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Lodging, Meals & Transportation

JUMP TO: LODGING | MEALS | TRANSPORTATION | ACCESSIBILITY | FAQS| VISITING ESTES PARK

Lodging 

Our conference lodging package includes accommodations plus three meals per day for ONE adult, beginning with the evening meal on arrival and ending with the noon meal on departure.  

Pricing begins at $97 + tax per night 

*this pricing includes meals for ONE adult. If you add other adults into your room, pricing will reflect the additional $57.50 Per Day/person per night for meals.

ROOM BLOCK CUTOFF DATE: October 9

TO MAKE A RESERVATION:

How to Make and Confirm Your Lodging Reservation

  1. Click the booking link below to access the group’s room block.

  2. Please use the Booking ID and Password below to log into the groups block

  3. Please select Book Now

  4. Please make sure the dates in the room filter match the dates available (November 9-15, 2026)

Estes Park Center

Booking ID/Group Code: a09Nt00000NI5ooIAD
Password: 20647222

Payment & Reservation Details

  • A 35% deposit, payable to the YMCA, is due at the time of reservation.

  • Once the 35% deposit is received by the YMCA, a lodging confirmation and reservation number will be emailed to you.

Extending Your Stay

If you would like to enjoy our beautiful mountain location beyond the group’s stay dates:

  1. First, book your reservation online for the group event dates using the link above.

  2. Then call Central Reservations at (888) 613-9622 to add additional nights.

  3. Please have your reservation number available when calling.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact Central Reservations at (888) 613-9622 and reference the group name listed above.

Roommates / Group Lodging

  • If you are seeking a roommate(s), you will be able to contact other attendees once you register. You’ll join an attendee chat room (on Slack) where you can connect with other attendees. 

  • If multiple people are staying in a room, and you did not indicate this when booking your lodging, you will need to contact Central Reservations (888-613-9622) so the YMCA can add the names to that reservation. The appropriate number of guest meals will then be added to that room charge. 

A NOTE ABOUT CABINS:

The YMCA of the Rockies also has cabins available on-site to rent that are not listed in our group lodging link. Please note that while you may reserve those cabins on your own, they are not included in our lodge package. The meal plan is available to people booking cabins, but you'd need to contact the Y directly or reserve via their website (not our link!). 

Meals

Meals included with room block bookings:

Meals for ONE adult are included with our Lodging package, beginning with the evening meal on arrival and ending with the noon meal on departure. If you add other adults into your room, pricing will reflect the additional $57.50 Per Day/person per night for meals. Your AEE name tag serves as your meal ticket!

If you aren’t staying within our room block: 

You can purchase meal tickets at the register in the cafeteria, the front desk or programs department.

Meal ticket prices (age 13 and over considered an adult for meal pricing) :

Breakfast $16.00 Per Person | Lunch $19.50 Per Person |Dinner $22.00 Per Person

Total $57.50 Per Day

What is the food like?

The YMCA of the Rockies Aspen Dining Hall provides everyday service in an all-you-care-to-eat, buffet-style dining hall. Choose from a wide assortment of hot and cold menu items, including vegan, gluten-free, and vegetarian dining options, and much more. All meals include salad bar, entrees, dessert, and beverages.

Dining hall hours (please see the agenda for recommended meal times based on conference programming)

Breakfast: 7:00 AM – 9:00 AM | Lunch: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM | Dinner: 5 PM – 8:00 PM

Can I bring my own food & snacks?

Yes, you are permitted to bring your own food. Be bear aware. Do not leave food or beverages in your car, or on your cabin counter or table. Lock doors and close ground floor windows when you leave your cabin and when you are asleep. Your actions could save the life of a bear!

Does the YMCA accommodate allergies/ dietary restrictions?

Special arrangements can be made to accommodate food allergies. After registering for your lodging, please call the YMCA Food Service Department at 970-586-3341 ext. 1128 for Estes Park Center. We do our best to accommodate dietary restrictions, plus we make every attempt to identify ingredients that may cause allergic reactions for those with food allergies. 

    Transportation

    • Need a ride? Once you're registered, you can join the AEE attendee Slack Channel! This is an online chatroom space for attendees to ask questions, discuss transportation and housing. The link can be found in your confirmation e-mail. If you need to access slack prior to registering, please contact anna@aee.org

      • Parking is free everywhere on the YMCA property.

      • Electric vehicle charging stations are located at Emerald Mountain Lodge. 

      • The YMCA is approximately 1.5 hours from Denver, Colorado.

      • Use the address below to navigate to Estes Park Center. 

    • Estes Park Shuttle - Book online or call to reserve daily shuttles to & from Denver International Airport, CO to The YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, CO!  *SPECIAL AEE DISCOUNT CODE COMING SOON

    • Rocky Mountain National Park Hiking Shuttle

    • For recorded updates from the Colorado Department of Transportation, please call 303-327-4034. The recording is updated by 10 a.m. daily.

    Accessibility

    • I need accessibility accommodations to participate in Conference workshops and larger sessions. AEE is committed to creating a conference experience that is accessible to all. There is a registration field to indicate any accessibility/accommodation requests such as captioning or interpretation. All accommodation requests should be made no less than four weeks before the event. We will make our best effort to fill requests but cannot guarantee requests will be met. You can also e-mail anna@aee.org with specific requests.

