2010 Armed Forces Salute

[live4christp1]

Can anyone verify the National Guard info. We used this deal last year. Husband is National Guard (active drilling once monthly with 5 weeks of annual training this summer) but not currently on a full time active duty. I'm reading on some spots that National Guard need their ID plus orders. Last year DH just presented his ID.

Are we eligible to participate in this offer?

Thanks,
Cristy

 

[live4christp1]

Can anyone verify the National Guard info. We used this deal last year. Husband is National Guard (active drilling once monthly with 5 weeks of annual training this summer) but not currently on a full time active duty. I'm reading on some spots that National Guard need their ID plus orders. Last year DH just presented his ID.

Are we eligible to participate in this offer?

Thanks,
Cristy

 

[BridgetBordeaux]

It may not be crystal clear what the real life policy is until a couple of people like you, actually try it. We are only a few weeks into this promotion and even last year, the dust did not settle for quite some time.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

You could also call Shades of Green and leave a message with their ticket desk and they will return your call and give you an answer.

 

[TDS'93]

We would like to buy and gift these tickets (all six) to our kids and grandkids. My husband and I will be at WDW the first two weeks in March and the kids are going the end of March. Can we get the tickets while we are there, activate them and then give them to our kids when we get home for their trip? We will not be with them when they use them. My husband and I don't need them because we have annual passes.

Thanks
Linda

 

[Cheshire Figment]

We would like to buy and gift these tickets (all six) to our kids and grandkids. My husband and I will be at WDW the first two weeks in March and the kids are going the end of March. Can we get the tickets while we are there, activate them and then give them to our kids when we get home for their trip? We will not be with them when they use them. My husband and I don't need them because we have annual passes.

Thanks
Linda

Yes. As long as they are activated.

 

[TDS'93]

Yes. As long as they are activated.

Great! Thanks for the quick reply.

 

[Raidergx]

If your husband has a CAC card and it says Department of the Army on it, then you are good to go. Most CAC cards do not show that you are in the reserves or active duty. Therefore the Disney people will not know. ITR on the other hand might question you about it. But if you have that CAC card and it does not say NG or reserves ITR prolly will not ask you. You can buy through ITR via fax, You fax in a copy of your ID card and they will send you the tickets.

PM me if you want further info.

 

[dd50]

Yes. As long as they are activated.

All six? I thought one was reserved for the service person and it couldn't be used my any one else.

 

[natenapril]

For some reason I could have sworn I saw that this offer was extended til December but I have scoured this thread and do not see that info here. So I am guessing that I was reading info from last year

 

[Order66]

All six? I thought one was reserved for the service person and it couldn't be used my any one else.

The disney site says the service member and/or spouse can purchase up to 6 tickets. Last year it was also 6, 1 free + 5 for family/friends. I guess because the service member is not free this year it's simply listed as 6 tickets and does say and/or spouse can purchase 6.

So I'm wondering 2 things. Last year there was some yes and some no on whether or not more than 1 ticket could be used per person. Seemed the longer the offer went, the more lax it became. Any experience yet?

Other question...has anyone used a GAD ticket to upgrade to the military tickets?

There are just 3 of us going this year and I orginally planned it out to just do 5 park days....military 4 day w/WPM for the off days + our GAD ticket. I have a 1 day ticket left over and thought if we really wanted to do that extra day I could upgrade my 2 kids GAD to 2 day tickets...giving us 6 days.

But.....I understand the GAD ticket has to be used first. I planned on a DTD dinner/DQ day on arrival...because I haven't gotten airfare yet (too high!!!) and don't know exactly when we'd get in. I try for AM, but I'll take cheaper even if it's later! So I don't want to use the GAD on arrival day...for possibly only a few hours, but I will need our WPM tickets to do DQ. If we can use them for the military tickets..then no brainer. It would be too cheap not to buy them for the extra days rather than just upgrade 1 more regular day and we will have a day or two extra to burn on a few hours in the park and do DQ another night. But if not....I'd rather save the GAD until the next day for a full park day....and just go to SOG (or DTD if I'm feeling to lazy to save the tax) to pick up the military tickets when we arrive.

So if anyone has done either, please post your experience....positive or negative.

regards

 

[dd50]

The disney site says the service member and/or spouse can purchase up to 6 tickets. Last year it was also 6, 1 free + 5 for family/friends. I guess because the service member is not free this year it's simply listed as 6 tickets and does say and/or spouse can purchase 6.

