Hi Monti, welcome to planDisney!
I, too, have a retired military member in my family and am thankful for the
star-spangled offers that allow us to experience the magic of Walt Disney World Resort vacations together regularly. Let's go over the different types of tickets available to military members and their families as well as their use requirements.
I am visiting Walt Disney World Resort with friends next month and my mother-in-law purchased a 1-day Magic Your Way ticket for me while on base yesterday. Magic Your Way Tickets purchased on base are available in a variety of ticket lengths and types (Base, with Park Hopper, or with Park Hopper Plus). I used the number in her confirmation email to
link the ticket to my My Disney Experience account. The ticket requires a
theme park reservation and must be used by December 31, 2024. Magic Your Way Tickets purchased on base do not require activation and can be used without the service member being present.
For my family's January visit, we hope to purchase 2024 Disney Military Salute Tickets. There has been no official announcement about the availability or cost of these tickets in the new year, but information about the 2023 Disney Military Salute Tickets can be found on the
Special Offers page. Traditionally, each Eligible Service Member can purchase up to six of these deeply discounted tickets each year and tickets purchased on base require in-person activation at Guest Relations before use. Active and valid US Military ID must be shown. My father-in-law typically activates our Disney Military Salute Tickets at the
Disney Ticket Center at Disney Springs before our first park day and our entire party is present for activation. Once the tickets are activated, they can be used like any other ticket, meaning the Eligible Service Member does not need to be present to enter a theme park. While on base yesterday, my mother-in-law was told to begin calling in mid-November to see if 2024 Disney Military Salute Tickets are available.
In addition to purchasing tickets on base, Monti, Eligible Service Members can purchase both Magic Your Way and Disney Military Salute Tickets via the
Shades of Green Ticket Office. The biggest difference is that Disney Military Salute Tickets purchased from Shades of Green come pre-activated, which means in-person activation is not required. This is your only chance to use Disney Military Salute Tickets if your father and stepmother do not plan on experiencing the parks with you.
To summarize, Monti, you can use Magic Your Way tickets purchased on base or Disney Military Salute Tickets purchased via Shades of Green without your father or stepmother being present. Please don't hesitate to reach out to me
directly with any follow-up questions, and please thank your father and stepmother for their service. We are the land of the free because of the brave men and women like them.
Choose magic,
Jennifer