Hi Anna! Welcome to planDisney.
December is "the most wonderful time of the year" for a visit to the Walt Disney World Resort. I just love
visiting The Most Magical Place on Earth during the holiday season, because the halls are decked, the peppermint treats are abundant, and there is so much seasonal pixie dust in the air. I'm so excited for your family.
As a military spouse, I totally understand your concern, and I've had this happen. My kiddos and I ended up flying to Florida without my husband, and he joined us a few days later. It's been my experience that Disney Cast Members are very understanding about last-minute plan changes for military families, so be sure to
call Guest Relations if you find you're unable to use your tickets.
Let's talk about those tickets. If you're planning to use
Military Promotional Theme Park Tickets, you will need to purchase those in advance at your local base ticket office so you can make
Disney Park Pass Reservations. When you arrive at Walt Disney World, visit Guest Relations to activate the tickets - if your husband is unable to join you, you'll need to show your military ID as part of the activation process. If you purchase a ticket for him and can't use it, speak with Guest Relations. While there's no guarantee, it might be possible that they can extend the expiration date, or if the ticket is wholly unused, you should be able to apply the value of the ticket to a future ticket purchase of equal or higher value.
For the
Disney Very Merriest After Hours party, tickets are non-refundable. The holiday parties have been very popular this year, and I don't recommend waiting until you arrive to purchase those. If you decide to purchase tickets,
Shades of Green is selling tickets for select dates at a military discount, so check out their webpage for more details.
I hope this helps as you sort out your ticket options, Anna. Thank you for your family's service to our country, and I'm sending you lots of good wishes that your holiday plans work out. As you continue to plan and dream, please come back and see us if you think of any further questions, and read the
Disney Parks Blog for news, updates, and fun planning tips. Have a very jolly holiday at Walt Disney World Resort!
Wishing you much magic,
Robyn