On the 2013-2014 Armed Forces Salute Watch!!!

[soonerlpn]

If the military discount is extended will I be able to just purchase tickets thru Disney? The regular ones, not the salute. Also will I be able to purchase them prior to arrival? Thanks!

 

[Steve TLT]

May 2014 Trip:

My girlfreind and I are Annual Pass Holders so we usually get the AP room discount; however, next May we are planning a trip with her Grandmother, Niece (5yrs), Cousin (19yrs), and Brother (18yrs) who do not have tickets. Her Grandfather is retired military so from everything I have read her Grandmother should qualify for the military discount.

I have a few questions:

1. Is the AP room only discount usually the same or worse than the military discount? We can also get the FL Resident room discount since I am from Miami.

2. If military disocunt is better do we have to book the room in her name or can we book it in my name and since she will be in the room still apply the discount?

3. We are planning to stay at the All Star Music Family Suite what are the traditional discounts for this type of room?

4. On the tickets, I know she can buy her own but can she buy the three extra ones (all three are her grandchildren)?

5. Where are tickets purchased? Can tickets be ordered online or by phone and picked up at Will Call or does she have to buy them when we arrive?

Sorry for the many questions, but usually we get the AP or FL Resident discounts so I know how those work but I am at a loss here.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Hi, no problem!!!

Just to be sure, she has a valid military dependent (spouse) ID right?

1. Is the AP room only discount usually the same or worse than the military discount? We can also get the FL Resident room discount since I am from Miami. The Disney Armed Forces Salute rate is usually better

2. If military disocunt is better do we have to book the room in her name or can we book it in my name and since she will be in the room still apply the discount? Yes she has to book the room.

3. We are planning to stay at the All Star Music Family Suite what are the traditional discounts for this type of room? 30% has been the discount for the Values

4. On the tickets, I know she can buy her own but can she buy the three extra ones (all three are her grandchildren)? Yes she sure can, up to a total of 6 Disney Armed Forces Salute tickets counting hers

5. Where are tickets purchased? Can tickets be ordered online or by phone and picked up at Will Call or does she have to buy them when we arrive? They can not be purchased electronically, only in person. At a military base ticket office, Shades of Green, or a Disney ticket window (plus tax).

If you'd like more info you could check my site (link in my sig)

Steve

 

[bell4fan]

If the military discount is extended will I be able to just purchase tickets thru Disney? The regular ones, not the salute. Also will I be able to purchase them prior to arrival? Thanks!

The military salute wont affect your ability to buy higher priced tickets. You can buy those anytime I believe.

 

[bell4fan]

Hi, no problem!!!

Just to be sure, she has a valid military dependent (spouse) ID right?

1. Is the AP room only discount usually the same or worse than the military discount? We can also get the FL Resident room discount since I am from Miami. The Disney Armed Forces Salute rate is usually better

2. If military disocunt is better do we have to book the room in her name or can we book it in my name and since she will be in the room still apply the discount? Yes she has to book the room.

3. We are planning to stay at the All Star Music Family Suite what are the traditional discounts for this type of room? 35% has been the discount for the Values

4. On the tickets, I know she can buy her own but can she buy the three extra ones (all three are her grandchildren)? Yes she sure can, up to a total of 6 Disney Armed Forces Salute tickets counting hers

5. Where are tickets purchased? Can tickets be ordered online or by phone and picked up at Will Call or does she have to buy them when we arrive? They can not be purchased electronically, only in person. At a military base ticket office, Shades of Green, or a Disney ticket window (plus tax).

If you'd like more info you could check my site (link in my sig)

Steve

Arent the values 30%, moderates 35% ?

 

[Rpasko]

If I have a package (room and tickets), can I change it to the military discount if one comes up? With rumors of free dining coming up as well, not sure which would be the better deal too. Thanks!!!

