Newsletter 16 July 2007

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Yavn Speaks!

From 20 July 2007

Guess who's back? Back again! Yavn's back! Tell your friends!

This week, Yavn's got news on a NEW mini-game, a NEW snack cart, what the theme is for August and the NEW VMK Communicator! And now celebrating summer as VMK turns 2, live and direct from VMK Central, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, hereeeeeee's Yavn!

Hello! Hello! Hello! Well here we are smack dab in the middle of the summer! Is everyone enjoying themselves? Anyone camp out for an iPhone? Too bad you can't play VMK on 'em – now that would be cool!! It's been a few weeks since I last caught up with you, so it's time once again for an update!

VMK Turns 2!

As many of you know, VMK turned 2 this week! And in addition to the Birthday Pin sold earlier in the week as a gift to you, we also launched the VMK Communicator! This snazzy little gadget is easy to download and install - and once the VMK Communicator is running on your computer you'll get Newsletter, Calendar, Screensavers and more delivered right to your computer's desktop in real time.

In fact, some of you may be reading this from the Communicator right now! In the future, the VMK Communicator will deliver more exclusive information about VMK as well as Screensavers and VMK Wallpapers.

Get the VMK Communicator now on the Downloads page!

And One to Grow on...

I know a lot of you have asked why we don't make a bigger deal about our birthday and that's simple: we're always looking forward and focusing on what's on the way, for instance, for VMK's 3rd year we have some huge things in store.

A few weeks ago you may remember I mentioned something about a new mini-game? Well it's in the final phases of testing and we're planning to announce and launch this cool addition in early August! It will be launched from VMK.com as an external mini-game (meaning you will play this outside of VMK), speaking of August, based on your feedback, our theme for August will be… drumroll please… Tiki! Yes indeed, and we've made some cool new clothing items just for the occasion. So be ready to pick up that Surf Cowboy Hat as well as some other cool stuff very soon.

Surfs up, cowboy!

Moderation Progress

As I've said several times now, we're well into the process of adjusting our VMK Moderation Policies. Some of you may have noticed some changes already – like replacing the 2 hour ban in favor of a 24 hour IP ban. We're also strictly enforcing our rules about PII (personally identifiable information) and abusive language.

Over the coming weeks, you'll see more and more adjustments to moderation and the VMK Values. So make sure you follow the VMK Values, we want to make VMK a safe and fun place. We're not trying to be mean, our goal is to make VMK a better place for everyone… ok I'm stepping off the soapbox!

The Return of the Snack Attack!

So you liked that Churro Cart did you? But you're still hungry for more?!? Perhaps you just prefer salty snacks? Well we have just the thing to add a little "Pop" to your room.

Ladies and gentleman meet VMK's newest star… the Popcorn Cart!

Yavn: So what should I call you? Popcorn Cart? Mr. Corn? Or just Pop?

Popcorn Cart: "Pop!"

Yavn: Butter or salt, which do you prefer?

Popcorn Cart: "Pop!"

Yavn: Ok. So what's the best place to find you? A Disney Park or movie theater?

Popcorn Cart: "Pop!"

Yavn: Hmmm… OK, so one last question before we have to go, Turkey Leg cart and VMK? Good idea?

Popcorn Cart: "Pop!"

Well there you have it folks – Popcorn Cart has spoken! Expect to see him "popping up" (sorry couldn't help that…) on Monday July 23rd in the Emporium Specials! Be sure to "pop" in and pick one up!

Yavn's Mailbag

It's been a while since we've done a Yavn Q&A, so what do you say we reach into the old mailbag and see what questions you have – well how about that, by far most of the questions are about me, well let's answer your questions.

Q: Dear Yavn, before you were posting a new column every week, now we're lucky to get one a month. What's up with the long periods between Newsletter updates?

A: Well, I guess you could say I've taken the summer off from the Newsletter. But honestly, for the last few months I've been spending more time doing behind-the-scenes work for VMK. Between adjusting moderation, building new content (including a new game, the VMK Communicator and other surprises) and some travel I've been super, super busy.

So bear with me, for the time being I'll update monthly and move back to a more frequent schedule during the fall. In the meantime, don't forget to check out the other Newsletter sections that are updated weekly. Besides my column, and in addition to Yeti and Push Trivia, there's lots of great information on the Newsletter page (did you notice the NEW Dateline Disney section? Cool huh?)! So be sure to always check out the Newsletter even if you don't see me updating, Safety Corner, Event Info, and the other sections – these change often and there's always new announcements and new info. Hey, you can even check it out using the NEW VMK Communicator!

Q: How about adding more words to the dictionary?

A: More words? Not a problem. In fact, we're adding more words all the time, and will make some major adjustments very soon. Remember though, safety is always our top priority so don't expect numbers or places to ever be added.

Q: I'm a new player and I love VMK, but I missed many of the cool costumes that were on sale before I joined the community, will any of them come back? Specifically Princess??

