Hi Kenna! Welcome to planDisney.
My military family is so grateful for the fantastic
discounts available to members of the U.S. armed services when we visit the Walt Disney World Resort. We recently celebrated my husband's return from deployment with some together time in The Most Magical Place on Earth, and it was the perfect place for R&R and family memories. I'm so happy you're planning a visit - and thank you for your service to our country.
It sounds like you have the
Military Promotional Theme Park Tickets, which do need to be activated at Guest Relations. Please take a look at the
Offer Details to see the terms and conditions and other important guidance about using these tickets. My family has purchased these tickets many times over the years and activating them is easy. Stop by a
Guest Relations location outside each theme park or at Disney Springs and provide the tickets and your military ID. The Cast Member will work a little magic, and your tickets will be ready to use!
The reason for the confusion is that there are a few instances where activation is not needed. When purchasing these tickets via email from Shades of Green, you verify eligibility as part of the process, so they arrive activated and ready to use. There is also another type of military-discounted ticket available on base - it comes in a variety of options (base and Park Hopper and multiple ticket lengths) and the discount isn't as significant. Those tickets are also already activated. If you compare the prices of the Military Promotional Theme Park Tickets to what you paid, you should be able to tell which kind of ticket you have. Regardless, I recommend bringing your military ID and stopping by Guest Relations just to be sure.
Thanks for stopping by with your question, Kenna! If you have further questions as you count down the days, we're here to help, and please feel free to send me a question directly if you'd like help from a fellow military Guest. I hope you have an amazing time!
Wishing you a magical vacation,
Robyn