    • Please note, YMCA of the Rockies is not an ADA approved facility. There are a limited number of wheelchair accessible lodging rooms on-site. 

    • Cell service varies by carrier. Cell service can be limited depending on your location on property. Please note you are in a mountain area and cell service can be limited throughout the geographical region. At Estes Park Center AT&T/ T-Mobile have strong service. There is little-to-no cell service in Rocky Mountain National Park.

    • Wi-Fi is provided in each of the cabins and lodges. 

    International Attendees

    Attendee Registration & Other FAQs

    • Do you offer scholarships? Yep! AEE offers scholarships each year to help bring attendees to the conference who otherwise may not be able to join us. Applications due July 1
    • Is there a group registration discount? Yes, there is a Group Discount for groups of 10 or more (10% off each ticket). Email anna@aee.org for the special discount code.
    • What if I am ready to register my group but I’m not sure who is coming? Simply put TBD for any of your registrations! When you know who is attending, you will need to contact anna@aee.org to update your registrations.
    • How do I register my group at the member rate? If you are registering a group at the member rate, please note that everyone in your group will need to be inheriting members of your organization prior to registration. Member admins can learn how to add staff here.
    • I need to pay via PO or wire transfer. Please contact anna@aee.org
    • I need my receipt! Please log into your aee.org member compass to view/print invoices & receipts.
    • Is there a discount for AEE Members? Yes! You must be an AEE Member PRIOR to registering (if you sign up as a Member after registering, you will not be refunded for the difference).
    • Is there a discount for volunteers? Yes! Volunteers receive a discounted conference rate. The discount code is emailed to all accepted volunteers.
    • Is there a discount for presenters? Yes! Presenters receive a discounted conference rate. The discount code is emailed to all accepted presenters.
    • Are Pre-Conferences included in registration costs? No. Pre-Conferences have separate registration costs.
    • Is there a Kidference this year? Due to budget constraints this year, we are unable to host the Kidference. We are so sorry for any inconvenience. We do still hope to see you this November!
    • Where can I print things? There is a printer located in the Administration Building that attendees are welcome to use. First 10 pages are free. 10 cents per page above that. 
    • Are CEU’s included in registration? No, there is an additional cost for CEUs. Colorado State University Pueblo in partnership with the AEE is proud to offer attendees of the 2026 AEE International Conference the opportunity to gain Continuing Education Units (CEU) issued under the seal of CSU Pueblo’s Division of Extended Studies. 
    • Cancellation policy:
      • Check it out here
      • If you cancel your registration 30 days or more prior to the start of the event, AEE will retain 10% of the total registration fee.
      • 25% of the registration fee will be retained for all cancellations 29 to 15 days prior to the event.
      • If a refund is requested within 14 days of the event, no refund will be given.
    • I need a letter of invitation! If you require a letter of invitation to attend the conference, please email Anna Miano at anna@aee.org
    • Is there a conference App?! Yes! Attendees will be invited to the SCHED app in OCTOBER via email (FROM: notifications@sched.com | TO: the email you registered with)
      • You can create a profile and build your own personal schedule!

    Visiting Estes Park

    • Planning a trip to Estes Park? Check out the Do Estes Right videos from Visit Estes Park, a series of short videos that give insights, tips and tricks for your visit to help you have a wonderful experience while visiting responsibly. 

    • What should I wear? Wear anything that makes you comfortable and happy! You'll typically see attendees/speakers wearing jeans, flannels, sneakers, t shirts, activewear, puffer jackets, boots, sweaters & sweatshirts. If we had to put a label on what to wear, we'd say casual to business casual (emphasis on the casual!). Check out the AEE Facebook page for photos from previous conferences

    • Weather: YMCA of the Rockies locations are between 8,010-8,700 feet above sea level. Be prepared with the proper attire as temperatures can vary dramatically over the course of a day.

    • Altitude: The low oxygen levels found at high altitudes can cause problems for travelers who are going to destinations higher than 8,000 feet above sea level. YMCA of the Rockies locations are found between 8,010 - 8,700 ft above sea level. We suggest the following to help our visitors adapt to altitude: Drink plenty of water (64 ounce daily), Rest if you feel fatigued or dizzy, avoid alcohol, reapply sunscreen often.

    • Packing List

      • A variety of layers (warm and cool)

      • Warm jacket and rain jacket

      • Sunglasses and sunscreen

      • Sturdy shoes in case of snow

    • YMCA Property Policies: To help maintain our beautiful surroundings guests must abide by the following rules.

      • Stay on trails when hiking and only park in designated areas. Traveling in undesignated areas causes erosion of fragile ecosystems.

      • Do not feed wildlife under any circumstance.

      • Keep your distance while viewing wildlife. For your safety, use a zoom lens and stay at least two bus-lengths from any animal.

      • Be bear aware. Do not leave food or beverages in your car, or on your cabin counter or table. Lock doors and close ground floor windows when you leave your cabin and when you are asleep. Your actions could save the life of a bear!