I found this tool on Windows Live. It allows you to view Kings Island (along with many other inner-cities and Cedar Point) from a 'Bird's Eye view'. The images are interactive and are of much higher quality compared to regular satellite images. When I found this, I literally was toying with it for hours.

*Click the link below and make sure you are viewing in '2D', Then click the 'Bird's Eye view' icon (located next to the zoom slider). Remember that you can drag and rotate the image. Zooming is limited.

The link: Kings Island Bird's Eye View

Things I noticed:

-King Cobra track is clearly seen down the service road past FoF (Very close to Psycho Path)

-The images of KI seemed to have been taken in the early months of 2006. (Notice the NU construction and Avatar track in the parking lot.)

-Lots of room for future X-base construction between FoF and Racer.

-Some clearing beyond the far end of the frontwards Racer.

-More King Cobra track and parking trams stored Behind SoB

-Great Wolf Lodge construction

-Phantom Theater cars among other stuff in some sort of junkyard just north the the BB train stop.

If the link doesn't work, let me know. Enjoy!

Well, either its because I have a Mac, their site is slow, or some other problem, but I don`t see any aerial images from that link. I see all the support functions for the site, but not the actual aerial.

That clearing to the north of the Forwards Racer (on the opposite side of the forward Racer from the Action Theater) has been there for quite some time, so it is not a new development.

Truly Amazing! It is like Google Earth on Steroids. I looked around on it forever.

I'm pretty sure this has been around for a while because I remember looking at it a while ago in Beta testing and stuff. But the bird's eye view is probably the coolest thing ever. I love looking around the property and seeing all the empty land around KI's current park boarders and just wondering what could be in store for the future.

Wow. King cobra is getting pretty rusty . that is really cool. I like it so much better than Google Earth.. *goes to look at house* lol

Well, either its because I have a Mac, their site is slow, or some other problem, but I don`t see any aerial images from that link. I see all the support functions for the site, but not the actual aerial.

That clearing to the north of the Forwards Racer (on the opposite side of the forward Racer from the Action Theater) has been there for quite some time, so it is not a new development.

Yeah, they block Mac browsers. Typical Microsoft. You have to use a User Agent faker to make it look like you're using Firefox on Windows.

cool stuff. how often is it updated?

That was neat.

=]

This does put Google Earth to shame (for the moment). I have no idea how often it is updated, but my guess is not very often.

I also noticed the off-season SoB track work, and many of the trains are not on their transfer track, including SoB, IJ, and Top Gun. Are the trains usually taken off the track during the off-season? (Maybe for weather purposes or for heavy maintenance?)

Avatar is in the Parking Lot

does anyone know what that litttle clearing is if you go to the turnaround of the forwards racer...then go back just a little across that road behind it and a little left if you're looking north...there's a clearing there with the vague shape of the mushrooms on the original mario bros. game lol

Maybe I'm stupid, but I can't see Avatar in the parking lot. The view I'm getting looks like the park is open: trees are green. There are cars and buses. Even some that are "moving". And the south parking entrance is loaded with cars. Am I stupid?

deb

You can also see the construction of Tazmanian Typhoon in BB! lol...

I also don't see Avatar in the parking lot.

Try changing the direction of your view with the N-S-E-W toolbar. These pictures were obviously taken at many different times and pasted together, since one view has IJST, but when changed directions slightly it becomes the Antiques/Flying Eagles.

Pretty cool.

I tried that, didn't help. From full aerial, you can see IJ:ST. Go in closer, turns to Antique Cars. Also, I checked out Google Earth... and guess who uses the SAME aerials?!?!?! odd.

deb

Maybe I'm stupid, but I can't see Avatar in the parking lot. The view I'm getting looks like the park is open: trees are green. There are cars and buses. Even some that are "moving". And the south parking entrance is loaded with cars. Am I stupid?

deb

Make sure you are in the 'Bird's Eye View' mode, by clicking the icon next to the zoom slider. If you are seeing green trees, a full parking ect., you are still in the traditional satellite view, the same view that Google Earth has. The aerials I'm talking about (Bird's eye) are 10x better than Google Earth.

Yeah these type of sites always seem to share images. But I prefer this to Google Earth because of the bird's eye views. They've been very helpful with my RCT work.

ok, got it. I was in 3D. BEV is in 2D.

deb

PS: it fits my screen!!!! I can full size the browser and get near full 20"! That rocks!

thats pretty awesome!

That a very cool new feature. Just goes to show that Google is taking over the internet! I can look for new angles now to help me when taking my Aerials.