Here is a pano created from pictures taken in August 2005. I never intended to make a pano when taking these pictures, this was just us saying "wow look at this view" and taking a bunch of pictures. I cant believe how well this turned out. I will be definitly be making several panos during my nest visit to WDW. I am really enjoying doing this. Especially with a better camera than the 2mp kodak this was done with.
the view from up there is certainly fantastic. from the other side of the deck you can see all the way to the swan/dolph and epcot areas... fantastic view, i just wish the price to get it wasn't so high (california grill will set you back a bit... )
You can go up there without going to California Grill (I'm sure Tim knows this, but maybe someone else doesn't!)...they only have a couple of basic rules - no shorts after 5pm, no bothering the restaurant side of that floor...and you still have to go to the check-in desk down on the 3rd floor to ask for an elevator lift up there. I go up there pretty much every time I visit Disney, to enjoy the view, snap a few pics, and show friends up there who've never been. And if I happen to be going to Contemporary for dinner at the Steakhouse, where I happen to be wearing long pants anyway - I head up to the Grill for a night view.
Wow, cool. There was a story a while back that they had officially stopped letting people do that. I had always believed that, I would never have tried.
I heard that too...but I've had no problems going up every time - I was up there in December, and January. They did make it harder, by having the elevators up there start on the 3rd floor, and having the check-in desk there to intimidate. But I simply walk up and say I want to take a few pics on the roof, and up I go! Of course, the explanation could be that I am so incredibly charming.
I didn't think you could get up there without eating, either. I'll have to try it next time. Of course, you could always get the "poor man's view" by going up to the 4th or 5th floor and walking down the hall to the outdoor balcony...