from the top three floors 1250 feet in the sky, overlooking the statue of liberty, the brooklyn bridge and empire state building. some say you can even see the curvature of the earth. >> i have no scientific proof of that but sometimes on a really beautiful day up hearre you can get an idea that the earth is round, not flat. >> reporter: dave runs legends, but earned the contract for the observatory. the lead designer for universal theme park. that's how you end up with this amazing tour that is so much more than an elevator ride and a look out. >> reporter: it begins with airport-style security and a welcome center highlighting the state or country where you bought your ticket. there's a hall filled with voices of men and women who built one world trade. the ride to the top is among the world's fastest, 102 stories in