Military Ticket question. Can I buy at the gate?

[mickeyhereicome]

I posted in the Official Military tickets thread, but thought I might get an answer faster here. I am starting to panic since we leave in 11 days.

Can I buy Armed Forces Salute tickets at Disneyland's ticket gate? I have read that you can buy them at the gate, but this is news to me. Please clarify.

My husband has an active military ID but we are not near a base and we leave Feb 15. I asked a friend to buy them for me and mail so I had them to activate at the gate. When she went to ITT today she was told the person buying them has to use them as their name is now printed on the ticket. Is this new? I do not remember this when I bought them myself last year.

 

[blutes]

yes you can buy the Salute tickets at the gate.. ITT put names on the vouchers.

 

[mickeyhereicome]

yes you can buy the Salute tickets at the gate.. ITT put names on the vouchers.

Thank you for the reply. Great to hear that I can buy them at the gate.

 

[bellazachmom]

Military member here and I will confirm what the previous poster said - you CAN purchase them at the DL and CA gates

Also, two things to know, (1) Since ITT now issues etickets/vouchers that have to be converted to tickets the first time you enter, you don't really save much time purchasing early and (2) California doesn't charge tax on theme park admissions so buying at ITT doesn't save you any money buying the DL Salute tickets like when purchasing WDW tickets. Now, if you are buying other types of military DL tickets then there is a definite discount at ITT

Have a great trip!

 

[mickeyhereicome]

Military member here and I will confirm what the previous poster said - you CAN purchase them at the DL and CA gates

Also, two things to know, (1) Since ITT now issues etickets/vouchers that have to be converted to tickets the first time you enter, you don't really save much time purchasing early and (2) California doesn't charge tax on theme park admissions so buying at ITT doesn't save you any money buying the DL Salute tickets like when purchasing WDW tickets. Now, if you are buying other types of military DL tickets then there is a definite discount

Have a great trip!

Thanks for that bit of information. Would have never known this either.

 

[bellazachmom]

Happy to help!

We are currently stationed in Northern California and have been able to take a few trips south to visit my happy place. I have learned quite a few things (and tricks) from our multiple visits and from the knowledgeable members on the Dis

Let me know if you have any other questions

 

[momtothreedisneyfans]

My question is if we buy the military salute tickets which are 3 day but want to go 5 days what is the cheapest way to add two more days? Just buy a regular 5 day park hopper ticket from ITT or can I add days to our tickets at Disney? I know for regular tickets you can add days but on the military saulte tickets do you pay the difference between the $132 and the price of the 5 day park hopper or would you pay the difference between what a regular 3 day park hopper costs and a 5 day park hopper? I hope this makes sense.

 

[momtohms]

That is really good to know that buying at the gate is the way to go! I knew you could buy at the gate, and figured it made more sense to due to activation - BUT I wasn't sure about the tax thing so that's definitely helpful info We will be using tickets back to back so we'll just have to give ourselves extra time on those two mornings we'll be purchasing & activating!

 

[bellazachmom]

My question is if we buy the military salute tickets which are 3 day but want to go 5 days what is the cheapest way to add two more days? Just buy a regular 5 day park hopper ticket from ITT or can I add days to our tickets at Disney? I know for regular tickets you can add days but on the military saulte tickets do you pay the difference between the $132 and the price of the 5 day park hopper or would you pay the difference between what a regular 3 day park hopper costs and a 5 day park hopper? I hope this makes sense.

Unfortunately, to my knowledge, you can not add days to the Military Salute Tickets. I think that your best option is purchasing the 5 day tickets from ITT.

The gates will not "bridge" the price of the tickets to let you have the credit for the full price to put towards the 5 day like you can with other discounted tickets once they have been activated.

I looked into all different ways of getting more days, including the Orbitz deals that "give" you a free day, and the 5 day hoppers purchased on base were the cheapest way to go.

 

[Canadian Harmony]

I wish they extended this to Canadian military and vets. It'd save us tons!

