What constitutes a Florida Resident

[Doodlebug939]

Ok I am asking this question because I am unsure what the correct answer would be.

My husband is in the military and he is going to school for six months in Florida. Does that make his resident enough to get us a Florida rate? Can he get them for us even though we stay in New Orleans? He will be in school until September but we wont be going to Disney until November. Does the pass start when he buys them or when we activate them?

I dont want to be unethical but I was just wondering. Thanks

 

[CarolA]

I got this from Allearsnet.com



In order to take advantage of the Florida Resident Offers at Walt Disney World you must show proof of Florida Residency:

VALID Florida Drivers License

VALID Florida State issued ID card (MUST have Florida address)

Utility statement with the guest name and address along with a corresponding picture ID

VALID Voters Registration Card with corresponding picture ID

VALID Florida Based Military ID - Florida Military Bases

Pensacola Naval Air Station
Hurlburt Field Air Force Base
Eglin Air Force Base
Tyndall Air Force Base
Panama City Coastal Systems Station (Navy)
Jacksonville Naval Air Station
Mayport Naval Station
MacDill Air Force Base
Patrick Air Force Base
Miami Coast Guard Station
Clearwater Coast Guard Air Station
Homestead Air Reserve Base
Key West Naval Air Station
United States Southern Command (Miami)

VALID College ID (MUST be a Florida college)

Each adult in the party is required to have a Florida ID.

Florida Resident tickets are only available to actual Florida Residents and can not be purchased for out of state family or friends.

These work like AP and use finger scans. SO... if they ask for an ID if your finger scan does not work it could be embarssing.

 

[HaleyB]

My neighbors have valid florida ID's. Note, I live in Texas. He travels there 6 times a year for work, and just asked for one. No problem, even with him using the address of his office in Florida. Wish I had one. They are so luckey too. He is a VP of a bank and the bank pays for his wife to go on these trips too. Oh and they always put him up at the Swan or Dolphin. Sweet deal if you ask me. Can you tell I am green with envy?

 

[AirForceRocks]

The thing that I find silly about the ID rules is the "Florida based military ID". ID cards don't show where you are based - they are simply ID cards that show you are in the military. Unless they are looking for orders to accompany the IDs, I don't see how they enforce that rule.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Originally posted by AirForceRocks
The thing that I find silly about the ID rules is the "Florida based military ID". ID cards don't show where you are based - they are simply ID cards that show you are in the military. Unless they are looking for orders to accompany the IDs, I don't see how they enforce that rule.

Excellent point...excellent! I just looked at DH's old military ID, he's out now and it says absolutely nothing about him being stationed at Eglin Air Force Base, so you're right. Unless they expect active duty personel to be carrying their orders around with them, then anyone can show their military ID and get the FL resident rate!

 

[Doodlebug939]

Thanks for the replys that I have received so far. I was wondering about how they check for Florida ID's for military. My ID card doesnt list where we live. I am going to call one of the ITT offices at one of the bases in Florida and see what they say. Guess that is couldnt hurt to ask.

 

[memymomonica]

My husband is a Marine and while stationed in Florida, he changed his residency to that state. If you look on his W-2, it shows FL for state taxes. We haven't lived there is 3 years. As a member of the armed services, you can choose your state of residence. So, technically, he is a Florida resident. As his spouse, I can claim Florida too. Although, I don't. Just thought I would throw another problem out there.

 

[AirForceRocks]

So, technically, he is a Florida resident.

He does need to go and have it changed though. Change in residence status is not automatic.

 

[memymomonica]

I'm not sure how it works in the Air Force, I thought it would be the same. We are not required to change our residence to the state you are living in. He can use the state we live in now, the state he was born in, or change status to a state you are living in and just not change it when you move. Does that make sense? He will probably remain a Florida resident until retirement.

 

[AirForceRocks]

I'm not sure how it works in the Air Force, I thought it would be the same. We are not required to change our residence to the state you are living in. He can use the state we live in now, the state he was born in, or change status to a state you are living in and just not change it when you move. Does that make sense? He will probably remain a Florida resident until retirement.

It is the same. We don't have to change our legal residence when we move. But if we do want to change it, we have to go in and actually do the paperwork. So if the OP's husband wants to change his residency to FL, he'll need to go into personnel and have it changed. It won't change automatically just because he's stationed in FL.

 

[memymomonica]

Right, I understand what you were saying now.

 

[Robinette]

If you are talking about Florida resident discounts on park tickets, visit mousesavers.com. There are discounted tickets for Military.

It say's "Active duty and retired military, DOD civilian employees and their dependents qualify for some of the best discounts available on multi-day passes "

Here is the link...
http://www.mousesavers.com/wdwtixdiscounts.html#military

 

[kadaten]

Originally posted by AirForceRocks
The thing that I find silly about the ID rules is the "Florida based military ID". ID cards don't show where you are based - they are simply ID cards that show you are in the military. Unless they are looking for orders to accompany the IDs, I don't see how they enforce that rule.

Well, I can tell you where the rule came from, but not how they enforce it now. Military ID's used to have a base sticker that was placed on the front of the ID. Whenever you checked into a new base, they gave you the new sticker to put on your ID. But, they haven't done those for several years, so I don't know how they keep track now. I wouldn't put it past them to ask for orders, though...during the Operation Salute last year activated reservists had to show their orders to be able to buy the discounted tickets!

Ok I am asking this question because I am unsure what the correct answer would be.

