Google Street View

[TTD-120-420]

I think it was last summer, maybe the year before, that my sister and I were walking around Kings Island when the Google street view bicycle flew past. I tweeted Don that day and he said that Google got great pictures. Google still hasn't put the street view up for KI.

How long does it usually take for Google to update? Does anybody on here know anything about it?

[coasterdime]

_{I had a chance to talk to the Google guy, and he told me it takes 4-6 months. Should be any time now.}

[CoastersRZ]

Things like that can take time. Unforseen things can happen which cause things to take longer. With my role at my current job as the I.T. guy, I can attest to the fact that things you expect to take x amount of time, can often take 2x to complete.

Not to mention that the algorithms they use to splice the images together, as well as ensuring that people are not in the images they use can take time to create an adequate street view.

[McSalsa]

Uuh...TTD, I can get the street view for KI just fine (good images, but it is for 2009, while the park was closed getting ready for Haunt '09...)

MCSALSA'S GUIDE TO GET KI STREETVIEW

#1-Open Google Maps

#2-Switch to Satellite view

#2-Type "Kings Island" in the search box. You should come up to KI.

#3-Zoom in until you can see the roads

#4-Look for Kings Island drive

#5-When you have located it, find the yellow man icon. Click it, drag it, and drop him on what appears to be a yellow line on the road.

#6-Enjoy the view.

NOTE: If you move too far away, the images will actually switch to 2008 when Diamondback was under construction!

Hope this helps anyone...

[bkroz]

What they mean is that a Google bicycle equipped with cameras actually drove through the park and captured all of the pathways, etc. so that using Google maps or Google Earth, you could simulate "walking" through the park.

At Universal's parks in Orlando, for example, you can drag the little yellow man and set him down next to the Pharos Lighthouse, then use your keyboard to walk through the entire park, turning and zooming in on rides and attractions as you go. That was done by having someone actually ride a bike through the park equipped with Google's cameras. It's one of the few times they opened the twin gates at Universal's Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida. They're really just for decoration...

EDIT: On Google maps, you have to click the guide arrows on screen. In Google Earth, you can use the keyboard arrows to "seamlessly" walk around with images fading one to the next. It's really nice way to explore the nooks and crannies of those parks... So much detail in the architecture, etc. and a great way to "visit" if you're having withdrawal, as I commonly do!

[McSalsa]

^

Oh! I didn't know that...wow, that will be even more awesome than what I found... (Perhaps they will even have the option to "drive by" in street view, then turn in and go into Kings Island...)

[McSalsa]

OK, just checking out the US & IOA one and...WOW. This is great stuff right here...and Kings Island is actually getting this? Epic...

PS: Wow, Universal Studios is super-well themed...

[bkroz]

I'd visit either of those Universal parks in Orlando before I'd visit all four of the Disney ones there.

[TTD-120-420]

I would agree with you, however, Island's of Adventure was 100 times better than Studios IMO. There wasn't really a lot that interested me on the Studios side.

[bkroz]

Revenge of the Mummy leaves me quite satisfied. But otherwise, you're right that Islands offers much more. People will travel for Spiderman, Harry Potter, even Jurassic Park and Seuss Landing. But the Simpsons, Terminator, even Despicable Me don't seem like attractions that travelers would get excited for necessarily. What do I know?

[TTD-120-420]

I would say you know a lot looking back at all the info you gave me to help plan my Orlando trip.

As for why I wasn't the biggest fan of Studios, the simulator rides just don't do it for me. Most of them just gave me a headache and some are just outdated. IoA is miles ahead of what Studios is, IMO.

[kingsrattler]

Aye, but if it was not for the Studios, would we have Islands of Adventure?

[bkroz]

I hate that Universal Orlando Resort and the Disneyland Resort are on opposite coasts. I don't care much for Universal Hollywood or Walt Disney World, so it makes for tough choices when determining vacation destinations... First world problems, I know.

[LongliveKingsCobra]

"First world problems"

I wish I even HAD a chance to go on a vacation, let alone choose which coast to go to...

[lopan]

hmm when i did street view on earth it looked really bad, all i could really see was the towers