Has anyone noticed a decrease in tourists while on vacation?
 

My husband and I just returned from Orlando. We went to Epcot one day and the place was just about empty. Only one line in the entire place. We were told that it might be crowded because its the beginning of Spring Break for the college kids. We queried some of the wait staff at the Rose and Crown, where we ate dinner, and they said that the economy is really hurting the tourism industry at Disney. The parks are closing early and the hotels are half empty. Has anyone else noticed this in thier travels?

Yes, in both Cancun and Phoenix...

We went to Clearwater Beach Sunday to pick up shells for centerpieces we are making. BIG mistake. The normal 40 minute drive took over an hour and the return home was the same. Traffic backed up on one side of the Causeway between Clearwater and Tampa and extended all the way to the end on the return trip. It started in downtown Clearwater and extended the entire distance to the beach on the way to. A portion was reminiscent of &quot;Where the Boys Are&quot; (am I dating myself? :D) with guys sitting on the rolled down windows of their vehicle doors, upper bodies hanging out as they drove along. Another notable truck with &quot;FSU chics on board&quot; written in the back window--an animated group obviously looking for &quot;the boys&quot;, meeting up with and chatting back and forth in the traffic jam, a car with CT plates loaded with 5 guys. Carloads of kids/adults with a diverse mixture of license plates. The beach was wall to wall as well. As we left, the Palm Pavillion, where we often stop for a drink was so jammed we didn't even consider it. We found parking only because we know of an out of the way lots, and even then, it was .25 for 12 minutes for March and April. If tourism is down in this area, it sure doesn't show! <BR><BR>We were in Naples for a shopping expedition Saturday and traffic there was hellacious as well, although not as bad as Clearwater. We stopped for lunch at 2 o'clock, and the restaurant was still jamming. <BR><BR>My husbsnd's hotel here (Tampa) has been sold out or just shy of it for the past few weeks and will be through most of April, so I can't imagine what the problem is with Orlando!

not impacted the slopes much still as crowded as ever in Vermont

I can say tha Miami Beach is pretty packed with out of towners... I live in Miami but had to go to a conference at a hotel in South Beach... packed packed packed. Lots of Euros too.

Washington DC is pretty empty considering the time of year - usually the metro is filled with spring breaker and school groups in March.

Spring Break is weird this year because Easter is late. My daughter's break is the week before Easter in April, normally her break is in March.

Here in San Francisco we have less tourists. Or maybe less locals :)

So far I haven't noticed any change in the amount of people travelling. Every time I book a flight it's full. I am now trying to make plans for Florida the last week of June. My timeshare assoc. has informed me that they have NO available rooms anywhere near the Daytona Beach area for that week. I really can't believe that every motel they have beachside is completely booked for that week. If so, there doesn't seem to be a problem with tourists in that area!!

How about tourism in New York City? Is that way down too?

Hey Olive, I remember Where the Boys Are...I remember mom wasn't going to let me go see it because she thought it might be &quot;suggestive&quot;...<BR><BR>Anyhow, right now we're in south Texas and there are vacancies everywhere where normally they would be booked. I call a place a week ahead of time and they tell me no problem, PLENTY of room.

I live in New York and work in the Empire State Building, and all I can tell you is that tourism is DEFINITELY not down here!!! I see plenty every day in the city and in every part!

For those of you noticing the &quot;Always full&quot; flights, it is because the airlines pretty much across the board have reduced their service by about 20% on the average. They have to keep their planes full to survive. Can't possibly make a profit on 1/2 empty planes.

Today's Key West Citizen is bemoaning the decline in tourism in the Keys. Key Largo's taken a huge hit (down 26% for Jan.,) Key West is aparently down, but Marathon is up. Interesting. http://keysnews.com/