 

[OurBigTrip]

If the military discount is extended will I be able to just purchase tickets thru Disney? The regular ones, not the salute. Also will I be able to purchase them prior to arrival? Thanks!

You can purchase tickets through Disney with or without a military discount, you'll just pay more.

 

[bell4fan]

If you are already booked, and want to change to the military discount you can. As far as free dining vs. discounted room, that depends on how many people are on your dining plan and where you are staying. Could be worth it, but it would definitely be worth calling Disney and having them run all the numbers for you.

 

[Rpasko]

If you are already booked, and want to change to the military discount you can. As far as free dining vs. discounted room, that depends on how many people are on your dining plan and where you are staying. Could be worth it, but it would definitely be worth calling Disney and having them run all the numbers for you.

Thanks!!!

 

[Steve TLT]

Arent the values 30%, moderates 35% ?

OOPs, yep you are right...

That will teach me to answer too many questions in about 4 different places right after worl, lol

Thanks, I'll edit my reply

 

[Steve TLT]

If the military discount is extended will I be able to just purchase tickets thru Disney? The regular ones, not the salute. Also will I be able to purchase them prior to arrival? Thanks!

If the salute isn't extended you can still get the Regular Military Discounted Magic Your Way tickets from base ticket offices (ahead of time) or from Shades of Green once there.

 

[soonerlpn]

My concern is FP+. No one has been able to tell me how tickets not purchased thru Disney will be linked.

 

[Steve TLT]

My concern is FP+. No one has been able to tell me how tickets not purchased thru Disney will be linked.

Got ya, sorry.

The Regular Military Discounted Magic Your Way tickets which you can purchase at base ticket offices can be linked with the My Disney Experience website or app using the ticket number and once they do start doing FastPass+ that is how you'd reserve them. As I understand it.

The Disney Armed Forces Salute tickets are another monster (which Disney had not been able to gat an answer for me yet) as the tickets you get at bases are not the real ticket you'll use, they are just exchange vouchers.

 

[bell4fan]

Steve (or anyone else), whats your opinion on the dining plans. I booked the Dining plus plan, but the Deluxe was going to be $46 more per adult, per night. Not sure how much more for my 2 kids, but for our stay, it'd be an $800-900 upgrade. Is it worth it?

 

[Disneyaddictz]

Steve (or anyone else), whats your opinion on the dining plans. I booked the Dining plus plan, but the Deluxe was going to be $46 more per adult, per night. Not sure how much more for my 2 kids, but for our stay, it'd be an $800-900 upgrade. Is it worth it?

I know your asking Steve but I'd love to add, there's a dining calculator spreadsheet out there that can be so helpful in determining if its worth it for your family. Every family is different so some it's a no Brainer some, like us, struggle to use all the credits to make it worth it. It was nice to see the totals added for you. Just google it and download

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[Steve TLT]

I know your asking Steve but I'd love to add, there's a dining calculator spreadsheet out there that can be so helpful in determining if its worth it for your family. Every family is different so some it's a no Brainer some, like us, struggle to use all the credits to make it worth it. It was nice to see the totals added for you. Just google it and download

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

In full disclosure, we've never use the DDP as the time we like to take our family vacation is during the Epcot Food and Wine when the plan wouldn't make sense. I've meant to try it myself on my short research trips, but haven't yet.

I'd not heard of the calculator, that sounds great.

We have an officer in my squadron who swears by the DDP, uses it every time. Saves all his receipts and finds he has saved.

But you have to try to figure if you'll save or not using it. If the calculator doesn't show up, go to the menus on allears and price out what you think you would really eat on each plan version, not trying to match the amount of food on the plan. the plans can be a lot of food especially as the price increases, then compare. Also as the price increases you are tied to more full service meals which can affect your schedule due to needing DDRs.

 

[Mousemommy1]

In full disclosure, we've never use the DDP as the time we like to take our family vacation is during the Epcot Food and Wine when the plan wouldn't make sense. I've meant to try it myself on my short research trips, but haven't yet.

