Military Discounted tickets and MDE

[cslafferty]

My husband and I are taking my sister to WDW Dec. 8-14. She is a military widow, and can get the special promo 5 day military passes. We already have a room only reservation at CR. My question is will we be able to link those passes to MDE in order to do FP reservations? We also want to add DDP but I don't think I can until we have resort and tickets linked to MDE. I guess she will get a voucher when she orders the tickets, but will have to pick up the actual tickets in person from SOG once we get there??? Hoping someone can clear this up for us. Have gone to WDW many times but have never used the military discounted passes before. Thanks!

 

[Legendary]

Yes. We get our tickets from our local base (she does not have to go through SOG) and they give you vouchers that need to be exchanged for tickets at guest services at any park or Disney Springs. The vouchers have a number that can be linked to MDE. ou can then make your fast pass reservations as well.
It would be the same process with the SOG. She would have to confirm that SOG can mail out the vouchers a few years back they wouldn’t. It’s much easier to go through her local base. They can always order them if they don’t keep them in stock.
In the past you just needed a resort reservation linked to get the dining plan but that may have changed.

 

[cslafferty]

Yes. We get our tickets from our local base (she does not have to go through SOG) and they give you vouchers that need to be exchanged for tickets at guest services at any park or Disney Springs. The vouchers have a number that can be linked to MDE. ou can then make your fast pass reservations as well.
It would be the same process with the SOG. She would have to confirm that SOG can mail out the vouchers a few years back they wouldn’t. It’s much easier to go through her local base. They can always order them if they don’t keep them in stock.
In the past you just needed a resort reservation linked to get the dining plan but that may have changed.

Thanks! That really helps!! She is a relatively new widow, and she's still learning all about military discounts. She's also new to WDW - we took her with us in Dec. 2016 - seeing WDW during the holidays was on her bucket list! She fell in love with WDW!! My husband and I have stayed at the CR with a theme park view before, and that became her new bucket list wish, so we're taking care of that this year!

When I made our room only reservations, it wouldn't let me add the dining plan without having park tickets. But, I'll try adding the dining plan through MDE. Thanks again!

 

[KellBelle]

We are military also and when we went last December, I had to call to make the room and dining reservations. I bought our tickets through our local base and had no issues attaching them to MDE and making FP reservations at the 60 day mark. I know you said you had a hotel, were you able to get the military rate on that? If available, I believe it is 40% on deluxe, 35% moderate and 30% value. We will be there the week before you this year. Also, not sure if you use memory maker or not, but that is also hugely discounted for military. Disney definitely treats active duty and vets right!

 

[Legendary]

You will need to call to add the dining plan. MDE has no way of recognizing that your Military. Yes, I forgot make sure you double check that you got the military discount on the resort.

 

[cslafferty]

We are military also and when we went last December, I had to call to make the room and dining reservations. I bought our tickets through our local base and had no issues attaching them to MDE and making FP reservations at the 60 day mark. I know you said you had a hotel, were you able to get the military rate on that? If available, I believe it is 40% on deluxe, 35% moderate and 30% value. We will be there the week before you this year. Also, not sure if you use memory maker or not, but that is also hugely discounted for military. Disney definitely treats active duty and vets right!

I knew about memory maker discount, but not the military discount on the resorts! The resort reservation is in my name, with my sister listed as who I am traveling with. Will that work? Should she call Disney Travel to get the discount for our resort?

 

[larryz]

I knew about memory maker discount, but not the military discount on the resorts! The resort reservation is in my name, with my sister listed as who I am traveling with. Will that work? Should she call Disney Travel to get the discount for our resort?

Yes. She'll have to be primary on at least one of the rooms.

 

[KellBelle]

I knew about memory maker discount, but not the military discount on the resorts! The resort reservation is in my name, with my sister listed as who I am traveling with. Will that work? Should she call Disney Travel to get the discount for our resort?

Like Larryz said, yes, at least one of the rooms will need to be in her name. It is not always available, but definitely worth a call to see if it might happen to work for the nights you are there. It is a good savings!

 

[slipperalwaysfits]

I'm bumping this because my MIL is a military widow, can she get a discount on her tickets? I know she can get them from Shades of Green but that's a bit of a hassle.

 

[Ldno]

Right now, shades of green is the only avenue of approach to get the discount. The ticketing offices on military bases are closed due to the pandemic and they will refer you to Shades of green.

This is a blurb from the shades of green website requiring what they would need from her but the hassle is worth it, not paying taxes and the magic your way ticket pricing is a Bigger discount than what’s Disney’s offering and so worth it all things considered.

Basically have her call this number (407) 824-1403 Or email advancedtickets@shadesofgreen.org to order tickets

It’s the only way because of covid to get Disney salute(active duty) or magic your way (disabled veterans with VA cards, etc for example)

So how it works right now is you call them or email them or who ever does it, then they will follow up with the brochures to your email with another form you fill out,the person going has to print it out, you cannot digitally sign it, it has to be signed in ink, you can either scan it back to the email or fax to the number on the email, then you will hear back from them soon and confirm everything and then take your method of payment at which time will mail out your cards. I politely asked them to scan my tickets to my email after the purchase so i can add them to my disney experience right away and start making my reservations right away and it worked. 4 days later i got my physical tickets. The whole process took a day and half and it took a bit because i email the form digitally and had to submit it in ink.

