The Happiest Place on (Google) Earth

Disney World

If the thought of planning a trip to the happiest place on Earth on a flat map online (let alone on paper) seems too dull—Disney World now offers visitors a 3-D interactive map on Google Earth.

The program allows for a more interactive (and fun) way to check out the park, letting you view photos, videos, and write-ups and better judge if Space Mountain is really worth the lines. It even shows the location of park benches; plan the ideal spot to rest your feet.

The scope of the project is nearly as big as the park itself. To provide users the detailed images—from the Tower of Terror, to the spectacular castle, to overpriced souvenir shacks, eight photographers shot about 100,000 images, which were then rendered into 1,500 3-D images of Disney World structures.

And for those who don’t have the time (or the inclination)—the map is a cost- and crowd-free way to escape into the magic of Disney World without ever leaving the house.