Welcome to planDisney, Sarah!
Give your dad a big "THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE" from everyone here at planDisney. We are so appreciative of the sacrifices made by our active and retired military members and their families. I hope his upcoming trip with the grandkids is fun and relaxing! Your dad sounds a lot like my grandpa! He, as an Air Force veteran, loves to take his vacation at his own speed while the grandkids run from rope drop to park closing!
If your dad has a valid Military ID that he can purchase tickets with at his local military base ticket office, he can purchase the Military Salute Tickets -- but he will need to be one of the ticketholders, meaning that he and all of the grandkids would have the discounted tickets. Once the discounted
military tickets are activated, he will not need to stay with the grandkids for the rest of the trip. He will, however, need to be present at activation (this happens at a Guest Relations or Ticketing Booth on the day that they choose to visit their first theme park) and present his valid Military ID in order to activate all of the tickets. I would recommend all of the teens/young adults to bring their photo ID's as well just in case they are needed. All people he has purchased a discounted military ticket for also needs to be present at this activation.
Here is where they can make this initial activation:
-The Transportation and Ticket Center Ticket or Guest Relations windows
-Magic Kingdom Ticket or Guest Relations windows
-EPCOT – Main Entrance or International Gateway Ticket or Guest Relations windows
-Hollywood Studios Ticket or Guest Relations windows
-Animal Kingdom Ticket or Guest Relations windows
(Theme Park locations open at least 1 hour prior to park opening.)
-Both Water Parks Ticket windows
-Disney Springs (Disney Spring’s Ticket Center is opened 10:00 am to 9:00 pm)
You can also have him visit or call his local military ticketing office to see if there are any other discounted tickets that he could purchase for the grandkids happening for eligible military members beyond the Military Salute Tickets.
Make sure your dad and the grandkids link their tickets to their My Disney Experience accounts so they can make
Theme Park Reservations for the days that they'll be visiting the parks.
For a relaxing and classic table-service restaurant, encourage your dad and the grandkids to make a reservation at
Steakhouse 71. This is a great dining location that I'm sure this whole party would enjoy, and it is at the Contemporary Resort so if your dad won't have access to the theme parks, he would still be able to join the grandkids!
If you have additional questions, Sarah, we'd love to hear from you again at planDisney.
Allyn