FAQ for the 2011 LPA National Conference

in Anaheim, California

 
The 2011 National Conference Registration Book is now available to read and download online.   The online conference registration form is now available at www.regonline.com/LPA2011.  For registration instructions click here.

Update 3/21/11 -  New host hotels are now available. 

The headquarter hotel - the Hyatt Regency Orange County - is sold out.
The Hilton Garden Inn is one-half block away from the Hyatt.  The room rate is $99 per night plus tax.  Call the hotel directly at 714-703-9100 for reservations.  Mention you are with LPA for the reduced room rate.   Click here to reserve a room online for the Hilton Garden Inn.

The Embassy Suites is $149 for a one-bedroom suite - either king or double beds. Call the hotel directly at 714-539-3300.   (Scroll down to the bottom of this page for the picture of hotel locations.)
Click here to reserve a room online for the Embassy Suites.

The Residence Inn is directly across the entryway from the Hyatt. Rates are $149 per night. All rooms are 1-bd. suites and include breakfast and evening social hour with a light dinner. Call 800-331-3131 or 714.591.4000 x 0 . Mention you are with LPA.  Click here to reserve a room online for the Residence Inn.  

(Scroll down to read more about the hotels).

What are the dates of the conference?

Friday, July 1 to Friday, July 8.

What day will the LPA Conference Pre-Registration and hotel reservations begin? 

Tuesday, January 18.  Why Tuesday?  Monday is Martin Luther King Day.

Do I need to be a current member of LPA in order to make my Conference Pre-Registration Deposit and hotel room reservation?

No.  We are requiring a flat amount of $75 for the Conference Pre-Registration Fee whether an attendee is a member of LPA or not.  When the full conference book is available in April registration prices will be scaled for members and non-members.    However, be aware, that only current members receive printed mailings, i.e. the LPA Today magazine and the full conference registration book.    All information will be available online.

What is the difference between "Membership" and "Registration"?
LPA is a membership organization.   You can choose to be a member of LPA, or not.  LPA is organized on a local (chapter) level, a regional (district) level, and on a national level.  When you are a member of LPA you receive benefits from all three levels - you are able to attend local, regional and national events for a reduced price, as well as the other benefits of membership.  Click here for more information on membership benefits.  Some local and regional events may be members-only events and not open to non-members.   Membership dues support the chapter, district and national, and allow LPA to keep functioning as an organization.

Registration Fees are the fees that one must pay in order to attend a specific event, such as a District Regional or the LPA National.  Registration fees support the event you are attending; i.e. registration fees pay for the meeting space in the hotel, the dj, the guest speakers, the entertainment, and anything else that occurs with hosting a large event.

Non-member rates for attending LPA events are higher than member rates.

What name do I use to pay the LPA Conference Pre-registration Deposit?
Please use the LPA HOH name to pay your LPA Conference Pre-Registration Deposit and full conference registration.  The HOH (head of household) for LPA purposes is the one person with dwarfism in your household regardless of age, or in a multiple-lp household, is usually the oldest lp.   Don't know who your HOH is?  The name that LPA addresses mailings to is your HOH.   January through March we are only asking for one attendee name.  When the full registration opens in April you will be able to add other family members to your registration.

What name do I use to reserve a hotel room?
The Hyatt will require an adult to reserve the hotel room.  LPA staff will cross-reference Conference Pre-Reg fees and hotel rooms.  We will match by receipt ID and last name.

What is the name and address of the headquarter hotel?

Hyatt Regency Orange County

11999 Harbor Blvd
Garden Grove, CA 92840
(714) 750-1234

(The hotel is on the border of Garden Grove and Anaheim at Harbor Blvd. and Chapman Blvd.   Anaheim is the home of Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure, and Angel Stadium).  Scroll to the bottom of the page for a picture of the hotel complex.

What is the price of the hotel room at the Hyatt?

$139 per night, plus applicable tax.

What are the names of the host hotels?
1.     The Residence Inn
11931 Harbor Blvd.

Garden Grove, 92840
(714) 591-4000

Rates are $149 per night (plus tax) and include: a one-bedroom Queen (2 bed) suite or a one-bedroom King suite.  All rooms have pullout sofa beds and sleep 1-4 people.    Amenities: guest rooms have free internet access, hairdryers, ironing boards, kitchen with dishwasher, toaster, coffee maker, dishes and utensils.  Pool, sport court, cable tv, deluxe breakfast served 7 days a week, evening social hour (Monday - Thursday) with soda and light dinner.  Reservations are accepted until May 20, 2011.  A limited number of rooms are available as it is a small hotel.  Scroll to the bottom of the page for a picture of the hotel complex.

NEW! Added 2/25/2011
2.    The Hilton Garden Inn
11777 Harbor Blvd
Garden Grove, CA  92840
(714) 703-9100

Rates are an astoundlingly low $89 per night (plus tax).  Ninty percent of their rooms are queen-queen rooms with 2 beds.  Amenities: free wi-fi throughout the hotel, 100% smoke-free facility, pool, jaccuzzi, complimentary parking, self-laundry services.  All rooms have a refridgerator and microwave.   A full cooked-to-order breakfast and buffet is available for $9.95 per person.  Scroll to the bottom of the page for a picture of the hotel complex.

How do I make hotel reservations for the Hyatt?

