FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Attendance
Who is invited to the MVP Global Summit?
Can I bring a guest with me?
What if I can only attend part of the MVP Global Summit?
Will my MVP status be affected if I cannot attend?
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Company Store
Will attendees have the opportunity to visit the Microsoft Company Store on the Redmond Campus during the Summit?
What is the difference between the Company Store Voucher that is given to MVPs who attend the Global Summit and MVP Bucks?
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Hotels
See accommodations page
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Letter of Invitation for Visa Application
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?
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Meals
What will be served to eat during the Summit?
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Registration
When do I need to complete my registration?
If I don’t have a credit card can I still book a hotel room?
If I cannot attend the first day, how will I check in when I get to the summit?
If my spouse/guest can’t come with me, when do I have to cancel the guest reservation?
If I’m bringing my spouse (not an MVP), how should I complete the “Occupancy field”?
Who should I contact if I have registration questions?
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Smoking Areas
Where is smoking permitted at the MVP Global Summit?
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Summit Agenda
What is the Summit Agenda?
Can I request a session topic?
How are the dates for the MVP Global Summit selected?
When should MVPs complete their personal agendas in the Schedule Builder?
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Transportation
What type of transportation will be provided for MVPs?
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Travel and Visiting Seattle
What type of weather should I expect during the Summit?
What type of clothes should I pack?
Can you recommend some other web sites with Seattle visitor information?
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Attendance
Who is invited to the MVP Global Summit?
The MVP Global Summit is an exclusive event for MVPs. For this event, MVPs who have been or will be awarded within these dates are invited: April 2008, July 2008, October 2008, and January 2009. Invitation to this event is also extended to Regional Directors (RDs). MVPs and RDs must have a signed Non-Disclosure Agreement 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. Please contact the Summit owner, Paulette Suddarth at pauletts@microsoft.com in advance to ensure that a hard-copy NDA is prepared for you.

Can I bring a guest with me?
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 and budget limitations and non-disclosure agreements, we have to limit what Summit activities your traveling partner can attend. Specifically:

Guest Access is Not Permitted at Summit keynotes, 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:
- Attendee Party on Tuesday evening, March 3. When registering for the Summit, you will have the option of requesting one guest pass for the Attendee Party and you will be asked to enter the name of the guest. Make sure your guest is registered for this function, as we have a limited number of guest passes. Please note the guest will need to be at least 21 years of age to legally drink any alcoholic beverages. Any guest who is holding a guest pass may take the provided transportation to the Attendee Party.
- Closing Lunch on Wednesday, March 4.

What if I can only attend part of the MVP Global Summit?
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.

Will my MVP status be affected if I cannot attend?
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.
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Company Store

Will attendees have the opportunity to visit the Microsoft Company Store on the Redmond Campus during the summit?
Yes, we will make arrangements to allow attendees to visit the store at its new campus location. Details will be provided at registration.

What is the difference between the Company Store Voucher that is given to MVPs who attend the Global Summit and MVP Bucks?
A Company Store voucher entitles an individual to spend his or her own money at the physical Company Store. The voucher is only valid during the week of the MVP Summit. The voucher is for the MVP to spend the designated amount of their own money. Alternately, MVP Bucks can only be used online at the eCompany Store and they are typically awarded as part of the award benefits. They are only valid until the MVP’s current award year has expired and do not roll over from one year to the next.
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Hotels

See accommodations page

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Letter of Invitation for Visa Application

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?
Please visit this page.
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Meals

What will be served to eat during the Summit?
On Sunday evening heavy appetizers will be served. Monday through Wednesday morning of the Global Summit, breakfast will be served, which will include some form of protein (eggs, meat, or similar), various types of rolls and pastries, fruit, coffee, juices, and assorted drinks. Lunch will be served Monday through Wednesday and include some choices. Dinner on Monday and Tuesday may consist of a variety of heavy appetizers to select from. If you have dietary restrictions, please let us know by noting these when you register.
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Registration

When do I need to complete my registration?
You should complete attendee registration as soon as possible after registration opens in mid-January 2009 and preferably no later than January 30th. This will allow Product Groups to plan and design sessions based on attendee demographics.

The site won’t technically “close” on January 30th. The site will remain open until 12:00 Noon PST, February 27, 2009. However, February 6, 2009 is the last date that we can guarantee the processing of hotel room requests submitted online.

If I don’t have a credit card can I still book a hotel room?
Yes.

