2019 Armed Forces Salute Renewal Announced!

[disney-inspired]

Hello!

We are planning our trip for January 2019, anyone else going to be on pins and needles waiting for the renewal notice in early fall? I thought I would start a thread for the other military families who are eagerly planning their 2019 vacation.

This year our traveling party will include with my cousin, his wide and their two kids (5 & 2). That makes us a total of 6 adults and 4 kids so it's a new planning ball game.

Now it's just time to play the waiting game!

EDITED TO UPDATE:​

The 2019 renewal was announced on the Disney World website on September 27th.

Walt Disney World Armed Forces Salute ticket information

Walt Disney World Armed Forces Salute hotel discount information

 

[WDWRookie2009]

Hello! We are planning to go June 2019. Son is graduating and turning 18 .. and when asked where he wants to go to celebrate ? Disney! First and last time we went to Disney world was back in 2009! We go to Disneyland often enough but we are all super excited to head back ! We will have a big group also, 7 adults and 3 kiddos! So much has change since 2009 so I figured I better start researching now ! I can’t wait for the 2019 Military deals to be released !!

 

[Momtwofour]

Just decided we are going to try and go July 2019. I was disheartened to read that Disney is cutting back on the military room discounts. My son is disabled and on limited income so the discount has allowed him to go with his daughter. Fingers crossed they continue with the discount and that we can get what we are looking for. We have to work around his visitation with his daughter and my 14 yr olds band schedule so we are not as flexible as I would like to be. I am also researching SOG as a back up.

 

[disney-inspired]

Just decided we are going to try and go July 2019. I was disheartened to read that Disney is cutting back on the military room discounts. My son is disabled and on limited income so the discount has allowed him to go with his daughter. Fingers crossed they continue with the discount and that we can get what we are looking for. We have to work around his visitation with his daughter and my 14 yr olds band schedule so we are not as flexible as I would like to be. I am also researching SOG as a back up.

I know what you mean! I was reading the article on the Military Disney Tips blog. I'm hoping that when we want to go (end of January) that the availability is high so we can get the biggest discount. Fingers crossed for your family too!

 

[disney-inspired]

Bumping this thread because I AM ANXIOUS.

 

[Momtwofour]

Bumping this thread because I AM ANXIOUS.

I have been doing a lot of research on SOG and it is really nice!!! There is a really good video on YouTube a guy just did that shows the resort. I feel totally comfortable with my back up plan now!

 

[disney-inspired]

I have been doing a lot of research on SOG and it is really nice!!! There is a really good video on YouTube a guy just did that shows the resort. I feel totally comfortable with my back up plan now!

While I'm pretty much OK with any hotel that will allow us to stay onsite and within our budget but my BIL is not. He is DETERMINED to stay at AKL! I admire his all or nothing attitude so i'm not discouraging him until we have a reason to rethink our plans.

I think they would be OK downgrading to AOA if the discount isn't available for our dates/resort. There will be 4 kids in the group, 5 and under so they will all love it.

 

[Momtwofour]

While I'm pretty much OK with any hotel that will allow us to stay onsite and within our budget but my BIL is not. He is DETERMINED to stay at AKL! I admire his all or nothing attitude so i'm not discouraging him until we have a reason to rethink our plans.

I think they would be OK downgrading to AOA if the discount isn't available for our dates/resort. There will be 4 kids in the group, 5 and under so they will all love it.

We have stayed at both. Loved AKL and AoA is also very nice but I think SOG is probably nicer that AoA. It looks to have the feel of a deluxe.
I am not very confident in the room discount for next year. I know it was hit or miss for some this year.

 

[disney-inspired]

We have stayed at both. Loved AKL and AoA is also very nice but I think SOG is probably nicer that AoA. It looks to have the feel of a deluxe.
I am not very confident in the room discount for next year. I know it was hit or miss for some this year.

SOG does not feel like a Disney hotel so that's why we are not really feeling it.
Also, I hope our dates help us out with the discount since we are going at a really low time (after marathon & MLK weekend).

It's our cousin's first time so we want to envelope them in the magic!

 

[margot31]

One thing I have learned about military is to always keep checking. In Dec I booked a stay for MIL and my kids and I while my husband was deployed....I had an AP rate on a room....I called one night and was able to upgrade and get military rate. Still bumped our sticker price but still it was something that wasn't even available when I was first looking and booking. Even a few years ago when my husband and I went on a trip we had one thing booked I called just for the heck of it and was able to get a different thing.

 

[disney-inspired]

One thing I have learned about military is to always keep checking. In Dec I booked a stay for MIL and my kids and I while my husband was deployed....I had an AP rate on a room....I called one night and was able to upgrade and get military rate. Still bumped our sticker price but still it was something that wasn't even available when I was first looking and booking. Even a few years ago when my husband and I went on a trip we had one thing booked I called just for the heck of it and was able to get a different thing.

I definitely have myself on alert for any kind of news. I have Steve's (Military Disney Tips) tweets texted to my phone for any updates.
We obviously have a preferred option (AOA 1 night and then to AKL Villas - 1br and a studio) but know we might have to be flexible.

