I am so confused!!! military tix staying somewhere else.

[dchronister]

Me, DD20, DD18 and DDs fiancé will be headed down next May for 8 or 9 days. We are going to be at the VWL for the first 2 nights, cause it's our favorite, and then heading over to SOG for the remainder of our stay, because we have never had the opportunity to stay there and for the price. We will be buying the military tickets, 2 salutes apiece for the kids, if they renew them, and a 8 day ticket for me with the military discount. We have stayed at Disney many times and know how the ordinary stuff works but have absolutely no experience with the military side of things, so please tell me if I have this right or what I need to do to fix my mindset. Since we are staying at a Disney resort first, we will get to make our ADRs at 180 days (as can anyone) but would normally get the +10 if all our days were at a Disney resort, but since they aren't, I will get the 180 +3 because we will be moving, right? And then one day at a time after we move to Shades? Right? And then the tickets, if we stayed at SOG the entire time, we would only get the 30 day window for FP+, but we will already have tickets in hand and since we are staying at a Disney resort first, we get to book at 60 days out right? But then what, will it let me book all my days because we will all have 8 days of tickets assigned to us or will it only let me book for the first three because of the resort and then one day at a time after that because we will be at SOG at that point? I would just like to know what to expect! Thanks

 

[totallytigger]

I can't answer your questions--but I have a couple questions for you. Is one of the "kids" the military member? The reason I ask is that one of the six allowed Salute Tickets must be used by the military member. Secondly--you mentioned staying at SOG for the price--we actually pay less staying at a disney resort using the awesome military discount. This does depend on the renewal of the discount and the persons rank. If you stay at a disney resort--that would eliminate all of your problems.

 

[Texas Mickey]

1. You can use the tickets no matter where you stay. We did 2 salute for me, 2 wife and 2 mom. and stayed at POR. Im retired AF.
2. You can book all 8 nights of FPs at 60 days
3. Salute tickets must be exchanged the first day you arrive at the park at the park ticket office out front for a 4 day or 8 day pass.
4. You need to get the tickets early to have them at the 60 day window. We buy ours on base and i get them as early as i can because sometimes they are very slow getting them in.
5. You get the full 180+10 ADR days since you are starting at a disney resort first.
6. Check military rates at disney resorts before deciding on SOG. I also have found better rates than SOG.
7. We stay disney resorts with the military discount because its cheaper for value or just a bit more for moderate . We also get the ME express when we fly in and the Magic Bands.
8. Check for free dining also during your stay. It may make the difference in what you can afford for the rooms.

 

[jthornton94]

Are the Salute the $177 tickets? If so, I just linked mine to my MDE account given the voucher number so there is no need to visit guest relations.

 

[Texas Mickey]

We had ours linked in MDE also but they still sent us to guest relations when we got to the park to get them exchanged

 

[verleniahall]

Are the Salute the $177 tickets? If so, I just linked mine to my MDE account given the voucher number so there is no need to visit guest relations.

These are just vouchers. Yes, you can put them in MDE, but you will still need to go to Guest Relations at any of the parks for them to be activated. I think last year, they had to scan the service member's ID for each ticket and put a fingerprint on file.

 

[dchronister]

Thanks for the replies, yes, my DDs fiancé is going into the air force next month, so he will probable still be of low rank when we go so we should be able to stay at SOG for a lower price, and I'm also watching for the specials they run. We just want to stay at SOG one trip so we can say we stayed there, we like to try as many resorts as possible. Also, if he happens to have to leave early, I assume we would have to leave SOG also, if we have two days left on our trip, to bad, we can't stay their without him, right? I thought about doing SOG first and then do VWL last, just in case such a situation should arise but then I can't do my FP+ at 60 days. I don't mind a split stay but changing resorts three times is a little much for us. We are driving, we won't need DME. And we will be going in May, they don't ever offer free dining in May, do they?

