Military tickets for dependents without sponsor??

[PrincessMama605]

Does anyone have experience with purchasing the military tickets deal as a dependent or for a dependent without the sponsor. My dd, my mother and I are going to WDW in Sept and my dd has a military dependent ID. Her dad is retired AF and he is not going to be going with us. My question is, is it possible for us to take advantage of this deal anyway? Can I show her ID and give them his sponsor info with the voucher?

 

[sage10]

I would contact Shades of Green and have them give you the answer to that question. I don't know if they would allow you to get all of your tickets, or just her ticket. Plus if I am not mistaken the way I read it, the sponsor must be with them. Although I know that with certain circumstances, like deployment, then the spouse can buy the tickets. So I would verify before I counted on it happening. That way you won't get blindsidded or surprised if you can't. Good luck.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

The rule is to purchase tickets at a WDW ticket window, or to activate tickets purchased elsewhere (which is required before they can be used) specifially requires the presence of either the Serivce Member or Spouse.

Check Post #20 is the locked stickey, Everything About WDW Tickets, in this Forum. You can follow the link in my signature to get there directly.

 

[Order66]

Does anyone have experience with purchasing the military tickets deal as a dependent or for a dependent without the sponsor. My dd, my mother and I are going to WDW in Sept and my dd has a military dependent ID. Her dad is retired AF and he is not going to be going with us. My question is, is it possible for us to take advantage of this deal anyway? Can I show her ID and give them his sponsor info with the voucher?

I would call your local ITR/MWR office and inquire and then call Disney ticketing directly and ask them, and then explain your situation and ask them to verify with Guest Relations. The offer says "dependent ID" several times but also goes on to specifically say spouse. Dependents shouldn't be limited to married people. I guess they haven't taken into consideration that there just might be a lot of one parent military homes due to death, divorce, what not. So what if a parent is deployed and a child is living with grandparents or other family? The child wouldn't be allowed to enjoy the benefit of the offer to military families because his/her parent cannot be present?

I'm sure it's just a scenerio they hadn't actually thought about when they put the rules in writing. Not every family is mom, dad and 2.2 children....even in the uniformed services.

regards

 

[jlfabbri]

I called the WDW ticket line and the way it was explained to me was this:

As long as you have proof that your spouse is retired or active military - you (as his spouse) can purchase up to 5 - 5 day tickets to the parks.

I told the operator that my father was retired Navy, but that he wouldn't be with us. The trip is going to be me, my mom & my daughter. Her response was that my mother (as the spouse of a retired military man) could purchase up to 5 - 5 day tickets. She also told me that it was better to purchase tickets from Shades of Green (resort on disney property) than to try and do this at a ticket window at the parks.

Hope this helps...

 

[mattsdragon]

I called the WDW ticket line and the way it was explained to me was this:

As long as you have proof that your spouse is retired or active military - you (as his spouse) can purchase up to 5 - 5 day tickets to the parks.

I told the operator that my father was retired Navy, but that he wouldn't be with us. The trip is going to be me, my mom & my daughter. Her response was that my mother (as the spouse of a retired military man) could purchase up to 5 - 5 day tickets. She also told me that it was better to purchase tickets from Shades of Green (resort on disney property) than to try and do this at a ticket window at the parks.

Hope this helps...

Not if they're divorced. Divorced spouses, unless married to the member for 10 years of their service, do not get to claim any benefits.

 

[clkelley]

There is also the case of divorced parents, active parent killed, child is dependent till 18, divorced spouse has no benefits, but is the guardian of said child with benefits.

Can that child get a ticket??

 

[Cheshire Figment]

But no matter where the tickets are purchased, either the service member or spouse must be present to activate them. The printed instructions available to the ticket sellers (and Guest Relations) so state.

I would not believe anything that is not part of the written instructions unless my supervisor tells me. I don't have a picture of a DD1173 available to me but would recognize one, and unless there was a clear indication of "Spouse" I would neither sell nor activate a ticket.

 

[mattsdragon]

But no matter where the tickets are purchased, either the service member or spouse must be present to activate them. The printed instructions available to the ticket sellers (and Guest Relations) so state.

I would not believe anything that is not part of the written instructions unless my supervisor tells me. I don't have a picture of a DD1173 available to me but would recognize one, and unless there was a clear indication of "Spouse" I would neither sell not activate a ticket.

If I see you ever, I'm going to hug you just for that statement.

 

[addictedtoWDW]

I have a similar situation and have asked this question directly to a ticket agent by phone and to disney via e-mail, unfortunately, I'm still not sure what the answer is. My 10yrDD has a military ID (her Dad is active duty Airforce) and I do not. He is not able to come on the trip.

I called and was told that, not only could she not buy them, but that the active duty person had to be present to activate the tickets regardless.

So then, after two weeks of waiting, I get an e-mail back from Disney. I open it and inside is a standard template answer which just reiterated what was in the written public anouncement and really didn't answer my question.

