Originally Posted By Admin This topic is for Discussion of: <a href="http://www.LaughingPlace.com/News-ID509340.asp" target="_blank">7/1/05 Vince Matthews on Digital Disney</a>
Originally Posted By ForeverWDW Since it’s announcement there has been a crying out from the kids and adults to allow the site to remain open. There has been an out cry from the over 250,000 active members as both young and old have bonded together in a common cause to save the site from being closed down. Online petitions have had over 6,700 signatures in the short time since the announcement. Countless e-mail and phone calls to Disney have remained unanswered or been told there is nothing that can be done. It has been said that adults have gone to CNN and tried to get them to run a short story about it but when Disney refused to comment CNN saw no point in trying to run it. Fan based sites are buzzing with activity trying every possible angle to help. There is an article written by Virtual World News <a href="http://www.virtualworldsnews.com/2008/04/disneys" target="_blank">http://www.virtualworldsnews.c.../disneys</a>- virtual.html that contains the story and also comments left by some of the members of VMK. I ask that you please take a moment of your time to read the article and comments. If the real life stories there don’t break your heart, nothing will. Disney is doing more then just simply shutting down a project. They are destroying children’s hopes and dreams. They are taking away the one place where children of all ages can be free to explore, learn, communicate, grow, imagine, heal, flourish, and DREAM. You see VMK is more then a simple online game. VMK is a community of friends and yes even family that enjoy the magic Walt Disney inspired. Yes there are games to play but for the most part this has been an escape from the real world troubles many of us seek refuge from. Here nobody is judged for their appearance, disabilities, race, or age. We are friends all seeking support, love, and understanding. We help each other in times of need. We share in the simple joys life can bring us. We care for each other. So while yes this is a game, Disney fails to realize it has grown way beyond that. Shutting the doors is absolutely heart-wrenching for all of us. As an adult who suffers from severe depression, anxiety attacks, and post traumatic stress this is the one true place I can forget my troubles. Here my friends unknowingly have provided the love and laughter I needed to make it through my darkest hours when I had nowhere else to turn to. When closing comes each night and we’ve danced our final dance of the day, exchanged out hugs with wishes of sweet dreams, I sit back and dream. No nightmares for me then.. I dream. Dream of what surprises await me the next day, maybe designing a new room to share some fun in with my friends, dream of the fun times we have had and more that have yet to come. Those dreams came to an end this week. I am a mom of 2 wonderful boys who both enjoy playing VMK as much I do and have been playing a little over 2 years now. I held my oldest child tonight as he cried while saying goodbye to a long time friend I heard him say words that broke my heart to pieces. “I hate Disney. I hate them! I never want to be CEO of a place that makes kids feel like this!†My son has had one simple dream to be when he grew up. His one dream was to someday be CEO of the place he loves so very much, Disney. He has had this dream since he was 7 and now almost 6 years later, until last night, he has held fast to that dream. Gone are the days we would sit and chat about what he wanted his office to look like. Goodbye to the wonderful dreams he had to make sure every child could experience the magic that he knows is there. Farewell to our special moments we could sit and talk about things he wished to build in the parks. As I sit and hold them while they sob at each goodbye to friends they will never have a chance to talk to again I wonder why? Why is Disney doing this to all the countless children around the world. Are their hearts that cold that they don’t hear these kids screaming out? Do they not understand the anguish they are putting these kids through? So many broken hearts, so many countless tears shed, and all to blame on Disney. The one place in this world where dreams are supposed to come true. My kids dreams never included this much heartache. Tomorrow will be another day of tears and sadness. Another day of hugging them while they sob on my shoulder. All I can do is try to tell them that it will all be ok, while inside my own heart breaks in two. Disney fails to realize the importance of this game to so many people worldwide. They fail to realize the tremendous amount of agony they are putting these kids through. They fail to realize what it is that they have done. Our family’s hearts are saddened. There is no joy here now. No buzz of excitement as a special host event time draws near. Now our home is filled with quiet dread. Each of us knows that tomorrow will bring more sadness but still we sign on to be there for our friends. To share in the last remaining few happy moments, to quietly sit with our friend knowing that they are shedding tears of heartache, to dance our last dances with dear friends we will never meet. Disney I beg and plead of you, please change your mind. Please bring back the happiness and dreams of countless children both young in body and at heart. Don’t turn your backs on us. Cant you hear us crying? If you need more information please see the links below to some of the many fan based web sites and petitions. Dis Boards - <a href="http://disboards.com/forumdisplay.phps=86a0c1644c1d9d4ccc8fbabb37c30b1e&f=95" target="_blank">http://disboards.com/forumdisp...b1e&f=95</a> VMKMagic - <a href="http://vmkmagic.com/vbulletin/" target="_blank">http://vmkmagic.com/vbulletin/</a> VMKForums - <a href="http://www.vmkforums.com/" target="_blank">http://www.vmkforums.com/</a> Save VMK Today Petition - <a href="http://savevmktoday.com/main.html" target="_blank">http://savevmktoday.com/main.html</a> Save VMK Petition - <a href="http://savevmk.com/phpPETITION/results.php" target="_blank">http://savevmk.com/phpPETITION...ults.php</a>
