Official 2012/2013 Disney Military Promotion - Updated Post #187

[melissabryant]

Okay, read through the whole thread and want to be sure I'm making the best decision here. (Thanks so much for all the great info!) We're taking the whole family to WDW in Sept. - 8 adults, 6 kids, 1 infant. Everyone else will be there for one week and we're staying off site. Our family (2A, 2C, 1 infant) will then spend a couple of days at other attractions and then check-in to Fort Wilderness for about another week. During that week we want to be able to go to a major park at least two more times and possibly a waterpark again as well, but we plan to enjoy the other offerings at FW and make other excursions off site.

So, for the first week my father (retired Army) has purchased 6 Salute tickets and my husband (retired AF) can purchase four more for the remaining family members. The question is what to do for our family. Purchase two adult salute and two child MYW tickets for the first week and then, after checking in at FW purchase tickets at SOG for the rest of our stay? Can we wait a couple of days after checking-in, go to Sea World and such first, and then purchase for only the last few days? Or does the ticket have to match the entire length of our stay on site?

I've done the math several times and, due to the break in the middle, the expiration date of the MYW tix and such, I keep coming back to getting annual passes at SOG for our family being the most cost effective option, even though I highly doubt we will be back within a year. Does this sound right? How long does the process take and do we all need to be there to purchase or can my DH go on his own? Any reason this would separate us from the others, in lines or such, at the parks that first week?

Thanks so much for you help!

Sorry. Im a little confused. How many days are you planning on going to the parks at WDW? If we know that then one of us may be able to give you a clear answer.

 

[Steve TLT]

Sorry. Im a little confused. How many days are you planning on going to the parks at WDW? If we know that then one of us may be able to give you a clear answer.

Yep me too.

IlluminatedAttic, what are your dates?

The 4-day Disney Armed Forces Salute tickets once activated can be used on any day you like, they do not have to be used on consecutive days. They have to be activated prior to use, but this can be done ahead of time, at Downtown Disney for example. Disney's official policy is that all members of the party must be present for the activation, though many have had luck not doing this (due to lenient CMs).

Try to give us a little clearer picture of what you are trying to do and we'll all chip in.

Steve

 

[IlluminatedAttic]

Thanks for trying to help, Steve and Melissa, it is confusing. I need to figure out which tickets, or combination of tickets, to purchase for myself, dh and two of our children. Our third is still an infant.

The first week we will be going to major parks on four days and a waterpark on one other day. (We are purchasing the waterpark and more option). We are staying offsite. This will be with the whole family, all 15 of us. Ten Salute tickets will be used by the rest of the family for this time period leaving two available. Then everyone else will depart and my dh, kids and I will stay on in Orlando for another 8 or 9 days. We will spend the first two of those days offsite on a little side trip. Then we will check into FW for the remaining 7 days during which we want to be able to visit a major park on two days and probably a water park on one other day. In between we'll be hanging out enjoying the amenities at FW or going to other local attractions. I believe the total days from first ticket use will be 16. All travel ends before 9/28.

So I see my options as:
Season passes for all four of us from SOG. Can my father (retired Army) purchase these for us without getting one for himself? Is his FL state ID all the proof of residency he needs? Or does he need to bring mail with his address as well? (I think I read that somewhere.) The annual passes would give us free parking the first week when we need it, two cars X 5 days = $150?

or

Use two Salutes for myself and dh first week combined with two 4-day MYW tix for my two children. Then second week buy 4 Stars and Stripes tix at SOG after we check-in to FW. But can we buy just 2 or 3 day tix or do we have to purchase for the full length of our stay at FW? If we can purchase for just the two or three days, do they have to be used on consecutive days or can we have break days in between?

or

Purchase 7 day MYW tix for all four of us, but they expire 14 days after first use, so three days before the end of our stay at FW. Therefore we will have to push to fit in all our park visits and leave outside attractions for the last days.

The more I read the more confused I get. Now I see that FL residents can get 3 and 4 day MYW tickets at a lower price at SOG. Is there a limit to how many can be purchased? Can my father activate them all at the same time but we then we use one set the first week and one the second?