I'd not heard of the calculator, that sounds great.

We have an officer in my squadron who swears be the DDP, uses it every time. Saves all his receipts and finds he has saved.

But you have to try to figure if you'll save or not using it. If the calculator doesn't show up, go to the menus on allears and price out what you think you would really eat on each plan version, not trying to match the amount of food on the plan. the plans can be a lot of food especially as the price increases, then compare. Also as the price increases you are tied to more full service meals which can affect your schedule due to needing DDRs.

We definitely took a more trial and error approach to the DDP. We definitely liked the idea of it...everything prepaid before we went...but ultimately after using it 3 times, we realized how much food was wasted because we just couldn't eat it all. We would end our trips with like 16 CS credits left and 20+ snacks....

In April, we finally went without the DDP and just used TiW. It was fantastic!!! We made less ADR's, which for us was great, because we didn't like the "structure" of having to be at a certain place at a certain time to eat, and we were much happier! We also spent alot less money! The DDP would have cost us $1500 for our family of four. We spent a total of $1080 over 11 days and that included 6 TS (some signature)!

Definitely do the math!

Oh, and Steve - I have a question for you!

If the salute is continued, and I want to book 2 rooms under the room discount (1 for my family and 1 for our friends), do our dates have to be exactly the same??

We would both check in the same day, but our friends would leave before us. Would that be ok? And, we will likely book different room types (same resort of course). Would that be a problem?

Lastly, would I be able to book the reservation in our friends name so that they can make payments on their balance etc....

I've never booked more than 1 room before, so I'm not sure how it works. Thanks!

 

[BeerMe]

We've used the DDP six times and over the same period of time we've stayed nine times without DDP because we stayed offsite or at SOG. I'd say it's less expensive without DDP because we eat differently with DDP. I like DDP though. Our trips are more regimented when we have DDP too.

 

[capeseal]

The one time we used the dining plan, I felt like I had to make choices for the food and restaurant that would give me the biggest value vs. what I really wanted to eat. And we ate so much more than we would normally. I can definitely see the appeal but we will never use the dining plan again. We prefer to bring a lot of homemade snacks and make a grocery stop (when we stay at Shades.) At a Disney resort, we just eat light and bring non-perishable snacks from home to supplement. Overall, I never feel well after a week of Disney eating.

 

[bell4fan]

We used the DDP plus last year and enjoyed it. I was wondering if the deluxe would be worth it, and it sounds like a no! Im going to check out the calculator. Thanks!!!

 

[Steve TLT]

We definitely took a more trial and error approach to the DDP. We definitely liked the idea of it...everything prepaid before we went...but ultimately after using it 3 times, we realized how much food was wasted because we just couldn't eat it all. We would end our trips with like 16 CS credits left and 20+ snacks....

In April, we finally went without the DDP and just used TiW. It was fantastic!!! We made less ADR's, which for us was great, because we didn't like the "structure" of having to be at a certain place at a certain time to eat, and we were much happier! We also spent alot less money! The DDP would have cost us $1500 for our family of four. We spent a total of $1080 over 11 days and that included 6 TS (some signature)!

Definitely do the math!

Oh, and Steve - I have a question for you!

If the salute is continued, and I want to book 2 rooms under the room discount (1 for my family and 1 for our friends), do our dates have to be exactly the same??

We would both check in the same day, but our friends would leave before us. Would that be ok? And, we will likely book different room types (same resort of course). Would that be a problem?

Lastly, would I be able to book the reservation in our friends name so that they can make payments on their balance etc....

I've never booked more than 1 room before, so I'm not sure how it works. Thanks!

I'd heard others say too much food also, plus the ADR issue.

I've always wanted to try TiW also, works for long visits like yours and big families, or multiple visits in a year.

As to your questions Yep the second room can go in their name and they will be responsible for the charges. And the only requirement is that you check in together.