Official 2013/2014 Disney Military Promotion

[jaz0308]

Does anyone know if they will allow you to book a room onsite at a military rate and also take advantage of a free dining promotion? I have always assumed this would not be allowed but realized I never "actually" checked! Just having some rumblings of ideas for the Fall (which I realize assumes they would renew the discount for 2014/15 AND that free dining is offered when I'm hoping to go but hey...here's hoping!)
Has anyone ever been able to book a military rate during free dining promotion?

 

[crostorfer]

Does anyone know if they will allow you to book a room onsite at a military rate and also take advantage of a free dining promotion? I have always assumed this would not be allowed but realized I never "actually" checked! Just having some rumblings of ideas for the Fall (which I realize assumes they would renew the discount for 2014/15 AND that free dining is offered when I'm hoping to go but hey...here's hoping!)
Has anyone ever been able to book a military rate during free dining promotion?

No you may not. That would be double dipping on discounts. Free dining promotions honestly make no sense for military, considering in order to take advantage of free dining you are required to purchase a package with full priced tickets. Your Armed Forces Salute tickets plus 30-40% room discount is a much greater savings than full priced ticket, full priced room, and free dining.

 

[Tonyslady]

What is determined as being an "immediate family member" for the salute tickets? I have see where it says that for members with more than 6 immediate foamy members an exception can be made as to the amount of tickets that can be purchased.

Tia

 

[crostorfer]

What is determined as being an "immediate family member" for the salute tickets? I have see where it says that for members with more than 6 immediate foamy members an exception can be made as to the amount of tickets that can be purchased.

Tia

Spouse and children

 

[hhill]

Once I link them to MDE I still need to get them activate it at the park? How do I do that? Do I need to bring the Voucher I get on post? Does it take long and where in the park do the do this ?

 

[crostorfer]

Once I link them to MDE I still need to get them activate it at the park? How do I do that? Do I need to bring the Voucher I get on post? Does it take long and where in the park do the do this ?

They shouldn't give you a voucher on post, they should give you your actual inactive plastic ticket. (They give you a voucher for DLR, WDW has always been different.) To activate it you must be the military member OR the military member's spouse, and take the tickets to the ticket window outside one of the parks or at DTD with your valid ID. It takes 10-15 minutes, they will take your info and the info of every member of your party. (They don't have to be with you, but you must know their full names and birth dates.) After that, the tickets are able to use.

With MB's and FP+, you can still link your tickets and reserve FP times, you will do so with the bar code on the back of your (inactive) ticket. You just input it to MDE.

 

[sharonabe]

Does anyone know if they will allow you to book a room onsite at a military rate and also take advantage of a free dining promotion? I have always assumed this would not be allowed but realized I never "actually" checked! Just having some rumblings of ideas for the Fall (which I realize assumes they would renew the discount for 2014/15 AND that free dining is offered when I'm hoping to go but hey...here's hoping!)
Has anyone ever been able to book a military rate during free dining promotion?

There is a way you can do free dining with salute tickets, but not with a room discount.

You can book a free dining pkg with the minimal days tickets (usually two-day) and then when you get there, upgrade the tickets to the salute tickets. This only works if you want the park hopper AND water parks salute tickets.

Depending on your family make-up and how many days you want to stay, this may not be a cheaper option than the room discount/tickets and paying OOP for food.

However, right now, there are no free dining promotions running, so this may be a mute point.

 

[AUDramaQueen]

We are checking in on a Friday night and want to activate our military tickets that night before we head to the parks Saturday morning.

We have linked the tickets to MDE, reserved FP+, and our Magic Bands are on their way.

What would make more sense and cause less problems: Check in to our resort and then head to DTD to activate the tickets? OR activate the tickets before we check in?

Or does it not really matter?

 

[crostorfer]

We are checking in on a Friday night and want to activate our military tickets that night before we head to the parks Saturday morning. We have linked the tickets to MDE, reserved FP+, and our Magic Bands are on their way. What would make more sense and cause less problems: Check in to our resort and then head to DTD to activate the tickets? OR activate the tickets before we check in? Or does it not really matter?

