If you have to walk into a finance committee meeting and ask for youth ministry line-item money or inspire giving to a fundraiser, it helps to have a price to communicate. Let’s dive into cost estimates to attend YOUTH 2027.

Registration is $359

Until April 15, 2027, the per-person registration cost is $359. After April 15, the price jumps to $499. (Amazingly, this $359 rate is less than the registration cost for YOUTH 2023! Nearly everything is more expensive than it was four years ago, but not this!)

Registration includes all YOUTH 2027 programming and lunch onsite July 12 and 13. The registration price is the same for all attendees, whether they are youth, group leaders, or additional chaperones.

Those are the only two prices, so please plan ahead and register by April 15, 2027, for the $359 rate!

Lodging costs are additional but are calculated during registration.

Because we want each church to have as much control as possible over room assignments, hotel reservations are included as an option during registration. We calculate them based on how many people stay in each room. Your church has Safer Sanctuaries (risk reduction and abuse prevention guidelines), which you know are helpful, and by taking charge of room assignments, you can ensure you follow your church's policies and practices for sleeping arrangements.

Rooms at the Hyatt Regency Dallas Hotel are $175 per night, and you should plan to stay the nights of July 11, 12, and 13, with checkout on July 14. As you build your budget and estimate costs, take $175 x 3 nights and multiply by the total number of rooms needed. You can then decide how to divide those costs among your group.

For example:

• Solo Room: $359 (registration) + $525 (hotel $175 x 3 nights) = $884
• 1 Roommate: $359 (registration) + $262.50 (hotel $175 x 3 nights / 2 people) = $621.50
• 2 Roommates: $359 (registration) + $175 (hotel $175 x 3 nights / 3 people) = $534
• 3 Roommates: $359 (registration) + $131.25 (hotel $175 x 3 nights / 4 people) = $490.25

Most hotel rooms include two queen-sized beds. A limited number of rollaway beds may be available. Groups should plan sleep arrangements accordingly.

Hotel rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please use the official YOUTH 2027 reservation link (provided in the registration system) when booking.

Meals and Travel

As mentioned, registration includes lunches on July 12 and 13. You will need to plan for and calculate the following additional meals:

• July 11 travel food and dinner
• July 12 breakfast and dinner
• July 13 breakfast and dinner
• July 14 breakfast and travel food

There are obviously less expensive and more expensive ways to cover these additional meals. More affordable options include having families donate breakfast foods that do not need refrigeration or cooking (breakfast bars, cereal bars, fruit, etc.) and ordering pizzas or similarly priced delivery foods ahead of time for dinner. Mid-level options might include asking students to bring a set amount of money for nearby fast food, coffee shops, or convenience stores at the event hotel. More expensive options include going out for dinners, which include tips, or in “sit-down” dining options in the event hotel.

Plan ahead and make the smartest choices for your group. Consider doing a grocery store run for group sandwich fixins’ or other snacks to stretch meal budgets.

Travel costs can vary greatly based on distance, fuel costs, and whether you fly or drive.

If driving, consider:

• Fuel costs (round trip)
• Vehicle rental or charter bus/driver (if needed)
• Onsite parking (hotel lots are paid at a reduced, negotiated rate for YOUTH 2027)
• Additional food costs and rest stops

If flying, consider:

• Airline ticket costs and possible group discounts available by contacting airlines directly
• Shuttle services or other transportation from the airport to the event hotel.
• Food costs during travel

Your travel dates may extend beyond the event dates. Many groups fill out their week by looking for mission or service opportunities on the way to or from the event. YOUTH 2027 will partner and offer connections through United Methodist Volunteers in Mission, so watch for future updates!

What to Do with Your Finance Committee and Requests Today

You don't need a final number to start the conversation. You can tell your committee the following: this is a quadrennial national gathering. This year, it happens in Dallas in July 2027; lodging is included in the fee; the price is lower than the last two YOUTH events, and early registration before April 15, 2027, will save real money. That's enough to get a conversation going.

Provide a detailed budget where you have estimated per-person costs that include registration, hotel, meals, and travel, if you can. Be clear about the total amount needed to attend the event, the amount that you expect participants to cover for themselves, and the amount you are requesting to either receive from a church budget or through fundraisers.

Find out whether church members are involved in travel services or willing to help with fundraisers that could reduce per-person attendance costs. Work with church leadership to schedule fundraisers that do not interfere with ongoing giving or other stewardship efforts.

Set reminders and goals to gauge interest from your group, and plan for deposits or fundraisers to make registration as accessible as possible for those from your church who want to attend YOUTH 2027.