Welcome to planDisney, Robert!
Thank you or your family member for the service to our country that prompted your insightful question. My husband is also a U.S. Army Veteran but not retired, so I’m familiar with the details and nuances of military pricing at the
Walt Disney World Resort and am honored to help you understand what’s possible for your family.
You’re correct in that the
Military Salute special offer for theme park tickets is for active and retired military personnel and their spouses.
Shades of Green, an Armed Forces Recreation Center (AFRC) on Walt Disney World Property, also offers special discounted pricing with broader military eligibility and is a legitimate, trustworthy official ticket venue. My husband has also purchased tickets for our family through the U.S. Army Recreation Office at the Pentagon; please see a
similar Guest question I answered recently about linking Air Force purchased tickets this way to your My Disney Experience account if this type of purchase is an option for your location and service branch.
Shades of Green offers their discounted military tickets through the mail; you can order in advance, and they arrive at your home already activated and ready to go! This is a wonderful option to receive the benefit of pricing to honor your service and having tickets in advance of your arrival to make those critical theme park reservations. I like that the Shades of Green ticketing options are more flexible than the Military Salute in that you can select the exact number of days needed for your family. Please review the
eligibility requirements, the
ticket ordering process, and
common questions on this process on the Shades of Green website.
Be sure and check out their
great rates on the website if you’d like to explore their resort options – it boasts the largest standard rooms on Walt Disney World Resort property! I love the convenient location and spacious rooms when my family has enjoyed a stay there, at a great price to honor my husband’s service.
I hope this gives your family some options for an upcoming vacation to the Walt Disney World Resort, Robert. Please let me know what other questions you have. We can continue our conversation if you
send me a question directly (click on “get an answer from this panelist” on my biography page) or submit additional questions as you did this one to receive a different perspective from one of my great teammate panelists.
It’s been an honor to answer your question today, and I hope these ticket options allow your family to make some magical memories together very soon.
With gratitude,
Amy