In order to make a hotel reservation, attendees must first pay a $75 LPA Conference Pre-Registration Deposit to LPA directly.   You may pay the deposit online, by phone (1-888-LPA-2001), or by mail.   After the $75 deposit is made you will be sent (or given) the link and phone number for the hotel reservation system.   One hotel room reservation per deposit.   Hyatt reservation agents and the online hotel reservation system will not accept any reservations without your LPA Conference Receipt Code. 

What do I do if I have a big family and need more than one room?

If you need to reserve more than one hotel room for a large family, contact the LPA office after you complete your first reservation and we will authorize a second receipt code for you.

Will the hotel charge my card when I make a reservation?

No, the hotel will not charge your card for a nights stay when you make your reservation. 

How much is the full LPA Registration this year?

Early Registration prices (April 1 to April 30) will range from $80, for a lifetime member to $100 for an annual member, to $150 for a non-member.  We are using a new pricing guide this year that we hope will be more economical for our members and easier to understand. 

What happens to the $75 Conference Pre-Registration Deposit?

Your $75 Conference Pre-Registration Deposit will be credited toward your full conference registration fees. 

Why do you require a $75 Conference Pre-registration Deposit?

As many of you know, hotel rooms for the national conference almost always go quickly.  Although we love (and the hotels love) that we are filling hotel rooms we need to make sure that the hotel rooms are being reserved appropriately.  In the past we have had problems with hotel rooms being over-reserved resulting in LPA needing to secure overflow hotels.  Then, as the conference nears people cancel their hotel rooms leaving LPA under our contracted hotel number requirements and stranding members at other hotels. 

How many hotel rooms do we have contracted this year?

LPA has contracted for 640 rooms on our peak nights.  We have virtually every hotel room the hotel can release.   Every hotel room must reserve a certain percentage of their rooms for other contracts (i.e. airlines and hotel loyalty card programs).  The hotel has just under 700 rooms.

Will we need an overflow hotel this year?

Chances are we will contract for at least one overflow hotel this year.  However, two hotels are literally steps away from the Hyatt so distance is no problem at all.

What is the LPA cancellation policy on the conference pre-registration or registration fee?

You may cancel at any time until June 1 with only a $25 cancellation penalty on the conference pre-registration/registration fee. 

When will the full conference book be available?

The full conference book will be mailed to all current member households April 1, 2011.

Do you have any specific information on DAAA events?

No, not at this time.  DAAA events generally begin on the first Saturday of the conference.

How far from Disneyland, Downtown Disney, and Disney's California Adventure is the hotel?

Disneyland is 1.3 miles from the hotel. The hotel offers a free shuttle to the Disney properties.  The city of Anaheim also runs busses called the Anaheim Resort Transit (ART).  You can purchase a one-day, three-day, or five-day pass for a few dollars per day.   http://www.rideart.org

Special Events of the Week

Saturday -  Welcome Reception evening, DAAA events begin

Sunday -  medical workshops, fashion show in evening

Monday - workshops, 4th of July Event, onsite and included in registration

Tuesday - guest speaker on bullying - Jodee Blanco, evening Angel Game, talent show in evening

Wednesday - workshops, Hollywood Star Tour, banquet night celebration

Thursday - East/West baseball game, and beach bbq at Newport Beach Pier, Sunset Cruise on Newport Harbor

Dances will be every night from Friday, July 1 to Friday, July 8.

What night is banquet this year?

Banquet night will be on Wednesday, July 6.

Why is banquet on Wednesday?

LPA recognizes that our members' time is valuable and that not everyone is able to stay the entire week of conference.  It is our hope that attendees will stay in the hotel for the conference activities or at DAAA events from Saturday through Wednesday, and save Thursday and Friday (July 7 and 8) for their trips offsite.   We will still have dances on Thursday and Friday after banquet.

What night does the 4th of July fall on this year?

The 4th of July falls on Monday in 2011.

Do you have anything special planned for the 4th of July?

Yes, we do!  We will be hosting a huge 4th of July event on the front lawn and drive of the hotel.  Plans are still being made but we will have something for everyone and include all ages in the fun.  The event is included in the price of registration this year, however, food and beverages are not included.  There is a lot of traffic on  4th of July, so leaving the hotel other than to the Disney properties may be difficult in the evening.

Does the hotel have an outdoor pool?

The hotel has 2 outdoor pools, and a basketball court.

If I can only attend a few days, what are the best days?

Workshops begin on Sunday, so if you only have a few days we recommend spending Sunday, Monday and Tuesday at the conference.  Saturday is largely an arrival day and DAAA day.

Transportation Questions

What are nearby airports?

The closest airport is John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, CA (call letters are SNA).  SNA is about 15 minutes away from the hotel.

The Long Beach Airport (LGB) is about 30 minutes away from the hotel.  It is a nice, very small airport and the only airport in the area that carries with JetBlue.

The Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is about one hour away from the hotel, without traffic.

Does the hotel have a shuttle to and from the airport?

No, the hotel does not provide shuttle transportation to and from the airport.  We will provide shuttle information in the April Registration Packet.

 
Picture of 4 local hotels.  The Residence Inn is on the far left (yellow).  The Hilton Garden Inn is near the middle of the picture.  The Hyatt is behind and to the right.  The Embassy Suites is on the far right (reddish-brown).  We do not yet have a contract with the Embassy Suites but have been told they have a AAA rate of $141 per night, plus tax.

Follow us on LPA's Facebook page, Twitter and our YouTube Channel.  
Watch a 3 minute video about the hotel and surrounding areas for Anaheim 2011. 

Twitter pages:    @LPANational and @LPAAnaheim2011