Hi Rebecca! Welcome to planDisney.
I'm a military spouse, and on behalf of my own family and my fellow panelists, I would like to thank you for your service to our country. Shades of Green is a beautiful resort hotel, and will give you and your group a great opportunity to spend time together and relax after your theme park fun. I'm so glad our military members have this option on Walt Disney World Resort property.
Shades of Green is not a Disney Resorts Collection hotel, and so some of the
perks for Guests staying at Walt Disney World Resort hotels are not available to Guests here. Shades of Green Guests
do get a few of the perks, so let's talk about MagicBands and Early Theme Park Entry.
As you noted, the special pre-arrival pricing for
MagicBands is not available to Guests staying at Shades of Green. If you'd like MagicBands for your party, you may
purchase them from ShopDisney and then link them to each Guest's
My Disney Experience account. You'll be able to use those for theme park entry and Disney PhotoPass photos. You could also wait and purchase MagicBands at merchandise locations around the Walt Disney World Resort.
As for Early Theme Park Entry, I'm happy to confirm that Shades of Green is on the list of participating resort hotels. Beginning October 1, 2021, there's extra time in the parks for
The World's Most Magical Celebration. Guests eligible for
Early Theme Park Entry will be able to enter all four theme parks 30 minutes before park opening time. The
evening extended hours benefit does not include Shades of Green at this time; watch the
Disney Parks Blog for more details as we get closer to October.
Shades of Green is such a great hotel, with lovely landscaping, large rooms, and a convenient location. Java Cafe in the lobby serves Starbucks coffee and also featured delicious gelato on a recent visit of mine. You also cannot miss the on-site exchange, where you can buy snacks, sunscreen, and Disney merchandise tax-free. My kids LOVE that shop! You're also just across the street from
Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, which means you can walk over for a DOLE Whip (swoon!) or to use Disney boat transportation to Magic Kingdom Park.
Thanks for bringing your question to us, Rebecca! It's always a pleasure to help a fellow military Guest, so please stop by again if you think of any more questions.
Wishing you a magical vacation,
Robyn