Military tickets question...

[Zoemakes5]

Hello, all! Was hoping someone here might have experience with the military tickets WDW is offering right now. $138 for 4 days, I think. It's a bit more confusing, though, than previous offers, so I was hoping someone here might have dealt with them.
On the website, it specifically says you can purchase for family, and that the person purchasing must be active duty or retired military. My cousin knows we are interested in a trip for Zoe this year and has offered to get me two tickets at that price when they get tickets for their trip.
So, my big question is, if they get those tickets for us, will we be able to use them, even if we don't go at the same time they are? These seem to have different requirements than previous ones?
Thanks so much for your insight!!

 

[StregaNona]

We were with some retired military friends earlier this month and bought these tickets at Shades of Green. We bought the four day park hopper ticket for $138 -great deal in our opinion . Our friend had to be there when we purchased them although we used our credit card to buy the tickets.

Then we had to go together to a WDW park ticket window to validate the tickets. Our military friend had to present his ID for his tickets and for our tickets to be validated. We also each had to sign our name on our individual ticket, so it cannot be used by anyone else.

We now have four day park hopper tickets in our possession to use in 2011. We did not use them this month (as our annual passes are still valid).

 

[hmdavid]

Someone with a military ID has to activate the tickets at the parks. If they buy the tickets and activate them on their trip, you should be able to use those tickets any time before the promotion period ends.

 

[StregaNona]

and has offered to get me two tickets at that price when they get tickets for their trip.

Will you be with them? If not, then I don't think you can activate/validate the tickets without the military person being with you. At least that is what we were told.

 

[LilGMom]

The way the military tickets have worked in the past is that the service member (or spouse in some cases) has been able to purchase up to X number of tickets (the number has varied). The people using the tickets, it doesn't matter who those tickets are for so it can be family or friends, have to be with the service member on the day that they activate the tickets. The non-service people using the tickets will have their names put on the tickets but the service member has to be there to activate them as military appreciation tickets. After that first day the people using the tickets and the service member do not have to tour together.

So... unless it has completely changed your friends can purchase tickets for you but you will have to be with them at WDW in order for them to activate them.

 

[Zoemakes5]

Thanks everyone! I appreciate your assistance...we would not be going same time/days so not sure if that would work for us. Seemed like such a good alternative, too, bummer! I so want to get Zoe to WDW before she turns 10, but when we start out with $500+ for tickets to fly down, it adds up to an expensive trip very quickly!

 

[LilGMom]

Thanks everyone! I appreciate your assistance...we would not be going same time/days so not sure if that would work for us. Seemed like such a good alternative, too, bummer! I so want to get Zoe to WDW before she turns 10, but when we start out with $500+ for tickets to fly down, it adds up to an expensive trip very quickly!

If you aren't going with the service member than the military appreciation tickets won't work for you. Anyway you can move your trip to the same time as your friends? You wouldn't have to tour the parks together after having your tickets activated.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

There is no requirement that all of the ticket users must be present at the time the tickets are purchased and/or activated. The only requirement is that the service member or spouse must be the one to purchase and activate the tickets.

If you go to the locked sticky Everything About WDW Tickets in the TPA&S Forum, especially Post #17, you can get a lot more information. An easy way to get to the sticky is by clicking on the link in my signature.