Good news, I am leaving on Monday (yes, I already have my tickets, which I did not purchase through the military promotion) so I will try to get an answer for you directly from the guest relations window. I should be back on 1/31 and will try to post what I find that evening.

 

[suevee]

There is also the case of divorced parents, active parent killed, child is dependent till 18, divorced spouse has no benefits, but is the guardian of said child with benefits.

Can that child get a ticket??

If the Active parent is killed then the widowed spouse would have some type of identification and may be able to get tickets under this promotion. I would call WDW.

I don't think a dependent child of a non-custodial active duty person could get the tickets, because the active duty person may have other custodial dependents. The tickets are for the active duty member and who he/she chooses to give them to, not dependents. A spouse is another issue.

 

[clkelley]

There is also the case of divorced parents, active parent killed, child is dependent till 18, divorced spouse has no benefits, but is the guardian of said child with benefits.

Can that child get a ticket??

I really would like an answer to this question if possible. I have a friend in a similar situation (except that the parents never got married). She would like for her children who have valid military Dependant IDs to be able to purchase the discounted tickets. Is this possible??

 

[mattsdragon]

I really would like an answer to this question if possible. I have a friend in a similar situation (except that the parents never got married). She would like for her children who have valid military Dependant IDs to be able to purchase the discounted tickets. Is this possible??

I went and picked mine up today. I asked a few of these types of questions and was told "no, only active duty member or spouse can purchase the tickets".

 

[clkelley]

I went and picked mine up today. I asked a few of these types of questions and was told "no, only active duty member or spouse can purchase the tickets".

That's a shame, it's not those kids fault that their sponsor is no longer around!!

 

[mattsdragon]

That's a shame, it's not those kids fault that their sponsor is no longer around!!

It's also not the kids fault the parents never got married. But if the surviving parent never qualified for spouse's benefits, that's the way it goes.

 

[mommyof3rookies]

That's a shame, it's not those kids fault that their sponsor is no longer around!!

I think its a shame the kids can't each buy one FOR THEMSELVES, unfortunately custodial parents who are not the military member that have children that have ID's are salivating at the mouth to take advantage of this offer, sad but true. Some of them believe somehow that they are ENTITLED to this offer because they had a servicemembers baby. For now it has to be the servicemember or spouse activating the tickets.

 

[LadyZolt]

I don't think a dependent child of a non-custodial active duty person could get the tickets, because the active duty person may have other custodial dependents. The tickets are for the active duty member and who he/she chooses to give them to, not dependents. A spouse is another issue.

I think Suevee here has made the key point. The military member is the one who is "sponsoring" the companion tickets. It would be a fair assumption that a military member would consult with his/her spouse in regard to how many companion tickets to get, and who to give them to, and that is why it says that the military member "or spouse but not both" can purchase the companion tickets. Also, it seems likely that for those military people unable to go to Disney World because they cannot leave their duty stations, the spouse can still take advantage of this offer under the military person's "sponsorship." As Suevee says, "I don't think a dependent child of a non-custodial active duty person could get the tickets," I would add that the dependent children (they get ID cards at age 10 and keep them until they're 18 or, if in college, 22 or so) of a custodial military parent couldn't get the tickets, either. It's not just having a DD 1173 for dependents. It's having a DD 1173 that indicates "Spouse" in the "relationship to sponsor" box. So my DD18 who has a card cannot buy companion tickets, but I (a dependent wife) could, even though we both live with my DH, the "sponsor." This makes sense now that Suevee has brought it up so eloquently.

-Dorothy (LadyZolt)

 

[Broncoholic]

Well, I'm just a contractor at an AFB, and I was able to walk into ITT and buy tickets. I think the rules have lightened up. The tickets I bought are regular tickets and have no indication of "military tickets." I was able to save $150 on Disney and Seaworld tickets.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

Well, I'm just a contractor at an AFB, and I was able to walk into ITT and buy tickets. I think the rules have lightened up. The tickets I bought are regular tickets and have no indication of "military tickets." I was able to save $150 on Disney and Seaworld tickets.

ITT offices sell regular tickets that are available to anyone who can get on base. That's what you got. The military tickets that are part of the current discussion require a military ID (member or spouse) to purchase AND activate at the WDW gate.

 

[PrincessMama605]

I think its a shame the kids can't each buy one FOR THEMSELVES, unfortunately custodial parents who are not the military member that have children that have ID's are salivating at the mouth to take advantage of this offer, sad but true. Some of them believe somehow that they are ENTITLED to this offer because they had a servicemembers baby. For now it has to be the servicemember or spouse activating the tickets.

Nowhere did I say that I thought I was ENTITLED to take advantage of the offer, I was just wondering if we could, since her dad won't be using his free ticket or any companion tickets. I'm also not "salivating at the mouth" just to save a little $$ on tickets. Paying full price for them isn't that big of a deal to me.


To everyone else thank you for the replies.