I've been to the statue twice in the last two years. You need to reserve tickets ahead of time if you want to go inside at all. Also, you can only go in the base these days. The tour is free, but like I said, you need to reserve tickets in advance at this site:

www.statuereservations.com/

And they're time specific. And, I swear to God, the security procedures you have to go through (TWICE!) are much more intense than at airports. To get into the base museum, you have to go through this weird thing which blasts air on you to check for explosives. And you have to take your belt off both times (to get on the ferry and to get in the base), which I have never had to do to get through airport security.

But the lockers they make you put ALL your stuff in are cool because they use fingerprint recognition to control the lock...

And, above all, it will be horrendously cold and windy, so dress wisely.

I'm not sure of my Friday plans, since I will hopefully have a dealer badge and be able to get in early, but I might be up for the Saturday dinner. Same place or someplace new...

- Bill :hat
http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryDetail.asp?GCat=1873