Hi there, Grace! Welcome to planDisney.
Mine is a military family too, and I’m happy to confirm that there are some fantastic savings for eligible servicemembers at the Walt Disney World Resort. There is nothing like together time at The Most Magical Place on Earth, and your family is going to make so many memories on the visit you're planning.
Eligible members of the U.S. Military can enjoy
special rates on theme park tickets as well as
discounted rates on select resort hotel rooms at the Walt Disney World Resort. Because your visit isn’t for a few years, these rates can provide a “ballpark” figure, but note that prices will likely increase, so you’ll want to save a little extra. Also, please take a look at the offer details on both the ticket and room promotions; eligible service members are typically active, reserve, or retired members of the U.S. military.
In my opinion, the easiest way to price resorts under the military discount is to call the Walt Disney World Resort Reservations line at (407) 939-1936. If you provide your visit dates, they can provide resort hotel availability and rates. Since you're planning for the future, please note that military rates for 2022 won’t be available until closer to the end of 2021.
I have found flexibility to be the key to getting a great military discount as availability is limited. Familiarize yourself with the resort hotel options before you call – keep a computer tab open to the
Places to Stay page when you call so you can look at photos and amenities (I always look at the pool because that's a big priority for my family) when the Cast Member provides price information. If you’d like to compare regular rates for vacation packages, the
vacation package comparison tool is a great resource.
Another option that works well for military families is to use a travel agent. Be sure the agent you select is an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner; they can book Disney trips at no cost to you. They can give you a no-obligation quote for a vacation package including resort hotel, tickets, and Disney Dining Plans (please note that Disney Dining Plans are not currently available, but I sure hope they’ll be back by the time you visit!). Note that they may not be able to provide a quote for your travel dates yet, but should be able to price a comparable package to provide you with a starting point for your budget.
Grace, you’ll be able to purchase military-discounted theme park tickets at your local base for dates through September 26, 2021. Stay tuned in fall 2021 for an announcement about 2022 military discounts. While these discounts are not guaranteed, I’ve seen them every year for many years.
Whew! There’s still so much your friends here at planDisney can share to help you with every step of your budgeting and planning.
My dear friend Jerry takes you through many of the planning steps in this great answer, and I hope you’ll come back and ask us some more questions. If you’d like military-specific answers, please feel free to
send me a direct question.
Have so much fun planning and dreaming! We will see you real soon!
Wishing you a magical vacation,
Robyn