The crown was closed after 9/11 for safety and security reasons.

“On July 4th, we are giving America a special gift,” Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said in a news release. “We are once again inviting the public to celebrate our great nation and the hope and opportunity it symbolizes by climbing to Lady Liberty’s crown for a unique view of New York Harbor, where the forbearers of millions of American families first saw the new world.”

Only 10 people will be allowed to climb to the crown at one time. To reach the crown, visitors must climb a 168-step, double-helix spiral staircase.

In advance of the crown’s opening, officials are taking a number of steps they say will increase safety, including raising the handrails on the spiral staircase and stationing rangers throughout the Statue to aid visitors.

“We cannot eliminate all the risk of climbing to the crown, but we are taking steps to make it safer,” Salazar said. “Once the work is complete, the Statue will be safer, and so will its visitors.

Fees at the 147 parks nationwide that charge for entry will be waived June 20-21, July 18-19 and Aug. 15-16. In addition, partner companies – including tour operators, hotels, restaurants and gift shops – will offer discounts and promotions on those weekends.

“During these tough economic times, our national parks provide opportunities for affordable vacations for families,” Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said at a press conference at Cuyahoga Valley National Park. “I encourage everyone to visit one of our nation’s crown jewels this summer and especially to take advantage of the three free-admission weekends.”

Entrance fees typically range from $3 to $25. An additional 244 National Parks do not charge entry fees.

For more information, log onto http://www.nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparks.htm.

• Map out what you want to see: Each of Walt Disney World’s four theme parks offer a lot to see, so take a few minutes in advance to figure out what are the must-see attractions. Now, this doesn’t mean you must to the Enchanted Tiki Room at 2:13 p.m. on Wednesday or the entire vacation is ruined. But, you don’t want to make it through the vacation and realize I really wanted to ride the Carousel of Progress and didn’t make it to Tomorrowland.
• Extra Magic Hours (for Walt Disney World resort guests only): Whether it is early openings or late closings for resort guests, this is a great way to experience any one of Walt Disney World’s four theme parks while the crowds are smaller – this is a great perk for Walt Disney World resort guests since the parks are only open to those staying on property (and at a Disney resort). Take these hours into account if you are planning out your week in advance and be sure to schedule in a nap time if staying out late one night and waking up early the next morning might cause a problem.
• Utilize Fastpass: Sure, there are lines at Walt Disney World, but by using Fastpass, you can reduce the wait time for certain attractions and see more attractions while you are waiting for your Fastpass window.
• Make dining reservations in advance: News flash, you aren’t going to show up at Cinderella’s Royal Table five minutes in advance and expect to make a reservation. Don’t let that ruin your vacation. Call ahead.
• Know the short-wait and restful attractions: If your return time for that Big Thunder Mountain Fastpass isn’t for another 45 minutes, know that there are plenty of attractions you can see in that time. For example, hop the Walt Disney World Railroad for a restful grand circle tour or head over to Adventureland and check out the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse, which often features little to no wait.

There are certainly many more tips – such as buy an autograph book before meeting Mickey Mouse for the first time – but keeping these five in mind should

“While summer is often a peak time to travel, destinations can’t rely on the usual droves of visitors given the nature of the economy right now,” Anne Banas, executive editor of SmarterTravel, said in a news release. “When it comes to travel, consumers really have the upper hand — it’s the perfect time to take advantage of deals that might not happen again for a long time.”

The list (and SmarterTravel’s rationale) includes:

• Los Angeles: New air service from Virgin America, Delta and Allegiant airlines, is helping lower airfare costs.
• Dominican Republic: JetBlue and Spirit airlines both provide low-cost options, and a four-night, air-and-hotel package starts at $560 per person.
• National Parks: Rooms near Yellowstone, for example, start at $59 per night.
• Australia: V Australia, for example, is offering airfare starting at $620 for a round-trip, and air-and-hotel packages start at $999.
• Asheville, N.C.: Starting June 11, AirTran is offering fares from $69 for a one-way trip.

