Aloha, Bryan, and welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel!
This is a great question! I went ahead and reached out to my dear friend, military wife, and panelist,
Kristen N., to help explain the rules to me. The basic answer to your question is that it depends which type of specially-discounted military tickets are being used. For 1-Day tickets, which are only sold on base, the eligible service member (who is either currently active duty or a reservist, or a full retiree with 20+ years of service and still has a military ID) or the service member’s spouse can purchase as many of these tickets as needed, and doesn’t have to be present with the Guests who are actually going to the parks. A discount ticket price list can be found on a base/post MWR/Ticket & Travel website. Most out-of-state bases don’t carry these tickets, but there are four bases within a few hours of the
Disneyland Resort that have them stocked at all times, which are Camp Pendleton, March ARB, Navy Base San Diego, and Los Angeles Air Force Base.
However, if you’re taking advantage of the
Military Promotional 3- and 4-Day Park Hopper Tickets, then the eligible service member or their spouse would need to be present to both purchase these tickets AND to use them. Eligible service members can purchase up to six of these tickets per year. These tickets can be purchased on base, or at a Disneyland Resort Main Entrance Ticket Booth.
Speaking from personal experience, I had the opportunity to purchase 1-Day tickets this summer on base at Camp Pendleton, with the help of an eligible service member’s spouse. Upon arrival at the Disneyland Resort, we arrived at separate times, and I was able to scan my ticket into my
Disneyland app, and enter
Disneyland Park without my friend present at the time.
It certainly wouldn’t hurt for the sponsor’s teenage child to bring his ID just in case. But, from what the rules state, and from my own personal experience, he and his non-military friends should be able to enter the parks with a 1-Day ticket without a problem. However, if they’re using the multi-day tickets, then the eligible service member or their spouse will need to be present. Also, keep in mind that teenagers must be at least 14-years-old to enter the parks without adults, per the
Disneyland Resort Rules.
I hope this helps. Please stop by with any additional questions you may have… I’m all EARs!
Kristin