Last Updated on August 25, 2023 by Happily Ever Park Hoppers
Updated February 17, 2022
Walt Disney World Military Discounts
I’m always shocked to hear from our military friends and family members that have no clue about all the amazing discounts Disney offers for military members. So this is my attempt to help inform all of you service members and your families save a little on your Disney trip.
Follow Happily Ever Park Hoppers on Social Media!
Discounted Tickets
For military service members and their families, there are Walt Disney World Military Discount tickets available for purchase. You can purchase these discounted tickets at any installation ITT or MWR ticket office. If you are active duty, it would be easiest to go to your local MWR or ITT but know you are not limited to any particular location. This helps those who are retired and do not have an installation near by to order from. I’ve heard of people calling Lackland ITT but they live in Maine (you will receive your tickets via FedEx). Some offices have a slower turnaround so be sure to ask when placing your order.
Another option is purchasing your tickets from Shades of Green. The resort has it’s own Attraction Ticket Office. The benefit of buying your discounted tickets from Shades of Green is that the tickets come activated. Whereas the vouchers you will receive from MRW/ITT that will need to be activated at a Guest Relations counter when you arrive to Disney. Another benefit of going through Shades of Green is that they have multiple tickets options. Some MWR or ITT offices only have one type of ticket.
So lets talk about what those ticket options are.
Subscribe and stay up to date on all things Disney
Military Ticket Options
Disney Military Salute (Military Promotional Ticket)
The Military Promotional Ticket is the promotional offer from Disney that allows Active Duty, Retired, Reservists, National Guard and their spouses to buy deeply discounted Hopper Tickets.
Each year when the promotion renews (usually around the end of October/November) the new pricing options are announced.
2023 Walt Disney World Military Promotional Ticket Prices
Beginning November 16th, 2022 tickets will be available for purchase. Valid from January 1, 2023 through December 15th, 2023. Blackout Dates: April 2, 2023 – April 15, 2023 and November 19, 2023 – November 25, 2023.
An important note: Military members are limited to (6) Military Salute tickets per calendar year and (1) of them MUST BE for the service member/spouse. Regardless of who buys them or where, you only get a total (6) per household. Unless you’re MIL to MIL, then each spouse can buy (6) tickets. Also, note that depending on where you purchase your Military Salute tickets from, they may need to be activated which will require a valid Military ID to be presented (either by the service member or spouse). Tickets purchased from Shades of Green automatically come activated.
Magic Your Way Tickets
As I said above, Shades of Green offers a couple different ticket options. Some MWR/ITT offices offer these options but not all. They might be called Non-Promotional tickets or won’t have a name at all, just know there is a difference between the Magic Your Way Tickets and the Military Salute tickets.
Magic your Way Tickets (MYW) are discounted tickets (and tax free) that are available to Veterans with a DD-2214 or VHIC card, DoD employees or Inactive Reservists, as long as they have the proper identification. These tickets are also available for purchase if you have exceeded your allotted (6) Military Salute tickets. There is NO limit to the number of Magic Your Way tickets you can purchase, and these tickets also have more park days available than the Military Salute tickets. Also, Magic Your Way tickets do NOT need to be activated and the Military service member does NOT need to be present to use them – so these tickets can be “gifted” to friends and family if they are traveling without the service member.
These tickets aren’t as discounted as the salute tickets. But compared to the full cost tickets from Disney ($628.30), a 4 Day Park Hopper MWY is $494.50. So for a family of 4, that is a savings of $533.16!! *Keep in mind that ticket prices purchased directly from Disney are based on the time of the year; so the cost of the tickets could be even more than the example used here.
Stars & Stripes Length of Stay
As of February 17, 2022 Starts & Stripes Tickets are NO LONGER AVAIALBE for purchase. If these ticket options become available, this post will be updated.
Military Disney Resort Discounts
Always. Always. Always call Disney and ask a cast member to price out the military room discount! 2023 Military Room Discount has been renewed! For dates starting January 1, 2023 through December 15, 2023.
The only way to find out the military rates for a Disney resort is to call Disney directly at (407) 939-5684. The discounts are “subject to availability” and there are restrictions so not every resort or room type will be available during your travel dates.
These discounts are available to Active Duty and Retired Service Members and their families. You can book can book multiple rooms per Service Member, but the number of discounted rooms you will be able to book is subject to availability. So if you’re traveling with a large group, you can pass along those savings to your extended family or friends.
Memory Maker
The last military discount I want to share is about the Memory Maker. The memory maker is one of my favorite trip enhancements.
What is the memory maker? It is unlimited downloads of the Disney Photopass pictures. This includes any ride photos or pictures you get taken by any of the hundreds of Photopass photographers.
The regular price is $199 or $169 advanced purchase price. The military discounted price is only $98!! In order to purchase the discounted Memory Maker you will need to stop at a Guest Relations counter or any ticketing window. You must show your military ID to receive the discount.
And now you’re in the know. Those three discounts can be a gigantic difference in spending a small fortune on a family vacation or feasibly affording a magical trip.
I know a lot of people think the that the Free Dining option that Disney has offered in the past is THE way to save the most on a Disney vacation. But I have priced it out, crunched the numbers 10 ways ’til Sunday and I can promise you; taking advantage of these discounts will help you save thousands!
Other Saving Tips
Other ways to save on a Walt Disney World vacation is by staying at Shades of Green – A Military Resort on Walt Disney World. Staying at Shades of Green is one of the reasons my family is able to go several times a year. Depending on what category you fall into, you could be saving hundreds, maybe even thousands on your resort cost just by staying at Shades of Green. If you aren’t sure if you want to forego staying at a Disney Resort hotel, then you should check out Why you should stay at Shades of Green.
Please, please, please never pay full price for a Disney trip. Even if all you can save is the $450 on the Magic Your Way tickets for your family of 4, that is $450 that you can spend on a character meal that you otherwise wouldn’t have splurged on. If you are looking for more money savings ideas check out How to Disney on a budget.
Spreading magic one post at a time
Kristin
Is the Genie add on the Genie+? So that would include the Genie+ for all the days of the tickets? Thank you!
Hi Katie.
Yes, the ticket with Genie+ are for every park day you have a ticket for. Disney Genie+ is $15 a day per person if you pay for it separately. The price difference between the 2 ticket options is $59 for the 4 day and $73 for the 5 day. So you’re paying just a little less than $15/day by purchasing them together.
Hope this answers your questions!
Hi!
Just want to make sure I understand completely. My husband was Marine Active Reserves up until this past April 2021. He did re-enlist but is in his non-Obligatory contract. His military ID also expired as of April 2021.
If it wasn’t expired would he qualify for these discounts since due to his above status?
Just trying to have a better understanding.
Thank you!
Hi Casey! Thank you for reaching out.
As long as your husband is still in the Active Reserves he would still qualify for the Military Salute Promotional Tickets and for the Military Room Discount at the Disney Resorts.
He would need to get a new CAC so that the expiration date relfects whatever his new date of separation is, so he can show his ID when purchasing the park tickets.
Here is a helpful link for all the elligible Military ID’s
https://www.shadesofgreen.org/application/files/3216/2679/0164/2021_DISNEYMILITARY_JULY.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1aJ63P1nTUeFAJXkPd4eJZH5hl1kVgWauRID49cXs5NQNWSWcUX09pmvo
I hope this answers your question!
Kristin