A: Not to worry, we'll be brining them back very soon, in fact, since you mentioned it how about some Princess stuff next week??

Q: Yavn, can you PLEASE (please, please, please) make Buried In Treasure and Cursed Storm Magic tradable?

A: Sure why not, Caffdawg can you please make it so!

Q: Are you still going to Hong Kong and Japan?

A: You bet. Although those trips won't happen until September / October time. I should also mention I'll be off to visit our European offices very soon, and hopefully I'll have some time to spend at Disneyland Paris!

Q: Yavn, I have a technical question: After I log out of VMK, my character is still in the game. What's going on? What should I do?

A: This is nothing to be alarmed about, we're aware of an issue with Firefox that sometimes does not log you out correctly when you close your browser. To help fix this always use the EXIT button when you finish playing. This will ensure you've logged out correctly.

Q: What happened to the Yeti, the YetiVision game I mean, I can't find it.

A: Mr. Yeti (YetiVision, rather) is currently undergoing some routine maintenance, he and his furry adventures should be back soon.

Q: When are those Peter Pan ride items gonna be on sale?

A: Expect to see those start rolling out in the fall.

Q: Ok Yavn, it's been 2 years now and still no Magic Carpet. What's the deal?

A: Please don't ask about that…

Q: That's not a good answer…

A: I know… hmmm, how about a Turkey Leg cart instead??? Come on now! Who doesn't like a good turkey leg (aside from the turkey and vegetarians!!)?

Don't forget to complete your Nemo Pin collection… Emporium Specials!

Testing 1, 2, 3…

Alright, that about wraps it up for the time being! Now I need to get back to playing, uh, testing that new mini-game! Oh yeah! I almost forgot, we're working on a plan for a revised CL program but that is a few more weeks away and then I'll have details I can share with you. Until then we will not be adding any more CLs. Next time I'll tell you all about the new mini-game as well as a few other surprises we have in store for you. Finally, don't forget to take advantage of the Summer Fun Days, they're your best way to get fast cash for the Pop Corn Cart as well as more Alice Ride items that are on the way. Now I need to start saving my lunch money for that iPhone!

Until next time, I'll leave you with a sneak peek at something you'll see next month…

See you in VMK!
Yavn

Community Reminder

1. Everyone LOVES a prize – the promise of rare items and other VMK goodies are a wonderful thought, but remember when you enter a trade, a "Cute or Boot" or Pay to Play room you might be scammed.

2. Pay to Play rooms – where you pay to play a game and it's up to the room owner to award the prize – are extremely questionable. Starting immediately we will no longer allow these rooms in VMK.

3. It's against the VMK Values to create or open ANY type of 'relationship' room (rooms that include words like 'meet,' 'pick,' 'get,' 'find,' 'have,' 'taken,' etc.) in VMK. You'll be warned and possibly banned for opening any type of room that promotes this activity.

VMK reserves the right to update and/or revise the VMK Values and House Rules wihout notice. Please make sure you periodically review the VMK Values and House Rules for the most current game guidelines. Worried about being banned? Then ALWAYS USE GOOD JUDGEMENT when playing VMK. Treat other players as you would like to treated, don't use foul language or take part in bad behavior - any activity like this will get you banned, in many cases, permanently.

For more information or a reminder of what's acceptable in VMK refer to the VMK Values page.

Account Problems

Have you tried logging into VMK after a few months only to find your VMK account has been deleted?

Because of the size of our community we have to delete accounts that are inactive for more than 6 months to make room for new players - so if you haven't played in a while, be sure to log in every now and then (even if just for a few minutes) and keep your account active!

Disney H2O

See Newsletter 4 June 2007

Nemo 101

It's Nemo Month in VMK!

Celebrate the launch of the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage at Disneyland! This month in VMK, Nemo-themed events, games and undersea fun!

For more information on The Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage attraction at Disneyland check out Nemo at Disneyland.

All hands! Prepare to dive!

• When the original submarine ride launched in 1959 at Disneyland, the gunmetal gray submarines ran on diesel - today's yellow submarines are powered by electricity, making The Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage a "green" attraction.
• The original subs were built to last a lifetime, literally - and as a result the ride still uses the original eight submarines.
• To keep the color from fading on the coral reefs, Imagineers didn't paint the reefs but instead actually sprayed recycled glass on the rock face with an organic epoxy for a longer lasting and more vibrant effect.
• Finding Nemo won an Oscar in 2003 in the Best Animated Film category.
• Finding Nemo is not the only Disney film that features a character named Nemo. In fact, Nemo's name was inspired by the 1954 Disney live-action classic 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, in that film actor James Mason plays Captain Nemo, the commander of the submarine Nautilus.
• During the 1960's, sets from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea were placed at Disneyland as an attraction for Guest to explore. One prop from the film is still at Disneyland - Captain Nemo's pipe organ is in the Haunted Mansion Ballroom.
• In Finding Nemo, a group of fish sing a few lines from the song, "A Whale of a Tale." This song was originally sung in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

Event Info

Host Event Highlights – This weekend! July 21st & 22nd

Summer FUN Days Every Tuesday & Thursday in July

NEW! Room Makeovers Every week!

