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Your "HDSF Convention Registration Package" |
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Convention Registration Fee
Earlybird deadline is registrations paid by March 28th. The cost is $140.00 per adult or if more then one person is attending you can get the "family" plan rate of $110.00 per adult/$75.00 per child 18 and younger. If you have a credit card, you can pay for their registration on line. Click here to Register with HDSA
If you pay by check, all checks should be made payable to HDSA and mailed to:
Huntington's Disease Society of America (HDSA)
158 West 29th Street, 7th Floor
New York, N.Y. 10001-5300
Cancellation of HDSA Registration
See Cancellations. Those received before May 5, 2003 will be refunded in full. Received on or after May 5, 2003 but before May 23, 2003 will be entitled to a 50% refund. All cancellations must be submitted in writing.
Convention Hotel
Inter-Continental
2222 West Loop South
Houston, Texas 77459
Local Phone: 1-713-627-7600
In-house reservations: 1-866-342-0831 between 7AM-7PM, Texas time, Monday through Friday
For those staying at the convention hotel, their "normal" room rate is between $179 and $299.00 per night, plus 17% city and state taxes and require 21 days advance booking/payment in full. The negotiated HDSA rate of $112.00 per night ($131.04 with tax) will only apply three days before and after the Convention (ie June 3 through June 11th).
To register on-line click Inter-Continental Reservations. Remember to use CODE HXG03 for the HDSA convention rates. Rooms are going fast, so if you have any special needs you'd better book now!
Dress
There is one "dress up" event at the convention which is the Generation 2000 Gala dinner and award banquet on Saturday night. But don't worry, people dress in everything and anything, so bring whatever you're most comfortable in spending a night of eating, being merry and dancing! The rest of the time it's very casual/comfortable to sit-in-sessions all day type clothing. You won't see things like halter tops or cut off shorts (unless you're under 9), but nice jeans to business casual is the typical dress.
On the hotel's 5th floor is the luxurious swimming pool and Fitness Center . The outdoor pool is for guests aged 14 and over; swimmers under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. The outdoor pool is where the Hunt-Dis party will be.
Weather
Smoking
Federal laws restrict smoking in public places such as public transport and public or utility buildings. Most restaurants and bars provide specific non-smoking areas. If you are a smoker, exercise discretion and sensitivity when selecting a location in which to smoke.
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Driving
Whether you're driving from home, or renting a car while in Houston, there is compli-mentary self-parking available in the Inter-Continental Hotel garage. The hotel is easily accessible off the 610 Loop between Westheimer and San Felipe, and only ten minutes from downtown Houston.
For direct route driving instructions from your house (or to the hotel from the airport) go to:
put in your home address and the address of the convention hotel (on right).
Houstonians have a unique way of giving major thoroughfares several names. Every freeway in the city has at least two names, some as many as seven, so its quite likely that visitors will be baffled. To help clear this up, please see Houston Travel transportion information and this one, Houston Real-Time Traffic MapArea Map
Other Transportation
FLYING
There are 1,600 flights jetting in and out of the city daily from Houstons airports. Airports in Houston are George Bush Houston Inter-continental airport and the William P. Hobby airport.
Greyhound- Greyhound Bus Lines information numbers: (800) 231-2222, (800) 531-5332 (Spanish) or click here to visit their website Greyhound. This can be a great savings if you have the time! For example, round trip for 2 adults from Kansas to Houston Companion fare is only $250.00 for both. But, it takes about 23 hours of travel.
Amtrak - Amtraks Sunset Limited line runs through Houston between Orlando and Los Angeles. The Houston Amtrak station is located at 902 Washington Ave., just north of downtown. For information, call
(800) 872-7245. Or click here to visit their website Amtrak
Transportation To/From
Airport to Hotel
Taxi: Approximate taxi fare (excluding tips): from George Bush to downtown is $37.50 one way from Hobby it's $20.00.
Express Shuttle (713) 523-8888 : $20.00 one way from Bush to Uptown/Galleria (hotel) area between 6:45 AM and 11:30 PM. From Hobby it runs $14.00 one way between 6 AM and 6 PM.
Galveston Limo service: $35 from Bush/$30 from Hobby.
Metro Bus: Service between Bush and downtown Houston Monday through Friday with a one-way fare of $1.50 ($1.00 9 a.m.-3 p.m.). Buses run approximately every 25 minutes, from 6-10 a.m. and again from 2 -7 p.m. Service between Hobby Airport and downtown Houston runs seven days a week with a one-way fare of $1. These buses run approximately every 30 minutes, from 5 a.m.-midnight. METRO information: (713) 635-4000. |
While In Houston
If it's possible for you to stay longer to site see or shop or visit family/friends in the area click on Happenings In Houston to find additional information which might help you plan other activities while in Houston. The hotel Concierge can make reservations for you at local attractions. See Hotel Concierge
Downtown Trolley
Provides free transportation within the downtown area. With more than 100 stops, Metro's trolley service can whisk you from the George R. Brown Convention Center to Bayou Place, or from Market Square Park to Foleys department store and back to your hotel. Call METRO at (713) 635-4000.
Thursday June 5th
Plan to be at the Hunt-Dis Annual Pool Party and events (pie-in-the face, t-shirt contest, split the pot drawing, etc.) on Thursday, June 5th starting around 4:30 PM.....you won't regret it! It's a wonderful evening catching up with old friends and meeting new friends from all of the Huntington's Disease on-line support groups, HDSA chapter or support group members from around the country!
Friday June 6th-Saturday June 7th
See "Your Personalized Agenda", a form you can highlight to show the sessions you want to attend. Believe me, there can be so much confusion with talking to people, finding rooms where sessions will be held and just taking a few seconds breather.....you can forget where it was you wanted to be next and having a little "cheat sheet" can only help! |
Convention continued
Friday June 6th-Saturday June 7th continued
The Convention's Opening Session starts at 9:00 AM on Friday, June 6. This means in your seat so make sure you come down early enough to have your registration taken care of, get your coffee, juice and Danish, say "hello's" and can get to the opening session by 9 am!
You'll want to leave yourself some time to go back to your room to change for the banquet. Bring a pen, you'll want to take notes!
Sunday, June 8th
It's always hard to say "goodbye" to all the wonderful friends you meet at the convention. There's lots of tears, and hugs and exchanging of addresses and you always miss someone you just had to talk to! A lot of people leave early on Sunday morning so plan on getting down into the convention area early to say any good-byes you haven't already done.
The convention will wrap up at the 11-11:30 closing session Sunday, June 8th. If you need to schedule your departure Sunday morning, besides the inspirational and closing session the only other session is the "Round Tables" from 10:45 AM. | |
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