Armed Forces Salute Room/Ticket Discount: 2011/12 (Spring Break Update)

[Bambi&Thumper]

ok a few more questions please.... can we stay at a value resort using military discount and add deluxe dining plan? And then buy our tickets at a base or can we get them from SOG? Or is Deluxe Dining for Moderate and better only resorts?

 

[baloo's girl]

I believe you can add whatever dining plan you want, so long as you are staying on property.

As for tickets, check your local base to see if they are selling them, not all are. You can get the tickets at SOG too and at Disney (but I think you'll pay tax on the tickets if you buy them at Disney).

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

ok a few more questions please.... can we stay at a value resort using military discount and add deluxe dining plan? And then buy our tickets at a base or can we get them from SOG? Or is Deluxe Dining for Moderate and better only resorts?

Yes, you can choose the dining plan of your choice, no matter what level Disney Resort you are staying at. Only during free dining are you offered at different levels but even then, you can pay an additional fee to upgrade the dining plan.

You will have to check with it ITT/ITR/MWR office regarding the tickets, our doesn't always have them. We will probably stick with SoG to get ours so we don't have to pay tax on them, they are very nice a their ticket counter.

 

[Bambi&Thumper]

Thank you !!! So I found the Military number for my mom and encouraged her to call and she did!!! She called me back an hour later very excited as she has them holding a reservation! She has until the 25th to decide !!! OMG she really went all out! Here I am doing all these different options and resorts to find her the cheapest option and try to convince her that we could get by just fine on a reg dining plan..... she tells me that she has two options- 1. Is at the POFQ with Deluxe Dining!!!! and 2. Beach Club with Deluxe Dining!!! she really wants the Beach Club..... but it does cost more. Oh we are going to drive each other crazy with all these options hehe! But just wanted to thank you all so much for helping me and my mom!!! I hope you all have fantastic trips!

 

[baloo's girl]

Thank you !!! So I found the Military number for my mom and encouraged her to call and she did!!! She called me back an hour later very excited as she has them holding a reservation! She has until the 25th to decide !!! OMG she really went all out! Here I am doing all these different options and resorts to find her the cheapest option and try to convince her that we could get by just fine on a reg dining plan..... she tells me that she has two options- 1. Is at the POFQ with Deluxe Dining!!!! and 2. Beach Club with Deluxe Dining!!! she really wants the Beach Club..... but it does cost more. Oh we are going to drive each other crazy with all these options hehe! But just wanted to thank you all so much for helping me and my mom!!! I hope you all have fantastic trips!

So happy for you. Enjoy your trip!!

 

[WDWKOOK]

According to SteveTLT's blog, all DDPs can now be added to the Military Salute room-only booking:

...the Disney Reservations Office is again able to book the Armed Forces Salute room discount combined with dining plans.

The reservation system had experienced an issue last week which caused the room to revert to full price when a dining plan was added.

 

[baloo's girl]

According to SteveTLT's blog, all DDPs can now be added to the Military Salute room-only booking:

...the Disney Reservations Office is again able to book the Armed Forces Salute room discount combined with dining plans.

The reservation system had experienced an issue last week which caused the room to revert to full price when a dining plan was added.

Wahoo! Thank you for the update. I will add dining now!

 

[Bambi&Thumper]

Bookit.com won't let my mom cancel!!!!! /cry! so no onsite for us and no deluxe dining plan! How can I bring back the Disney Magic? I feel like a little down right now. Trying to make my mom feel good too- shes so sad. Trying to point out all the good things about staying at the Hilton- like we still get EMH.

 

[WDWKOOK]

Wahoo! Thank you for the update. I will add dining now!

You're welcome. Do you have it added now? What ADRs are you going to make?

 

[baloo's girl]

You're welcome. Do you have it added now? What ADRs are you going to make?

I'm going to call tomorrow when I'm at work (away from the kiddies-its a surprise trip!)

