Military tickets at the window

[MandAmommy]

I hope I am posting in the right forum, but I can't get the search function to work for me tonight (oh the joys of living in the middle of nowhere). My husband qualifies for the Military Salute tickets. Are we able to purchase those at a ticket window or do we need to buy them on base? We are about 1.5 hours from our nearest base, but could drive there if we had to. Also, is there any benefit to buying APs on base versus at the ticket windows? Thanks so much!

 

[stitchrulz]

In addition to your nearest base MWR, you can purchase Salute tickets (as well as discount tickets for other venues) at Shades of Green at WDW. Here's the WDW page on topic: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/special-offers/military-4-day-tickets Buying at the military resellers saves on taxes, but you will need to activate the tickets (present military ID) at the Disney ticket window prior to usage. You can always give your nearest MWR or Shades a call.

 

[kirrrby]

You can purchase the tickets at the gate with no problem. The only difference is you will pay tax on them, which is currently 7% sales tax. You could always go over to Shades of Green and purchase tickets there, with no tax and they should be activated. Our base does a small discount on our tickets of about $5 per ticket ($172.50) versus ($177 - retail price).

 

[stitchrulz]

Thanks, kirrby. Our last trip in 2012, we purchased our tickets at Shades but still had to activate them at the Disney ticket window. From the Disney page linked above, it sounds like that's still the format: Disney 4-Day Military Promotional Tickets for admission to the Walt Disney World Resort are not valid until activated by the Eligible Services Members (or their spouses) at Walt Disney World theme park ticket windows. Very nice that some of the bases do additional discounts!

 

[kirrrby]

Thanks, kirrby. Our last trip in 2012, we purchased our tickets at Shades but still had to activate them at the Disney ticket window. From the Disney page linked above, it sounds like that's still the format: Disney 4-Day Military Promotional Tickets for admission to the Walt Disney World Resort are not valid until activated by the Eligible Services Members (or their spouses) at Walt Disney World theme park ticket windows. Very nice that some of the bases do additional discounts!

I haven't purchased the tickets from SOG since 2010, we've always bought at our base ITT because the discount is a nice perk. Someone on the SOG resort thread stated that ones that are purchased at SOG now are already activated, but I'm not 100% certain on that. Back in 2010 they were vouchers, exactly like you'd get at your MWR/ITT, but people say different now.

 

[stitchrulz]

Not having to activate them at the ticket window would be nice! We haven't been since the new FP system has been in place, so I wonder about waiting until you get there to purchase tix, now that it sounds like you pretty much need to make those FP reservations in advance. I'm sure MWR/Shades can explain how all that works now.

 

[MinnieSweetheart]

Not having to activate them at the ticket window would be nice! We haven't been since the new FP system has been in place, so I wonder about waiting until you get there to purchase tix, now that it sounds like you pretty much need to make those FP reservations in advance. I'm sure MWR/Shades can explain how all that works now.

I do recommend buying them early. However, booking FP in advance doesn't seem to be THAT advantageous in my experience. In the last two trips, I booked at 60 days and then the next was VERY VERY LAST MINUTE and I booked 3 days prior. Almost everything was available at 3 days prior; the only black outs were A&E, 7DMT and FOF. And when I booked at 60 days+, I was locked out of the same experiences, I just had more time to stalk for FP+ availability.

If you buy the salute voucher from your base office, there was a barcode on the back that I scanned with my phone camera and it linked to my MDE just the same. It took less than a minute.

 

[PSULion]

Just last week recieved our military salute tickets from Shades of Green via Fed Ex. The ticket sales people were super easy to work with, shipped them promptly, and the tickets DO NOT need to be activated... They are gate ready. I also had no problem at all linking them in MDE.

 

[BeerMe]

The Salute tickets need to be activated. The MYW tickets do not

 

[PSULion]

The Salute tickets need to be activated. The MYW tickets do not

Salute tickets purchased from Shades of Green no longer need to be activated. This is apparently new as of about a month ago. I've already received mine, and linked them in MDE where they show as gate ready tickets (not exchange vouchers like they used to).

 

[MinnieSweetheart]

Just last week recieved our military salute tickets from Shades of Green via Fed Ex. The ticket sales people were super easy to work with, shipped them promptly, and the tickets DO NOT need to be activated... They are gate ready. I also had no problem at all linking them in MDE.

How much was shipping?

 

[PSULion]

Shipping was $10.

Our base doesn't have them available yet and our trip is in Jan, so I didn't have another good option. But honestly, even if our base had the vouchers I probably would have paid the $10 anyway to avoid having to activate them.

 

[larryz]

I ordered mine at my local base on a Monday, and they had them on Wednesday. Service charge was $3.00 per ticket.

 

[MinnieSweetheart]

Shipping was $10.

Our base doesn't have them available yet and our trip is in Jan, so I didn't have another good option. But honestly, even if our base had the vouchers I probably would have paid the $10 anyway to avoid having to activate them.

Thank you! This is good information. I'm not sure if it will end up being cheaper for us to buy through them, because we can get tax free on post, but saving a trip through guest services can be wonderful.

 

[stitchrulz]

Yes, thanks to everyone for the information!

 

[subtchr]

I ordered mine at my local base on a Monday, and they had them on Wednesday. Service charge was $3.00 per ticket.

We had pretty much the exact timing when ordering from our base ITT office in Ohio.

This was back in September, for our trip in a few weeks. I scanned and linked the exchange certificates to MDE and had no problem making FP+ reservations. We don't mind having to activate them, because we arrive late afternoon and plan to spend the evening at DS, where we will stop at GS to activate our tickets for our first park day the next day.

Have a great trip!

 

[PSULion]

Thank you! This is good information. I'm not sure if it will end up being cheaper for us to buy through them, because we can get tax free on post, but saving a trip through guest services can be wonderful.

They are also tax free from Shades. Just the ticket price plus $10 for shipping.

 

[larryz]

We had pretty much the exact timing when ordering from our base ITT office in Ohio.

This was back in September, for our trip in a few weeks. I scanned and linked the exchange certificates to MDE and had no problem making FP+ reservations. We don't mind having to activate them, because we arrive late afternoon and plan to spend the evening at DS, where we will stop at GS to activate our tickets for our first park day the next day.

Have a great trip!

Probably the same base

We have almost exactly the same plan; we'll activate at AK as we enter the afternoon we arrive.

 

[BeerMe]

I got mine from Pendleton in October via mail order and still need to activate them Man this stuff changes quickly. I'll activate ours on 12/5 at MK. We have APs, the Salute tickets are for kids and grandchildren. We were able to get a huge military room discount however - 40%.

 

[subtchr]

We were able to get a huge military room discount however - 40%.

Yup, it's that 40% off that allows us the treat of staying at a deluxe resort.