Disney World in 3D on Google Earth!

[ahecht]

According to USA Today, Disney created 3D models of all of Walt Disney World, and will be uploading them to Google Earth and Disneyworld.com. They were supposed to go online on the 20th, but they're not up yet as of the 22nd (EDIT: They're up!).

You can read the complete article from USA today here: It's a small world, thanks to Google Earth

From the article:

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.

...

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.

 

[DisneyJimbo]

This sounds cool!!!!!

I can't wait until it's up and running!!!

 

[DCA_MillionaireFreak]

Very cool! Much better then those 3D models people make.

 

[jerseygal]

Tried it a few days ago..When up and running, someone give a shout!

Thx.

 

[lborne]

Looks like as of now, only the castle and the swan/dolphin are up.

 

[labdogs42]

I am kind of underwhelmed with this idea. I would much rather Disney spent that $$ on some new REAL rides or upgrades to the parks. Or maybe even offering some really cool discounts to us frequent travelers!! Maybe it will be cooler than I think, I'm sure I'll end up checking it out when it comes out!

 

[MickeyWanaBe]

Looks like as of now, only the castle and the swan/dolphin are up.

The St Mark's Campanile (bell tower) in Italy at the WS is also up.

Does anyone happen to know if you can turn the camera icons off? If you click on them they are photos from those locations, but they are annoying and I can't figure out how to get rid of them. Thanks.

Can't wait to see more!

 

[MickeyWanaBe]

I am kind of underwhelmed with this idea. I would much rather Disney spent that $$ on some new REAL rides or upgrades to the parks. Or maybe even offering some really cool discounts to us frequent travelers!! Maybe it will be cooler than I think, I'm sure I'll end up checking it out when it comes out!

If you travel there frequently then they already "have you" they don't need additional discounts to get you there. It is a marketing tool. They are marketing to people who are thinking about traveling there.

For the people that have never been to WDW this 3D tour will probably be really cool.

I have been to WDW many times and from what I have seen so far it looks pretty cool!

 

[lborne]

I much rather the bird's eye views on Window's live maps, as they are true perspective views and not models.

http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v...0&scene=5219433&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&encType=1

 

[ahecht]

Looks like as of now, only the castle and the swan/dolphin are up.

The St Mark's Campanile (bell tower) in Italy at the WS is also up.

The castle one is weird -- I couldn't see it on my copy of Google Earth, but a friend who hadn't yet updated to the newest version could. When he updated from 4.2 to 4.3 it disappeared for him too.

The Swan and Dolphin have been up for a while as part of the American Institute of Architechts Top 150 Public Structures (all of which have been on Google Earth since 2007). St Mark's has also been up for a while, but it was a fan creation that was submitted to Google's 3D Warehouse.

Does anyone happen to know if you can turn the camera icons off? If you click on them they are photos from those locations, but they are annoying and I can't figure out how to get rid of them. Thanks.

You want to turn of the "Panoramio" layer. It's a bit different in different versions, but in 4.3 go to Layers, then "Primary Database", then "Geographic Web", then uncheck "Panoramio" (or just uncheck "Geographic Web" altogether -- I find it useless).

 

[disneyaggie]

Cool!

 

[MickeyWanaBe]

The castle one is weird -- I couldn't see it on my copy of Google Earth, but a friend who hadn't yet updated to the newest version could. When he updated from 4.2 to 4.3 it disappeared for him too.

I am upgrading mine now, so we will see if mine disappears too.

The Swan and Dolphin have been up for a while as part of the American Institute of Architechts Top 150 Public Structures (all of which have been on Google Earth since 2007). St Mark's has also been up for a while, but it was a fan creation that was submitted to Google's 3D Warehouse.

I haven't been on GoogleEarth in a while so I hadn't seen them. Sorry. I thought the choices of 3D buildings that were uploaded were strange, but that explains it. Thanks!

You want to turn of the "Panoramio" layer. It's a bit different in different versions, but in 4.3 go to Layers, then "Primary Database", then "Geographic Web", then uncheck "Panoramio" (or just uncheck "Geographic Web" altogether -- I find it useless).

Thank you very much! I will fix it as soon as I have the new version installed!

 

[Balooman17]

its not showing up on my google eart

 

[tinkgurl]

Great..now I'll spend even MORE time on the computer while wishing my days away until I'm back at WDW!

 

[Balooman17]

how do u get it to show up in 3d

 

[ahecht]

how do u get it to show up in 3d

Under "Layers" choose "3D Buildings". However, the full disney models aren't live yet, only the Swan, Dolphin, St. Mark's in Epcot, and (sometimes) the castle.

 

[ahecht]

http://www.disneyworld.com/3dparks is live!

​

To compare the screenshot posted earlier with the new one:

 

[ahecht]

I just discovered something very cool (at least to those of us looking for behind the scenes stuff). Apparently the photographers they sent out got to photograph the Fantasmic dragon in the stowed position during the day!

The KMZ file for this view is at http://www3.zansstuff.com/FantasmicDragon.kmz