If the results of KAYAK’s Annual Summer Travel Survey are any indication, then it may be.

The recent survey found that 95 percent of people plan to travel this summer despite the economy. In addition, more than 41 percent said the recession did not affect their summer plans. Interestingly, that is twice as many people as the 2008 survey. More than 4,100 people were polled for this year’s survey.

“Thanks to an abundance of travel deals, last year’s Staycation trend appears to be over as we’re seeing consumers using savvy cost-saving strategies to once again embark on a traditional summer vacation,” Brian Harniman, KAYAK executive vice president of marketing and distribution, said in a news release. “According to KAYAK’s survey, our users plan to take advantage of historically low airfare and hop on a plane in search of culture and nightlife with trips to domestic and European cities topping the list of destinations being considered. This is a major change from last summer when 64 percent told us they would avoid flying because airfare was too expensive.”

The survey reveals that people may be using a number of tactics to save money: staying with friends or relatives; taking advantage of off-season pricing; trading down for a less fancy hotel; booking a shorter holiday; choosing a destination closer to home; and booking accommodations with a kitchen to cut down on dining at a restaurant. In addition, lower fuel costs are helping.

“The cost of travel is much lower compared to last summer’s weekly fuel increases, so people can more easily afford to travel,” Harniman added.

The best part of traveling is paying tribute to those who helped make our country what it is. Let’s remember that this Memorial Day.

But that’s just the beginning. Amidst the E-Ticket attractions, here are five must-dos that any Walt Disney World guest shouldn’t let slip through the cracks:

• Character Dining: Try Chef Mickey’s at the Contemporary – especially for breakfast. The food is great, and this may be the best way to meet the Fab Five (Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto and Donald).
• Whispering Canyon Café at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge: Not only is this hotel amazing, it’s also home to one of the best breakfast offerings at Walt Disney World. The all-you-can-eat meal is served in skillets, and the cast members will make this meal perhaps the most memorable of the vacation.
• Off Kilter: This high-octane Celtic rock band performs regularly at the Canada pavilion in Epcot Center’s World showcase.
• Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream: It all started with a Mouse. But, learn about the man behind the Mouse. Located at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, this multi-media gallery features a lot of fascinating information about the history of Walt Disney, Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Interestingly, according to the official page on DisneyWorld.com: “One Man’s Dream received the 2004 Disney Magazine Reader’s Choice Award for Most Underrated Attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios!”
• Resort Hop: See the world, and try something new. If you’re in the Magic Kingdom, for example, hop the monorail and head to the Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and grab lunch at the Grand Floridian Café.

Honestly, there are dozens more, but these are just for starters.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Characters from Pixar’s new animated film “Up” have started greeting guests at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme Park.

Carl Fredricksen, Russell and Dug are meeting guests at the end of The Magic of Disney Animation Tour. “Up” hits theaters May 29.

The fair came only nine years after Disney opened Disneyland, which changed the face of family theme parks for the better. But, in true Disney fashion, he didn’t stand still. Instead, he continued to look for the next great innovation.

The technology that Disney introduced at the 1964 World’s Fair in Queens, N.Y., helped further transform his theme parks and remains the basis for some of the greatest attractions he developed.

The Carousel of Progress, It’s a Small World and Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln were not only hits at the World’s Fair, they became mainstays at Disney parks for decades. In fact, the Carousel of Progress is the longest running show in the history of American Theater. While there have been rumors for years that the attraction was to close, the show still has a loyal following.

It’s a Small World, originally named “Children of the World,” features one of the best-known, most beloved or most hated – depending on the perspective – theme songs ever to grace a Disney attraction. Like the Carousel of Progress, the ride’s theme song was written by the Sherman Brothers who wrote the scores to a number of Disney movies, including Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book and The Sword in the Stone.

But perhaps the most innovative attraction to appear at the World’s Fair was one that featured a technology that took years to develop and to this day remains one of Disney’s best achievements.

