Mar. 11--SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas--There is still fun in the sun. The party spirit endures. The participants have either arrived or should show up in the next few days. 

Welcome to Spring Break 2002. 

Still, the annual rite won't pass without at least some acknowledgment of the changes in the nation since Sept. 11. Authorities and analysts expect a more cost-conscious group of revelers who increasingly will favor auto over air transportation en route to South Padre Island. 

"The whole thing with spring break, you come to get away from everything and leave your troubles alone," explained Fred Manning, a 21-year-old junior at the University of Pittsburgh. He and his classmate Matt Downs, 20, drove from Pennsylvania. 

"You just come out here to relax, be on the beach, enjoy the warm weather, just letting go of everything and having fun out here," Mr. Manning said. "It has been a tough year, but I think people are going to party regardless." 

About 150,000 college students are expected to converge on South Padre Island. The major influx occurs during Texas Week, when about 90,000 students from across the state arrive Monday through Sunday. 

"What happened ... September 11th really doesn't affect me at all, not that it didn't at the time, but I feel like that's in the past," Mr. Downs said. "I feel like the country is safer than it ever has been." 

This year will be no different for thousands of college students looking for a good time. Many of them start planning their annual spring trip around November. About half drive to the island, while about 21 percent fly, authorities say, extrapolating from a 2000 spring break study. 

Those who come forget about Sept. 11, said Becca Goodyear, a 20-year-old junior from Vanderbilt University. 

Although there is no change in the party attitudes of spring breakers post-Sept. 11, differences were evident elsewhere, said Dan Quandt, executive director of the South Padre Island Visitors and Convention Bureau. 

"It's going to be a strong spring break," Mr. Quandt said. "It's not going to be a record-setter." 

Some rooms may be available during Texas Week, a time when hotels are typically sold out. And more students are opting to drive this year instead of flying, although it's too soon estimate the exact shift, Mr. Quandt said. 

"I can't tell you right now that it's balanced one way or the other, but our drive has definitely increased," Mr. Quandt said. "And, these people ... [are] not driving in from Austin, they're driving in from Minneapolis." 

Unlike other spring break destinations such as Jamaica and Cancun, Mexico, where air travel is important for tourism, the island is fortunate to be "an accessible drive market," he said. 

It could be more the hassle of flying rather than fear, said Dr. Vern Vincent, director of the University of Texas-Pan American's Center for Tourism Research in Edinburg. The added airport security contributing to longer waits could be a deterrent, he said. Some students said they drove to the island because it was cheaper. 

Thus, economics -- not party-style changes -- could differentiate Spring Break 2002. 

"They may not stay quite as long. ... If money is an issue for them, that may be the difference," Dr. Vincent said. "They'll still come. They'll still do a lot of the same activities." 

Aside from having a good time, playing volleyball on the beach or sipping a cold tropical drink, spring break will serve another purpose. The season will be critical for business owners who suffered financial losses because of a drop in tourism after Sept. 11 and a subsequent bridge accident. 

Portions of the island's Queen Isabella Causeway collapsed after being struck by a barge Sept. 15, killing eight people whose cars plunged 80 feet into the water. 

Some business owners said they saw less business last week compared with that of previous years. But they remained optimistic. 

"I think it's going to be busy," said Menny Amoyal, owner of the stores Blue Skies and The Wave. "If the weather is going to be good, it's going to be the best spring break ever." 

There's little doubt about that among some of the spring breakers. 

Said Giovanna Folino, an 18-year-old freshman at the University of Findlay in Ohio: "You have to live your life and go on and have fun." 

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(c) 2002, The Dallas Morning News. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.