Norma Crosby

To and From the Convention Hotel
by Norma Crosby

From the Editor: Now that 1998 is actually here, it is time to begin making serious plans for attending the National Convention, July 4 to 11. The first step is making your hotel reservation. For your convenience, here is the information you will need: room rates are singles, $41; doubles and twins, $43; triples, $45; and quads, $47, plus a tax of 12 percent. There will be no charge for children in the room with parents as long as no extra bed is requested.

To make room reservations write directly to Hyatt-Regency DFW, Post Office Box 619014, International Parkway, Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, Texas 75261, or call (972) 453-1234. Hyatt has a national toll-free number, but do not (we emphasize not) use it. Reservations made through this national number will not be valid. They must be made directly with the hotel. The hotel will want a deposit of $50 or a credit card number. If a credit card is used, the deposit will be charged against your card immediately, just as if you wrote a $50 check. If a reservation is cancelled prior to June 15, 1998, $25 of the $50 deposit will be returned. Otherwise refunds will not be made. Here is what Norma Crosby has to say about transportation in the Dallas/Fort Worth area:

Federationists attending the 1998 convention will find many things to occupy their time when the convention is not actually in session. However, in order to experience some of those pleasures, you will have to leave the airport and the comfort of the Hyatt Regency DFW, which is located on the airport grounds. Transportation into Dallas or Fort Worth can be a little complicated if you don't have access to a car. But knowing Federationists, I'm sure that groups will form and creative minds will find a way to get around the fact that both Dallas and Fort Worth are about twenty miles from the airport property. In an effort to help everyone make the arrangements that will insure their fun, here is some information about transportation companies which can provide visitors with rides to Dallas, Fort Worth, and most of the small towns surrounding the airport property. So, if you want to spend some time Texas two-steppin' in Fort Worth or enjoying a day at the Galleria and a night at the West End District in Dallas, use the following information and have lots of fun.

You can always use a taxi for a day of fun or a short errand, but if you have only a small distance to go, you will want to find several other Federationists to share your cab, since there is a minimum charge for leaving the airport property. In 1993 the minimum was $10, and it may have risen since then. That's expensive. However, four people could share a cab and pay only two or three dollars each. Federationists are always willing to share with one another, even if they have never met before. So, if you want to go to one of the area malls, you should organize a taxi group or contact one of the transportation services to try to negotiate a better deal than cabs can provide.

When you are planning to go to Dallas or Fort Worth, the transportation services are a good option if there are only one or two going. If three or four people want to make the journey, a cab might be preferable, but the services do offer group rates, and a little planning can net you a reasonable price and a private van. Most of the services listed here will come to the hotel and provide you with door-to-door service to almost anywhere in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Just call ahead and let them know what you want to do, and you'll soon be having a great time kicking up your heels in Big D or sipping a cold longneck in Cowtown.

Each of these services operates a little differently, so it's a good idea to check with more than one service to insure that you get the best rates possible. If you decide to make plans with friends after arriving at the convention, you should make note of the numbers listed and contact the services once your plans are firm. Here is the list:

A.S.T.A.R. 1-800-531-1204

AAA Atlas Limo & Bus 1-800-854-6678

Aircar 1-214-351-6306

Discount Shuttle 1-800-748-0789

1-817-267-5150

Super Shuttle 1-800-BLUE VAN (258-3826)

1-817-329-2000.

Aside from questions about transportation, people have been asking what shopping and other services are available in the area immediately surrounding the hotel. So here is a bit of that information.

There are malls with food courts, major department stores, and specialty shops all around the airport. Those who attended the 1990 and 1993 conventions will remember the Irving Mall. There is also a mall in Lewisville, and recently Grapevine, the town just outside the airport property, opened a large, new mall. Of course, there are also restaurants and other attractions in the area. The Ball Park, home of the Texas Rangers, is located in Arlington. So is Six Flags Over Texas. Texas Stadium is in Irving—that's where the Cowboys play, you know. The small towns in the airport area are filled with people who will treat visitors like family, and you should try to experience some of the cuisine and small shops in them.

Of course, having the money to eat, drink, and be merry in Dallas, Fort Worth, or Grapevine is important, and visitors will be pleased that the airport is home to a number of automatic teller machines. For your convenience ATM's are located in Terminal 2E by gates 4, 11, and 22; in Terminal 3E by gates 27 and 38; in Terminal 4E by gates 14 and 21; and in Terminal 2W by gate 11.

You should also note that one of the conveniences of meeting at the Hyatt Regency DFW is that it may not be necessary to get a cab to take you to the hotel. The airport runs a subway train that stops near the long corridor running between the east and west towers of the hotel. The ride is free, and the trains run frequently. So, if you have luggage that you can carry or roll, this is a great option to consider.

Finally, let me say to those who were not able to attend the 1990 or 1993 conventions, which were also held at this hotel, the facility is wonderful. The staff is a delight, and there are restaurants for every taste and pocketbook. Some people may be a little leery of coming to this hotel because they fear they won't be able to get to town to have a good time. I can tell you that those who came to the last two conventions at the Hyatt DFW managed just fine, and we have heard lots of positive comments about the facility, the two major host cities, and the hospitality people experienced. So come and join us. No problems are ever too big for Federationists to overcome working together. Transportation to Dallas and Fort Worth during the convention is small potatoes compared to the important issues we will be discussing and the decisions we will be making. Come be a part of the excitement and fun.