Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Accommodations
Agenda
Attendance
Company Store
Meals
Registration
Smoking
Transportation
Visas
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Accommodations
Q: What if my roommate and I would like to stay at a specific hotel but the hotel is not visible on the registration site, or the hotel is listed, but only has rooms with one king bed or is not showing availability for all the dates we want. Is there still a chance we can get a room there with two beds on the dates we want?
A: Hotel and the hotel bed type availability will be based on the dates of your reservation. If a hotel or the hotel bed type that you would like does not appear, it will be because it is not available for the nights you and your roommate are requesting. The Registration Team will try to get more rooms and/or the hotel bed type, though this will be based upon the hotels' availability and cannot be guaranteed. However, in the meantime, we would suggest you select a hotel that has the available dates and/or bed type you would like and make a note in the 'Additional comments' section that you would prefer having a room at another hotel. If the Registration Team is able to get more rooms, they will move your reservation from the hotel you initially selected and will send you confirmation that the move has been completed.
Q: What should I do if my roommate has made a reservation at a hotel that is no longer appearing on the website, or if I ‘accept’ my roommate’s request to pair together, but then receive a message that my request cannot be completed?
A: If you are unable to make a hotel reservation at the same hotel as your requested roommate, please select a ‘Double (Two beds) Guestroom' at another hotel that is listed, fill out your roommate information when prompted, and in the 'Additional comments' field, indicate which hotel you need to be moved to in order to be paired with your roommate. The Registration Team will facilitate the reservation move on the back end and once completed, you will receive a hotel confirmation email.
Q: How are the hotel costs managed? Will I need to pay for the room when I check out and then get reimbursed?
A: For hotel reservations made and confirmed through the Summit registration site for the four approved nights, Microsoft will cover either 100% or 50% of the room and tax for MVPs and RDs, depending if you are sharing a room with another MVP/RD or not. The only instances where you might need to pay any charges would be if you reserved additional nights to stay, along with potential incidental charges you might have incurred.
Q: How can I be sure to get the hotel discounted price when making a reservation?
A: The only way to secure the discounted pricing is by making your hotel reservation through the Summit registration site, by the deadline of January 21, 2013. Please DO NOT contact the hotels to reserve your accommodations, as the hotels are unable to book rooms within the group block directly through their reservation offices.
Q: What if I want or need to check in before February 17 or check out after February 21?
A: As with previous Summits, you’ll have the option to extend your reservation to include an early arrival or late departure. Specifically, the hotel dates that are set-up to select from start with February 15 (even the 14th at one of the hotels) and end with the night of February 23. Attendees will be responsible for 100% of the hotel room costs for days outside of the approved dates.
Q: What if I request to be assigned a roommate and I want to come early or stay late? Can you help find me a roommate?
A: The Registration Team's main focus will be to pair roommates for the approved Summit dates. They will do their best to pair you with another attendee that is also coming in early and/or staying late to save you some money, unless you state in the 'Additional comments' field that you do not need a roommate for the extended date(s).
Q: I will need my own hotel room due to a medical condition. How can I get one?
A: If you require a single room due to medical reasons, on the hotel page during registration, please select a hotel with a 'Single/Double (One King bed) Guestroom' option. Next click on the radio button "I am requesting due to a medical reason" and don't forget to submit a note from your doctor to the Registration Team after you register. The note should state that your medical condition prevents you from sharing a room with another attendee. You don’t need to provide details about the medical condition. If the note from your doctor is submitted to the Registration Team via fax or email by the deadline of January 21, 2013, Microsoft will pay for 100% of the daily room and tax costs for up to four approved consecutive nights.
Q: I typically like to bring my spouse/partner to the Summit. How do the room sharing requirements impact this?
A: There are a few scenarios to explain:
- If your spouse/partner is also an MVP or RD, then you qualify for the room sharing and Microsoft will cover 100% of the room and tax for the four approved nights, if you both register and request each other as roommates.
- If your spouse/partner is not an MVP or RD, then you can opt for a ‘Single/Double (One King bed) Guestroom’ or a ‘Double (Two beds) Guestroom’ and Microsoft will pay for 50% of the daily room and tax costs for up to four approved consecutive nights. The daily costs for the hotel rooms vary from hotel to hotel: if for example you selected the Hyatt at $204 per night, you would be responsible for $102 per night, plus tax, for the four nights and 100% of any extra nights you book.