Check the Community Calendar for more events, details and event times.

Host Event Highlights – this weekend!

Saturday – HOST_Lily would like your help in her Finding Nemo Quest. Sunday – HOST_Phinny wants you to remember that while playing her Fish are Friends Quest that fish are friends not food!

Summer FUN Days

Tuesdays & Thursdays in July

Play the in-game Pirates game on Tuesday's or the in-game Haunted Mansion game on Thursday's and get double rewards! That's right Summer FUN Days give you chance to get double game credits for these games so play often.

Room Makeovers

New every week!

Each week we select two VMKer's at random for a Room Makeover, then our talented team of Room Designers review the rooms and put thier design skills to work! We post the results here, including BEFORE and AFTER pics - plus tips you can use to make your own rooms better!

Submit your room for a Makeover using Contact Us. And now your Room Makeover HOST...

HOST_Sparky

Hey everyone! This week we're taking a break from our regular VMK Room Makeovers to focus on a piece of furniture that can help turn any room into a Best Guest Room Winner!

Furniture Feature: Coffee Table Crates

Sold at Shrunken Ned's Shop in Adventureland the Coffee Table Crate is available in three colors: gray, green, and brown. (There's also a very rare red crate that isn't sold anywhere in VMK.) Sure, they look like a plain old storage crates but these magical boxes do so much more! In fact, they can be used in almost any room and work with almost any theme. Let's take a look at how you can use Coffee Table Crates for your own Room Makeover.

Green Coffee Table Crate.

Crates can be used many different ways, although the most common use is to stack them. When they're stacked, crates can be used as a base or platform for other furniture, this adds depth and variety to your room.

Crates are great!

In the Adventureland room above, I've placed a group of 4 crates in the back of the room and surrounded them by Bamboo Wall Dividers. Now I have a platform for the Tiki Fountain, this brings more attention to the Fountain and makes it more of centerpiece (even though it's not in the center) of the room. The brown crates also go well with the brown Wall Dividers and the Tangaroa-Ru Tiki Idols that are also nearby.

Another great use for crates is for use as invisible support. See the tall blue and green grass hill near the room entrance? What you don't see are the 32 green crates stacked in a pyramid underneath them to give the hill height and mass. By building a support like this I've created different levels and added more depth to my room.

Of course, you can always use a Coffee Table Crate as, well, a coffee table! In the bottom left and right corners of the room I've placed gray crates and surrounded them with blue Barrel Chairs. Explorer's Lamps are placed on top of the crates to complete the look.

Crates are great! They're not fancy, but they're quite handy in almost any situation! I look forward to seeing how you will use them in your room and we'll be back next week with more Room Makeovers!

Ashelycattt

We now return to our regularly scheduled programming, this week Room Makeovers are back! And now the HOST with the most…

HOST_Sparky

Hey everyone, this week I was looking for a room that had the beginnings of something great, I found that in Ashelycattt's room. She really likes the Alice in Wonderland pieces but didn't know quite what to do with them. This sounds like a job for HOST_Sparky!

So whenever you're building a room from scratch (or making over a new one) you need an idea or theme for it - we decided to create a carnival room! For a carnival atmosphere, we wanted something a little wild, and what could be better than Alice Ride stuff?!

First let's make a picnic area. Using ALR Painted Rugs we mark off an area for picnicking. ALR Purple Logs, Blue Barrel Chairs, and a Blue Typhoon Lagoon Crate outlined with ALR Long Shrubs and ALR Butterfly Mushrooms all help to create the perfect picnic spot right by the Epcot Fountain!

If guests are going to picnic, they'll want a place to get food! So we place ALR Red Rugs down and surround them with a Churro Cart, Disneyland Retro Pennypress, and Aquarium Watercooler. ALR Short Shrubs and ALR Shrub Arches accent the area. Now her friends can line up for some good eats.

BEFORE. Going down the Rabbit Hole.

AFTER. Opening the door to a new world.

Finally, a carnival isn't a carnival without rides – so we created our own version of the Mad Hatter Tea Cups! How'd we do that? By using Waterslide Pieces and Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach Start Pieces, we made the water rafts go 'round and around. By placing a Cyan Tea Cup, ALR Red and Blue flowers and Small Mushrooms in the center of the whirlpools, the theme is carried throughout the ride. And to make the entrance extra special, we added ALR Card Guard Arches.

Now Ashleycattt has a fun place where she and her friends can eat and be merry – or just relax! Thanks for letting me makeover your room – have fun!

Top 5 FAQs

VMK's Top 5 Frequently Asked Questions for the week

For more answers to other Frequently Asked Questions, please visit the VMK FAQs.

