The Walt Disney Company, more commonly referred to as Disney, is one of the most common household names of all time. Disney is not only known for its media endeavors like movies or television, but also because of its multiple theme parks that allow people to interact with their favorite characters or experience tons of ride attractions. 16 years ago, in celebration of Disney’s 50th anniversary, the company created an online multiplayer experience called Virtual Magic Kingdom, abbreviated VMK. It was a virtual rendering of a few aspects of Disneyland, like Main Street, U.S.A., Adventureland, and Fantasyland.
The VMK server was meant to be a temporary platform for players to enjoy in celebration of the 50th anniversary, but instead lasted from 2005 until 2008. Users enjoyed running around the virtual Disney parks as well as playing mini-games and collecting items (like clothing, furniture, “guest rooms,” etc.) that showed how dedicated they were to the game. Though this MMO went offline so long ago, it still lives in former players’ minds with fond memories of their time in VMK.
VMK allowed players the opportunity to explore virtual renderings of the iconic Disneyland parks right off the bat. As the game expanded, it eventually added access to Frontierland, Tomorrowland, and the New Orleans Square throughout its 3-year run. Every area had different things for players to do an explore, including mini-games to help earn in-game currency.
When players first signed up for VMK, they created an avatar for themselves, customizing its appearance (skin tone, hair, face) as well as its clothing, and having a limited selection of shirts, pants, shoes, and even hats. Players weren’t stuck with these options, though, as they could accumulate in-game currency to purchase new items to wear and show off to other players. They were also issued a “guest room” that they were free to decorate however they liked. These rooms were modeled after other iconic Disney characters or movies, such as Sleeping Beauty or Alice’s rabbit hole.
In-game currency helped players unlock items like clothing and furniture that could be used on their avatar or in their “guest room.” The core of VMK was founded as an MMO, so players could chat with each other and become “friends” and visit each other’s “guest room” if they wanted to. However, the chat options were limited because the game was intended for people aged 8 to 14, and Disney made sure no personal information was able to be swapped between players.
For those who played on the server from 2005 to 2008, or anywhere in between, the return of VMK would be a pleasant nostalgia trip and a way to see if the memory of the game is better than the game itself. Additionally, in a time where it’s unsafe to visit places in person, especially Disney theme parks, bringing back VMK would be a wonderful way to get people at home involved with Disney without needing to leave the house.
The Virtual Magic Kingdom was an immersive experience for players to interact with Disney NPCs, accrue their own special loot (like exclusive clothing or furniture items), play mini-games, and complete in-game quests to let them experience Disney even when they couldn’t visit in person. Even if VMK doesn’t make a return anytime soon, Disney’s 100th anniversary is coming up in only a few years: who’s to say the MMO couldn’t return then?
Virtual Magic Kingdom shut down its servers on May 21, 2008.
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