The Walt Disney Company has created a 3D Google Earth map, which will allow users to take a walk around Disney Land before they even set foot in the place.

One of the problems a lot of families have when they go to Disney World is that everyone wants to go everywhere and do everything all at once and this new map could provide an easier way to plan your trip. The company said that nearly 90% of guests plan their trips to Disney World online so the fact that you can walk around Disney and pick out what you want to see before you even get on a plane is sure to be a valuable tool.

The 3D map offers event calendars, tickets and reservations, attraction descriptions, videos, photos and links and is the product of over 100,000 photographs taken by a team of photographers.

Jay Rasulo, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts chairman was impressed by the finished project, which allows potential guests to tour Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, and more than 20 Disney Resort hotels.

"It’s a virtual walk-through of the whole property … the most amazing virtual tour of any place in the world”

Google says it’s the next best thing to being there. However, comments on the official Google blog raise some valid points. One being that it is indeed a little scary to see a version of Disney World that isn’t teeming with activity and another pointing out the fact that it is a virtual version of an artificial world, which one reader likens to “using all the technological power of an iPhone to find the nearest Starbucks.”

To see Disney in 3D, you need to fly to Disney World in Orlando (enter "Disney World" in the "Fly To" search of Google Earth). Then make sure you have the "3D Buildings" layer turned on. Once activated, the 3D Buildings layer will allow you to see placemarks with more information, video, and audio describing the parks and sights.