1. Why can't I tell my friends in VMK what grade I just finished in school or give other personal information about myself?

Finishing any grade is a huge accomplishment and from everyone at VMK, CONGRATULATIONS! But part of keeping VMK safe means keeping your personal information to yourself.

Nobody should ever know where you live, how old you are, or even what grade you just finished. IT DOESN'T MATTER if you know the person outside of the game – it is against the VMK Values to give out ANY personal information. (This includes if you're home alone from school, or the state where you live.) You will get banned for doing this.

Keep your identity – and VMK account – safe, never give out personal information on VMK!

2. Can you tell me about the VMK Staff? Who are they?

Despite their appearance, VMK staff members are NOT kids but actually adults trained specifically to handle VMK. VMK Staff may look like you in the game (with cool Mickey ears) but they're actually more like school teachers - in fact, many of the VMK Staff are teachers, or have been teachers, which is why they choose to be VMK Staff: because they like to teach and help kids.

With that said, VMK Staff should be treated like you would treat a school teacher: with respect. Because although the VMK Staff is there to help and keep you safe, they also must step in when you're not playing safely or following the VMK Values or game guidelines.

Also keep in mind the VMK Staff are very, very busy working to keep you safe and make sure VMK runs smoothly - so while it's ok to say hello, ask for a picture or some cool magic, don't be rude to them, misbehave or report false information. If you do, you could get banned and in VMK bans are like being sent to the principal's office - and nobody wants that.

VMK Staff are adults trained to help you and keep the community safe - so please treat them with respect. In fact, treat EVERYONE in VMK with respect; it's more fun to play that way.

3. I keep using the Call for Help Tool and I keep getting a message that says "Press the ignore button!" Is anyone helping with my problem?

Yes, someone is responding to your problem. Just because a moderator sends you a message telling you to please use the "Ignore" Button, it doesn't mean the moderator is ignoring your problem! The moderator is asking you to ignore the other player because the moderator may be investigating the situation or helping another player. Using "Ignore" is the easiest and best way to stop the problem from getting worse.

4. What happens if you send false reports to VMK Staff members?

If you send a false report you could get banned. Yes, we want you to report players that aren't following the VMK Values (no, you won't get banned for reporting someone - if your report is indeed real), but DO NOT send false reports. Our Moderators and Staff research your report and if we find you've reported something which isn't true, you'll get a warning (which goes against your account), and you possibly could be banned. (The VMK Staff is very busy and are working very hard to keep you safe – so don't send them on a wild goose chase, it's not a good use of their time.)

Report ONLY things that HAVE happened, not what you think or assume someone has done, and report the issue IMMEDIATELY! If VMK Staff don't appear it doesn't mean the situation isn't being monitored or looked into (remember, we see everything that goes on in the game, and don't have to physically be in the game to do so) so you don't need to re-report it, leave the room and play in another room. VMK Staff researches all reports.

'''5. I've sent in a problem using Contact Us but no one has replied - why haven't I heard from anyone?'''

We respond to every email we get within 24 hours - but some email providers (like AOL.com, Hotmail.com, msn.com, Comcast.net, Cox.net, rr.net and Earthlink) block our responses.

If you use any of the email providers listed above, or haven't gotten a response from us, this is the reason.

Some email providers have Spam Filters that automatically block email from an unknown source and you have to tell the program (the email application) to allow email from that source. To get email from VMK, go into the preferences for your mailbox and allow mail from: [email protected]. (Please note, this email address DOES NOT receive email except via the Contact Us form.)

You also have the option to submit an alternate email address in the Contact Us tool (this option is under the Send Details box) if your provider won't take our replies. We suggest setting up another email account, like yahoo.com to get our replies.

Yeti's Tips & Tricks

You've got questions, Yeti has answers.

This week the Yeti digs into the mailbag to answer your questions about VMK wardrobe, Pay to Play rooms, bans and game tips on getting higher scores in the Haunted Mansion!

Greetings, I've been shedding my winter fur (and a few pounds) in preparation for the hot summer ahead - it's getting a little toasty outside, but that's ok, I'll be cooling off inside while playing VMK!

You've been asking lots of questions - in particular, about things that might get you banned, so this week I'll focus on this topic and why you should play it smart in VMK – so you don't get banned. If you have been banned I'll talk about that too, so listen up!

3 Questions about WHAT WILL GET ME BANNED?

1. Dear Mr. Yeti, I like to play pretend in VMK. My friends and I play house, but I'm not sure if it's okay to pretend to be a mommy or a baby. I don't want to get banned - is it okay to play pretend or not?

It's okay to play pretend in VMK – so long as you follow the VMK Values. But when you're playing pretend, imagine that your real mom or dad (even your school teacher), are sitting right next to you watching you play. Would they approve of what you're doing and saying? If so, it's probably okay, but if you think they wouldn't approve, then that's behavior you should probably not take part in – and may very possibly get you banned.