I have ADRs for my favorites so far:
Ohana's
Chef Mickey's
Biergarten
Kouzzina
I need to make a couple more, but have to finalize my itinerary. Would I be nuts for trying to do MNSSHP on Friday 10/21? That's what I'm debating right now.

Other ADRs I'm considering: Raglan Road, Boma, Whispering Canyon Cafe...any suggestions?

Bambi, I'm sorry you can't cancel your Bookit trip, I was afraid of that-those packages are notorious for locking you in. But I'm sure you'll have a great time anyway.

 

[WDWKOOK]

I'm going to call tomorrow when I'm at work (away from the kiddies-its a surprise trip!)

I have ADRs for my favorites so far:
Ohana's
Chef Mickey's
Biergarten
Kouzzina
I need to make a couple more, but have to finalize my itinerary. Would I be nuts for trying to do MNSSHP on Friday 10/21? That's what I'm debating right now.

Other ADRs I'm considering: Raglan Road, Boma, Whispering Canyon Cafe...any suggestions?

Bambi, I'm sorry you can't cancel your Bookit trip, I was afraid of that-those packages are notorious for locking you in. But I'm sure you'll have a great time anyway.

I love Boma (Zebra Domes!) and WCC (what a hoot). I would definitely do both. Our favorite Epcot TS is Tokyo Dining and Le Cellier. But, If you're on the DDP, I don't think Le Cellier is worth 2 credits. Much better to pay OOP for Le Cellier.

Have fun planning!

 

[Lauren22]

This is the first time I am trying to use the military tickets and I had a question about the Ticket Policy. I read it states:

Eligible service members (or their spouses) who purchase the
WDW Military Special are required to show valid military ID
(NLT Sept. 27, 2012) at the WDW Resorts for admission for themselves,
family and/or friends. Valid military ID is required for any/all
subsequent visits that follow. Each WDW Military Special ticket must be
used by the same person on any & all visits.

Does this mean that the person who has the military ID MUST enter the park with all parties EVERY TIME we visit a park? We have a mixed age group and may want to visit different parks on the same days but not together.

Thanks in advance

 

[dmband]

Does this mean that the person who has the military ID MUST enter the park with all parties EVERY TIME we visit a park? We have a mixed age group and may want to visit different parks on the same days but not together.

NO*
you need the Military member or spouse to...
A) Purchase the tickets
B) Activate them for the first use
after that you can come and go whenever you want with or without the member/spouse

*tech speaking they could say you can't enter the park without the member/spouse but i don't know of anyone who has had it happen

 

[Bambi&Thumper]

Ok whew what an emotional roller coaster the past 2 days have been! we have been trying to cancel with Bookit so we can go the military discount way... they tell my mom no.... then we get all depressed..... so then lovelt DH calls and gets transfered to all these different people to try and cancel everything thru Bookit. Basically resulting in hours and hours in phone calls and transfering from Bookit to Hilton and talking to this person and that person..... we go to bed last night with the assumption that it is all done- we finally got it cancelled. Get all happy that all we have to do is get up early in the morning make one more phone call- get a authorization code and then call up and book through Military. So Mom calls and talks to a smart..... named brandon- he tells her ok your trip is cancelled. She asks how long it will take to get her refund. He says " No refund. Your trip is unfefundable!" UGH!! So the trip is cancelled and she still has to pay for it? Mom is crying. " Fine. put the reservations back through". DH wakes up and calls Bookit and they say the trip is back on- he calls Mom on one phone while being on hold on the other phone- shes crying telling him the whole story of how awful Brandon is etc. He gets angry at Bookit for trying to rip off my Mom- now he is demanding to speak with someone else at Bookit- they transfer him to a lady named Kay. Kay seems very nice to DH- they talked well over an hour on how my mom still wants to cancel etc. long story- anyways 4 hours later- its finally cancelled but she does have to pay $20 for a cancelling fee! OMG what a day! Thank goodness for an awesome DH. He was really the magic worker here! Bookit is supposed to be sending the conformation email within a day. Mom just called me a few minutes ago- with great news " we are now booked for POFQ! With Deluxe Dining and I already paid the deposit." So the trip is back on and lesson learned never book with Bookit!