 

[bastraker]

1. You can use the tickets no matter where you stay. We did 2 salute for me, 2 wife and 2 mom. and stayed at POR. Im retired AF.
2. You can book all 8 nights of FPs at 60 days
3. Salute tickets must be exchanged the first day you arrive at the park at the park ticket office out front for a 4 day or 8 day pass.
4. You need to get the tickets early to have them at the 60 day window. We buy ours on base and i get them as early as i can because sometimes they are very slow getting them in.
5. You get the full 180+10 ADR days since you are starting at a disney resort first.
6. Check military rates at disney resorts before deciding on SOG. I also have found better rates than SOG.
7. We stay disney resorts with the military discount because its cheaper for value or just a bit more for moderate . We also get the ME express when we fly in and the Magic Bands.
8. Check for free dining also during your stay. It may make the difference in what you can afford for the rooms.

#5 is not correct - You will not be able to book all dining reservations with the start of your on site stay.

When you have a split stay, you can only make ADR's 180 days from each stay. I know that has not always been the case, but it is now. I made my October reservations a few weeks ago and this was what I was told multiple times when I called.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Are the Salute the $177 tickets? If so, I just linked mine to my MDE account given the voucher number so there is no need to visit guest relations.

You still have to visit guest relations in order to activate the tickets prior to entering a park.

 

[jthornton94]

You still have to visit guest relations in order to activate the tickets prior to entering a park.

Even if you are staying onsite? I was told since they are already loaded to our magic bands that we are good to go.

My mistake, I was confusing them with our YES tickets, which I don't have to go pick up since they are on my band. We have two of each this trip.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Even if you are staying onsite? I was told since they are already loaded to our magic bands that we are good to go.

My mistake, I was confusing them with our YES tickets, which I don't have to go pick up since they are on my band. We have two of each this trip.

We were onsite in November, using the AFS tickets. We had to go to Guest Relations to activate our salute tickets before going into MK. The # on the voucher gets you access for making your FP+, but you have to go to GR, show the military ID(s), in order to activate the military salute tickets for entrance to the parks. The military member (or spouse) must be present at the time of activation

 

[Texas Mickey]

#5 is not correct - You will not be able to book all dining reservations with the start of your on site stay.

When you have a split stay, you can only make ADR's 180 days from each stay. I know that has not always been the case, but it is now. I made my October reservations a few weeks ago and this was what I was told multiple times when I called.

I did all mine at 180 and then I changed to a spit stay after the ADRs were made. Thanks for the correction!

 

[misscj215]

Another question about the salute tickets.

My sister (military), niece and I will be heading down in a couple weeks staying off property. Where can the military salute tickets be purchased on property?
She has about $300 in Disney gift cards she wants to use to pay for them, so won't be buying them from the base.

Thanks!

 

[POOHsie]

Another question about the salute tickets.

My sister (military), niece and I will be heading down in a couple weeks staying off property. Where can the military salute tickets be purchased on property?
She has about $300 in Disney gift cards she wants to use to pay for them, so won't be buying them from the base.

Thanks!

Any WDW ticket booth can handle this. Also, any Guest Relations at the front of each park and 2 at DTD can handle. Tax of 6.5% will be charged. I'm not sure if Shades of Green handles these tickets (probably they do) and I don't know what their policy is for accepting gift cards for payment. But the trek to SoG can be a real time waste. You have to wait in line to show ID to enter, wait to park in the garage, long walk to the ticket office, wait in ticket line, etc. etc. You have to decide if your time is worth saving the sales tax $.

For activation, Sis will have to show proper Military ID and give base info. You and niece will be asked name, address, city, phone, etc. After doing this one time, tickets will be activated and then you can enter the parks together or separately with no further ID requirement.

 

[FigmentIsTheBest]

Another question about the salute tickets.

My sister (military), niece and I will be heading down in a couple weeks staying off property. Where can the military salute tickets be purchased on property?
She has about $300 in Disney gift cards she wants to use to pay for them, so won't be buying them from the base.

Thanks!

We have always picked up our Salute! tickets at SOG. Never had any problem driving in. Just showed ID at gate and told them we were going to the ticket office.

Never saw a line. And next door is the small Exchange that has more reasonable prices than Disney resorts for loading up on snacks and whatnot.

You will have to activate the tickets at one of the Disney customer service locations (Gate, Resort, DTD).

Not sure if the SOG ticket office takes Disney gift cards for payment. You could always give them a call. She could always use cash to pay for the ticket and save the gift cards for park and resort purchases.