<s>
Virtual	B-Protocol
Magic	I-Protocol
Kingdom	I-Protocol
,	O
also	O
known	O
as	O
VMK	B-Protocol
,	O
was	O
a	O
massively	B-Application
multiplayer	I-Application
online	I-Application
game	I-Application
developed	O
by	O
Walt	O
Disney	O
Parks	O
and	O
Resorts	O
and	O
Sulake	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
The	O
Walt	O
Disney	O
Company	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
a	O
virtual	B-Application
representation	O
of	O
the	O
Disneyland-style	O
theme	O
parks	O
,	O
containing	O
areas	O
and	O
minigames	O
which	O
were	O
based	O
on	O
real	O
park	O
scenery	O
and	O
attractions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
VMK	B-Protocol
initially	O
launched	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
Happiest	O
Celebration	O
on	O
Earth	O
promotional	O
campaign	O
,	O
commemorating	O
Disneyland	O
's	O
50th	O
anniversary	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
target	O
audience	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
children	O
between	O
the	O
ages	O
of	O
8	O
and	O
14	O
,	O
although	O
VMK	B-Protocol
was	O
designed	O
to	O
be	O
enjoyed	O
by	O
guests	O
of	O
all	O
ages	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Virtual	B-Protocol
Magic	I-Protocol
Kingdom	I-Protocol
was	O
closed	O
by	O
Disney	O
on	O
May	O
21	O
,	O
2008	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Many	O
fans	O
asked	O
Disney	O
if	O
VMK	B-Protocol
was	O
going	O
to	O
reopen	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
prompted	O
Disney	O
to	O
post	O
a	O
message	O
on	O
the	O
VMK	B-Protocol
homepage	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
a	O
promotion	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
closed	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
there	O
were	O
"	O
no	O
plans	O
"	O
to	O
reopen	O
VMK	B-Protocol
in	O
any	O
form	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
VMK	B-Protocol
homepage	O
now	O
redirects	O
to	O
the	O
main	O
Disney	O
games	O
site	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
this	O
iteration	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
the	O
first	O
to	O
be	O
called	O
Virtual	B-Protocol
Magic	I-Protocol
Kingdom	I-Protocol
,	O
a	O
stylized	O
park	O
would	O
be	O
overrun	O
by	O
villains	O
during	O
a	O
special	O
after-hours	O
visit	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
work	O
on	O
the	O
Fantasyland	O
portion	O
was	O
repurposed	O
into	O
the	O
1999	O
game	O
Disney	B-Application
's	I-Application
Villains	I-Application
 '	I-Application
Revenge	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
being	O
introduced	O
to	O
Sulake	O
,	O
who	O
were	O
attempting	O
to	O
expand	O
beyond	O
their	O
breakout	O
service	O
Habbo	B-Application
Hotel	I-Application
(	O
now	O
Habbo	B-Application
)	O
,	O
they	O
collaborated	O
on	O
a	O
pitch	O
demo	O
set	O
in	O
Adventureland	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
beta	O
version	O
opened	O
publicly	O
on	O
May	O
23	O
,	O
2005	O
,	O
with	O
three	O
virtual	B-Application
lands	O
to	O
explore	O
:	O
Main	O
Street	O
,	O
U.S.A.	O
,	O
Fantasyland	O
,	O
and	O
Adventureland	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
June	O
24	O
,	O
2005	O
,	O
the	O
Parks	O
and	O
Resorts	O
Online	O
team	O
filed	O
a	O
patent	O
for	O
their	O
integration	O
of	O
real-life	O
and	O
virtual	B-Application
theme	O
park	O
rewards	O
in	O
VMK	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
Disney	O
closed	O
VMK	B-Protocol
on	O
May	O
21	O
,	O
2008	O
,	O
at	O