 

[VAfamily1998]

I've also been disappointed in the military discounts lately. We went as a family of 6 (2 parents, 4 kids) to Disney for the Marathon weekend 2018, and weren't able to get anything with a military discount that could accommodate us. We ended up paying rack-rate for a Fort Wilderness cabin.

We'd like to go for marathon weekend again in 2019, but at this point I'm not even factoring in the military discount We will probably stay at shades of Green. I've stayed there before (in 2005 and in 2015) and it's actually very nice and a great bargain. The main thing I didn't like about it was lack of Magical Express transportation, but it's not that big of a deal.

 

[disney-inspired]

I've also been disappointed in the military discounts lately. We went as a family of 6 (2 parents, 4 kids) to Disney for the Marathon weekend 2018, and weren't able to get anything with a military discount that could accommodate us. We ended up paying rack-rate for a Fort Wilderness cabin.

We'd like to go for marathon weekend again in 2019, but at this point I'm not even factoring in the military discount We will probably stay at shades of Green. I've stayed there before (in 2005 and in 2015) and it's actually very nice and a great bargain. The main thing I didn't like about it was lack of Magical Express transportation, but it's not that big of a deal.

That really stinks! I hear that Marathon weekend can get really busy.
We are avoiding Marathon and MLK weekend and going last week of January, hopefully we will have luck but it really sucks that the discount is renewed/released so late in the year.

 

[Momtwofour]

I definitely have myself on alert for any kind of news. I have Steve's (Military Disney Tips) tweets texted to my phone for any updates.
We obviously have a preferred option (AOA 1 night and then to AKL Villas - 1br and a studio) but know we might have to be flexible.

We LOVED AKL!!! Stayed in Jambo 1bdrm villa savannah view. So much room and amazing view!

 

[disney-inspired]

I'm bumping this thread as it is now June 2019. Wow where did half the year go?! I've booked our room only reservations to reserve the types of rooms we wanted (1 suite at AOA & 1 LM room for my cousin, 1 Br villa @ AKL and 1 standard view room for my cousin).

My ADR window opens up on July 31st so we are starting to read reviews and make our selections.
I hope we get news of an AFS renewal in early September rather than later. I need to know if we need to move hotels or change room types to get the best discount.

Hope all who are planning for 2019 get their desired room/discount!

 

[SFC44E4X]

We’re (11) going for Christmas this year. I wish Disney offered the ticket discounts during Christmas. We been twice before during the summer and stayed at SOG. It’s really nice, but doesn’t feel like a Disney resort until you step outside. Since we spent little time in the room, we didn’t care.

Staying at a VRBO off property this time since there are so many of us.

 

[SFC44E4X]

I've also been disappointed in the military discounts lately. We went as a family of 6 (2 parents, 4 kids) to Disney for the Marathon weekend 2018, and weren't able to get anything with a military discount that could accommodate us. We ended up paying rack-rate for a Fort Wilderness cabin.

We'd like to go for marathon weekend again in 2019, but at this point I'm not even factoring in the military discount We will probably stay at shades of Green. I've stayed there before (in 2005 and in 2015) and it's actually very nice and a great bargain. The main thing I didn't like about it was lack of Magical Express transportation, but it's not that big of a deal.

I read where you can do a split stay combining Disney resorts with

I've also been disappointed in the military discounts lately. We went as a family of 6 (2 parents, 4 kids) to Disney for the Marathon weekend 2018, and weren't able to get anything with a military discount that could accommodate us. We ended up paying rack-rate for a Fort Wilderness cabin.

We'd like to go for marathon weekend again in 2019, but at this point I'm not even factoring in the military discount We will probably stay at shades of Green. I've stayed there before (in 2005 and in 2015) and it's actually very nice and a great bargain. The main thing I didn't like about it was lack of Magical Express transportation, but it's not that big of a deal.

Have you considered splitting your resort stays while there? I was reading in www.militarydisneytips.com where some people spend the first and last days of their vacation at a Disney resort to get Magical Express and free magic bands, but the rest of the vacation is at SOG. Since SOG is on Disney property, Disney will usually transport the luggage between properties, but check first.

 

[SFC44E4X]

I definitely have myself on alert for any kind of news. I have Steve's (Military Disney Tips) tweets texted to my phone for any updates.
We obviously have a preferred option (AOA 1 night and then to AKL Villas - 1br and a studio) but know we might have to be flexible.

Testing their tweets to the phone is a great idea! THANK YOU!!

 

[SFC44E4X]

I have been doing a lot of research on SOG and it is really nice!!! There is a really good video on YouTube a guy just did that shows the resort. I feel totally comfortable with my back up plan now!

Shades of Green is very nice. Worst part for me is their food. Unless they've changed a lot since 2013, don't plan restaurant meals there. The www.militarydisneytips.com website speaks on this as well.

 

[kstruchen]

Following this thread for updates. We're planning a February 2019 trip and hoping for some discounts!