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What does my registration fee include?

• Your registration fee includes all conference festivities, including the Meet & Greet, Annual Relay Race, Family Friendly Researcher Poster Session, Children's Program, some meals, general sessions, conference workshops, conference materials, and networking events. At registration, you will receive your conference booklet, your conference nametag, as well as a waterproof attendee wristband. This wristband must be worn from Thursday through Sunday and will be your entry ticket to all conference events. 

What is the discounted room rate at the Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Hotel?

• The special room rate for registered conference attendees is $289 per night (plus tax) at Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Hotel. The special room rate at Disney's BoardWalk Inn is $289 per night (plus tax). A limited number of rooms are reserved at this rate so please book now, before rooms sell out.

How do I book an accessible room at the hotel?

**Please note: we will not have enough accessible rooms to accommodate most requests. Please plan to make arrangements knowing there are only a handful of individuals who will be selected to receive an accessible room through the Accessible Room Request Lottery.** 

• All accessible room requests need to be made through Cure SMA, NOT through the hotel. Requesting an accessible room through the request from does not guarantee you will receive an accessible room - it is simply a request. All accessible rooms are held by Cure SMA and will be assigned based on the number of requests and needs of the individual. Unfortunately, we will not have enough accessible rooms to accommodate most requests. 
• To request an accessible room please click here and fill out the accessible room request form. Please note you MUST have an existing room reservation at the hotel for us to switch your reservation to an accessible room. You must provide your hotel confirmation number on the accessible room request form. 
• For those who do not receive an accessible room, Cure SMA will have a room available with a roll-in shower and a hoyer lift available where they can sign up to use the room for an allotted time. The time slots will be available to reserve on a first come first serve basis each day. 

Are any meals included with my conference registration?

• There will be several meals included in your registration fee for all attendees of the Annual SMA Conference. More information on these meals will be announced at a later date. 

Is there a pool at the hotel?

• Yes – Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Hotel has a pool complex which includes 3 leisure pools, Stormalong Bay –  a 3-acre water park area – whirlpool spas, lazy river, and elevated tanning deck. 

Do I have to go to all the events and workshops?

• No, you are not required to attend events or workshops during the conference, but we do encourage conference attendees to attend as many as possible. 

Will there be workshops for adults with SMA?

• Yes, there will be several workshops for adults attending who have SMA.

Do I have to pay for my children to attend the conference?

• Yes, there is $150 fee per child to register children for the conference. This fee helps cover the cost of the conference events, meals and the Children's Program. Only registered attendees can attend any conference event.
• Please note: Individuals under the age of 17 must be registered to attend the Annual SMA Conference with an adult or their registration and reservation will be cancelled and refunded. 

Does an individual affected with SMA have to pay a registration fee?

• Yes, individuals with SMA who attend our conference are required to pay the same registration fee as other conference attendees. Only registered attendees can attend any conference event. 

Do kids attend the workshops with parents? If not, what is there for them to do during the day?

• Most often younger children do not attend workshops with parents unless a child requires medical assistance which prevents them from being left in the Children's Program. Cure SMA offer's a children's program during all workshop hours for registered attendees so children have a place to hang out and play while parents attend workshops throughout the day. There are two different Children's Program rooms that have volunteers at the conference; one is for children under the age of 3 and the other is for children over the age of 3. 

What is the Children's Program and is my child eligible to attend?

• We offer a children's program during workshop hours for registered attendees so that children have a place to hang out and play while parents attend workshops throughout the day. There are two different children's program rooms that have volunteers at conference, one is for children under the age of 3 and the other is for children over the age of 3. 
• The children's program is run by volunteers who are not responsible for any medical care, medicine disbursement, bathroom assistance, feeding responsibilities or wheelchair/stander transfers. Parents or their medical caretakers will be notified via cell phone or text message to assume those responsibilities. Any child who requires any breathing support, cough assist, or suction cannot be left in the children's program without a nurse or caretaker. 

Do I need to pre-register for workshops?

• No, pre-registration for workshops is not required.

Is parking included in the hotel room rate or is parking additional?

• Self-parking is complimentary at Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Hotels as well as at Disney's BoardWalk Inn Hotel, for registered Conference attendees. 
• Valet Parking is also available for $42 per night. 

Are refunds provided for registration if we later decide we cannot attend?

• Yes, we do provide refunds for families who decide to cancel up until Friday, May 1, 2026, (refunds will NOT include transaction fees). Refund requests will not be considered after this date.
• Since November 2024 per our updated refund policy, all attendees paying for registration are charged the processing fees related to the purchase. This applies to registration fees of all types. This fee is not refundable in any circumstance (including errors, refunds, discounts applied later, etc.).

What is the Pre-Registration form for the Children's Program?

• Cure SMA is utilizing KidCheck again this year to run the program's registration and our check-in/out process on-site. This provides extra security for you and your children as well as a much quicker and more efficient process. A direct link to pre-register will be sent out a week prior to conference so please keep an eye out for that email and then make sure to register each child who will be attending the program from your family and download the KidCheck App prior to conference. 

Should I Pre-Register my child for the Children's Program?

• If you do plan on bringing your child(ren) into the Children's Program at all throughout the weekend, you must be registered through the KidCheck App prior to entering the check-in line.

Do you have scholarships available to attend the Annual SMA Conference?

**Please note: we have limited scholarship funds available this year. Once all scholarship funds have been utilized we cannot guarantee that we will be able to grant all scholarship requests.**

• We have a First Time Attendee Scholarship Program as well as Adults with SMA Scholarships and General Conference Scholarships available to individuals with SMA and families attending the upcoming Annual SMA Conference.
• The First Time Attendee Scholarship Program covers any individual with SMA who has never attended the Annual SMA Conference previously, and their immediate family (note: a limit on immediate family members). The scholarship covers registration fees for those attendees, as well as 1 hotel for 3 nights at the specified conference hotel venue. Thank you to the support from Luke 18:1 Foundation for sponsorship of this scholarship. 
• The Adult with SMA Sponsorship covers registration fees for 1 adult with SMA & 1 attendant/aide, as well as a set travel stipend for the 2 attendees and 1 hotel room for 3 nights at the specified conference hotel venue.
• The General Scholarship covers registration fees for attendees. It is aimed to help anyone in the SMA community seeking assistance to attend the conference. 

How do I apply for a scholarship to attend the Annual SMA Conference?

• To apply and submit a conference scholarship application, please email conference@curesma.org.
• **Please note: we have very limited scholarship funds available this year. Once all scholarship funds have been utilized we cannot guaranteed that we will be able to grant all scholarship requests.**

What kind of transportation is there from the airport to the hotel?

• More information and details on transportation will be available in the coming months.

Will I have time to explore the surrounding area/city the conference is being held at?

• You can absolutely explore the surrounding area and city where the conference is held. You would need to book travel or outside activities on your own. You can choose to come in early or stay late to explore the area, or if there are events or activities happening at the Annual SMA Conference that you do not wish to participate in, you could instead choose to venture out of the hotel and conference venue.
• For this year's Orlando conference, we're excited to try a new format with expanded Saturday evening onsite networking opportunities in place of the external Disney Evening at the Park. You can still purchase discounted Disney Theme Park tickets through our special Annual SMA Conference Meeting link. This ticket store will open in January or February and be available to registered conference attendees ONLY. You would need to purchase and reserve these on your own and must purchase these prior to arriving onsite as the ticket store will be close.