A bit of a hassle but the only way to get them, sorry. Oh to answer your question your MIL discount is the Magic your Way (Base Tickets) on the brochure. Only Active Duty, 100% disabled vets and retirees get the Military Salute discount, everyone else gets the base military discount which is still good, key word is no sales tax!

 

[slipperalwaysfits]

Thank you so much for the resources and so much correct information! We really appreciate it! It will end up saving her money in the long run!

 

[Ldno]

Thank you so much for the resources and so much correct information! We really appreciate it! It will end up saving her money in the long run!

You are welcome and sorry for the loss of your family member! I went with the experience of purchasing a ticket two weeks ago, when I was active duty the discounts for disney were amazing, but as a veteran now they were none, enter 2020 and the VA changed the rules on veterans with disabilities act that gives us the rights to get back on post, shop on AAFES, etc plus rather than January and September the usual months veterans were allowed to stay on shades of green, is now all year round and that is a HUGE deal on top of buying tickets through the ITT office.

At first I wasn’t into the discounts that much but then I went on a trip earlier this year, i soaked all the information on everything as they changed the rules from Active/duty/retirees to ”military/family” etc and realized how much I ended saving just on tax free ticket purchase through the ITT office!!! But with the pandemic they are closed therefore they are referring everyone through shades of green right now, which is not bad but still, better than nothing

 

[slipperalwaysfits]

MY MIL spent a good hour repeating that she isn't allowed to stay at Shades of Green more than two months out of the year because "it happened to a friend of hers last year." She had no clue the rules changed (neither did I). Her daughter is a FL resident and ended up getting a great deal on a room at Coronado! Now it's just tickets to worry about!

 

[Ldno]

MY MIL spent a good hour repeating that she isn't allowed to stay at Shades of Green more than two months out of the year because "it happened to a friend of hers last year." She had no clue the rules changed (neither did I). Her daughter is a FL resident and ended up getting a great deal on a room at Coronado! Now it's just tickets to worry about!

Future reference Widows fall under category 2 of ticketing for any room she chooses, I chose a random week in march selecting the standard room but of course they have more upgrades, but the only problem going forward will be availability! the pricing she would be pay will be for sure cheaper than anything offered at the WDW resort hands down!!

 

[larryz]

Right now, shades of green is the only avenue of approach to get the discount. The ticketing offices on military bases are closed due to the pandemic and they will refer you to Shades of green.

Just to update: Not all bases' ticket offices are closed. My local base has re-opened their ITT on an appointment basis.

Oh to answer your question your MIL discount is the Magic your Way (Base Tickets) on the brochure. Only Active Duty, 100% disabled vets and retirees get the Military Salute discount, everyone else gets the base military discount which is still good, key word is no sales tax!

If your MIL has a tan dependent ID, she's eligible for the Salute discount. If her recently deceased spouse retired from active duty, then she remains eligible for most perks he was entitled to, including rooms at Shades of Green. Again, that's IF she has a tan dependent ID.

 

[KellBelle]

I second what @larryz said. Our local base ITT office is open and I was able to buy Salute tickets about a month ago with no problem.

 

[JohnD]

Right now, shades of green is the only avenue of approach to get the discount. The ticketing offices on military bases are closed due to the pandemic and they will refer you to Shades of green.

This is a blurb from the shades of green website requiring what they would need from her but the hassle is worth it, not paying taxes and the magic your way ticket pricing is a Bigger discount than what’s Disney’s offering and so worth it all things considered.

Basically have her call this number (407) 824-1403 Or email advancedtickets@shadesofgreen.org to order tickets

It’s the only way because of covid to get Disney salute(active duty) or magic your way (disabled veterans with VA cards, etc for example)

So how it works right now is you call them or email them or who ever does it, then they will follow up with the brochures to your email with another form you fill out,the person going has to print it out, you cannot digitally sign it, it has to be signed in ink, you can either scan it back to the email or fax to the number on the email, then you will hear back from them soon and confirm everything and then take your method of payment at which time will mail out your cards. I politely asked them to scan my tickets to my email after the purchase so i can add them to my disney experience right away and start making my reservations right away and it worked. 4 days later i got my physical tickets. The whole process took a day and half and it took a bit because i email the form digitally and had to submit it in ink.

A bit of a hassle but the only way to get them, sorry. Oh to answer your question your MIL discount is the Magic your Way (Base Tickets) on the brochure. Only Active Duty, 100% disabled vets and retirees get the Military Salute discount, everyone else gets the base military discount which is still good, key word is no sales tax!

I'm not military but my father is a retired Captain. We went to the Navy Exchange on a navy base recently and I saw inside that you could purchase WDW tickets. Just an observation. I'm an annual passholder.

 

[Ldno]

I live close to Joint Base San Antonio with Lackland, Randolph AFB and Fort Sam Houston, they all work together when it comes to ITT and stuff, but even though they work with appointments they told me to call lackland, calling lackland gave me the round around in regards to sending them an email, the email from lackland told me to go through shades of green. But then again this was back in 9/8/2020 so of course situations change so who knows, rather than get tossed around CALL your local ITT office just in case. I’m pretty sure if I was in Fort Hood I wouldn’t have this issue but don’t know