- If you require a single room due to medical reasons, and you also want to bring your spouse/partner, when you request a room please select the 'Single/Double (One King bed) Guestroom' option. Next click on the radio button 'I am requesting due to a medical reason' and don't forget to submit a note from your doctor to the Registration Team after you register. If the note from your doctor is submitted to the Registration Team by the deadline of January 21, 2013, Microsoft will pay for 100% of the daily room and tax costs for up to four approved consecutive nights.
Q: Can I get my own hotel room and just register for the event?
A: Yes, you can attend the Summit and arrange your own hotel accommodations. However we remind you to still register for the event. If you arrange your own accommodations at a hotel other than one of the official 7 Summit hotels (Courtyard by Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt Regency, Red Lion, Sheraton, Silver Cloud and Westin), you will be responsible for your transportation and all hotel costs. Transportation is only provided between the event venues and the Summit hotels. Microsoft will only fund hotel reservations made through the registration site at an official Summit hotel under the terms outlined here.
Q: If I agree to room share and I don’t have a roommate identified, how will you find someone to room with me?
A: Summit pairing revolves around key criteria: gender, country of origin, primary and secondary (if any) language and also in response to information that attendees put in the 'Additional comments' field that provides further guidance.
Q: If I select the option for the Registration Team to pair me with a roommate, when and how do I find out who I will share a room with?
A: When you receive your hotel confirmation email (typically within fourteen business days of registering online), the name of your assigned roommate will be included. Please note that in some instances, the pairing takes longer than anticipated which would affect when your hotel confirmation email is sent.
Q: If my roommate cancels, what is the process for me?
A: Once we learn of a cancellation, the Registration Team will contact the other roommate, meaning you. They will ask if you have an alternate roommate who is not already room sharing with another attendee. If you do not have an attendee in mind, the Registration Team will try to find an alternate roommate who matches your gender and other criteria. If it’s not possible to find you a roommate, you will be granted a single room for the four approved nights, and Microsoft will cover 100% of the room and tax charges. If the cancellation occurs so late that there is no single room to assign to you, you will remain in the double room and Microsoft will still cover 100% of the room and tax for the four approved nights.
Q: Are there hotel rooms available for smokers?
A: For those of you who would like a smoking room, we have very limited options to offer. Of the hotels in our reserved guestroom blocks, only the Hilton and Hyatt Regency have a few smoking rooms. If you would like to make a request for a smoking room at one of these hotels, you will be prompted to note that on the hotel page of the registration site. Please note that these requests (e.g. smoking rooms, room location, view, etc) cannot be guaranteed.
For your information, initiative 901 gives Washington State one of the nation's strictest statewide smoking bans, barring smoking in places such as bars, restaurants, clubs, bowling alleys and non-tribal casinos. Additionally, many hotel chains have changed or are in the process of changing to all non-smoking rooms nationally and internationally.
Q: What is the deadline for being guaranteed a hotel room reservation?
A: All hotel room requests submitted online as part of the registration process by 17:00 PST on January 21, 2013 should not have a problem being accommodated, subject to hotel availability. After that date, hotel room choices may be very limited or not available at all and thus there is no guarantee of a hotel room within our block after January 21, 2013.
Q: What is the deadline for cancelling a hotel room before incurring extra charges?
A: Arrival date changes or the cancellation of your hotel reservation must be made no later than 72 hours before your scheduled arrival date and can be completed online or by contacting the until February 13, 2013. Beginning February 14, 2013, please direct all changes and cancellations to your hotel directly.
Arrival date changes or the cancellation of your hotel reservation made less than 72 hours before your scheduled arrival date must be handled directly with the hotel. Failure to do so will result in reservation charges to your credit card of one night's room and tax (14.4% *subject to change).
Failure to arrive on your scheduled arrival date will result in a reservation charge to your credit card of one night's room and tax (14.4% *subject to change) in addition to the cancellation of the remainder of your hotel reservation.
Microsoft will not pay for any late change, cancellation and/or no-show charges on your behalf.
Q: Will internet access be provided in the hotel rooms?
A: There are a few scenarios to explain:
- Hotel Guest Rooms: Wired and wireless internet access is complimentary at the Courtyard by Marriott, Hilton, Red Lion, Silver Cloud, Sheraton, and Westin Bellevue hotels in our room block. Only complimentary wireless is available at the Hyatt Regency.
- Hotel Working Lounges: As we provided during the last several Summits, we have secured working lounges so that those sharing a room, also have a place to work. Each of the Summit hotels will have a lounge. Specifics on the working lounges will be provided closer to the Summit.
- Hotel Business Centers: Each of the hotels have a business center, typically open 24x7, with at least one computer with internet available for guest use.