Thanks for trying to help me figure this out!

 

[shburks]

You do have quite a long complicated question! I am sure Steve will be able to help you out!

Here's my two cents. It doesn't matter that your FIL is a FL resident. He cannot "gift" you FL rate annual passes or the FL 3/4 day passes Disney currently has. Proof of residency has to be shown for each person (young children excluded) and will be tied to that person.

I hope you have a great trip and someone is able to help with the details!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Several important limits.

1. Each Service Member is limited to six Armed Forces Salute tickets. Purchase/activation by a Spouse is considered as purchase/activation by the service member. So with one active duty plus one retired a total of 12 Salute tickets may be activated.

2. If vouchers for any level of AP (including Resident) each person 18 or older must present a Photo ID to get the live AP. If the tickets are Resident, proof of residency is required.

3. The S&S may not be worth it. If your stay is seven days, you must buy a six-day S&S.

 

[IlluminatedAttic]

Several important limits.

1. Each Service Member is limited to six Armed Forces Salute tickets. Purchase/activation by a Spouse is considered as purchase/activation by the service member. So with one active duty plus one retired a total of 12 Salute tickets may be activated.

2. If vouchers for any level of AP (including Resident) each person 18 or older must present a Photo ID to get the live AP. If the tickets are Resident, proof of residency is required.

3. The S&S may not be worth it. If your stay is seven days, you must buy a six-day S&S.

Thanks! Knew about #1 and that we only had 12 available. Answers to #2 and #3 is what I needed. I guess technically we could get one SOG MYW pass for my mother (FL res) for that first week, freeing up one more salute ticket, but that still leaves us one short. Looks like I'm locked into needing the MYW 7 day tix and dealing with them expiring before our trip is finished.

Thanks again for the help!

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

Thanks! Knew about #1 and that we only had 12 available. Answers to #2 and #3 is what I needed. I guess technically we could get one SOG MYW pass for my mother (FL res) for that first week, freeing up one more salute ticket, but that still leaves us one short. Looks like I'm locked into needing the MYW 7 day tix and dealing with them expiring before our trip is finished.

Thanks again for the help!

You could get a 7-day no-expiration tickets, which would allow you to use them over the entire length of your vacation. If you add the WP option, too, you'd have 7 entries to use over your vacation, two of which will be the water parks you've already planned. You could use one entry at DisneyQuest, maybe use a round of mini-golf one morning. It opens up your vacation options for the days you don't plan to go to a theme park. And if you don't use them all, you have them for a future trip.


I think I would continue with the original plan of getting the other 10 family members the Military Salute tickets and other tickets for your family. I just don't know that you'd save a whole ton of money doing it any other way.

 

[Steve TLT]

You could get a 7-day no-expiration tickets, which would allow you to use them over the entire length of your vacation. If you add the WP option, too, you'd have 7 entries to use over your vacation, two of which will be the water parks you've already planned. You could use one entry at DisneyQuest, maybe use a round of mini-golf one morning. It opens up your vacation options for the days you don't plan to go to a theme park. And if you don't use them all, you have them for a future trip.


I think I would continue with the original plan of getting the other 10 family members the Military Salute tickets and other tickets for your family. I just don't know that you'd save a whole ton of money doing it any other way.

I was going to suggest the same thing Claire

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

I was going to suggest the same thing Claire

Us PC folks must think alike.

 

[annnewjerz]

I'm sure I probably already know the answer to this, but I just want to double-check.

I'm going down to WDW in September. I plan to have 4 Salute tickets and activate them the first day of our trip. My sister and brother-in-law will be coming down later, overlapping days only two days. If we pass off the previously activated tickets to them, but don't want to go to the same park as them that day --- will they be able to get into the park with them?

I.E.
September 7 - We arrive and activate 4 tickets and go to Magic Kingdom
September 8 - We go to Epcot, sister arrives at night, we pass off 2 tickets
September 9 - Sister wants to go to Epcot, we want Animal Kingdom
September 10 - All of us go to MGM
September 11 - We leave, sister stays

Will my sister be able to enter into Epcot on her first day in WDW with a ticket that we've already activated, but without us there? I'm thinking yes, because we did this previously when visiting with our neighbor and using their Salute tickets --- but before buying them I wanted to be sure.