Keep that in mind when you play VMK, it's ok to pretend, but adult situations that are not appropriate for children are NEVER appropriate for VMK. If you're in doubt, don't risk it, because it's better to be safe than sorry.

Remember the VMK Values are always changing to meet the needs of the growing community so be sure to review the VMK Values from time to time.

The VMK Values are guidelines for safe play, but you should always be respectful and aware of other players – and that your actions might offend other players in the game. If other players report you, our moderators and community mangers are obligated to look into the situation – so be careful of what you say or do. Have fun, but if you're not sure if what you're doing is right, it's better to be safe than sorry and not get yourself into a sticky situation – don't take part in any activity you think might get you banned.

YOU SHOULD NEVER, under any circumstances give out your personal information (this includes, but is not limited to your location, your email address, your real name, age or other personal info, myspace page, AIM info or phone number).

It doesn't matter if you think you know the person or they've been on your friends list for a long time, it's against the VMK Values. But you shouldn't even do this on unofficial forums or message boards, because aside from being against game guidelines, it's just not safe.

2. I found a site on the Internet that offers a program to get me free VMK codes. Is it okay to use this?

No. Code tools and any sites or programs that modify VMK are not okay to use, in fact using these things are a violation of the VMK Values and will get you banned from the game. Trust me, VMK knows if you're using these things, so don't risk being permanently banned by using them, it's not worth it.

3. Mr. Yeti, I got banned from VMK because I was joking around with some of my friends and did something I shouldn't.

I realize now this was wrong, I'm really sorry – can I play again now?

We're sorry, but no, we aren't going to un-ban you and we aren't going to let you play VMK until you've served your ban time. You were banned because you violated (broke the rules of) the VMK Values. For the safety of VMK and other players in the VMK community, we can't allow players in the game that don't follow the rules.

Think about it, if you invited someone to your house and they said bad words to you or your family or broke or stole your things, you wouldn't invite them back. Likewise, if you scammed another player or "dictionary danced" to say something you shouldn't have, you broke the VMK rules. That's why you were banned. VMK is no different than the real world, if you break the law or do something wrong, you are responsible for your actions – and your parents can't change things for you or make it better, if YOU break the VMK Values (rules and guidelines of the game), YOU will be banned from VMK.

Remember, VMK's Moderators and Community Managers know if you break the rules (even if you don't see a moderator in the room doesn't mean they're not watching), so be careful of what you say and do, review the VMK Values and play it safe, respect other players and above all play by the rules!

Why can't girls and boys wear each others clothes? I'm a girl and I want to wear a pirate shirt that's only for boys, why can't I do that?

Just like in the real world, there are some clothes made specifically for boys, while some boutiques and clothing are strictly for girls.

Some fashions look good on girls, some better on guys, some work for both.

In VMK we try to provide some variety for your character (avatars), otherwise everyone would look exactly the same!

Mr. Yeti, the new Nemo stuff is awesome! What other stuff can we expect?

VMK always has cool stuff on the horizon. In fact we're working on something now that – well, it's so cool, I wish I could tell you about it, but that's Yavn's job! But we've always got cool surprises waiting so keep playing and keep watching the Newsletter for more announcements!

Dear Yeti, I know VMK has recently banned "Pay to Play" rooms, but I'm a little confused, if pay to play rooms are banned, why is VMK still charging credits to play games like Pirates of the Caribbean?

Players need to understand the difference between public and private rooms: VMK runs public rooms, where, when you pay your credits you play a game (like Pirates).

Pirates of the Caribbean is a VMK public room and costs 21 credits to play.

There have been some players however in their own private rooms that make you pay credits but don't award a prize or even room entry (they boot you after you've paid) or try scam players in other ways. This is against the VMK Values and as such, these type of player rooms will no longer be allowed in VMK.

Yeti's Gaming Tips:

Getting Higher Scores and Better Times in the Haunted Mansion Game

When was the last time you visited New Orleans Square and the Haunted Mansion? Ahhh, the creepy, creaky, spider-web-covered fun of the Haunted Mansion Game, I get goose bumps just thinking about it! Then how about a tip to "scare" up a better score?

There's always room for one more happy haunt in the Haunted Mansion.

Ghost in search of a scare.

• When playing The Haunted Mansion Game and you're "tagged" by a ghost, you will briefly become a ghost and take on the ghosts color (green or purple – whichever color your opponent is.) When you're human, ghosts that are the same color as you will run from you, but guess what? When you're a green or purple "ghost," the ghosts don't know to run away from you! Use this time to get close to the opposing colored ghost. That way when you "turn human" again you're right there, ready to tag them and grab the points, rather than wasting time running around! (But watch out for other ghost that may be following you.)

• Catching a player that has been turned into a ghost will get you more points than just catching a regular ghost!

• Finding the correct door first after each round ends will give you a head start on the next round.

• Shake the coffins to make more ghosts appear, but be careful this strategy may backfire if you shake a coffin that releases an opponent's ghost.

