Military Discount / SOG / Activation question

[tiffne]

Sorry in advance if this is an often-asked question, I searched 3 pages of results but didn't see anything...

For Salute tickets, I was reading that if you call SOG and order them over the phone, and pay to have them mailed to you, they arrive already activated. Can anyone give more details? Do you give the names of the guests when you call and they assign them to each ticket? And that's how they verify that one of the tickets is indeed being used by an eligible serviceman? So when you get to the parks, you don't have to go to a counter to activate them, you can go straight into the parks? How does Disney verify that the serviceman is present and using their ticket?

We are traveling next June (hoping there will be a 2018 discount) with my FIL who is military, and he will be with us, but I am curious for future reference (and also if ordering through SOG will save us the time of going to a counter to activate once we get to FL).

Thank you!

 

[Sarahraegraham]

I can't speak to what the process is when ordering through SOG but I ordered by phone through my husbands home base a few states away from when before he was retired, and they FedEx'd the tickets to us. They took less than five minutes to activate at guest relations in MK with military ID and that's the route we're going to go again this year.

 

[Betsy82]

You can't order from Shades over the phone. They have forms you can find online or call and have them email you the forms. You fill them out, scan (or take a photo of them), email them back along with your valid identification.

They will send an email confirming they got your email and will then call you for all of the payment information within a few days.

Tickets come FedEx, signature required.

The paperwork does ask for names of the people using the tickets.

I have never been ID'ed to use the tickets in the parks. I am a spouse and have traveled with and without my husband. Tickets come activated, just used our MagicBands to enter the parks.

 

[tiffne]

Thank you both for the information! So once FIL completes the steps outlined (filling out the forms, email them, payment over phone, fedex ship, etc) and we have the activated tickets in hand, to include a ticket for FIL... conceivably, if something happened and he could then not accompany us on the trip, would we still be able to use the tickets since they have been activated?

Like I said, he has every intention of going (they are cruising beforehand, WDW is 2nd leg of the trip) but I am just curious how it all works. Thank you for humoring me!

 

[thiabelle]

My dad is 100% disabled military and as such my mom and dad are eligible to buy the tix. When you get the paperwork from SOG your FIL will have to send a copy (pic?) of his ID that will show he is eligible to buy the tickets. Once they are purchased and in MDE he doesn't have to travel with you. But I believe he can only buy six tickets. I strongly suggest you google "disney military tips". There is a website out there that has all of the answers and scenarios you are dealing with. It's been awhile since my mom did this so I may be mixing up details.

 

[tiffne]

Thank you for the info! I will go do some googling.

 

[margot31]

militarydisneytip.com great site for lots of this information.

 

[PSULion]

Thank you both for the information! So once FIL completes the steps outlined (filling out the forms, email them, payment over phone, fedex ship, etc) and we have the activated tickets in hand, to include a ticket for FIL... conceivably, if something happened and he could then not accompany us on the trip, would we still be able to use the tickets since they have been activated?

Yes. This is the main difference between buying them activated from SOG, or buying the unactivated vouchers from a base ITT. For the vouchers, the service member must be at the park to activate them (and you physically trade them in for the actual tickets). The ones that come from SOG are ready to go. We used them last trip and never had to show ID or anything.

 

[Ladyfish77]

If your FIL purchases the tickets using SOG, he will list the people who will use the tickets, including himself (he doesn't have to use a ticket, but then could only purchase 5 for family, since 6th is for eligible member only). The tickets will be sent Fedex ($10 fee) to address he provides on the forms. They ask for payment information (cc, last 4 and then they will call for full cc information). When you receive tickets they will be activated. They can then be linked to your MDE so you can make FP+ at 60 days out if staying at WDW resort, or 30 days out for non WDW resorts (including SoG).

FIL does not need to be with you when you enter the park using the tickets.

 

[Cindylieu]

I am so glad you asked these questions! I thought SOG Salute tickets had to be purchased only in person and I was trying to figure out how/when/where to buy them in advance. SO glad to know they come pre-activated. Yay!! This relieves a lot of stress. Thanks!