Virtual Google "Street View" tour at WDW

[NowInc]

Fine line on if I consider this really "news", but since its apparently a thing that happened, it counts..right? Not sure if this has already been posted, I wasn't able to find anything.

Apparently a "street view" rig has been spotted several times roaming around the parks for what will most likely end up being a virtual tour of the property.

http://www.engadget.com/2016/02/17/google-street-view-disney-world/

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Interesting..I do miss the Google Earth Map walkthrough of the resort tho

 

[Lirael]

To further cut back on costs, Disney will no longer be issuing the park map, instead directing guests to look things up on googlemaps if (aka when) the MDE app fails

 

[BoarderPhreak]

This would be pretty cool. It would certainly help the jones between visits. Honestly, I'm a little surprised it hasn't happened already (granted, it's private property).

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Google did this a number of years back with Disneyland Parc.

 

[danlb_2000]

Google did this a number of years back with Disneyland Parc.

They have also had it for Univresal and SeaWorld for quite some time.

 

[wsmith1978]

Oh man, I would love this. Take a walk through Epcot anytime I want, especially when I'm really, really missing it.

 

[OliveMcFly]

This would be pretty cool. It would certainly help the jones between visits.

Exactly! I play with Google Maps at work all the time.

 

[Biff215]

Honest question...does Google need special permission to take it into the park? Couldn't help but think of all the selfie sticks being confiscated at security (which I'm thankful for by the way).

 

[Stevek]

And Disney will find a way to charge you $49.99 for this "Magical" virtual visit : )

 

[danlb_2000]

Honest question...does Google need special permission to take it into the park? Couldn't help but think of all the selfie sticks being confiscated at security (which I'm thankful for by the way).

I think this would fall under the heading of "professional photographers"...

"Professional photographers with professional cameras or recording equipment, who are visiting Walt Disney World Resort with the intent to take photographs or recordings of people, Walt Disney World Resort properties or icons for professional purposes must make prior arrangements with Walt Disney World Resort Media Relations."

 

[montyz81]

How cool would it be if you could pick the year that you wanted to walk through. I'd pick March 1972 and March 1983.

 

[bakntime]

Google Earth (maps) currently already has 3D versions of all American Disney parks. They're not "street view" worthy (the graphics quality breaks down at the ground level, but check out the screen shots I attached), but it's actually pretty accurate and fun to fly around the properties. In fact, most of the country has this 3D feature, where it's not just a flat image, but actual 3D texture mapped buildings, landscape, and landmarks. The Google Maps website lets you see this if you click on the "tilt view" icon, but It works much better if you have the actual Google Earth software rather than just going to the Google Maps website, as the PC software allows you to pan, tilt, rotate at will with the mouse. You can even go into a rudimentary flight simulator mode (controllable by keyboard, mouse, or even gamepad), and fly anywhere you want. The flight sim mode has some drawbacks (sometimes the detail is still loading while you're moving around), but the regular free-view mode is amazing. You'll often feel like you're actually flying over the Earth rather than looking at a graphical reproduction, and if you have a 3D monitor and 3D capable software (like nvidia 3D or tri-def) you can actually view it all in 3D.

As for street view, several other tourist attractions (the ones already mentioned, along with some of the Six Flags parks) already have it available, so it wouldn't surprise me to see it for WDW.

 

[WhatJaneSays]

Semi-related: I saw a one of the regular Street View car rigs driving south on Avalon RD toward 192 about 11:45 AM-ish today.

 

[WhatJaneSays]

The Google crew must be staying near where I live! They were at my favorite breakfast spot and I chatted with one fellow that does the backpack camera rig thing. Apparently they're going to do Disney Springs with the backpack too.

 

[Bacon]

Cool

 

[insaneshadow]

This is neat. Google Street View of WDW with some park music on Youtube and it'll be like I'm there. Except, you know, they people, stuff to buy and rides to ride.