Well that's all for now! If you have a question for me send it in using Contact Us. Remember to be nice to each other in VMK, follow the VMK Values – and oh yeah, be sure and say hello if you're taking a bobsled ride down the Matterhorn!

Push's Trash Trivia

This famous captain led the crew of the Nautilus in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, who is he?

Know the answer?

Send your answer in using Contact Us. Be sure to have your VMK registration info with you and select Push's Trash Trivia from the drop down menu.

From the correct answers we randomly select three players as the winners and send them a cool prize.

Hurry – only entries submitted by the close of game on Friday will be accepted.

Here's the answer to last weeks Push Trivia question:

Question: What was Walt Disney's first full-length animated feature film?

Answer: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Released on December 21st, 1937, Snow White was an amazing accomplishment for Walt Disney. The first full-length animated feature produced by Walt Disney Studios, it was called "Disney's Folly" by Hollywood critics at the time who thought the film would fail. Snow White went on to earn not only a very special Academy Award but for a brief time was the highest-grossing film in cinematic history.

The film literally is the foundation for Walt Disney Studios, as Walt poured the profits from Snow White back into the company - building the studio facility in Burbank, California that is still the headquarters for Walt Disney Studios today.

Walt is presented a very special Oscar (a full-size Oscar statuette and seven miniature ones) for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs by Shirley Temple

Did you know: Snow White was the very first American movie to have a soundtrack album released for it. Pinto Colvig, the voice of Sleepy and Grumpy was also the voice of Goofy. Around fifty names were proposed for the dwarfs, including Gabby, Jumpy and Dirty.

Here are the 3 lucky (and randomly picked) players that sent in the correct answer for our last week's question!

BattyMcDoom

TikiTycoon

CL_IslandofDream

Congratulations! You've won a limited edition Push Trivia Pin!

Top Players

What makes a Guest Room award-worthy?

Guest or Game Rooms that stand out show originality in concept and design. It could be a use of conventional furniture in unconventional ways, the use of a theme or color, or humor.

How can I nominate someone?

Got a cool Guest Room you want the Kingdom to know about? Do you know someone that has a great hangout spot and want to tell the world? Then nominate yourself or someone else for Best Game, Best Guest or Best Quest.

It's easy – just click on the Contact Us link at the bottom of any VMK webpage and follow the prompts, then select 'Nominate the Best.' It's that easy! The VMK staff will review the player rooms and Quest nominated and post the winners here!

CL_Crustopher wins top honors this week in the Best Guest Room category.

Game rooms that get the nod offer a new game idea or a new twist on an old favorite. In all rooms we look for room owners who welcome everyone with a smile and show a willingness to answer questions about their room.

Check out this week's Best Guest Rooms and Best Game Rooms.

Best Guest Rooms

If you like to relax then River of Lively Illuminations by CL_Crustopher is for you. Come in and have a seat in this calming and quiet room. It is sure to make any mood a happy one.

Best Game Rooms

BestSamanthaStar asks Can You Face The Kraken? as she spins the generators to see who moves forward or who will pick another pirate to move. Arrggh! Good luck!

Best Player Quests

Come and visit Nemo's Coral Reef Quest created by Astroconfused. This amazing quest is fun for any and all players. Enjoy – and who knows you may see Nemo!

Players who have been previously recognized for their design talents will receive the VIP award.

VMK Cards

AWESOME NEW REWARDS!

Get the Mickey Mouse Television by correctly completing 3 or more Quest at Disneyland or Walt Disney World – then redeem the code in-game for this cool virtual prize! Check out the VMK Rewards Card Checklist and make sure you have all the VMK bling! What cards do you have in your collection?

Scam Alert

Use caution when Trading!

Before you complete a trade take a second and review your trade window! This is very important! You want to make sure the item, or items, you are trading for are actually inside the trade window before you accept the trade!

To do this, scroll all the way to the bottom of the trade window, confirm the items are there and then - once you're satisfied the trade is fair - accept the trade.

REMEMBER: It's up to you to keep track of your stuff and your trades! If you knowingly enter into a trade and get scammed because you didn't check the trade window, we cannot be responsible that you didn't get your stuff.

Scamming of any kind will get you BANNED!

It's great to have a popular room in VMK, but it's not OK to get players into your room by scamming. Pretending to have an item that you don't have, in order to get players to come into your room, is considered a scam and you can be banned from VMK!

Beware of "free rooms".

There are some players that advertise their rooms as "free," but when you enter them, they force you to pay up or get booted from the room. Beware of these types of rooms and report players who engage in this kind of activity.

Pay to Play = Ban from VMK

Starting on Monday, 6.25.07, Operating Pay to Play Rooms (charging Players for entry to a room or a game) will get you banned from VMK. Previous rules on scamming have NOT changed: ANY Player Scam, will result in an automatic and PERMANENT ban. (Exchange items in a fair trade, and remember, do not loan your items.)

