Official 2012/2013 Disney Military Promotion - Updated Post #187

[anc876]

The WDW and DLR ticketing systems do not talk directly to each other. People at one location in Guest Relations can look at the other system's tickets, but this is only done to confirm validity of tickets if there is a crossover situation.

The Armed Forces Salute limitations are separate for the two locations. And you cannot purchase tickets for one coast from the other.

Thanks for the info. What do you mean about not being able to buy tickets for one coast from the other? According to my local AFB's ITT website (I am in AZ), I can purchase Florida tickets but they are special order and may take up to 14 business days to receive.

 

[hmdavid]

Thanks for the info. What do you mean about not being able to buy tickets for one coast from the other? According to my local AFB's ITT website (I am in AZ), I can purchase Florida tickets but they are special order and may take up to 14 business days to receive.

It means you can't buy your Disneyland tickets while visiting Disney World.

 

[anc876]

It means you can't buy your Disneyland tickets while visiting Disney World.

Oh I see, thanks.

Called ITT today and was told that the military ticket promotion for DLR and WDW is indeed separate, so a service member can purchase 6 tickets for DLR and another 6 tickets for WDW.

 

[kramerzoo]

I have a question for everyone...I have checked with ITT at a military base nearest our house and was told that they wouldn't get any tickets for the new promotion until probably October 1st. She told me that they haven't even ordered the new tickets. However, I know I read somewhere that tickets would be available after August 17th.
I am just concerned because we leave October 11th and there is no guarantee they would be in by the 11th.
Has anyone bought tickets at their base or post recently for the new promotion year??
Any thoughts or ideas?? We aren't staying at Shades and have ADR at AK first thing on Friday the 12th.
Guess I am just being really antsy and paranoid...haha
Thanks for the help!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

If you cannot get them at a military base (or SoG) you can buy them at any Park Ticket or Guest Relations Window (not at a Resort), but it will cost about $10 extra per ticket as Sales Tax must be charged.

 

[kramerzoo]

If you cannot get them at a military base (or SoG) you can buy them at any Park Ticket or Guest Relations Window (not at a Resort), but it will cost about $10 extra per ticket as Sales Tax must be charged.

You mean the ticket windows at the park entrance....or do we have to go to TTC. We are staying at AKL.

 

[becky11]

You mean the ticket windows at the park entrance....or do we have to go to TTC. We are staying at AKL.

Any park ticket window (TTC for the Magic Kingdom), or Guest Relations at DTD. I don't believe you can buy them at the resorts.

 

[Pyrate_Pryncess]

I have an upgrade question. DH and I are going in Feb. We are using the salute 4 day passes and are staying for 5 nights. We are also FL Residents. This will be the only trip for 2013.

We check in on Sunday and out on Friday. Can we arrive and go to MK for EMH on Sunday night using our salute passes and then upgrade on Monday to the weekday select?

I am only trying to add one more park day to our trip and this looks like it is the least expensive option for us. Is it possible to do?

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

I have an upgrade question. DH and I are going in Feb. We are using the salute 4 day passes and are staying for 5 nights. We are also FL Residents. This will be the only trip for 2013.

We check in on Sunday and out on Friday. Can we arrive and go to MK for EMH on Sunday night using our salute passes and then upgrade on Monday to the weekday select?

I am only trying to add one more park day to our trip and this looks like it is the least expensive option for us. Is it possible to do?

No, you can't add a day to them, but I believe you can exchange them towards the purchase of a more expensive ticket.

 

[Pyrate_Pryncess]

I know we can't just add Sunday! Thats why I was asking, if we timed it right, if we could upgrade it to the more expensive Weekday Select annual pass!

The question is, can we upgrade them AFTER we have already used a day or 2 off of them or do we need to upgrade them before we use them!

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

I have a question for everyone...I have checked with ITT at a military base nearest our house and was told that they wouldn't get any tickets for the new promotion until probably October 1st. She told me that they haven't even ordered the new tickets. However, I know I read somewhere that tickets would be available after August 17th.
I am just concerned because we leave October 11th and there is no guarantee they would be in by the 11th.
Has anyone bought tickets at their base or post recently for the new promotion year??
Any thoughts or ideas?? We aren't staying at Shades and have ADR at AK first thing on Friday the 12th.
Guess I am just being really antsy and paranoid...haha
Thanks for the help!

EDIT: SOG have the Armed Forces Salute 20012/13 tickets now.

I too read that they were available Aug. 17.

I just got back from Patrick AFB ticket office and they don't have the new ones either. I was told they should have them first week of Oct. I was hoping to get them now because we will be at WDW tomorrow (using up the last one) and want them for our Oct.3/4 trip. Waiting to hear from SOG to see if they have them.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

As I stated in Post #1 of this thread, the only way Salute tickets can have days added is to upgrade to any level of AP the person is eligible for. For Weekday Select or Seasonal proof of Florida Residency is required. And there is no price-bridging to MYW equyal; you only get the gate value (plus tax) toward the cost of the AP.

