Military- where do we go for best rates online?

[Jenleephoto]

How do I find out the best rates and ticket info for those of us that are military? We have only done WDW once before as military and only stayed two days so we went to SHades of green to get daily tix, but now I am interested in Hopper (going 4 days) do I get extra discount off the DIsney hopper being military?
is there a website where I can find out all military discounts at disney and best pricing /hotels/resorts? Last time we stayed at Polynesian (discount rate) but I was not impressed and we don't want to do Shades of Green..

thanks!

 

[deannaf87]

Check out militarydisneytips.com.

When are you going?

 

[Jenleephoto]

Check out militarydisneytips.com.

When are you going?

Thanks. Feb 15-19th.. or if I can swing it the week prior (since I hear 15-19 may be a "peak" week)

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

You can buy your tickets at your local MWR/ITT office or Shades of Green. To get the onsite hotel military pricing, you need to call Disney and ask. The discounts are 30% off value, 35% off moderates, and 40% off deluxes - very generous! Check out the military disney tips website, Steve is the man who runs it and he knows about everything there is to know about the military discounts. The 4 day armed forces salute ticket with park hopper is $177 (though my base sells them for $173.25 for some reason). You can buy 12 now, and one must be used by the spouse or sponsor. Right now, they are only valid until late December, but a full renewal for next year is basically expected to come out sometime this month.

 

[deannaf87]

Okay, the official announcement for 2016 has not come out yet, but expect it towards the end of summer. The armed forces salute ticket gives you a 4 day hopper for a great price. The 2015 price is $177, expect it to go up a bit for next year.

Usual room discounts are 30% for value, 35% for moderate, and 40% for deluxe.

As soon as the Armed Forces Salute renewal is announced, you will have to call Disney in order to book your hotel. You cannot apply the discount online.

 

[deannaf87]

Thanks. Feb 15-19th.. or if I can swing it the week prior (since I hear 15-19 may be a "peak" week)

In my experience the week before peak weeks are great times to go. I went the week before "Speaster" in 2013 and am going the week before Thanksgiving this year.

There will be a much better chance of getting the military discount on the room, if you go during a slower time. Be aware that just because rooms are available, the discount might not be. Disney only releases a certain number of discounted room types at each resort. You have to be flexible in order to snag one. I wanted to stay at Wilderness Lodge this year but my only option was Animal Kingdom Lodge, so AKL it was.

 

[Jenleephoto]

In my experience the week before peak weeks are great times to go. I went the week before "Speaster" in 2013 and am going the week before Thanksgiving this year.

There will be a much better chance of getting the military discount on the room, if you go during a slower time. Be aware that just because rooms are available, the discount might not be. Disney only releases a certain number of discounted room types at each resort. You have to be flexible in order to snag one. I wanted to stay at Wilderness Lodge this year but my only option was Animal Kingdom Lodge, so AKL it was.

Yeah , unfortunatley with trying to plan a trip with 4 other families.. flexibility is not happening a lot right now lol

 

[Jenleephoto]

Okay, the official announcement for 2016 has not come out yet, but expect it towards the end of summer. The armed forces salute ticket gives you a 4 day hopper for a great price. The 2015 price is $177, expect it to go up a bit for next year.

Usual room discounts are 30% for value, 35% for moderate, and 40% for deluxe.

As soon as the Armed Forces Salute renewal is announced, you will have to call Disney in order to book your hotel. You cannot apply the discount online.

can I get the ARmed Forces salute ticket to our family coming with us that is NOT military? I'd hate to get a great deal and then share it with my sister in-law and she not be able to get the same great deal. What is Disney's policy on this? thanks

 

[deannaf87]

can I get the ARmed Forces salute ticket to our family coming with us that is NOT military? I'd hate to get a great deal and then share it with my sister in-law and she not be able to get the same great deal. What is Disney's policy on this? thanks

You can only get 6 tickets. As long as the military member or spouse is present to activate, you can give the other 5 tickets to whoever you want. You won't be able to get more than the 6 tickets for 2016 though.

I am not certain if you'll be able to book the discount on the room reservations for other people. I want to say yes, but I am not positive.

 

[Jenleephoto]

You can only get 6 tickets. As long as the military member or spouse is present to activate, you can give the other 5 tickets to whoever you want. You won't be able to get more than the 6 tickets for 2016 though.

I am not certain if you'll be able to book the discount on the room reservations for other people. I want to say yes, but I am not positive.