Everyone LOVES a prize – the promise of rare items and other VMK goodies are a wonderful thought, but remember when you enter a trade, a "Cute or Boot" or Pay to Play room you might be scammed.

Pay to Play rooms in particular – where you pay to play a game and it's up to the room owner to award the prize – are extremely questionable. That's why starting immediately VMK will no longer allow these rooms in VMK.

Scamming is equal to theft and a violation of the VMK Values. If you scam someone in VMK, this will lead to your account being automatically and permanently banned. Having your parents Contact Us to get your account re-activated won't work, because if you can't play by the rules and follow the VMK Values, we don't want you in the game.

Remember, don't let yourself get scammed. As the old saying goes, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Don't "loan" your stuff and if a room owner refuses to show you their "Cute or Boot" prize or rare item, or you feel they don't really have the prize, leave the room. There are lots of other games to play and things to do in VMK!

Staff impersonation is NOT allowed in VMK!

Impersonation is never allowed in VMK. If a player says they are VMK Staff, make sure they're wearing the orange Mickey Pin and wearing either red (for Staff and HOSTS) or blue (for QA) Mickey ears.

VMK Staff will always wear the orange Mickey Pin.

You can always spot STAFF and HOSTS because they wear red Mickey ears.

You can identify a Community Leader by the 'CL_' at the beginning of their name and their blue wizard hat pin.

Remember, VMK Staff will never ask you to trade any items. If you have other questions check out the FAQs page!

Safety Corner

Game Guidelines Change – Stay Informed.

Has it been a while since you've signed into VMK? Make sure before you re-enter the Kingdom that you review the VMK Values and any updated game guidelines.

To address the needs of our growing community we often update our game guidelines – it's up to you to review the Values and guidelines and make sure you know what is and isn't allowed in VMK before you play. For more recent updates to the VMK Values review the Safety Corner and Scam Alert sections here in the Newsletter.

Don't Dictionary Dance

The VMK Dictionary is in place for a reason. If you "dance" around the dictionary to say something you shouldn't, you could get banned.

Bad words have no place in VMK and neither do words that sound or read like bad words (but are spelled differently). The VMK Dictionary will never allow players to use bad words. "Dancing" around the VMK Dictionary to use bad words (or words that aren't in the dictionary) in chat could get you banned.

Help is always available.

The VMK 'Call For Help' button is easy to use and always accessible – just click on the HELP button on the lower right of the VMK player window. At VMK we encourage you to let us know if anything unsafe or suspicious catches your attention. If it's not in line with VMK Values, please report it!

Tip: Remember the 'Call For Help' is like VMK's 911. So while we encourage you to use it, please only do so for serious player issues. And like 911, using 'Call For Help' to report false information will get you in trouble too, so make sure you're reporting the incident or player accurately.

If you do have a serious problem, tell us immediately! The faster you use the 'Call For Help' button to make us aware of a problem, the more effective we can be in taking care of the issue. So please, tell us immediately if you have a serious problem and help make VMK a fun and safe place for everyone.

VMK Safety & Security

Remember to review the VMK Values and game guidelines. New rules include that Pay to Play rooms are no longer allowed. As always, violence or inappropriate subject matter of adult nature will NOT be tolerated and involvement in this activity will result in a ban of your VMK account.

VMK is NO place for negative behavior. Have fun, make friends, play games and chat, but please keep in mind VMK must always be a safe and appropriate place for Players of ALL ages.

Please help keep VMK just like the Disney Theme Parks - a safe, fun and magical place for everyone!

Respect other players. Scams (theft), violence, giving out personal information or discussing adult content (sexual or otherwise), vulgarity or inappropiate behavior have NO place in VMK.

Keep It Private - Guarding Your Personal Information

Schools out! We know you're all excited about being at home instead of the classroom and VMK is a great, creative way to spend your summer days. Just remember when playing, giving out personal information, such as telling people you're at home alone, is NEVER okay in VMK.

Giving out ANY personal information - your real name, where you live, contact information, grade level, age, and yes, even if you're at home by yourself. Giving out this information – in ANY form, is in direct violation to the VMK Values and WILL GET YOU BANNED.

You should understand that the minute you provide others with your personal information, your personal safety could be at risk.

VMK is a fun place, but it's also a BIG place, with people from all over�so just to keep it safe, keep personal information to yourself and out of VMK. You're best bet is to keep your personal identity and information secret - like a superhero - it can help you avoid a ban and it can keep you safe.

If you have a question about what is or isn't okay, you can ask us using Contact Us.

Quests

In-Park Quests!

THE NEW FINDING NEMO SUBMARINE VOYAGE QUEST!

The Finding Nemo Quest - exclusively at Disneyland's Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage for a limited time.

PLAY THE PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN QUEST!

Have a swashbuckling adventure at the Magic Kingdom - search for the answers hidden in the attraction and earn the Pirates Fortress Room for VMK!

