Have you ever heard the quote “Life is short. take the trip. buy the shoes. eat the cake.”
Well, this resonates with me so well now. I’m all about making the memories with my children and living each day to the fullest. Family trips have always been our favorite so I want to keep that tradition alive as best as I can.
Whether you are new to Disney vacations or a seasoned veteran, I thought it would be helpful to share my recent Disney trip planning tips; utilizing some of the military discount benefits available. As a military surviving spouse with a valid military ID card, you may still benefit from some of the same discounts as an active-duty Service Member spouse.
If you are unsure of your eligibility, then here is a Disney Military Discount Eligibility Guide:
Booking a Disney trip can be overwhelming but especially now where you have to make your park reservations well in advance before entering a park. Here is a breakdown on how to obtain certain military discounts for your trip.
First, I would recommend obtaining a Disney Authorized Travel Agent. I personally have used Moments of Magic Travel and have been very satisfied with their level of service and knowledge. Their complimentary Disney services provide a custom plan for your family such as hotel booking, reserving advanced dining reservations, stroller rentals, linking your theme park tickets to your My Disney Experience account, and so much more. I would highly recommend them to anyone who wants to plan a Disney vacation to make your trip seamless!
Contact them @momentsofmagictravel or 888-50-MOUSE.
As for special military pricing, a Disney Authorized Travel Agent can provide pricing for hotels on Disney property at a significantly reduced rate tailored to your family’s budget and needs. Another option would be to stay at Shades of Green which is an Armed Forces Recreation Center Resort located right on Walt Disney World property near Orlando, Florida if you meet their eligibility requirements. Eligibility :: Shades of Green
Second, there are two ways to purchase the Military Salute Disney tickets. Please note the current policy is no more than six Military Promotional Tickets can be purchased per calendar year.
1. You can obtain theme park ticket purchases at your closest U.S. military installation. Note: these tickets will need to be validated at Guest Services on Disney property prior to your first theme park entry.
2. Contact the Shades of Green attraction ticket office to pre-purchase tickets.
Note: These tickets do not have to be validated prior to theme park entry.
To purchase your tickets from Shades of Green simply send an email to advancedtickets@shadesofgreen.org with your desire to pre-purchase military tickets. They will send documents for you to complete, a current detailed pricing sheet, and instructions for completing the transaction. Once those documents are complete, they will mail you the tickets. Once you receive the tickets, you can then simply link them directly in to your My Disney Experience account.
Here is the latest Military pricing:
U.S. Military Members: Enjoy Specially Priced Theme Park Tickets | Walt Disney World Resort (go.com)
Third, capturing your Disney memories will be priceless for years to come. If you choose to buy the Memory Maker which is a Disney Photo pass product then definitely wait until you arrive so you can receive the significantly reduced military discounted price. You can purchase using a military discount upon arrival at Disney property since this cannot be purchased in advance. You will need to present your valid military ID to any of the Guest Services to purchase the discounted price.
Lastly, I recommend reviewing the latest Disney COVID guidance below often since it seems to change frequently.
Hope you and your family have a magical time!
Much love and gratitude,
Erica