1:00	O
AM	O
EST	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
Thanksgiving	O
weekend	O
of	O
2008	O
,	O
suspicion	O
arose	O
when	O
emails	O
from	O
VMK	B-Protocol
's	O
server	O
were	O
sent	O
out	O
saying	O
they	O
were	O
testing	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
account	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ultimately	O
,	O
these	O
actions	O
had	O
no	O
effect	O
,	O
and	O
VMK	B-Protocol
was	O
shut	O
down	O
as	O
scheduled	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
VMK	B-Protocol
website	O
was	O
updated	O
with	O
information	O
to	O
quell	O
repeated	O
rumors	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
would	O
be	O
resurrected	O
(	O
and	O
at	O
one	O
point	O
,	O
provided	O
promotional	O
 [ free ] 	O
subscriptions	O
for	O
other	O
Disney	O
Online	O
games	O
)	O
,	O
but	O
was	O
taken	O
down	O
entirely	O
in	O
November	O
;	O
the	O
VMK	B-Protocol
URL	O
currently	O
directs	O
users	O
to	O
the	O
"	O
Games	O
"	O
section	O
of	O
Disney.com	O
instead	O
of	O
the	O
VMK	B-Protocol
homepage	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Holzberg	O
claimed	O
in	O
2021	O
that	O
VMK	B-Protocol
was	O
"	O
cannibalizing	O
"	O
the	O
activity	O
of	O
Toontown	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
and	O
other	O
Disney-related	O
online	O
services	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Virtual	B-Protocol
Magic	I-Protocol
Kingdom	I-Protocol
consisted	O
of	O
"	O
Disney	O
Lands	O
"	O
,	O
each	O
depicted	O
in	O
isometric	O
projection	O
,	O
and	O
each	O
with	O
a	O
distinct	O
theme	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
player	O
could	O
request	O
a	O
free	O
"	O
VMK	B-Protocol
pass	O
"	O
if	O
there	O
were	O
more	O
than	O
five	O
people	O
in	O
the	O
queue	O
for	O
a	O
room	O
;	O
this	O
allowed	O
him	O
or	O
her	O
to	O
walk	O
around	O
freely	O
in	O
other	O
rooms	O
until	O
it	O
was	O
his	O
or	O
her	O
turn	O
to	O
enter	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
could	O
also	O
create	O
games	O
in	O
their	O
rooms	O
(	O
as	O
long	O
as	O
the	O
games	O
followed	O
VMK	B-Protocol
guidelines	O
of	O
appropriateness	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
award	O
some	O
of	O
their	O
own	O
items	O
to	O
players	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Each	O
week	O
,	O
VMK	B-Protocol
staff	O
awarded	O
a	O
Best	O
Guest	O
Room	O
Award	O
,	O
Best	O
Game	O
Room	O
Award	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
Best	O
Quest	O
Award	O
pin	O
to	O
the	O
owners	O
of	O
guest	O
rooms	O
chosen	O
to	O
be	O
superlative	O
in	O
originality	O
and	O
creativity	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Winners	O
of	O
Best	O
Guest	O
Room	O
not	O
only	O
got	O
the	O
Best	O
Guest	O
Room	O
Award	O
,	O
but	O
they	O
also	O
were	O
allowed	O
to	O
"	O
rent	O
"	O
Club	O
33	O
for	O
a	O
party	O
,	O
which	O
a	O
VMK	B-Protocol
host	O
helped	O
the	O
winner	O
organize	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Several	O
players	O
earned	O
the	O
Best	O
Guest	O
Room	O
,	O
Best	O
Game	O
Room	O
,	O
or	O
Best	O
Quest	O
award	O
more	O
than	O
once	O
;	O
the	O
VMK	B-Protocol
staff	O
awarded	O
the	O
VIP	O
pin	O
to	O
these	O
outstanding	O
players	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
March	O
2007	O
,	O
VMK	B-Protocol
Staff	O
began	O
"	O
Room	O
Makeovers	O
"	O
,	O
where	O
VMK	B-Protocol
staff	O
would	O
go	O
into	O
randomly	O
selected	O
guest	O
rooms	O
,	O
or	O
guest	O
rooms	O
submitted	O
by	O
online	O
players	O
,	O
and	O
give	O
the	O
