Hi Michael! Welcome to planDisney, and hello to a fellow Virginian.
First, thank you for your service to our country. Mine is also a military family, and I understand the many ways our military members and their families sacrifice. I’m so glad to hear your planning a vacation to the Walt Disney World Resort this year, and hope you enjoy every minute!
I have purchased military discounted theme park tickets from Shades of Green Multiple times, and have always found the staff there to be professional and extremely knowledgeable. The ticket price list can be confusing, so I recommend calling their ticket sales office at (407) 824-1403 with any questions. There are multiple types of military discounted tickets available, with a varying amount of discount attached to each (for example, a longer length of stay usually deepens the discount). The rates for these are often negotiated between Disney and the Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) Office, and different types of discounted tickets can be found at base ITT or MWR locations.
When I look at the list, I believe the columns show the discounted rate for eligible military members if purchased through Shades of Green, and then the “gate” price is what you would pay at a
Walt Disney World ticket window with no discount. They note “with tax” because Shades of Green, like your local base ticket office, sells the tickets tax-free to our military members. If you purchase tickets at the Disney World ticket window, you will pay tax, even on military tickets.
I would also like to draw your attention to the
Military Promotional Theme Park tickets, which are listed on the price sheet in the bottom right. If you’re looking to purchase a 4-day ticket, these prices can't be beat! As a retired service member, you should be eligible; check the
offer details for the full eligibility and other details such as blockout dates. These are the tickets my family always buys, as they are a truly fantastic deal. You may purchase the tickets on base, or through Shades of Green’s online order process.
Whichever way you purchase tickets, be sure you link them to your
My Disney Experience account as soon as you have the tickets in-hand so you can make your
Disney Park Pass reservations. Due to capacity restrictions that are part of the phased reopening, Park Pass Reservations are required in order to enter a Walt Disney World Resort theme park. October is a long time to wait for your vacation, but it will be here before you know it, so I recommend making your reservations soon.
I hope this helps clarify the different ticket types and prices, Michael. If you think of any further questions as you plan your vacation, please come back and see us.
Wishing you a magical vacation,
Robyn