Doesn't matter. I always check in first to the hotel because we come from the airport on DME. You could do it either way if you have your own car.

 

[disney-inspired]

Hi Steve,

My BIL was told that they could receive a discount on the Disney Dining plan as well as hotel. From all the research that I have done, I have yet to find any confirmation about this statement.

I know SOG has their own dining plan but my BIL said they clarified that it was the one for on-property guests.

Is this something that is not available to all military personnel or are they confused?

It will be my BIL, sister, DNeice and myself going next year and I don't want them to make a mistake and get wrong thing.

Thank you for your help!

 

[crostorfer]

Hi Steve, My BIL was told that they could receive a discount on the Disney Dining plan as well as hotel. From all the research that I have done, I have yet to find any confirmation about this statement. I know SOG has their own dining plan but my BIL said they clarified that it was the one for on-property guests. Is this something that is not available to all military personnel or are they confused? It will be my BIL, sister, DNeice and myself going next year and I don't want them to make a mistake and get wrong thing. Thank you for your help!

There is no such thing as a "discount" on the dining plan. Military members are eligible to add a dining plan, at full price, to their military room only reservation in order to make it a package, but there is no cost savings. Your BIL is mistaken.

 

[disney-inspired]

There is no such thing as a "discount" on the dining plan. Military members are eligible to add a dining plan, at full price, to their military room only reservation in order to make it a package, but there is no cost savings. Your BIL is mistaken.

That's what I told my sister. Every site says it can be added on at full price.
They said they're going to check it out and I told them 'go ahead' but I'm not taking that person's word for it.

I will probably be visiting them in the fall so she said we can go on base and check it out together.

 

[BridgetBordeaux]

I have to admit up front I have not combed through all the threads for the answer to my question. Thanks in advance for trying to answer it. Here we go.................

Staying at Pop soon

Will drive to SOG to get our 4 day salute tix

I am assuming Pop will give us a Magic Band for room access.

Will I be able to link the Salute tix to my MB via an internet connection once I have the tickets in my hand?

I want to try to avoid the kiosk lines in the parks by selecting our 3 FP+ experiences once we have the tickets in our hands and have set things up in MDE.

I have posted this in a different area as well and am hoping to get feedback from someone who has been in our shoes.

 

[crostorfer]

I have to admit up front I have not combed through all the threads for the answer to my question. Thanks in advance for trying to answer it. Here we go.................

Staying at Pop soon

Will drive to SOG to get our 4 day salute tix

I am assuming Pop will give us a Magic Band for room access.

Will I be able to link the Salute tix to my MB via an internet connection once I have the tickets in my hand?

I want to try to avoid the kiosk lines in the parks by selecting our 3 FP+ experiences once we have the tickets in our hands and have set things up in MDE.

I have posted this in a different area as well and am hoping to get feedback from someone who has been in our shoes.

Yes, you should be able to. Keep in mind after you go to pick your tickets up at SoG you need to go across the street to the Ticket and Transportation Center to activate them. If you arrive in the afternoon/evening you are better off doing this right away, rather than waiting until the next morning if you are heading to the parks. It always takes way more time to activate them than people think, and in the afternoon/evening you won't have as many people at the ticket booth to contend with. Mornings can be a little hectic there, especially if you arrive with a group of people from the parking lot tram who hop off right in front of you.

 

[BridgetBordeaux]

Your information and advice is very helpful. Thanks a bunch!

 

[StayCool]

I called today to change my resort reservation and the CM asked me at the end if there was anything else he could do for me. I asked him about the military discount and he was certain that it would be renewed. Of course my next question was when?!? lol He told me in the next few months. I'm dying to have my trip plans finalized and this is one of those things I would just like to finish. I'm guessing we will save about $1000 between the ticket and room discounts.

 

[StayCool]

Ok, so I just read this whole thread and I want to be sure I've got my head screwed on right.