room	O
a	O
makeover	O
if	O
it	O
was	O
in	O
need	O
of	O
one	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Before	O
and	O
after	O
pictures	O
of	O
the	O
players	O
 '	O
room	O
were	O
then	O
posted	O
each	O
week	O
on	O
the	O
VMK	B-Protocol
Newsletter	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
the	O
month	O
of	O
April	O
,	O
VMK	B-Protocol
staff	O
awarded	O
a	O
'	O
Best	O
Pirate	O
Room	O
 '	O
award	O
because	O
April	O
was	O
'	O
Pirate	O
Month	O
 '	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
rooms	O
were	O
available	O
in	O
the	O
Virtual	B-Protocol
Magic	I-Protocol
Kingdom	I-Protocol
from	O
the	O
shop	O
button	O
,	O
others	O
were	O
available	O
from	O
quests	O
,	O
and	O
some	O
had	O
limited	O
availability	O
built-in	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
June	O
2007	O
,	O
"	O
pay-to-play	O
"	O
guest/game	O
rooms	O
were	O
disallowed	O
because	O
it	O
was	O
considered	O
scamming	O
,	O
though	O
games	O
like	O
"	O
Pirates	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Caribbean	I-Application
"	O
were	O
still	O
allowed	O
to	O
ask	O
for	O
the	O
minimum	O
21	O
credits	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
following	O
minigames	O
were	O
available	O
to	O
play	O
throughout	O
the	O
lands	O
in	O
the	O
Virtual	B-Protocol
Magic	I-Protocol
Kingdom	I-Protocol
:	O
</s>
<s>
Magic	O
Checkers	O
:	O
Revealed	O
to	O
the	O
VMK	B-Protocol
public	O
in	O
January	O
2008	O
,	O
this	O
game	O
was	O
essentially	O
checkers	O
and	O
was	O
playable	O
by	O
two	O
players	O
at	O
a	O
time	O
per	O
room	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Like	O
most	O
other	O
games	O
in	O
VMK	B-Protocol
,	O
Magic	O
Checkers	O
offered	O
a	O
reward	O
of	O
credits	O
and	O
items	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Pirates	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Caribbean	I-Application
:	O
Two	O
to	O
eight	O
players	O
,	O
on	O
two	O
teams	O
,	O
either	O
played	O
a	O
game	O
of	O
"	O
Ship	O
Battle	O
"	O
where	O
one	O
team	O
must	O
sink	O
the	O
other	O
,	O
or	O
a	O
game	O
of	O
"	O
Capture	O
the	O
Flag	O
"	O
where	O
one	O
team	O
must	O
bring	O
the	O
opposing	O
team	O
's	O
flag	O
to	O
their	O
base	O
before	O
the	O
other	O
team	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Castle	O
Fireworks	B-Protocol
Remixed	I-Protocol
:	O
Fireworks	O
were	O
launched	O
into	O
the	O
sky	O
and	O
the	O
player	O
had	O
to	O
click	O
on	O
each	O
one	O
with	O
the	O
correct	O
symbol	O
to	O
detonate	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Street	O
Party	O
Music	O
Game/Monorail	O
Music	O
Game	O
:	O
A	O
player	O
could	O
sequence	O
music	B-Application
loops	I-Application
into	O
a	O
song	O
for	O
characters	O
to	O
dance	O
to	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Language
Haunted	I-Language
Mansion	I-Language
Game	O
:	O
The	O
Purple	O
team	O
and	O
the	O
Green	O
team	O
,	O
with	O
up	O
to	O
four	O
players	O
each	O
,	O
competed	O
to	O
capture	O
ghosts	O
in	O
the	O
mansion	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
VMK	B-Protocol
Trading	O
Card	O
Game	O
:	O
The	O
basic	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
VMK	B-Protocol
Trading	O
Card	O
Game	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
August	O
17	O
,	O
2007	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Airlock	O
Escape	O
:	O
A	O
puzzle	O
game	O
with	O
some	O
similarity	O
to	O
ChuChu	B-Application
Rocket	I-Application
!	I-Application
</s>
<s>
Blast	O
in	O
Space	O
:	O
An	O
action	B-Application