Here are the instructions you should follow when registering for the Summit in January:

Complete your information on the "Attendee Details" tab
Navigate to the "Hotel" tab
When you see the question "Do you have a credit card which you can use upon check in at the hotel?" click "NO"
Review the information provided. You will be required to provide a cash (USD) deposit at your hotel when you check in to cover potential incidental charges (i.e., pay movies, snack bar, room service, etc.) or potential damages to the room (i.e. smoking, broken furniture).
Scroll up to the line of text that says "If you do not want to arrange hotel accommodations at this time please CLICK HERE" and do so.
Review your information on the "Summary" tab of the Summit registration and if all looks correct, click on the FINISH REGISTRATION button at the bottom of the page.
Please contact the registration team via email or phone for assistance with your hotel reservation as it will need to be handled manually.

If I cannot attend the first day, how will I check in when I get to the Summit?
Anyone arriving after the initial check-in registration time on the first day will be able to pick up their badge and information packet at the Information Desk at the Microsoft Conference Center (MSCC). Upon arriving at the MSCC, you will be directed to the Information Desk.

If my spouse/guest can't come with me after all, when do I have to cancel the guest reservation?
We don’t have a deadline in place for an MVP cancelling the registration of a guest. However, as a courtesy to other MVPs who may want to bring a guest, we ask that you update your registration records with the new information or contact the Summit registration team (2009MVPGlobalSummit@microsoft.crgevents.com) no later than 1 week before the start of Summit.

If I'm bringing my spouse (not an MVP), how should I complete the "Occupancy field"?
If you are bringing a spouse/guest you should select "2" in the "Occupancy" field.

Who should I contact if I have registration questions?
If you have registration questions, please contact CRG Events as they manage registration, hotel accommodations and logistics for the Summit. See this site for all the ways to contact them.
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Summit Agenda

What is the Summit Agenda?
For the most recent version of the agenda please visit this page.

Can I request a session topic?
We appreciate your input. The agenda topics are always subject to change, so please send suggestions to your MVP Lead 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.

How are the dates for the MVP Global Summit selected?
Many considerations factor into the date selection for the Summit. Because we host almost 1,800 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.

When should MVPs complete their personal agendas in the Schedule Builder?
The Schedule Builder tool is scheduled to open in early February and we would like all MVPs to complete their personal agendas by February 20th. MVPs will be notified when the tool is opened.
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Smoking

Where is smoking permitted at the MVP Global Summit?
Initiative 901 gives Washington the nation's strictest statewide smoking ban, 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 soon internationally).

During conference activities at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center, smokers may use the centrally-located smoking area outside the Level 4 South Lobby.

During conference activities and meals at the Microsoft Conference Center and 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 Attendee Party and any Product Group Evening Events not held on Campus, 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.

As for hotels, we reserved all the available smoking rooms. Unfortunately, most hotels have gone either smoke free or maintain a very limited number of smoking rooms.
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Transportation

What type of transportation will be provided for MVPs?

Microsoft will provide transportation from the hotels to/from the WSCTC (except from the Sheraton and Hyatt since they are next door to the WSCTC) and MS Campus.
On Days 2 and 3, Microsoft will provide transportation to/from Product Group Evening Events and the Attendee Party.
Bus routes will be included in the Event Pocket Guide.
MVPs are responsible for their own transportation to and from the airport. The Seattle Downtown Airporter is the least expensive transportation between downtown Seattle hotels and the Seattle-Tacoma (SeaTac) International Air
Downtown Airporter prices start at $11 one way as compared with shuttle vans from $27 one way, town cars from $30 one way and taxi cabs from $35 one way.
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Travel and Visiting Seattle

What type of weather should I expect during the Summit?
March weather in the Seattle area is unpredictable. The temperatures can range from 37.4ºF/3ºC as the low to 53.6ºF/12ºC as the high. It is not unusual for it to rain a bit every day. Be ready for anything.

What type of clothes should I pack?
Dressing in layers is always a good idea, for example a shirt with a sweater. A raincoat or weatherproof jacket is also recommended, depending on what the weather is doing at the moment. Please know that Microsoft encourages employees and guests to dress comfortably.

Can you recommend some other web sites with Seattle visitor information?
Yes, please see the links below.

Seattle and Surrounding Areas:

English - http://www.cityofseattle.net/oir/datasheet/
Spanish - http://cityofseattle.net/oir/datasheet/spanish/
French - http://www.cityofseattle.net/oir/datasheet/french/
Italian - http://www.cityofseattle.net/oir/datasheet/italian/
Chinese - http://www.cityofseattle.net/oir/datasheet/chinese/
Japanese - http://www.cityofseattle.net/oir/datasheet/japanese/
Microsoft - http://www.microsoft.com/
Weather - http://www.weather.com/activities/travel/businesstraveler/
Currency Exchange - http://www.xe.com/ucc/