Print-From-Home-Quests

Going to Disneyland® Park or Magic Kingdom® Park? Take a Quest with you! Play in-Park and win cool prizes!

<strong>Tomorrowland Quest</strong>! This out-of-this-world adventure is fun and rewarding. You can win a Inner-Space Suit Magic Spell for your virtual character.

<strong>High School Musical Quest</strong>! Watch the movie, visit the Parks and answer all the questions to win cool stuff!

Get the <strong>Thrill Seekers Quest</strong> for the Walt Disney World® Resort here!

Contact Us Tips

Problems? Contact Us!

When you use Contact Us to ask a question or report an issue, please be aware of the following:

If you use AOL or EarthLink for e-mail, you won't receive our response, as AOL e-mail filters block our replies. Please provide an alternative e-mail in the Contact Us form where it asks for your e-mail address.

Some Spam Filters will automatically block e-mail from an unknown source unless you tell the program to allow it: To get email from VMK, allow mail from [email protected]. (Please note this email address does not receive e-mail except via the Contact Us form.)

Dateline Disney

Events that shaped the Walt Disney Company

July 17

1955: Disneyland opens in Anaheim, California to invited Guest and media. Walt Disney originally envisioned it as "Mickey Mouse Park," and planned to locate the Park on a tiny eight acre plot across from Walt Disney Studios in Burbank. As ideas for the Park grew a larger location was selected about 45 miles south in the orange groves of Anaheim.

Disneyland has changed a lot over the years, a testament to Walt Disney's commitment to constantly entertain and amaze Guest. He was once quoted as saying, "Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world."

However, of the 25 opening day attractions several still remain at Disneyland today, including Peter Pan's Flight, Snow White's Scary Adventures and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.

"To all who come to this happy place - welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America... with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world."

– Walt Disney at Disneyland's dedication, July 17th, 1955.

1989: The dedication ceremony for Splash Mountain is held at Disneyland for invited guest and selected press. In attendance are Disney's CEO Michael Eisner, actors Jim Varney and Nick Stewart (the voice of Brer Bear), Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, and Mickey Mouse. They officially turn on the water pump to the attraction which will open to the public the following day.

July 7

2006: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest opens in theaters nationwide, it will ransack the box office and become one of the highest grossing films of all time. At the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World and Disneyland, Captain Jack Sparrow invades the attraction as Walt Disney Imagineers add Captain Jack Sparrow and Hector Barbosa to the attraction. The ride is also enhanced with dynamic digital sound and new effects.

1997: The Disneyland Monorail begins a revised operating schedule (traveling in only one direction) to help workers constructing a new theme park called… Disney's California Adventure.

1976: Starring Ed Asner, Don Knotts, Tim Conway, Tom Bosley, Dick Van Patten, football great Johnny Unitas and a mule, Disney's live-action comedy Gus kicks its way into theaters. The live-action film follows the antics of a field goal kicking mule named Gus and his rise to fame with the California Atoms football team.

That's right, he's a field goal kicking mule and the league's leading laugh scorer!

1971: Animator and technical genius Ub Iwerks passed away in Burbank, California. Ub (whose real name was Ubbe Ert Iwwerks) first met Walt Disney in 1919 when the two worked together as commercial artist in Kansas City. When Walt moved to California and started his animation studio, Ub was his first employee. Ub animated the first Mickey Mouse short, Plane Crazy in two weeks, producing over 700 drawing for the cartoon a day.

Ub Iwerks, animator and Disney Legend 1901–1971

In addition to his animation expertise, Mr. Iwerks was also a technical wizard and built the world's first Multiplane Camera in 1933. He is also credited for helping create the photography process used to blend live action and animation for such films as Three Caballeros, Song of the South and Mary Poppins. Ub Iwerks was honored as a Disney Legend in 1989.

June 29

2007: Ratatouille is released to theaters nationwide. It's Pixar's eighth animated feature film. Directed by Brad Bird (the creative force behind The Incredibles), Ratatouille, (pronounced rat-a-too-ee) follows the adventures of a rat named Remy as he dreams of becoming a famous French chef. The film features the voices of Patton Oswald (as Remy), John Ratzenberger, Janeane Garofalo, Brad Garrett and Petor O' Toole.

1974: America Sings debuts at Disneyland in Tomorrowland's Carousel Theater. The attraction features over 100 Audio-Animatronic figures and replaces the General Electric Carousel of Progress – which is relocated to Walt Disney World.

1908: Disney Legend John Hench is born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Mr. Hench started with the Walt Disney Company as a story artist in 1939 and would eventually become the senior vice president of Walt Disney Imagineering.

John Hench, Disney Legend 1908–2004.

During his 65 years with the company (the longest of any Cast Member) he personally witnessed the creation of almost every Disney theme park and animated feature. He contributed to such classics as Dumbo, Fantasia and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Among his many other accomplishments, he was also responsible for designing Cinderella's Castle at Walt Disney World and the original designs for Space Mountain.