My husband is in the military and he is going to school for six months in Florida. Does that make his resident enough to get us a Florida rate? Can he get them for us even though we stay in New Orleans? He will be in school until September but we wont be going to Disney until November. Does the pass start when he buys them or when we activate them?

I dont want to be unethical but I was just wondering. Thanks

As for the question from the original poster...my inclination would be no...that doesn't make him a resident. I guess you could give it a shot, but please know that people constantly pushing the envelope of what is acceptable and valid is what makes the rules get tougher and tougher, and eventually these discounts go away, to the detriment of those of us who really do qualify for them.

Leaked/over-publicized discount codes have resulted in fewer and fewer of them being offered, and now Disney gives discounts by postcard with a PIN required to use them. I'd hate to see the FL resident rules get so abused that they just do away with them all together!!

JMHO,
Katie

 

[AirForceRocks]

Military ID's used to have a base sticker that was placed on the front of the ID. Whenever you checked into a new base, they gave you the new sticker to put on your ID. But, they haven't done those for several years, so I don't know how they keep track now.

Wow, I've never heard of that! I've been in 17 years, and I've never had that done.

I wouldn't put it past them to ask for orders, though...during the Operation Salute last year activated reservists had to show their orders to be able to buy the discounted tickets!

Of course they did, because the program was for active or activated only.

As for the question from the original poster...my inclination would be no...that doesn't make him a resident. I guess you could give it a shot, but please know that people constantly pushing the envelope of what is acceptable and valid is what makes the rules get tougher and tougher, and eventually these discounts go away, to the detriment of those of us who really do qualify for them.

If he is being sent to school on military orders, there is nothing at all unethical or illegal about him changing his state of legal residence to Florida. I haven't lived in Florida since I entered the service in 1987, but I'm still a legal resident, still vote in Florida, still have a Florida driver's license, and still get get my Florida resident discounts from Disney. There is nothing at all that is abusive about him taking advantage of a perfectly legal option.

***edited to add: so long as a person has the documentation that Disney requires, they do qualify for the discounts, whether they actually live in the state or not.

 

[kadaten]

Originally posted by AirForceRocks
Wow, I've never heard of that! I've been in 17 years, and I've never had that done.

Isn't it odd how things vary from place to place. My DH has only been in 8.5 years, but had base stickers on his ID for at least the first 3 bases we were at...so that would be up until 4 years ago, I think? Maybe it was just a Navy thing, but we had them.

Of course they did, because the program was for active or activated only.

Right. My point exactly. Since they were trying to limit it to certain people, they had no qualms asking for documentation. Several repliers didn't think they'd do that, but I wanted to let them know they do. My BIL came with us in December and had to bring paperwork to prove he'd been on active duty during the offer period.

If he is being sent to school on military orders, there is nothing at all unethical or illegal about him changing his state of legal residence to Florida. I haven't lived in Florida since I entered the service in 1987, but I'm still a legal resident, still vote in Florida, still have a Florida driver's license, and still get get my Florida resident discounts from Disney. There is nothing at all that is abusive about him taking advantage of a perfectly legal option.

If he changes his legal residency, I agree with you. We are FL residents who live in VA...we vote in FL, register our cars in FL, have FL driver's licenses, and get FL discounts, too. We lived in FL several years when DH first went in the Navy, and have maintained that residency for convenience....6 moves in 8.5 years would be too expensive to keep changing residency, registrations, etc.!! But the OP said nothing about changing legal residency...if that was the intention, then I doubt she would have had to ask the question. Most people won't bother to change residency for just 6 months....for the same reason we haven't changed ours. Does being in FL for 6 months make you a FL resident? No...no more than me living in VA for the last 3 years has made me a VA resident.

Didn't mean to get your dander up, by the way. Just giving my opinion since the OP was asking....
Katie

 

[AirForceRocks]

But the OP said nothing about changing legal residency...if that was the intention, then I doubt she would have had to ask the question.

I think the OP probably didn't think about the fact that her DH could change his residency - at least that's how I took it. The military doesn't care one way or the other how long you might be sent someplace when it comes to residency, so I don't see 6 months as an unreasonable amount of time to make the change.

Didn't mean to get your dander up, by the way.

No problem at all - I just don't like to see people imply that there is something unethical or otherwise wrong about changing residency. If I misunderstood your point, then I apologize.

 

[staceymerrill]

test

 

[memymomonica]

I get what everyone is saying, but just a few points....

1. We have been in the Marine Corps 13 years and never had stickers on our ID cards. The DOD stickers on our cars change from base to base, but nothing on ID's.

2. Let's be honest about why most people in the military change their residency to Florida.....no state taxes. The only reason people change their residency from their original home state is if it benefits them in someway. Why else would you do it?

Just my opinion......

 

[AirForceRocks]

Originally posted by memymomonica
I get what everyone is saying, but just a few points....

1. We have been in the Marine Corps 13 years and never had stickers on our ID cards. The DOD stickers on our cars change from base to base, but nothing on ID's.

2. Let's be honest about why most people in the military change their residency to Florida.....no state taxes. The only reason people change their residency from their original home state is if it benefits them in someway. Why else would you do it?

Just my opinion......

Ditto and ditto!!

 

[memymomonica]

You said your husband was in the Navy. Are you sure the stickers on the ID are "base" stickers. Or are they ship stickers? When my husband deploys, he gets a sticker on his ID that has the name of the ship that he is on. He is stationed in North Carolina, but the ships are from Virginia. His stickers just have the name of the ships on them. You would have to have a really good knowledge of our ships to know which ones were stationed in Florida. This is interesting because we have never seen that.