Welcome to planDisney, Robert!
Thanks for bringing your great question our way. My husband is a Department of Defense (DoD) Civilian for the U.S. Army, and we do exactly as you ask for most of our Disney trips – I'm happy to help you understand how to put these components of your vacation together. How exciting to be planning a trip for June to the
Walt Disney World Resort, it’s a perfect way to kick off the summer!
While the Walt Disney World website enables you to make a resort reservation and purchase theme park tickets in one transaction, you may customize your vacation based on what else may be available to you for ticket options. To make a resort-only reservation at a
Disney Resorts Collection hotel, simply select “no ticket” on the second page of the process and continue to finalize the resort room only. There is a
Special Offer available now for spring-summer for up to 25 percent off room-only reservations, so hopefully that discount applies to your resort choice for great savings.
We frequently purchase our theme park tickets through the U.S. Army recreation office, as you may also do through the U.S. Air Force services office. These are legitimate tickets with special savings for our military and DoD Civilian families. If you purchase those, the physical or emailed tickets will have a barcode with a unique number affiliated with each. To link these to your room reservation, log into your
My Disney Experience account (on a computer or the mobile app). You then select “Link Tickets” and can enter the full numbers on each ticket and assign them to someone in your family for use. Once linked you will see everything together and seamlessly access them using your
MagicBand, MagicMobile Pass, or the physical tickets to enter a theme park.
Another option for your theme park tickets is to purchase them through
Shades of Green, an
Armed Forces Recreation Center (AFRC) on the Walt Disney World Resort property. Even if you are not staying there (though this is another great resort option for you to investigate) you may purchase
specially priced tickets for DoD Civilians and have them mailed to you. The rates are usually comparable to the U.S. Army recreation office so be sure to check the prices and number of park days available to find the best deal for your family. No matter how you secure your theme park tickets, you will then link them to your My Disney Experience account and make
theme park reservations as soon as you’re ready.
Whether you stay at a Disney Resorts Collection Hotel or Shades of Green, you can make your dining reservations 60 days in advance of your stay for the full length of your vacation. You will also be eligible for
Early Theme Park Entry, having a head start into the parks before Guests staying off property.
Please
send me a question directly if you have questions on any of this or would like to continue our conversation to plan your special trip, Robert!
To infinity, and beyond!
Amy