Hi Lawrence! Welcome to planDisney, and thank you for your question!
Shades of Green Resort is a wonderful resort option for military families at Walt Disney World Resort. As a guest at Shades, you will be close to Disney's Magic Kingdom Park, which is perfect if you have Mouseketeers in your group.
Mill Pond Pool offers guests a relaxing space after a long day at the parks, and there is a splash pad area for the tiniest kiddos! There are several
dining options here, including Evergreens, Mangino's, and Garden Gallery. Garden Gallery serves a delicious breakfast buffet (and you can get Mickey waffles here!). Unfortunately,
both Disney dining plans are not available to guests staying at Shades of Green.
If you want to stay at a Disney Resort hotel using the military rate, keep in mind that the dining plan is not discounted for service members. You will get a discount on your resort reservation, and you can purchase
Disney Military Salute tickets, or
Magic Your Way tickets from your local military base. You can also order both tickets from Shades of Green. The dining plan is a great option for families because it is nice to know meals are paid for in advance, and it is a great way to try out new restaurants on Walt Disney World property. I have used the Disney Dining Plan in the past, and it's great, especially for character meals. Some of my family's favorite restaurants that have characters include
Garden Grill Restaurant at EPCOT and
The Crystal Palace at Magic Kingdom.
Lawrence, thanks for stopping by planDisney! I hope all of this information was helpful. Thank you for your service, and if you need help planning your visit in the future, please visit us again!
Choose Magic,
Frances