So I'm wondering 2 things. Last year there was some yes and some no on whether or not more than 1 ticket could be used per person. Seemed the longer the offer went, the more lax it became. Any experience yet?

Other question...has anyone used a GAD ticket to upgrade to the military tickets?

There are just 3 of us going this year and I orginally planned it out to just do 5 park days....military 4 day w/WPM for the off days + our GAD ticket. I have a 1 day ticket left over and thought if we really wanted to do that extra day I could upgrade my 2 kids GAD to 2 day tickets...giving us 6 days.

But.....I understand the GAD ticket has to be used first. I planned on a DTD dinner/DQ day on arrival...because I haven't gotten airfare yet (too high!!!) and don't know exactly when we'd get in. I try for AM, but I'll take cheaper even if it's later! So I don't want to use the GAD on arrival day...for possibly only a few hours, but I will need our WPM tickets to do DQ. If we can use them for the military tickets..then no brainer. It would be too cheap not to buy them for the extra days rather than just upgrade 1 more regular day and we will have a day or two extra to burn on a few hours in the park and do DQ another night. But if not....I'd rather save the GAD until the next day for a full park day....and just go to SOG (or DTD if I'm feeling to lazy to save the tax) to pick up the military tickets when we arrive.

So if anyone has done either, please post your experience....positive or negative.

regards

Where did you find that on the disney site? I have been trying to search but keep coming up with the 2009 info.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

The GAD ticket does not have to be used first.

The requirement is that the GAD ticket must be used the day the voucher is redeemed.

And if you are going for five days, economically your best bet would be the Armed Forces Salute Ticket for four days and the GAD for one day.

If you will be getting hopping on the Armed Forces Salute ticket, then redeem and use the GAD on the day that you will not be hopping.

If you get the WPF&M option on the Armed Forces Salute Tickets, those entries may be used on days separately from the major theme park days.

This is a "canned" response modified for the Armed Forces Salute 2010 tickets with the assumption you have both the Park Hopper and Water Park Fun and More (WPF&M) options.

Hopefully this will make it a little clearer. In effect you have two tickets with different privileges on one card. Everything expires at Midnight on September 30, 2010. Even if you use up all your major park days, the WPF&M entries remain valid until used or 09/30/10. (Note you do not have to use the days consecutively.)

You have four days of access to the four major parks (AK, DHS, EC, MK), and may visit more than one major park on a single day without any extra charges. Without the Park Hopper option you can only go to one major park per day.

You have four entries to the minor parks (BB, DQ, OT, TL, WWS). These may or may not be used on the same days as you go to the major parks. However, if you went to TL in the morning, Oak Trail in the afternoon, and Disney Quest in the evening of one day you would have used three of the four entries. (Note that leaving and returning to the same minor park on the same day does not use an extra entry.)

If you go to minor parks only on one day and do not go to a major park you do not use up one of your major park days.

If you were to go to a Water Park in the morning and then one of the major parks for the remainder of the day you would have used one minor park entry and one day of major park entry.

Note that with the ticket unless you have the hopper option you can only go to one major park per day. Unless you have the WPF&M option you cannot go to a minor park without upgrading or purchasing a separate ticket.

 

[Order66]

Where did you find that on the disney site? I have been trying to search but keep coming up with the 2009 info.

Military Info

The GAD ticket does not have to be used first.

The requirement is that the GAD ticket must be used the day the voucher is redeemed.

Let me rephrase that! I understand the GAD must be redeemed and used on the same day and then AFTER it's been activated as a ticket through a park turnstile.....it can be upgraded to other length of day tickets.

More clear what I was asking? Our trip is going to be 9 days. I have a plan of how to do this trip with only 5 park days, paying for a 2nd day on the 2 kids GAD 1 day tickets to give us 6 if we want. I know, not the most economical way to use it, but OK with doing it that way and still cheaper than buying full price hopper w/WPM options for the 3 of us. So I do need to buy 3 military tickets the first day to get into DQ. And I know I can't redeem the vouchers there. We planned on using our GAD vouchers for tickets to MK on our 2nd day. But if I can use them to upgrade to military tickets, then I wouldn't be able to on day 2 since I bought tickets on day 1 and I'm supposed to buy them at one time....unless the rules have been relaxed on this as they were last year. Then....problem solved. So I guess that's a 3rd question. Can you buy up to your allotment in 2 transactions?

