Take a complete tour of Walt Disney World in 3-D! (Courtesy of Google Earth)

E

EPCOT_1138

New Member
Original Poster
Starting this month, you can tour realistic re-creations of Disney's Florida theme parks and resorts simply by clicking your computer mouse.

In a pioneering partnership aiming to go online Tuesday, Google Earth and Walt Disney Parks and Resorts will make it easy to take a virtual trip to Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Disney's Hollywood Studios and 22 Disney hotels and resorts.

Computer users will click on maps that show about 1,500 rides, restaurants and attractions in 3-D.

The mega-map, with interactive features, will be available via disneyworld.com/3dparks or Google Earth (earth.google.com) for free.

"It's a virtual walk-through of the whole property … the most amazing virtual tour of any place in the world," Walt Disney Parks and Resorts chairman Jay Rasulo says.

While Google Earth offers a growing number of 3-D images and gives bird's-eye views of theme parks, with links to information about them, the Disney project is the most ambitious and detailed 3-D production yet. It's "truly innovative and unique," says Google Earth maps director John Hanke.

Disney's Rasulo expects the map to serve as a cutting-edge trip planner ("it's one small step from actually being there") and an armchair diversion for legions of Disney World fans. Up to three-quarters of Disney World visitors are repeaters, Rasulo says; about one-third are adults. Disney does not release attendance figures.

The map began with eight photographers who canvassed every inch of Disney World for 10 days. Then their images were rendered in 3-D.

Click on Space Mountain, for instance, and you can view a video of the ride and get information such as height requirements. Put your mouse on the Grand Floridian and a video of the resort pops up. You also can check availability and rates and make a reservation.

For now, the map shows only exteriors. In the future, Web visitors can stroll into Cinderella's Castle or walk into a room at a Disney resort. Photographers are at work to map Disneyland Resort Paris (Euro Disney); other Disney properties may be next.

Disney is just one of many traveler-friendly additions to fast-growing Google Earth in recent months.

In April, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service announced the posting of its digital map of U.S. wetlands there. The information is useful to bird-watchers and fishermen, among others, says Fish & Wildlife Service spokesman Joshua Winchell.

"It's an attempt to make the data more available to (everyday) people," he says. Google Earth "is a figurative sandbox, and anyone can jump in" and play.
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Access the article (with a small picture) at http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/...e-disney_N.htm
 
wdwfan100

wdwfan100

Active Member
There has been a lot of talk on the board already about this. I can't wait till it goes live. I can see entire days disappearing already.:ROFLOL:
 
Tinkwings

Tinkwings

Pfizered Fairy
Premium Member
In the Parks
No
My thoughts exactly...guess will have to venture there over the next week and see if it takes....maybe will have to re download....:king:
 
Boray

Boray

Member
My husband already thinks I spend too much time with my "Disney "!!!! :ROFLOL: :ROFLOL:I could easily use up many more hours viewing WDW in 3-D from the comfort of my own home!!! :hammer:
 
wdwmomof3

wdwmomof3

Well-Known Member
I guess I will have to break down and buy another computer, one for the family and one for me & my Disney.:animwink: I can't wait to see how this works. :sohappy:
 
cinderellafan6

cinderellafan6

Well-Known Member
I can't wait either!! I always look at pics on sites to get the disney feeling but now i can see it whenever I want when it starts:sohappy:
 
disney-dan

disney-dan

Member
i already downloaded the new version (4.3?) of google earth and tried to take a look at the parks but they werent in 3d. i managed to find the swan and dolphin in 3d though
 
jakeman

jakeman

Well-Known Member
As of 8:27 a.m. ET the link in the body of the USA Today article is still directing to the Walt Disney World home page.
 
M

Minnietoo

New Member
Ok I am not sure what I am doing wrong but i get to the MK and it just has photos not the walk through like I was expecting....

I can find these photo all over the net so to me it is nothing specail. Maybe I am doing wrong...:hammer::brick:
 
ChrisFL

ChrisFL

Premium Member
Minnietoo said:
Ok I am not sure what I am doing wrong but i get to the MK and it just has photos not the walk through like I was expecting....

I can find these photo all over the net so to me it is nothing specail. Maybe I am doing wrong...:hammer::brick:
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