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

Ok whew what an emotional roller coaster the past 2 days have been! we have been trying to cancel with Bookit so we can go the military discount way... they tell my mom no.... then we get all depressed..... so then lovelt DH calls and gets transfered to all these different people to try and cancel everything thru Bookit. Basically resulting in hours and hours in phone calls and transfering from Bookit to Hilton and talking to this person and that person..... we go to bed last night with the assumption that it is all done- we finally got it cancelled. Get all happy that all we have to do is get up early in the morning make one more phone call- get a authorization code and then call up and book through Military. So Mom calls and talks to a smart..... named brandon- he tells her ok your trip is cancelled. She asks how long it will take to get her refund. He says " No refund. Your trip is unfefundable!" UGH!! So the trip is cancelled and she still has to pay for it? Mom is crying. " Fine. put the reservations back through". DH wakes up and calls Bookit and they say the trip is back on- he calls Mom on one phone while being on hold on the other phone- shes crying telling him the whole story of how awful Brandon is etc. He gets angry at Bookit for trying to rip off my Mom- now he is demanding to speak with someone else at Bookit- they transfer him to a lady named Kay. Kay seems very nice to DH- they talked well over an hour on how my mom still wants to cancel etc. long story- anyways 4 hours later- its finally cancelled but she does have to pay $20 for a cancelling fee! OMG what a day! Thank goodness for an awesome DH. He was really the magic worker here! Bookit is supposed to be sending the conformation email within a day. Mom just called me a few minutes ago- with great news " we are now booked for POFQ! With Deluxe Dining and I already paid the deposit." So the trip is back on and lesson learned never book with Bookit!

I'm so sorry ya'll had to deal with that, it sounds awful. But, I am glad she was able to get it resolved and booked at POFQ, you are both going to love that resort. It is beautiful and a small resort.

I had to call Disney last night and switch our reservation from Dec to Jan, but that wasn't an issue, I think I am going to add the Deluxe Dining Plan and I have all of our restaurants picked out. I just have to call and cancel our reservation at SoG for Dec and wait for that refund.

 

[Bambi&Thumper]

Thank you! Yes I am so glad and can not wait to get there. Its going to go by fast!

 

[McDuck]

Can someone clarify for me? I have found conflicting information online from MouseSavers to Shades of Green.

We are going October 8 - 16. If we purchase Military Salute 4-day Park Hopper tickets NOW, will they or won't they be valid when we are there? According to MouseSavers, the tickets good through 2012 don't go on sale until October 25th. According to my base's MWR on Facebook the tickets they have now expire October 1st. So is there a three-week gap that would effectively block us out? I called SoG but got their voice mail and did not receive a call back before they closed.

Thanks so much!!!!!

 

[baloo's girl]

From what I understand, the tickets that say they expire on Oct 1 2011 actually do NOT expire until 2012. Check Cheshire Figment's post in the sticky thread about tickets, I believe its post number 17 in that thread.

 

[baloo's girl]

Just added the dining plan to make our ressie a package. It was easy peasy, in case anyone needs to do the same.

Our grand total for 6 nights WL (woodsview bunk beds) with dining package for 2 adults and 2 kids was right around $21XX.XX (can't remember the exact total). This doesn't include the park tickets. I'm so excited! Now, if I can only keep the surprise till October.

 

[honey11dog]

I have the same question about the military tickets that was posted earlier. We have reservations for this September. I was going to get the military 4 day ticket but we will only use 2 days. We will be going back in November. Will I still have 2 days left or will they expire on Oct. 1, 2011 like they originally said????