 

[momtothreedisneyfans]

Thanks! That's kinda what I had figured but wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something.

 

[bellazachmom]

Happy to help!

I sure wish they would let us extend the Salute tickets but am happy for any break in prices

 

[heidica]

Unfortunately, to my knowledge, you can not add days to the Military Salute Tickets. I think that your best option is purchasing the 5 day tickets from ITT.

The gates will not "bridge" the price of the tickets to let you have the credit for the full price to put towards the 5 day like you can with other discounted tickets once they have been activated.

I looked into all different ways of getting more days, including the Orbitz deals that "give" you a free day, and the 5 day hoppers purchased on base were the cheapest way to go.

What about buying the full 6 Military Salute Tickets and active 3 on arrival and then the remaining 3 after the first ones are used up? You would only be able to do this for 3 or less people. I seem to remember a few years ago that the Salute tickets had a waiting period of 14 days before you could activate new ones but I don't see that disclaimer any more. We are planning a 5 day trip in August for myself, DH and DS and I was planning on buying all 6 tickets but only activate 3 on the 1st day and then the last 3 on the 4th day. A bit of a pain to have to go through the activation period twice but looking at my ITT price list it would still work out to less money to use 2 Salute Tickets for each person. 2 Salute tickets would be $259.50 and our ITT lists a 5 day Park Hopper at $298.75. Thoughts??

 

[DG24]

I can answer a few of these questions. One yes they sell the tickets at the booth. Two no you can not add onto the tickets and get more days out of the tickets. Three you can buy all six at a time and use all six at different times, so if one military person wanted to go a lot he could but all six of his tickets at once and use them any time until they expire next sept. Four there is no fuse on the tickets, so if a person uses one day today, it does not expire in 14 days like most tickets. Five last aug I know my dad bought six all at once, there was three of us, we used three days each, then used the next ticket and used three days each and had six days. In jan day came one day bought six tickets, he used one day and he still has the rest of that ticket and 5 more tickets. In all the years we have been using these tickets we have never been asked for military ID except when he buys them. So in jan dad bought 6 tickets and put my nieces name on them, we plan on taking her in April, August and oct, but my dad probably won't come all of those times. (Be forwarned because we are, that Disney can ask for the military person to be there, but as I say they never have to, we are prepared to take that risk since she is a kids and I doubt they will ask). I have to go back now and see if I answered all your questi

 

[DG24]

What about buying the full 6 Military Salute Tickets and active 3 on arrival and then the remaining 3 after the first ones are used up? You would only be able to do this for 3 or less people. I seem to remember a few years ago that the Salute tickets had a waiting period of 14 days before you could activate new ones but I don't see that disclaimer any more. We are planning a 5 day trip in August for myself, DH and DS and I was planning on buying all 6 tickets but only activate 3 on the 1st day and then the last 3 on the 4th day. A bit of a pain to have to go through the activation period twice but looking at my ITT price list it would still work out to less money to use 2 Salute Tickets for each person. 2 Salute tickets would be $259.50 and our ITT lists a 5 day Park Hopper at $298.75. Thoughts??

You do not have to go th u th Mac ovation period twice, at least we did not the last time we did this in August 2014. We bought all six tickets the first night there, next day we activated three, then on day four we each activated our second ticket as we walked thru the gate, did not have to go back to ticket booth. They mad then give a name and put it on the ticket but they did not take picture until we walked thru the gate on day one and day four.

 

[Oomiak]

My son and I will arrive at LAX late Saturday morning and have been planning to do the salute ticket for 3 days then buy one last day for a total of 4 park days. This thread has me reconsidering that... I may do back to back Salute tickets and have 4 1/2 park days for $75 more than 2 salute tickets plus two single day non-hopper tickets. I think the crowd levels for 3/21-3/25 are going to be in the 9/10 range and I want to see it all! I'm a WDW vet making my first DLR trip.