game	I-Application
similar	O
to	O
Asteroids	B-Application
;	O
the	O
player	O
piloted	O
a	O
spaceship	O
to	O
shoot	O
rocks	O
,	O
and	O
then	O
received	O
awards	O
for	O
passing	O
all	O
sixteen	O
levels	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hyperspace	B-Application
Mountain	O
:	O
An	O
action	B-Application
game	I-Application
where	O
the	O
player	O
collected	O
six	O
"	O
modules	O
"	O
throughout	O
nine	O
sectors	O
and	O
received	O
the	O
awards	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Virtual	B-Protocol
Magic	I-Protocol
Kingdom	I-Protocol
occasionally	O
held	O
special	O
events	O
at	O
which	O
prizes	O
were	O
given	O
out	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hosts	O
would	O
randomly	O
walk	O
around	O
and	O
players	O
waiting	O
in	O
one	O
room	O
all	O
day	O
had	O
difficulty	O
finding	O
them	O
,	O
therefore	O
,	O
players	O
were	O
encouraged	O
to	O
play	O
VMK	B-Protocol
as	O
they	O
would	O
normally	O
to	O
possibly	O
win	O
a	O
prize	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ride-A-Thons	O
:	O
VMK	B-Protocol
staff	O
occasionally	O
hosted	O
"	O
Ride-A-Thons	O
"	O
,	O
in	O
which	O
they	O
prepared	O
rides	O
for	O
players	O
to	O
enjoy	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Make-A-Room	O
:	O
VMK	B-Protocol
staff	O
occasionally	O
hosted	O
"	O
Make	O
A	O
Ride	O
Rooms	O
"	O
,	O
which	O
allowed	O
players	O
to	O
go	O
into	O
a	O
certain	O
teleporter	O
and	O
design	O
a	O
room	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Captain	O
Blackheart	O
's	O
Treasure	O
Hunt	O
Quest	O
(	O
March	O
29	O
-	O
April	O
1	O
,	O
2008	O
)	O
:	O
The	O
biggest	O
VMK	B-Protocol
quest	O
ever	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
quest	O
consisted	O
of	O
75	O
different	O
tasks	O
,	O
and	O
required	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
navigate	O
VMK	B-Protocol
,	O
answer	O
Disney	O
Pirate	O
's	O
of	O
the	O
Caribbean-related	O
questions	O
,	O
and	O
play	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
then	O
set	O
up	O
a	O
character	O
(	O
an	O
avatar	B-Application
)	O
and	O
selected	O
the	O
character	O
's	O
gender	O
and	O
appearance	O
(	O
shirt	O
,	O
shoes	O
,	O
pants	O
,	O
hair	O
,	O
hat	O
,	O
face	O
,	O
and	O
colors	O
for	O
skin	O
and	O
hair	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
chose	O
a	O
name	O
for	O
the	O
avatar	B-Application
,	O
but	O
until	O
the	O
VMK	B-Protocol
staff	O
approved	O
the	O
name	O
they	O
requested	O
,	O
their	O
name	O
was	O
"	O
Guest	O
"	O
followed	O
by	O
the	O
number	O
of	O
player	O
that	O
they	O
are	O
(	O
e.g.	O
</s>
<s>
If	O
the	O
name	O
was	O
not	O
approved	O
,	O
the	O
VMK	B-Protocol
staff	O
would	O
let	O
the	O
player	O
create	O
another	O
name	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
was	O
a	O
green	O
badge	O
with	O
a	O
cutout	O
silhouette	O
of	O
the	O
Disneyland	O
castle	O
(	O
this	O
was	O
also	O
the	O
symbol	O
of	O
VMK	B-Protocol
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
VMK	B-Protocol
Staff	O
:	O
paid	O
employees	O
who	O
helped	O
safeguard	O
players	O
and/or	O
hosted	O
VMK	B-Protocol
games	O
and	O
events	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Testers	O
:	O
VMK	B-Protocol
staff	O
that	O
tested	O
out	O
items	O
,	O
and	O
were	O
seen	O
around	O
with	O
their	O
name	O
as	O
"	O
QA_	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Testers	O
also	O
held	O
the	O
VMK	B-Protocol
Staff	O
badge	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Occasionally	O
,	O
the	O
VMK	B-Protocol
shops	O
