Hi Stephanie, and welcome to planDisney!
I see you are counting down the weeks until you arrive at the Walt Disney World Resort - hurray! As a military spouse, I would like to thank you for your service to our country. I don't know if you have stayed at Shades of Green before, but I think you're going to love it! The gorgeous landscaping, fantastic location, and lobby Starbucks make it such a great option for our military families.
It sounds like in the past, when you've stayed at one of Disney's All-Star Resorts, you've booked a
vacation package, which includes your stay at a
Disney Resorts Collection hotel plus theme park tickets. Because Shades of Green is not a Disney Resorts Collection hotel, your stay there is not eligible for
Magical Extras and the benefits included with Walt Disney World Resort vacation packages.
You'll notice some other differences when staying at Shades of Green; for example, if you're using MagicBands, they won't open your hotel room door, and you will not be able to charge purchases to your room. Shades of Green has its own theme park transportation, or you can walk across to Disney's Polynesian Village Resort to use Disney monorail or boat transportation.
The good news is that Disney often includes Shades of Green in the special extras for resort Guests, such as
Early Theme Park Entry. You'll also love the large rooms (Shades of Green's amenities generally line up with those in Disney's Deluxe category) and tranquil vibes of this hotel. Another great benefit is that their gift shop is an Exchange, so you can shop tax-free with your military ID - they even have Disney souvenirs there.
I encourage you to take a look at
Shades of Green's website to get a good feel for the amenities available there. If you have any concerns or are confused about the differences between it and a Disney resort hotel, give them a call - I have always found their staff to be very helpful and friendly.
I hope you enjoy your stay at Shades of Green, Stephanie! Thank you for stopping by planDisney with your question, and please come back and see us if you have any further questions as you count down the days!
Wishing you a magical vacation,
Robyn