In the 1950s, Walt Disney conceived an American history-themed show for Disneyland, but it wasn’t until the early 1960s that the technology for Audio-Animatronics developed into a viable one. Disney used the technology to create Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, a stage show featuring a lifelike 16th president who gave a speech. This raised the technology to a new level and demonstrated what was possible.

The show was a sensation, and on July 18, 1966, following the World’s Fair, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln opened at the Opera House on Main Street U.S.A. in Disneyland. The show was the inspiration for the Hall of Presidents in Walt Disney World’s Liberty Square.

But the technology introduced at the World’s Fair wasn’t just responsible for the attractions that appeared in Queens. If not for Audio-Animatronics and the propelling flat bottom boats, Pirates of the Caribbean would have been drastically different.

The attraction, the last that Disney personally worked on, was originally conceived as a walk-through wax museum. But that all changed with the World’s Fair, and Pirates of the Caribbean morphed into one of the most beloved Disney attractions of all time.

There are scant reminders of the 1964 World’s Fair in Queens, but the best way to relive the experience from 45 years ago is to visit Disneyland or Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.

The subject of songs and books, Jones, who died on April 30, 1900, has become a larger than life figure in American history in the 11 decades since his death.

But, finding the real Casey Jones is as simple as driving to Jackson, Tenn., where visitors can see the humble home where Jones lived at the time of his death.

Born John Luther Jones on March 14, 1863, in Southeast Missouri, he grew up in Cayce, Ky., the town that provided him with his nickname. When he was 15-years-old, Jones became an apprentice telegraph operator on the Mobile & Ohio Railroad, and in March 1888, he took a job with the Illinois Central Railroad, pulling mostly freight trains for his first 11 years.

In 1899, Jones was offered a position as an engineer on the railroad’s Cannonball passenger train, connecting Chicago and New Orleans. He accepted the position and started engineering on the run in February 1900. In the early morning hours of April 30, 1900, Jones, filling in for a sick engineer, sat behind the throttle of engine No. 382, pulling train No. 1, also known as the New Orleans Special.

Jones’ train pulled out of the Memphis train station at 12:50 a.m., about 90 minutes behind schedule. By the time Jones reached Durant, Miss., he had made up almost all of the train’s lost time.

Jones’ train was traveling as fast as 75 mph when it approached a stopped train at a siding near Vaughn, Miss. Jones’ locomotive hit a torpedo – a warning flare placed on the track to alert the engineer of the situation ahead. But, it was too late. Jones told his fireman, Sim Webb, to jump from the train, saving his life. Jones threw the train in reverse, hoping to stop before a collision.

Though his train crashed, Jones saved the lives of countless passengers.

Today, his house is a museum. Although it has been moved from its original location, it is open to the public and features a wide array of exhibits, including railroad memorabilia and Jones’ personal effects.

A life-sized replica of Illinois Central engine No. 382 – the locomotive Jones was engineering on his last trip – sits behind Jones’ house. The actual locomotive was repaired after the wreck and ran for 35 years before being scrapped.

The museum’s replica formerly ran on the Clinchfield Railroad as engine No. 99. The locomotive was restored and moved to the museum.

Beyond Jones, Jackson’s railroad past is deep and rich. Railroads came to Jackson in the latter half of the 1850s, and within a few years of their arrival, the city would become a regional railroad hub. Judge Milton Brown is often attributed with helping draw the railroad to Madison County and Jackson.

During its heyday, several railroads served Jackson, including the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis, Illinois Central and the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio railroads. Today three railroads – Norfolk Southern, CSX and the West Tennessee Railroad – still serve the western Tennessee city of Jackson.

Federal troops, acknowledging the Jackson’s importance as a railroad hub, occupied the city for much of the Civil War. A train depot serves as a reminder of the city’s railroading past. Built in 1907, the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railroad depot was restored in the 1990s and is today a museum dedicated to the city’s rail history.

Gracing the museum’s grounds include three rail cars – a pair of cabooses and an Amtrak dining car. Inside the depot is a model railroad exhibit, built and maintained by the Jackson Model Railroad Club. The depot also houses a vast collection of railroad-related relics with photographs and artifacts.