Military Salute Tickets

[mds88]

Hey everyone! We are going to Disney this summer with military salute tickets. My sister will be the military ID holder, but she is arriving a day after my husband and I. Is it possible to use the tickets for the first day without her, or does she need to be there? Thanks!

 

[Robo]

My sister will be the military ID holder, but she is arriving a day after my husband and I.
1. Is it possible to use the tickets for the first day without her, or
2. does she need to be there?

1. Nope.
2. Yes.

 

[sharonabe]

Hey everyone! We are going to Disney this summer with military salute tickets. My sister will be the military ID holder, but she is arriving a day after my husband and I. Is it possible to use the tickets for the first day without her, or does she need to be there? Thanks!

If you purchase your tickets by mail from SoG, they will already be activated and you SHOULDN'T have a problem using them before she gets there. Technically, the military member is supposed to be with you on that first entry, but since these tickets are already activated.....

If you purchase them anywhere else, she will have to be with you to activate them at guest services, and you won't be able to use them until after that happens.

 

[ISUamanda]

If you purchase your tickets by mail from SoG, they will already be activated and you SHOULDN'T have a problem using them before she gets there. Technically, the military member is supposed to be with you on that first entry, but since these tickets are already activated.....

If you purchase them anywhere else, she will have to be with you to activate them at guest services, and you won't be able to use them until after that happens.

^^This is correct. It all depends on if the tickets are activated or not. Shades of Green sends pre-activated tickets.

 

[mds88]

Ok thank you everyone!!

 

[fly girl]

FYI, if you go through Shades of Green, get your email in sooner than later. They are very busy, and the wait time is longer than in the past.

 

[got2sammies]

Can u get a refund from Disney if you purchase from SOG? We have a ressie for August and I really don’t want to pay $1000 for tickets if we can’t go- and I am going with my brothers who qualify for those tickets and I am not sure if I can use them on a future trip cuz we might not be able to travel together

 

[karen4546]

I have a question somewhat similar to the above poster.

Our military member is not going to be with us on our rescheduled trip. He is being deployed to Cuba. Can I pay the difference at member services to regular ph tickets? I just don't want to lose the value I paid for the tickets or the ability to use them.

 

[sharonabe]

Can u get a refund from Disney if you purchase from SOG? We have a ressie for August and I really don’t want to pay $1000 for tickets if we can’t go- and I am going with my brothers who qualify for those tickets and I am not sure if I can use them on a future trip cuz we might not be able to travel together

Getting a refund for the Salute tickets is iffy, no matter where you buy them. If the parks are open, there's definitely no refund. If the parks are closed, right now, they aren't giving refunds, but you can use the ticket's value toward the purchase of another ticket at a future date (not sure how far in the future).

You are correct. If your brother is not with you on a future trip, you could run into problems if you're trying to use the value toward a new ticket.

Sounds like you need to hold off until you know for sure if you're going. I would decide at least 2 weeks before your 60-day window for FP open and contact SoG at that time to purchase tickets if you know you're going.

 

[gharter]

Our son purchased tickets for he and his wife from his base.
Day 1 at the parks, he had to go through Guest Services to activate their tickets.
Not a big deal, it took under 5 minutes on a Saturday night.
No experience using tickets from SoG.
They did get a great deal on their tickets.

 

[Mrsjvb]

current policy is the Military Salute tickets are NON REFUNDABLE. period. no returns at ITT or at the paks

you can apply the cost towards any other ticket but the info regarding whether or not the sponsor must be there to do so is confusing at best.

 

[Leigh L]

For those that purchased at Shades of Green and the sponsor won't be able to reschedule, one option might be for the sponsor to contact SOG and convert the tickets to Magic Your Way tickets I believe the sponsor doesn't need to be present for Magic Your Way tickets (and these are still somewhat discounted and aren't taxed). Shades will also let the ticket be applied to the cost of next year's ticket if the sponsor can go in 2021/later date.

Not sure if an ITT/MWR would do the same?

Side note: Shades' Ticket office is now actively answering emails timely - DH just ordered 2 Magic Your Way tickets and he heard back within 24 hours. We were expecting not to hear several days or longer.

Edit to clarify for 2021 that sponsor must be present for Salute tickets, and also I found the page where I originally read the info: https://www.militarydisneytips.com/...forces-salute-tickets-they-already-purchased/. Steve's site is pretty spot on.

Also, another page with good info: https://www.militarydisneytips.com/...ces-salute-ticket-policy-for-cancelled-trips/

 

[dmband]

For those that purchased at Shades of Green and the sponsor won't be able to reschedule, one option might be for the sponsor to contact SOG and convert the tickets to Magic Your Way tickets I believe the sponsor doesn't need to be present for Magic Your Way tickets (and these are still somewhat discounted and aren't taxed). Shades will also let the ticket be applied to the cost of next year's ticket if the sponsor can go in 2021/later date.

Not sure if an ITT/MWR would do the same?

