Hi Julia, welcome to planDisney!
My family also has
Disney Military Salute tickets linked in
My Disney Experience for a January visit to Walt Disney World Resort. Your questions were my questions, so I spoke with some helpful Cast Members and got us some important answers. First things first.
Theme park reservations are not required for date-based tickets beginning January 9, 2024, which does
not include Disney Military Salute tickets. Said differently, theme park reservations are still required for Guests with Disney Military Salute tickets after January 8, 2024.
The next thing to consider is that Disney Military Salute Tickets include the
Park Hopper Option. Also beginning January 9, 2024, Guests can park hop anytime during
park hours. The wording on the
theme park reservations webpage makes it clear, though, that Guests with certain non-dated tickets can take advantage of park hopping
after they enter their first park. Let's apply all of this information to your first question, Julia. Yes, your theme park reservations matters; each Guest in your party must have a theme park reservation for the park you plan to enter first each day. After that, you can park hop til you drop.
I have great news about your second question, Julia. Next year's Disney Military Salute Tickets are not considered date-based tickets because their valid use window is technically January 1, 2024, through December 20, 2024. Isn't that wonderful?! You are welcome to spread your park days out over the course of your vacation. I've even used Disney Military Salute Tickets on separate trips during the same calendar year.
Thank you for taking the time to fully understand the star-spangled tickets you have in your possession, Julia. A heartfelt thanks for the service to our country that qualifies you for this special kind of magic. I also encourage you to take advantage of the special price for eligible military members on
Memory Maker. This price is only available in-person at Guest Relations or the
Disney Ticket Center at Disney Springs.
Plan magic; planDisney.
Jennifer