- Hotel Lobby/Public Spaces: The Courtyard by Marriott, Bellevue Sheraton, Red Lion Bellevue, Silver Cloud Bellevue, and Westin Bellevue hotels offer complimentary wireless access in these areas. The Hyatt Regency Bellevue also offers complimentary access for MVP Summit attendees. The Hilton Bellevue's daily fee is $9.95 (standard connection) and $14.95 (upgrade connection), per 24 hour period.
Q: If I am a local MVP or RD and do not need a hotel room, will Microsoft pay for my parking at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue Hotel for the Welcome Reception and/or any sessions I wish to attend there?
A: Yes, if you have not booked a hotel room at any of the Summit hotels, please stop by the Summit Registration Desk to receive parking validation.
Agenda
Q: What is the Summit Agenda?
A: For the most current version of the agenda please visit this page.
Q: Can I request a session topic?
A: We appreciate your input. The agenda topics are always subject to change, so please send suggestions to your Community Program Manager at your earliest convenience. Though we cannot guarantee your suggestion will be implemented, it will be shared with the product team and considered for inclusion.
Q: How are the dates for the MVP Global Summit selected?
A: Many considerations factor into the date selection for the Summit. Because we host over 1,500 people from all over the world during the Summit, a significant challenge is finding available meeting and hotel space. Additionally, we then do our best to work around holidays, academic schedules, industry events, and Microsoft executive schedules.
Please know we make every effort to accommodate all of our guests and for this year, the chosen dates were our best option.
Attendance
Q: Who is invited to the MVP Global Summit?
A: The MVP Global Summit is an exclusive event for MVPs. For full details on who is eligible, please visit this page. MVPs and RDs must have a signed Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) on file. If you have not signed your MVP hard-copy NDA, you may do so at the Summit when you pick up your registration information. We will be unable to grant you your badge without the signed NDA.
Q: May I bring a guest with me?
A: You are welcome to bring someone with you on your trip. If there are any costs associated with having more than one person staying in your hotel room, those will be your responsibility.
With regard to the Summit, due to space, budget limitations and non-disclosure agreements, we have to limit what Summit activities your traveling partner may attend. Specifically:
- Guest Access is Not Permitted at Summit sessions, attendee daytime and evening meal functions (unless noted otherwise below) since we look forward to sharing information with you that is covered by your Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).
- Guest Access is Permitted based upon availability at the:
- Welcome Reception on Monday evening, February 18
- Attendee Party on Wednesday evening, February 20
When registering for the Summit, you will have the option of requesting one guest pass (based on space availability) and you will be asked to enter the name of the guest. Make sure your guest is registered, as we have a limited number of guest passes for MVPs. These evening events are not appropriate for children, especially babies in strollers. Also, please note the guest will need to be at least 21 years of age to legally drink any alcoholic beverages. Any guest who is wearing a guest badge may take the provided transportation to either event.
Q: What if I can only attend part of the MVP Global Summit?
A: The Summit is your time to meet and engage with your peers, your MVP team, and Microsoft employees. We hope you will come for as much of the Summit as possible – whether that's all four days or for only a portion of the Summit.
Q: Will my MVP status be affected if I cannot attend?
A: No. The Global Summit is one of Microsoft's ways of showing you how much we appreciate your time, and your willingness to share your Microsoft product and/or technology expertise in technical communities. If you are unable to attend the Global Summit, your current award status or consideration for future award will not be affected.
Company Store
Q: Will attendees have the opportunity to visit the Microsoft Company Store on the Redmond Campus during the Summit?
A: Yes, we have made arrangements to allow attendees to visit the store Monday through Wednesday of Summit. More details will be provided in the Pocket Guide distributed at registration.
Q: What is the Company Store VIP Pass that is given to MVPs who attend the Global Summit?
A: The Company Store VIP Pass is a purchase pass entitling an individual to spend up to a designated amount ($120, which is set by corporate wide policy) of their own money on software and/or hardware at the on campus* Microsoft Company Store. The pass is only valid during the week of the MVP Summit for in-person purchases at the physical Microsoft Company Store on the Microsoft campus in Redmond. Additionally, MVPs who are based in the United States can choose to use their pass to make purchases online for up to 30 days from the date the pass was issued.
*see the next question for the exception to this rule.
Q: Why can only U.S. based MVPs use the Company Store VIP Pass online?
A: The pass processing portion of the online eCompany Store site is unfortunately not set up to handle international shipping. Also, shipping electronics and textiles can be very complicated, and frequently the customer has to pay additional duty at delivery (local government dictates this, as we have no way of knowing what that amount may be). We therefore always encourage and allow time for MVPs to access the physical Company Store during Summit.
