bluecordfishermen 
The drive on highway 9 is worth the entrance price. The rest is just a bargain.
Parking is bad at Zion National Park. We stopped looking for a spot after 20 minutes and took a paid city lot near the entrance for $20. Well worth it. Easy in and Easy out using the pedestrian entrance. If you want to park in the NP, you need to get in before 9 am.
March and April are great months to see Zion. There was still snow on the ground in places but it did not hinder our hiking. Late March has great temperatures for hiking but you need to come prepared for almost anything. Spring break is also a major factor on park crowds. The final factor is the snow melt. This causes the Virgin River to run high enough to prohibit hiking up the narrows. The snow melt had the river murky and not suitable to fish.
Logistics again is Key. Do not count on food in the park. Water is very accessible and bathrooms are at bus stops. The Park entrance has food and the Lodge in the park has food but that’s pretty much it. Packing in your lunch is the best option.
Crowds are almost to the point of ruining the experience for those who stick to the easy paths. The paths thin out after 4:00pm and walking in the cool evening makes it enjoyable. Plus the evening sun plays with the shades on the canyon walls.
The bus route is key to planning. The bus from town stops outside of the park. Inside is a second bus loop. At the entrance, wait time is about 20-35
min. We went all the way to the narrows stop. Getting back is tough too since the bulk of the people get on at the narrows (last stop) or at the entrance. In between getting off is easy. With views like you can see in the adjacent picture, any ride is great. Getting back on the bus is hard. Just plan on walking a lot. Bottom Line is we hiked 6+ miles on day one at Zion.
We stayed at the Majestic Lodge. Pricey compared to highway hotels but a great place. The Bus in town is good to use for dinner. Parking in town is not as bad as the park but its bad. The bus solves that as long as you are on one heading back before 9:00pm. The Majestic Lodge is the last stop on the bus route that takes passengers from the town to the National Park Entrance. If you compare the Majestic Lodge to the Lodge in the National Park, its comparable but you do not have to make a reservation a year out.
The Majestic Lodge has a restaurant that has a great breakfast menu. The dinning room itself has a view of the mountains that is hard to match. Daily we would gather for breakfast and leisurely plan the day or talk about life in general. The service was great and the staff very patient. There was never a rush. The museum is filled with North American animals in numerous scenes. After dinner, we went back in the park to enjoy a short walk. We had no problem sleeping that night.
https://majesticviewlodge.com/
Overall, the National Park Annual fee is a bargain. One price covered all our trips to include Segura, The Grand Canyon, Days at Zion and Bryce Canyon. One ticket covers a car load. For those over 62, you can get the forever pass.