Thanks for your help! Do you know if there is a certified Mlitary disney planner ? I'm really getting confused as to what I can save on or not. For instance, if we book the best disney rate we find now, and then military prices come out later this summer..can we get that discount taken off then? And I need to know if I can get the accomodations for my family members if they are NOT military (but we are)

I just need help overall LOL

 

[deannaf87]

Thanks for your help! Do you know if there is a certified Mlitary disney planner ? I'm really getting confused as to what I can save on or not. For instance, if we book the best disney rate we find now, and then military prices come out later this summer..can we get that discount taken off then? And I need to know if I can get the accomodations for my family members if they are NOT military (but we are)

I just need help overall LOL

I'm going to PM you.

 

[Jenleephoto]

You can only get 6 tickets. As long as the military member or spouse is present to activate, you can give the other 5 tickets to whoever you want. You won't be able to get more than the 6 tickets for 2016 though.

I am not certain if you'll be able to book the discount on the room reservations for other people. I want to say yes, but I am not positive.

plus online I am seeing a 3 day park at $175 per person. And this is not the military rate, this is just regular. So as a military member do I not save any additional on that? Is it just best to get the daily park rate if we don't plan to park hop?

 

[Shannon chesley]

We are going August and bought our 4 day hoppers through the base ticket office. 177 each X5=885. I called Disney and booked our room and dining plan right through them with a military discount. We did 4 nights/5 days initially at Ft Wilderness cabins with quick service dining, and the memory maker with military discount for 1983.00 but decided to change to AoA resort family suite same amount of time and dining for 2192.00. They were really good over the phone and even looked at other hotels with family suites to see about better rates. I feel we got an amazing deal for our upcoming vacation. In total 4 nights/5days with military discount tickets, dining plan and airline tickets which we booked ourselves was 3871. I priced the same package without getting the tickets through the base but through Disney and not including airfare and military discount and it was 4344.72. Can't wait to go..

 

[deannaf87]

plus online I am seeing a 3 day park at $175 per person. And this is not the military rate, this is just regular. So as a military member do I not save any additional on that? Is it just best to get the daily park rate if we don't plan to park hop?

Where are you seeing $175 for a 3 day ticket? A base 3 days adult ticket is $275.

A 4 day park hopper with no discount would be $369 per person, so military is savings $192 per ticket.

 

[crostorfer]

It's really not that difficult or overwhelming. The best ticket deal is the 4 Day Military Salute Tickets. You can buy up to 6 tickets. Only one ticket of the 6 has to be used by the Service Member or the spouse (you). No one else has to be in the military. You, or your spouse, had to be present with your military ID to activate the tickets at the ticket counter, or at Guest Relations. Instructions for doing so are printed on the voucher.

The military room offer is 30% off of a Value resort, 35% off of a moderate and 40% off of a Deluxe. I believe you can book a companion room under the offer, but both rooms need to be in your name, and you are subject to availability.

If you book now, and IF they renew the discount for 2016, then yes you can call and try to apply the discount to your already booked room, but it is not guaranteed that the room catagory, or even the resort you booked, will be available with the discount. Be prepared to change.

The military room only package is available with, or without dining. If you add dining, it's a $200 deposit with the balance due 45 days before you travel. If you book a room only without dining, the deposit is first night's stay with the balance due at check in.

 

[crostorfer]

Where are you seeing $175 for a 3 day ticket? A base 3 days adult ticket is $275.

A 4 day park hopper with no discount would be $369 per person, so military is savings $192 per ticket.

That sounds like DLR or US pricing, not WDW.

 

[CookieGVB]

You can only get 6 tickets. As long as the military member or spouse is present to activate, you can give the other 5 tickets to whoever you want. You won't be able to get more than the 6 tickets for 2016 though.

I am not certain if you'll be able to book the discount on the room reservations for other people. I want to say yes, but I am not positive.

This has just been changed to 12 tickets.

 

[crostorfer]

This has just been changed to 12 tickets.

Just until the end of 2015, since the offer has been extended. If the renew the offer for 2016, it should go back to 6.

 

[deannaf87]

Just until the end of 2015, since the offer has been extended. If the renew the offer for 2016, it should go back to 6.

Yep, Steve from militarydisneytips.com said it would go back to 6 in 2016.

 

[BabyFu18]

As far as booking more rooms with the military discount, I was told I can book a total of three rooms and the military member (or spouse) must be there at check in. I have not tried to book more than three rooms, but if you need more rooms than that I'd certainly call and speak with a CM to see if that would be possible. And remember, there is relatively a small number of rooms at each resort allotted for the military discount so you might need to be flexible about which resort you stay at.

Yes the salute tickets are your best bet for tickets, you can do a four day park hopper which would be your best bet price wise, however in 2016 you will be limited to 6 tickets again so you may not be able to get them for your whole extended family. Even if you cannot get the salute tickets for your extended family, you can still get a regular Disney ticket (any amount of days Disney sells) with a slight discount at SOG or at your base travel agency (if you have one). Now, of course that will not be as good of a deal as the salute tickets, but it is something if you need tickets for a large amount of people.