 

[Pyrate_Pryncess]

Thanks! Thats what I needed to know!

 

[Mariellen102]

The key is a service member may activate no more than six tickets during the entire promotion. If six are activated, one must be for the service member. Once the tickets are activated the service member does not have to be present for use.

The name, date of birth, address and telephone number of each person must be entered in the Automated Ticketing System at the time of activation.

Some of the pointws are not yet clear. For example, the Press Release says all must be activated at the same time, and it con only be done once during the promotion. The internal information implies that activation can only be done once. There are still other points which require clarification.

I have been hearing conflicting reports. Do all 6 people need to be there at ticket activation or just my husband who is the service member??

 

[MadAlice1025]

What I don't understand is why do the ITT not have the tickets if WDW page states they are available for sale 17 August? That makes no sense. Our ITT doesn't have them, or know when they will get them. It is making me very nervous to get them before our October trip. To make them work they way they are supposed to, they need to have them available by 17 September since it takes 2 weeks for them to arrive and the new tickets start 1 October.

 

[appleorchard]

This is pretty much the way it's been every year since the promo started--great confusion for the first few weeks ITTs don't have the tickets or know how they work, etc. You can always buy them at the gate if you have to, even if it is a few extra dollars per ticket. Or at SoG.

 

[IrishTink]

I have 1-day base tickets purchased several years ago that have never been activated. Can I go through the turnstiles first and then upgrade at Guest Services *inside* the park to get the current value applied to the Military tickets, or do I have to do it outside the park and get the price applied that we actually paid?

Also, the four of us really need a 5-day ticket. I know you can't add days to the Military ticket, but can a 5th pass be purchased that can be used by each of us for one day during the duration of our stay?

Thanks!!!

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

I have 1-day base tickets purchased several years ago that have never been activated. Can I go through the turnstiles first and then upgrade at Guest Services *inside* the park to get the current value applied to the Military tickets, or do I have to do it outside the park and get the price applied that we actually paid?

Also, the four of us really need a 5-day ticket. I know you can't add days to the Military ticket, but can a 5th pass be purchased that can be used by each of us for one day during the duration of our stay?

Thanks!!!

Taken from Cheshire Figment's Everything About WDW Tickets sticky:

If you have unused non-promotional tickets and wish to have them applied to the purchase of Tickets, this may be done provided the value of the unused tickets is equal to or less than the value of the tickets being purchased or upgraded. You cannot use a GAD ticket to upgrade to an Armed Forces Salute ticket.

I take that to mean that you can only present an UNUSED ticket to apply it to the purchase of a Military Salute ticket. That's what I plan to do, just to be safe.

For the second part, the answer is definitely no. The Military Salute tickets require finger scans, plus you have to give a name/address/DOB for each person that will be using a MS ticket, and those names are printed on the tickets (if you buy them at Guest Relations, which you will if you're trading in unused tickets). There's no easy way to get a 5th day. Either cut back to 4, or add the Water Parks Fun & More option, which gives you 4 entries to water parks and/or DisneyQuest and/or mini-golf and/or a 9-hole round of golf. That gives you plenty to do on a 5th day.

Hope this helps and have a fun time!

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

This is pretty much the way it's been every year since the promo started--great confusion for the first few weeks ITTs don't have the tickets or know how they work, etc. You can always buy them at the gate if you have to, even if it is a few extra dollars per ticket. Or at SoG.

We went over to SOG because they are selling the 2012/13 tickets now.

 

[IrishTink]

Taken from Cheshire Figment's Everything About WDW Tickets sticky:

If you have unused non-promotional tickets and wish to have them applied to the purchase of Tickets, this may be done provided the value of the unused tickets is equal to or less than the value of the tickets being purchased or upgraded. You cannot use a GAD ticket to upgrade to an Armed Forces Salute ticket.

I take that to mean that you can only present an UNUSED ticket to apply it to the purchase of a Military Salute ticket. That's what I plan to do, just to be safe.

For the second part, the answer is definitely no. The Military Salute tickets require finger scans, plus you have to give a name/address/DOB for each person that will be using a MS ticket, and those names are printed on the tickets (if you buy them at Guest Relations, which you will if you're trading in unused tickets). There's no easy way to get a 5th day. Either cut back to 4, or add the Water Parks Fun & More option, which gives you 4 entries to water parks and/or DisneyQuest and/or mini-golf and/or a 9-hole round of golf. That gives you plenty to do on a 5th day.

Hope this helps and have a fun time!

Thanks Claire! I didn't think we could purchase a 5th ticket for "sharing" -- but it sure would have been nice! Also, I know we can upgrade using an old ticket, but didn't know if you could only do it at Guest Services outside the gate prior to going through the turnstile. I didn't want to use the 1-day base ticket to enter the park and then have them tell me it couldn't be upgraded because it was already activated. That's the part I was trying to get clarification on.