sold	O
special	O
clothing	O
items	O
(	O
or	O
entire	O
costumes	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Full	O
costumes	O
included	O
spacesuits	O
,	O
princess	O
outfits	O
,	O
(	O
came	O
in	O
blue	O
,	O
yellow	O
,	O
pink	O
)	O
Haunted	B-Language
Mansion	I-Language
dress	O
clothes	O
,	O
an	O
Expedition	O
Everest	O
hiking	O
outfit	O
,	O
baseball	O
uniforms	O
,	O
and	O
football	O
uniforms	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Accounts	O
used	O
specifically	O
for	O
getting	O
credits	O
and	O
items	O
,	O
known	O
in	O
other	O
games	O
as	O
multis	O
,	O
were	O
called	O
"	O
mules	B-Operating_System
"	O
(	O
sometimes	O
called	O
"	O
clones	B-Application
"	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Since	O
the	O
game	O
let	O
a	O
player	O
create	O
new	O
accounts	O
freely	O
,	O
players	O
created	O
mules	B-Operating_System
(	O
named	O
after	O
the	O
beast	B-Operating_System
of	I-Operating_System
burden	I-Operating_System
)	O
to	O
enter	O
multi-use	O
codes	O
and	O
collect	O
credits	O
by	O
visiting	O
Disney	O
Characters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
could	O
buy	O
items	O
with	O
a	O
mule	B-Operating_System
's	O
credits	O
,	O
and	O
then	O
trade	O
these	O
items	O
from	O
the	O
mules	B-Operating_System
to	O
their	O
main	O
characters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
who	O
used	O
mules	B-Operating_System
were	O
said	O
to	O
be	O
"	O
muling	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
mules	B-Operating_System
were	O
called	O
"	O
done	O
keys	O
"	O
(	O
donkeys	O
)	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
limited	O
vocabulary	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
VMK	B-Protocol
stated	O
that	O
if	O
a	O
person	O
agreed	O
to	O
all	O
of	O
these	O
notices	O
,	O
any	O
issues	O
a	O
player	O
might	O
have	O
with	O
the	O
trade	O
were	O
due	O
to	O
their	O
own	O
negligence	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
rules	O
were	O
posted	O
on	O
the	O
VMK	B-Protocol
web	O
site	O
as	O
"	O
VMK	B-Protocol
Values	O
"	O
,	O
which	O
were	O
intended	O
to	O
help	O
the	O
game	O
stay	O
"	O
a	O
safe	O
,	O
non-threatening	O
environment	O
"	O
for	O
the	O
many	O
players	O
between	O
the	O
ages	O
of	O
eight	O
and	O
fourteen	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Violations	O
could	O
result	O
in	O
a	O
permanent	O
ban	O
,	O
which	O
prevented	O
users	O
from	O
using	O
VMK	B-Protocol
from	O
the	O
ISP	O
the	O
violation	O
occurred	O
on	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
If	O
one	O
player	O
thought	O
of	O
something	O
that	O
another	O
player	O
did	O
as	O
against	O
the	O
VMK	B-Protocol
values	O
,	O
that	O
player	O
could	O
report	O
them	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
report	O
was	O
immediately	O
sent	O
to	O
the	O
VMK	B-Protocol
staff	O
for	O
review	O
,	O
and	O
any	O
necessary	O
actions	O
were	O
taken	O
against	O
that	O
player	O
's	O
account	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
were	O
usually	O
made	O
in	O
an	O
attempt	O
to	O
bring	O
a	O
VMK	B-Protocol
staff	O
member	O
to	O
their	O
room	O
,	O
or	O
in	O
an	O
effort	O
for	O
revenge	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
VMK	B-Protocol
has	O
been	O
a	O
frequently	O
used	O
device	O
in	O
The	O
Kingdom	O
Keepers	O
series	O
,	O
written	O
by	O
Ridley	O
Pearson	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
VMK	B-Protocol
closed	O
down	O
in	O
real	O
life	O
,	O
Pearson	O
incorporated	O
the	O
closing	O
into	O
the	O
books	O
.	O
</s>