Q: Will attendees be able to use the Company Store VIP Pass at the Microsoft Store located in the Bellevue Square shopping mall?
A: No. The retail Microsoft Store in Bellevue Square (across the street from the Westin and Hyatt hotels) cannot accept the VIP Pass. So while you are welcome to visit the retail store, if you wish to purchase Microsoft hardware or software at employee prices, please make time to visit the Microsoft Company Store.
The Company Store is located in the Learning Center, Building 92, which is in the area called The Commons. The Commons and the Learning Center will be our transportation hub location, which should also make it easier and more convenient for MVPs to access the Company Store.
Q: If I want to purchase a piece of software or hardware using my VIP Pass that costs more than $120 at employee prices, can I combine my voucher with another MVP's?
A: Sorry, no. The VIP Passes are not transferable.
Q: Is the $120 I can spend at the Company Store inclusive of the local taxes?
A: No, it is exclusive, meaning you can still purchase up to $120 worth of hardware and/or software at employee prices, even though with the local tax, the total amount would be over $120.
Meals
Q: What will be served to eat during the Summit?
A: We look forward to offering you a nice variety of food and beverages to select from at each meal:
- Breakfast: Monday through Thursday morning of the Global Summit, breakfast will be served for those of you who are staying at one of our Summit hotels. It will include some form of protein (eggs, meat, or similar), various types of rolls and pastries, fruit, coffee, and juices.
- Lunch: Monday through Wednesday, lunches will include a hot entree along with side dishes. As an example, here is a lunch menu from a previous Summit:
- Spinach salad w/radish, carrot and saffron vinaigrette
- Chicken tagine with olives, tomatoes and preserved lemons
- Chick pea and winter vegetable tagine
- Moroccan rice w/golden raisin and cinnamon
- Fresh seasonal vegetables
- Spice cake
- Evening Events: Monday and Wednesday evenings, we will offer a different variety of heavy appetizers each evening along with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
If you have dietary restrictions, please let us know by noting these when you register.
Registration
Q: I have entered my MVP ID and email address that the MVP Award Program uses to contact me but I still get an error message when signing in to the registration site. What do I do?A: Confirm that you are only using numbers (not “MVPxxx”) when entering your MVP ID. If that, along with your email address are correct, another possibility is that we may not have a current electronic or hardcopy Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) on file for you. A quick way to confirm this is to try signing into the MVP Member site.
- If your eNDA has expired and you haven’t returned your hNDA, access to this site is also disabled and you will need to contact your Community Program Manager for more information on resolving this. A current e- or hNDA needs to be on file before you can register for Summit.
- If your access to this site is not disabled, please contact the for assistance.
Q: I am trying to register using the Microsoft Account (formerly Windows Live ID) option but have received a message that it is currently not available. Is there a problem with the registration site and should I wait to register?
A: First of all, the issue you are encountering is independent of/not related to the Summit registration site. You may choose to wait a little bit and try again or, what we recommend is that you register now using the Email and Password option to create a registration. You can always choose to associate your registration with a Microsoft Account after you register.
Q: Registration fields like Country and Region are already filled in but ‘greyed out’ and not editable. If the information is no longer current, how can I change them?
A: To help streamline and speed up registration for you, we pre-populated a few fields of data, based on your MVP Profile. If the MVP Award Program data for you is no longer current, please update your Profile or contact your Community Program Manager to have your information updated no later than January 20, 2013. We will be refreshing our information periodically during registration and these fields will be updated at those times.
Q: Glancing at my initial confirmation email, I see the Hyatt Regency Hotel listed but I selected a different hotel to stay at. Is there a problem?
A: No, what you are seeing is the Registration Location noted as the Hyatt on Sunday. A confirmation of the hotel you selected will be sent to you via email within fourteen business days of your registration. There may be a delay in receiving your hotel confirmation if:
- You have requested that we assign you a roommate as the Registration Team may not have another attendee that meets the pairing criteria (i.e. same gender, hotel preferences). Your hotel confirmation will be sent to you once they have assigned you a roommate and the hotel has confirmed your reservations.
- You have requested a specific roommate but that person has not yet registered. As long as one person requests the hotel room, the room will be held - however the reservation will not be assigned a confirmation until both people have registered.
Q: I have completed my registration but on the ‘Confirm’ page, the hotel status still shows up as pending. Is there a problem?
A: No, submitted hotel requests on the registration site will show as pending until the Registration Team processes the request and receives confirmation back from the hotel. This could take up to 2 weeks.
Q: On the registration form it asks: "Are you a Government Employee? Yes/No". About what government is it talking about? US government or local government? And what is the exact purpose of that question? Why is that important?