But if we can upgrade 2 vouchers to military tickets, then I'd be happy to use the GAD vouchers on our first 1/2 day there since we'd get 8 park days for such a nominal fee.

Clear as mud now? LOL

 

[auroraarielella]

If the tickets are purchased at any location other than a WDW Ticket Window all you actaully get is an "exchange certificate". This is read by the system at a window, the demographic information entered, and the exchange certificate then becomes an actual valid ticket. Until the certificate is activated it will not unlock any turnstile.

What if it is purchased at the SOG at WDW? Is it a voucher or a ticket? Is it a voucher that has to be taken to a WDW Ticket Window (outside the park) and be activated? Or do they give you the actual ticket at SAG-WDW?

My MIL is Military Widow and just arrived at SOG at WDW right now with some of her grandchildren. She would like to buy tickets for our children (her grandchildren) to use when we go to WDW this summer. I want to be sure I understand what she has to do to be sure our kids aren't turned away on a "technicality". The four of them that are there now, and the two grandchildren this summer would use up her "six".

What I am thinking is she has two steps:
1. Buy the vouchers at SOG.
2. Activate the vouchers at a WDW Ticket Window and receive tickets.

Then, put the actual tickets in her purse and don't use them to enter a park.

Do I have that right?

 

[mdrob214]

What if it is purchased at the SOG at WDW? Is it a voucher or a ticket? Is it a voucher that has to be taken to a WDW Ticket Window (outside the park) and be activated? Or do they give you the actual ticket at SAG-WDW?

My MIL is Military Widow and just arrived at SOG at WDW right now with some of her grandchildren. She would like to buy tickets for our children (her grandchildren) to use when we go to WDW this summer. I want to be sure I understand what she has to do to be sure our kids aren't turned away on a "technicality". The four of them that are there now, and the two grandchildren this summer would use up her "six".

What I am thinking is she has two steps:
1. Buy the vouchers at SOG.
2. Activate the vouchers at a WDW Ticket Window and receive tickets.

Then, put the actual tickets in her purse and don't use them to enter a park.

Do I have that right?

Yes, she still has to take them to Guest Services at a park or DTD to activate them.

 

[Mikl657]

forgive me, I didn't read all the pages in the thread so if this has been answered sorry

But, I have a 8 day trip planned for 2 this spring and was wondering if I can buy 4 tickets? (myself being military) and use 2 on each of us giving us 8 days total each?(using multiple tickets per person)?

 

[jusero]

Still a great deal. I only wish we could add days. 5 days wasn't enough for us last year, and there's no way 4 will cut it.

Any news on a room discount? Link to offer?

I know, I am very thankful they are offering a deal again this year, but we are going to be there a lot longer then four days. I wonder if you can buy two $99 and use them back-to-back for a full eight days. It's cheaper than an 8-day ticket.

 

[jusero]

That is definitely a consideration. I hear it's a very nice resort. I'd prefer to stay at a Disney run resort if we can but SOG is a great alternative. I had almost forgot about it. Thanks for the reminder!

Shades is wonderful! I would put the rooms/size/ammenities on par with Disney's moderate hotels. And, as stated, it is right across the street from the Poly so you have easy access to the boats and monorail if you don't like the buses.

 

[mdrob214]

I know, I am very thankful they are offering a deal again this year, but we are going to be there a lot longer then four days. I wonder if you can buy two $99 and use them back-to-back for a full eight days. It's cheaper than an 8-day ticket.

A few people have asked exactly that. I've considered it for 3 of us, and then buying and AP for me (because then I could maybe do a girlfriends' trip!) I was thinking we could add PH and WP&M to one of them (making sure to mark it) to use on days we want to hop. It's a great prospect, but I don't want to buy unless I know it'll work.

Waiting to hear if we will be allowed to buy more than one ticket per person!

 

[littlezar]

We have a trip planned for the end of August - only available time to go due to upcoming deployment work ups/school schedules/hubby currently in Haiti. Since tickets must be purchased by the end of July, I called the two bases near me to see if they had tickets available yet and both said they have the 4 day base tickets and the other tickets with PH and/or WPF&M would not be available on base. We'd like both of those options so my question is can we add those once we get to Disney and if so, would I only have to add $50 or so per ticket (making it the same price as if I'd bought it with those options on base vs whatever the price would normally be for both options?)