My husband is a retired veteran and we are hoping to use the military discount for the room and get tickets through a local base. That will save use about $700 on our room and a fair amount on our tickets.

My question is this (keeping in mind that to my husband vacation = eating!):

If free dining comes out I think I can save more by going that route. Here's my numbers:

POR Royal Room (full price) $2009 Military discount: $1306
DDP (free) $1873 Dining oop: ~$1500
Tickets (2 day) ~$800 Military Salute: ~$800
Upgrade to Military Salute ~$60
Total: $2869 Total: $3606

Does that make sense? Or did I just lose my last marble?

 

[crostorfer]

Ok, so I just read this whole thread and I want to be sure I've got my head screwed on right. My husband is a retired veteran and we are hoping to use the military discount for the room and get tickets through a local base. That will save use about $700 on our room and a fair amount on our tickets. My question is this (keeping in mind that to my husband vacation = eating!): If free dining comes out I think I can save more by going that route. Here's my numbers: POR Royal Room (full price) $2009 Military discount: $1306 DDP (free) $1873 Dining oop: ~$1500 Tickets (2 day) ~$800 Military Salute: ~$800 Upgrade to Military Salute ~$60 Total: $2869 Total: $3606 Does that make sense? Or did I just lose my last marble?

Either you are way over thinking this, or you've got some terminology wrong. Free dining is never a better deal than a military room only discount with Armed Forces Salute tickets, because free dining requires full priced Magic Your Way tickets. AFS tickets are 4 Day Park Hoppers for $169, upgradeable to Water Park and more for another $30. The same MYW ticket, after tax is over $400 per person.

What do you mean by upgrade to Military Salute?

 

[StayCool]

We are planning to upgrade our 2 day tickets (from the Free Dining Promo) to the 4 day Salute tickets (with WP&M) when we get there. So, right now, we are only able to schedule 2 days of Fast passes + and I'm nervous about what will be left when we get there. I'm hoping we can make this work. Upgrading to the salute tickets is far cheaper than upgrading to a regular 4 day ticket.

Someone mentioned doing this and CF confirmed in it an earlier post. I wish I had known last year too, since we paid for regular 4 day tickets to get free dining in 2012.

Basically, as long as the military ticket is more than the 2 day base ticket you get from Disney, you can upgrade. This means that after we use one park day, we can upgrade the ticket to a salute ticket, with water parks and more (since this is more than a base ticket). We'll have to pay the tax, since we'll upgrade at the Disney ticket window. The cost difference to upgrade from a 2 day base ticket to a 4 day water parks and more salute ticket is $14 plus tax per adult, and $26 plus tax per kid.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong about this upgrade.

Either you are way over thinking this, or you've got some terminology wrong. Free dining is never a better deal than a military room only discount with Armed Forces Salute tickets, because free dining requires full priced Magic Your Way tickets. AFS tickets are 4 Day Park Hoppers for $169, upgradeable to Water Park and more for another $30. The same MYW ticket, after tax is over $400 per person.

What do you mean by upgrade to Military Salute?

My bad. Military Salute = Armed Forces Salute tickets.

The whole thing is, if free dining comes out and I put my reservation under that but only get 2 day base tickets for each of us, then I can upgrade them at guest services to the 4 day WP&M military passes. Then I would get "free dining" and cheap tickets...

Therefore I would get the additional savings.

Does that make more sense?

 

[crostorfer]

My bad. Military Salute = Armed Forces Salute tickets.

The whole thing is, if free dining comes out and I put my reservation under that but only get 2 day base tickets for each of us, then I can upgrade them at guest services to the 4 day WP&M military passes. Then I would get "free dining" and cheap tickets...

Therefore I would get the additional savings.

Does that make more sense?

"Basically, as long as the military ticket is more than the 2 day base ticket you get from Disney, you can upgrade."

2 Day adult base tickets are $400.44 for two adults after tax.

2 4 Day Armed Forces Salute tickets for 2 are $338.00

This strategy no longer works, considering they just raised ticket prices.