A: Government employees include any federal, state, regional government employees and individuals that work for educational institutions in any country. The purpose of this question is that there are rules/regulations around what items government employees can or cannot accept onsite at events. Personal use items are often things that government employees are not allowed to accept without having prior written approval from the ethics officer of the government employees’ institution. Any government employee who wishes to receive the personal use items offered at the MVP Summit can download and complete a waiver that is included on the registration website.
Q: When do I need to complete my registration?
A: You should complete attendee registration as soon as possible but preferably no later than January 21, 2013. This will allow Product Groups to plan and design sessions based on attendee demographics.
The registration site will remain open until 15:00 PST, February 15, 2013. However, January 21, 2013 is the last date that we can guarantee the processing of hotel room requests submitted online.
Q: If I don’t have a credit card can I still book a hotel room?
A: Yes. Here are the instructions you should follow when registering for the Summit:
- Complete your information on the pages leading up to the hotel one
- When you reach the “hotel” page and see this statement at the top of the page "If you do not require hotel accommodations, click here to skip this page”, click on the link to skip the page.
- Then contact the Registration Team via email or phone for assistance with your hotel reservation as it will need to be handled manually.
Q: If I cannot attend the first day, how will I check in when I get to the Summit?
A: Anyone arriving after the initial check-in registration times on Sunday will be able to pick up their badge and information packet on subsequent days. That address will be provided to you with your final confirmation email a few weeks before the event.
Q: If my spouse/partner/guest can't come with me after all, when do I have to cancel the guest reservation?
A: We don’t have a deadline in place for an MVP or RD cancelling the registration of a guest. However, as a courtesy to other MVPs and RDs who may want to bring a guest, we ask that you update your registration records with the new information or contact the no later than one week before the start of Summit.
Q: Who should I contact if I have registration questions?
A: If you have registration questions, please contact CRG Events as they manage registration, hotel accommodations and logistics for the Summit. See this page for all the ways to contact them.
Smoking
Q: Where is smoking permitted at the MVP Global Summit?
A: Initiative 901 gives Washington State one of the nation's strictest statewide smoking bans, barring smoking in places such as bars, restaurants, clubs, bowling alleys and non-tribal casinos. Additionally, many hotel chains have changed or are in the process of changing to all non-smoking rooms both nationally and internationally.
During conference activities at Summit hotels, smokers will be directed to a designated smoking area outside the venue. Smoking is NOT permitted inside any of the Summit hotels, unless you have one of the few smoking sleeping rooms.
During conference activities and meals at Microsoft Campus buildings, smoking is NOT permitted inside any building or in parking garages. If you wish to smoke, please use the designated outdoor smoking areas.
For the Product Group Evening Event/Attendee Party, per Initiative 901, smoking is NOT permitted inside public buildings. If you wish to smoke, you can step outside and smoke at least 25 feet/7.5 meters from the entrance of the hotel/venue.
Regarding guest sleeping rooms, we have reserved all the available hotel rooms in our hotel room block which allow smoking inside the rooms. Most hotels in the state of Washington have gone either smoke free or maintain a very limited number of smoking rooms.
Transportation
Attendees are responsible for their own transportation to/from the airport and their hotel. Please visit this page for suggestions.
Q: What type of transportation will be provided for attendees?
A: During the MVP Summit, Microsoft will provide transportation between the 7 Summit hotels and the various event venues. More details will be shared here as we get closer to the event.
Bus routes will be included in the Event Pocket Guide you will receive at registration.
Q: If I am a local MVP or RD and do not need a hotel room, will Microsoft pay for my parking at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue Hotel for the Welcome Reception and/or any sessions I wish to attend there?
A: Yes, if you have not booked a hotel room at any of the Summit hotels, please stop by the MVP Registration Desk to receive parking validation.
Visitor Visa Letter for Visas
Q: If I am a resident of a country other than the United States, do I need to apply for a visa in order to attend the Summit?
A: It depends on the country. For full information, please visit this page.
Q: My spouse/partner/family member is planning on joining me on my trip to the U.S. for the MVP Summit. Can they also submit the Visitor Visa Letter Questionnaire to help them get a visa to enter the U.S.?
A: We are sorry but Microsoft will not issue a Visitor Visa Letter to help them obtain a visa to enter the U.S. However if you, as an MVP or RD, have requested and obtained a Visitor Visa Letter, it may help in obtaining a visa and/or entry into the United States for your guest – especially if the guest has a relationship to you that can be easily demonstrated, such as spouse or other family member.
