Disney has opted to switch its virtual world Toontown from a paid subscription to an ad-supported model, reports MediaWeek.

Disney has been charging a $9.95 a month fee for access to the game since its launch in 2003. From the end of May, the company began conducting a limited test of the new ad-supported model. It is currently in the process of lining advertisers up with an eye toward a full switchover in the fall.

Disney says 17.5 million "Toons," its designation for in-world avatars, have been created to date. In May Toontown boasted 1.165 million unique users, second only to Nickelodeon's Nicktropolis.

Nicktropolis has always been free but the company says the virtual world will eventually sport ads as well.