Side note: Shades' Ticket office is now actively answering emails timely - DH just ordered 2 Magic Your Way tickets and he heard back within 24 hours. We were expecting not to hear several days or longer.

Edit to clarify for 2021 that sponsor must be present for Salute tickets, and also I found the page where I originally read the info: https://www.militarydisneytips.com/...forces-salute-tickets-they-already-purchased/. Steve's site is pretty spot on.

Also, another page with good info: https://www.militarydisneytips.com/...ces-salute-ticket-policy-for-cancelled-trips/

“Star and Stripes” length of stay are cheaper Than MYW.
They don’t include mini golf though if that is something you want via hopper plus

 

[subtchr]

“Star and Stripes” length of stay are cheaper Than MYW.
They don’t include mini golf though if that is something you want via hopper plus

Also, these require a stay at a Disney resort or SoG, and must be purchased for length of stay.

 

[sharonabe]

I have a question somewhat similar to the above poster.

Our military member is not going to be with us on our rescheduled trip. He is being deployed to Cuba. Can I pay the difference at member services to regular ph tickets? I just don't want to lose the value I paid for the tickets or the ability to use them.

Sorry, I missed your question earlier.

Is there anyway the military member can do this for you before he is deployed? The MMWR office on post/base will have regular Disney tickets too and they should be able to do it. You can then pay him or be with him when he does it and pay the difference.

If you try to do it once you're at Disney and the military member is not with you, my fear is they will say no. They have no way of knowing if you got the tickets legitimately or not and may not honor them.

 

[karen4546]

Sorry, I missed your question earlier.

Is there anyway the military member can do this for you before he is deployed? The MMWR office on post/base will have regular Disney tickets too and they should be able to do it. You can then pay him or be with him when he does it and pay the difference.

If you try to do it once you're at Disney and the military member is not with you, my fear is they will say no. They have no way of knowing if you got the tickets legitimately or not and may not honor them.

I don't think he has an option to exchange for "real" tickets. I guess my daughter could ask him for a copy of his orders. I know that we will not be able to use them since he is not there, but I just don't want to lose the value that I paid for them. I gave him the money and he got the salute tickets for our May trip. Like i said before, it got canceled and I just don't want to lose the $600+ that I paid for the tix.

The next time that my mother in law and grandson will be going together is March 2021. I am going (hopefully) in September 2020 and I am going to try and pay the difference to make them "normal" park hopper tix. (this would be so easy if they would get married before he leaves.....lol)

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

I don't think he has an option to exchange for "real" tickets. I guess my daughter could ask him for a copy of his orders. I know that we will not be able to use them since he is not there, but I just don't want to lose the value that I paid for them. I gave him the money and he got the salute tickets for our May trip. Like i said before, it got canceled and I just don't want to lose the $600+ that I paid for the tix.

The next time that my mother in law and grandson will be going together is March 2021. I am going (hopefully) in September 2020 and I am going to try and pay the difference to make them "normal" park hopper tix. (this would be so easy if they would get married before he leaves.....lol)

He must have gotten the vouchers and not a hard copy ticket. He would have to be there in person in order to get the vouchers exchanged at Guest Services. Try calling the Disney ticket office at 407-566-4985 and/or contact guest.services@disneyworld.com. and tell them the issue. I called the ticket office and was told if our Nov. trip was canceled we could bring the vouchers next year and pay the difference. Not sure I feel comfortable with that but that is all I have to go right now.

Next trip I'm buying them from SOG and pay the shipping. The vouchers are a pain to deal with.

 

[sharonabe]

I don't think he has an option to exchange for "real" tickets. I guess my daughter could ask him for a copy of his orders. I know that we will not be able to use them since he is not there, but I just don't want to lose the value that I paid for them. I gave him the money and he got the salute tickets for our May trip. Like i said before, it got canceled and I just don't want to lose the $600+ that I paid for the tix.

He should be able to use them as partial payment toward the regular tickets. Ask your daughter to ask him to ask.

You won't lose the value, but there is a very good chance you will not be able to use them in September toward the cost of a ticket. Like I said, without him there, they have no way of knowing how you came to have them in hand. Worse case scenario, you keep them and use them next March.

 

[karen4546]

He should be able to use them as partial payment toward the regular tickets. Ask your daughter to ask him to ask.

You won't lose the value, but there is a very good chance you will not be able to use them in September toward the cost of a ticket. Like I said, without him there, they have no way of knowing how you came to have them in hand. Worse case scenario, you keep them and use them next March.

We are not using them in September. My daughter, husband and I are AP holders. His deployment is a year or a bit over. Coast Guard - Guatanamo Bay.

I do hope that guest services will let me pay the difference for my grandson and mother in law in March.

I am sure it will work out in the end.

 

[sharonabe]

We are not using them in September. My daughter, husband and I are AP holders. His deployment is a year or a bit over. Coast Guard - Guatanamo Bay.

I do hope that guest services will let me pay the difference for my grandson and mother in law in March.

I am sure it will work out in the end.

Sorry, I misunderstood all the different relationships. Just make sure you hold onto them; you'll get to use them eventually.