General questions

• 1.1 Q: What is WinterCamp?
  A: WinterCamp is one of the biggest Hospitality camps/gatherings/invasions/parties of the year, taking place over the (western) New Year holiday.
• 1.2 Q: What are the dates this year?
  A: Thursday, 28th of December 2017 to Tuesday, 2nd of January 2018
• 1.3 Q: Where is it happening?
  A: Brno, second largest city in Czechia, and the largest in Moravia, Central Europa.
• 1.4 Q: Why is it happening there?
  A: Because that's what the organizers in their infinite wisdom decided so. Maybe you can organize it at your town some other year?
• 1.5 Q: How many people will be at the camp?
  A: We will see... The official capacity of our main venue is 380 people. So please invite all your friends that you think that should be at the WinterCamp! ArtBar has enough space for them :-)
• 1.6 Q: I've never been to something like this before, will I be able to make friends?
  A: As long as you are even slightly sociable, then Yes - we think it would be kind of hard NOT to make friends.

How to get to Brno and join us

• 2.1 Q: It sounds great, how can I get there?
  A: a) By flying: Brno its own small airport (with regular connections mainly to London and Munich), and the big airports of Prague and Vienna can be reached in about 2-2,5 hours. The small airports of Bratislava and Ostrava are not far either. Trains in Czechia are rather cheap, for Vienna airport using buses is a lot cheaper than trains.

b) By train (to "Brno hlavní nádraží" station). You can search for trains here: jizdnirady.idnes.cz/vlaky

c) There are lot of buses coming to Brno. The most popular Czech bus transport company is Student Agency (www.studentagency.eu/en). Search engine for buses here: jizdnirady.idnes.cz/autobusy

d) By car, Bla bla car, hitchhiking...

• 2.2. Q: I already signed up on Facebook and/or CouchSurfing, does this mean I already have a place at the event?
  A: NO! The only official way is to buy a proper ticket. Your place is only confirmed once you have registered AND we have received your payment.
• 2.3 Q: How can I buy tickets?
  A: https://buytickets.at/brnowintercamp
• 2.4 Q: Do I need to buy the tickets now?
  It would be best. Some things like T-shirts will not be possible to order later as their manufacturing takes time. We might also increase price of the tickets at some point. Furthermore, buying the tickets now helps us to make the WinterCamp better. We are making some decisions about what we can afford to prepare for you (music etc.). Having the money earlier rather than later matters, as it allows us to plan better and use finances more efficiently. If we will not order some things now (having no confidence than we can afford them), they might no longer be available, or they might become more expensive.

Ticket details

• 3.1 Q: Is there a cancellation / refund policy?
  A: For tickets that cost money no refunds are given. Once booked and paid your registration is final. If you really cannot make it to the camp, it is allowed to sell your ticket to someone else. Please contact the organizers in that case to inform us who is the new owner of your ticket.
  
  For tickets that are free reservation only (e.g. accommodation) these can be cancelled. Cancelled accommodation shall be redistributed by the organizers primarily to the people on the Facebook event waiting list.
  
• 3.2 Q: I only can/want to come for some of the nights, can I just join in for a shorter time?
  A: Yes, you can, but the cost is the same (except for the NYE evening only ticket) - it's not practical to track who's going to stay for how many nights, so you have to buy a ticket for the whole camp.
• 3.3 Q: What is included in the registration fee?
  A: Mainly the entrance to the main venues and music there (large part of the money from tickets is needed to cover rent, fees for a sound system, sound engineer and band or DJ). You can also expect some food, definitely NYE buffet. This list is not meant to be exhaustive, we are still finalizing our deal about food, and some stuff also depends on how many tickets we will sell in the end.
• 3.4 Q: What part of the program is NOT included in the registration fee?
  A: Definitely your accommodation. 28th and 1st dinners, bunker entrance, wine tasting and sauna are not part of the ticket either, although if we sell a lot of tickets and make extra money, we might use it to subsidise some of this stuff.

Venue and activities details

• 4.1 Q: Can we bring our own drinks or do we even have to?
  A: For International Night event on 29th bringing your alcohol is ok - actually this is even preferable ;-) Other nights few people coming with a bottle should probably be fine, but we are expected to mainly use the bars.
• 4.2 Q: Is it possible for musicians to play anywhere or shall they better leave their instruments at home.
  A: Yes, especially at the ArtBar venue, which is rented exclusively to us, so no worries, they can play where they want. Please bring your instruments!
• 4.3 Q: What is International night?
  A: During International Night, all attendees are kindly requested to introduce to the other attendees either their region/country/culture of origin or a region/country/culture they somehow relate to. On previous international nights, these introductions to a good part were done via typical/traditional food and - to a fairly big amount - drinks from the presented place, but of course the presentation can as well be done or combined with typical dresses, dances, songs etc.

Accomodation at Ubytovna Moravan details

• 5.1 Q: Do we have to bring sleeping begs?
  A: No, this is like the cheapest hostel in Brno so don't expect much, but it is still a "proper" accommodation. Beds with sheets and blankets will be there.
  
• 5.2 Q: Do we have to bring towels, soap, shampoo, toilet paper?
  A: Towel, shampoo and soap yes - they will not be provided. Toilet paper is promised to be there (though I would not totally trust them).
• 5.3 Can I arrive a day later?
  A: Yes, you will not lose your booking if you arrive one day later. But the hostel is allowed to ask for the same 700 CZK as for the whole five days. You should not arrive later than 29th - the hostel is allowed to cancell your reservation if not payed on 28th or 29th.
  
• 5.4 Q: What time we can check-in / should check-out?
  A: You can check in any time after 10am 28th December. You should check out till 10am on 2nd January.
  
• 5.5 Q: How will the check-in work?
  A: You arrive there, say the code word "Couchsurfing" and pay them 700 CZK in cash. Cards or euro will not be accepted! They should send you to your room. Be ready that stuff there will likely speak very bad English if in any at all.
• 5.6 Q: How do the rooms and showers look like?
  A: Some pictures are here: https://www.booking.com/hotel/cz/ubytovna-moravan.cs.html We will only have rooms with shared showers.
  
• 5.7 Q: Can I have a private room? Can I choose a room?
  A: There are no rooms for just 1 or 2 people. Rooms will be 1x8, 1x7, 4x5, 4x4 and 3x3 beds. People will be split into rooms by the organizers (mainly Otto) who will try to respect your wishes who wants to be with who, but please ask only of it is really important for you and don't swarm us with requests as we can't spend lot of time on micromanaging this. If you will not be happy with whom you will end up, you can still swap places with other people after you arrive if everybody involved agrees - we don't care.
• 5.8 Q: Can we party at Ubytovna Moravan?
  A: Well, it is not strictly forbidden to have some small pre-party in your room, but the rooms are not very big and the main fun should be happening at the main venues and subevents, so we would recommend rather joining the main group(s) at the city/countryside. Also obviously you should not party in your rooms at night when you would be disturbing other people that might want to sleep.
• 5.9 Q: Are there some extra facilities and services at Ubytovna Moravan we could use?
  A: There will be free WiFi. At the reception I belive I saw them selling tiny selection of stuff like potato chips. Otherwise not much.
• 5.10 Q: What is the exact address of this hostel?
  A: Ubytovna Moravan, Podnásepní 1a, Brno