by creating your character, a fun activity on its own, and after you've put your character together, you can start zipping through the Magic Kingdom. Now, don't be disappointed when things don't look the way you anticipated. This Magic Kingdom is really an amalgam of all the Magic Kingdoms around the world. The castle, for instance, is from Disneyland Paris. The graphics in this game are cartoonish, but they're fun, and they somehow manage to capture the spirit of the ambience at the actual parks, which was a wonderful surprise.

It's a lot of fun and for friends or families who live miles apart and can't actually go to the parks together, it's a great way to meet up and enjoy some Disney magic. It's also a great way to meet other people who are just as crazy about Disney as you are. Who else will be playing this game but Disney aficionados?!

So what's the downside? At the moment, only Adventureland is open and fully functional — they are in the Beta test mode, after all — and Fantasyland is partially functional. Tomorrowland and Frontierland will be up and running very soon, and they'll have all kinds of other games to play, but for now you may run out of new things to do fairly soon. The Hidden Mickey search will keep you coming back though, so watch out! It's a little addictive.

Read Josh's full review at: http://allearsnet.com/btp/virtualmk.htm

To play visit: http://vmk.disney.go.com/vmk/en_US/index?name=VMKHomePage

Meaghan
q:
comments: Based on an item in a recent newsletter, my son (age 7) and
I became beta-testers of the new Virtual Magic Kingdom game
(www.vmk.com). It is now open for public usage. The game itself is
fun, if a little thin on the content at this point. There however,
seems to be more things added all the time and it is a fun (and safe)
way to keep the magic alive between trips to the actual parks. It is
monitored at all times by Disney cast members and while real-time
chat is part of the game. There is a specific dictionary of
acceptable words that can be used. It will not allowed you to type
or send words that don't conform to the guidelines. Another good
feature of the game is that unlike alot of other really fun Disney
stuff(i.e. Toontown) it is FREE!

My only advice is if you aren't planning a trip to the Magic Kingdom
anytime soon you might want to think before showing it to your child.
My son is hooked on the game and wants desperately to do one of the
Quests that are a large but not necessary part of the game. However,
the only way to do it is in the park. You print out a Quest from the
website, take it with you to the park, and upon completion receive
secret codes and special VMK merchandise. This is a problem for us
as we have no Disney trip planned until at least next year :O(!