Google Trike Puts Busch Gardens, Water Country On the Street View Map

By WYDaily Staff Tuesday, January 26, 2010

A sunny, cloud-dappled day at Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Water Country USA is just a click away, thanks to Google Maps.

Online guests - or residents who just miss the park - can take a virtual visit to Busch Gardens and Water Country USA in the Triangle at any time now that the two theme parks are featured in Street View on Google Maps. They're among the first theme parks to be mapped for Street View.

Nearly every inch of the theme parks was mapped using one of Google’s “trikes,” which used a state-of-the-art camera to automatically gather photographs from the back of a modified bicycle. Google software then blended the images, creating the famous, interactive and completely moveable 360-degree scenes for which Street View is known. Because Google mapped the park when it was closed, it's a virtual private tour.

And the best way to make sure every show, splash, adventure and world-class thrill ride was mapped? The 250-pound Trike, complete with camera and GPS mounted on a mast, was pedal-powered by a Google staff member. Consider it the ultimate mix of technology, both high and low.

“We’re thrilled to be among the first theme parks in the world to get the Google Street View treatment,” said Dan Dipiazzo, vice president of marketing for Busch Gardens and Water Country USA. “Now, no matter where you are, you can enjoy an online experience of our parks while planning your vacation. The only thing missing is feeling the first drop of Griffon or getting splashed in Surfer’s Bay wave pool.”

Google Maps began including Street View images in 2007. More than a dozen countries and over one hundred cities now can be seen online. Busch Gardens and SeaWorld theme parks around the country are also included.

"I began thinking about building a bicycle-based Street View system after realizing how many great places around the world aren't accessible by car, but still would be perfect to include in Street View on Google Maps. The immensely popular SeaWorld and Busch Gardens parks are perfect examples of fun and interesting locations that our Trike can add to Google Maps, benefiting families and tourists around the world,” said Dan Ratner, Senior Mechanical Engineer on the Street View team and creator of the Trike.

Street View visits to the parks are accessible via Web and mobile applications. Viewers can start by going to maps.google.com and searching for Busch Gardens or Water Country USA. Then drag the orange “Pegman” icon (found at the top left of the map) for a “walking tour.”