AAA Offers Spring Break Travel Tips for 2010

Spontaneous, spur-of-the-moment Spring trips sound exciting, but doing your travel homework will help you ace Vacations 101, AAA says.

ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A challenging economy is expected to alter the travel migration patterns for students and families traveling during this year's Spring Break -- typically defined as the week prior to and after Easter Sunday, AAA's travel experts say.

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"The numbers of those traveling during Spring Break are likely to be somewhat less than the numbers seen before the economic downturn. Domestic destinations that are viewed as less-expensive are likely to pull business from some international Spring Break hotspots, making them just as crowded or even more so," said Glen MacDonell, director of AAA Travel. "Overall, locations that are easy to get to and offer discount pricing or an all-inclusive experience are likely to be the most popular, just as they have been throughout this economic cycle."

"Because of these factors, doing your travel research and booking early will be essential to getting the spring vacation you really want. Travelers who are willing to look beyond the obvious 'college beach towns' may be able to find deals and discounts not normally associated with the Spring Break season. This is because the all-inclusive resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean will be competing even harder to lure budget-conscious students away from home this year," he said.

Consider Spring Break at Walt Disney World where there is something new around every corner

For those looking for something closer to home, but definitely beyond the usual, AAA suggests Spring Breakers consider a vacation at the Walt Disney World® Resort.

• Thrill-seekers will find new experiences both within and beyond all four Walt Disney World® Theme Parks—from Expedition Everest at Disney's Animal Kingdom and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster at Disney's Hollywood Studios, to CyberSpace Mountain at DisneyQuest® Indoor Interactive Theme Park (Downtown Disney®) and the Richard Petty Driving Experience.
• The world's two most popular water parks—Disney's Typhoon Lagoon and Disney's Blizzard Beach—are both situated in the heart of the Walt Disney World® Resort. The nation's largest, fastest water slide—Summit Plummet—resides at Disney's Blizzard Beach (with speeds of up to 55 mph); and at Typhoon Lagoon, some of the world's largest man-made waves are pumped out every 90 seconds in the 2.5 acre wave pool. Springtime temperatures in central Florida should be ideal for this type of experience.
• Staying at a Disney resort can further the experience by adding to the convenience and value; Disney's Pop Century Resort is fantastic for budget-minded guests looking not to skimp on the Disney resort experience; and with complimentary transportation, extra hours in the parks, bottomless mugs and the Disney Dining Plan, there is no better way to see Walt Disney World® Resort.
• College Students looking to "see the world" can visit 11 distinct nations spanning the globe—all while leaving their passport at home, thanks to The World Showcase at Epcot®. Japan, France, the United Kingdom, Morocco, Mexico and more await guests with local fare, drink and atmosphere. And it doesn't hurt that a walk from, say, Germany to Italy, is a brisk five minutes.
• As for nighttime excursions, Downtown Disney® West Side and Disney's BoardWalk feature dozens of entertainment venues, including a tethered-balloon experience, Cirque du Soleil, an ESPN Club and a 24-theater movie complex.

AAA, which operates the largest full-service leisure travel agency network in North America, is able to provide access to unmatched travel values through AAA Vacations® packages to the Walt Disney World® Resort exclusively available through AAA Travel. Some of the many package benefits include convenient preferred parking spaces at all four Walt Disney World® Theme Parks, Disney's Story Time Experience -- A special storytelling experience which features a character from a classic Disney animated feature film and a special VIP Viewing location to watch the Magic Kingdom Day Parade.

Other AAA travel partners, such as Contiki Vacations, specialize in package travel for younger adult vacationers to Europe, Asia and the Pacific. AAA partners Pleasant Holidays and Travel Impressions also offer outstanding vacation packages to Mexico, the Caribbean and Hawaii.

Spring Break is a great time for families to travel too, and cruising is an ideal way to go.

The college crowd won't be the only ones traveling in large numbers this March and April. Families with children also use the occasion of school vacations to get up and go, although they are typically looking for somewhat tamer pursuits. While AAA's travel experts still advise family travelers to look into a Florida or California theme park destination, they should also contemplate cruising as an ideal way to keep everyone entertained and on a budget.

"With many cruise ships home-ported around the United States, you can escape to the sea without ever stepping foot on an airplane. Cruise ports like New York City, Baltimore, Jacksonville, New Orleans and Galveston make it convenient for families to drive to a cruise instead of enduring the hassle of flying," MacDonell said.

"Once onboard, you will be able to relax or start the party as the mood strikes you. And with destinations such as Mexico; the U.S. Virgin Islands and The Bahamas nearby, you can be worlds away from both classes and careers overnight," he said.

It is important to note that there must be an adult aged 21 or older in each cabin.

AAA has partnerships with many of the major cruise operators, including Royal Caribbean International, Holland America Line, Celebrity Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Lines, and Princess Cruises that provide members special savings and exclusive benefits for AAA members. AAA travel agents can provide up-to-the-minute information on prices, benefits and itineraries.  

As North America's largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 51 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at AAA.com.

AAA news releases, high resolution images, broadcast-quality video, fact sheets and podcasts are available on the AAA Newsroom at AAA.com/news.

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Geoff Sundstrom

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SOURCE AAA