Thanks!
Ann

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I'm sure I probably already know the answer to this, but I just want to double-check.

I'm going down to WDW in September. I plan to have 4 Salute tickets and activate them the first day of our trip. My sister and brother-in-law will be coming down later, overlapping days only two days. If we pass off the previously activated tickets to them, but don't want to go to the same park as them that day --- will they be able to get into the park with them?

I.E.
September 7 - We arrive and activate 4 tickets and go to Magic Kingdom
September 8 - We go to Epcot, sister arrives at night, we pass off 2 tickets
September 9 - Sister wants to go to Epcot, we want Animal Kingdom
September 10 - All of us go to MGM
September 11 - We leave, sister stays

Will my sister be able to enter into Epcot on her first day in WDW with a ticket that we've already activated, but without us there? I'm thinking yes, because we did this previously when visiting with our neighbor and using their Salute tickets --- but before buying them I wanted to be sure.

Thanks!
Ann

Yes

 

[Steve TLT]

I'm sure I probably already know the answer to this, but I just want to double-check.

I'm going down to WDW in September. I plan to have 4 Salute tickets and activate them the first day of our trip. My sister and brother-in-law will be coming down later, overlapping days only two days. If we pass off the previously activated tickets to them, but don't want to go to the same park as them that day --- will they be able to get into the park with them?

I.E.
September 7 - We arrive and activate 4 tickets and go to Magic Kingdom
September 8 - We go to Epcot, sister arrives at night, we pass off 2 tickets
September 9 - Sister wants to go to Epcot, we want Animal Kingdom
September 10 - All of us go to MGM
September 11 - We leave, sister stays

Will my sister be able to enter into Epcot on her first day in WDW with a ticket that we've already activated, but without us there? I'm thinking yes, because we did this previously when visiting with our neighbor and using their Salute tickets --- but before buying them I wanted to be sure.

Thanks!
Ann

Hi annnewjerz,

Yes at Disney World you can do this (not at Disneyland). Once the Disney Armed Forces Salute tickets are activated the military member does not need to accompany their party.

 

[imajinable]

Hello Everyone! Ok...so we're goin to Disney end of Aug beginning of Sept. and we've booked our room plus dining stayin at the AoA thru Disney and we've purchased our park tixs thru my brothers base in NJ.. Fort Dix. (7day park hopper, water park & more) My question is...will we be able to link the 2? The park tix with our room keys? Thank you in advance!

 

[ejcraft]

Chersire, this is a question for you, as I can't remember if I asked it already or not, My daughter and I used 2 AFS tickets in Nov of 2012, if I can find that ticket can I now upgrade it to the water park option so I can have those to use, as we won't need tickets this time around as my daughter is currently a CP, but I'm pretty sure, the water parks are blocked out during Aug.,, thanks

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Yes. But only if all the entries have not been used for the Theme Parks. The current promotion (cast and guest at 50% discount after 2:00pm) expires on August 9. More than likely a new promotion, starting August 10, will allow the CM free and Guests at 50% all day.

 

[Mousemommy1]

I am planning on purchasing another military AP.

The cost is listed as $597.

I am interested in upgrading a hopper pass to the military AP. Is this even possible?

I know you can upgrade a military ticket to an AP, but you are not getting the military price right?

Specifically, I would like to buy a hopper pass from UT, and then upgrade it while I am there to a military AP.

If it is not possible, than I will just buy the military AP.

Thanks!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

The only way to get a military-price AP (also no tax on it) is to purchase it at SoG or a base MWR/ITT. The ticket windows (and Guest Relations) do not have the capability to issue any military-rate tickets other than Armed Forces Salute or special Party tickets. And SoG cannot do upgrades of ticket.

 

[Mousemommy1]

The only way to get a military-price AP (also no tax on it) is to purchase it at SoG or a base MWR/ITT. The ticket windows (and Guest Relations) do not have the capability to issue any military-rate tickets other than Armed Forces Salute or special Party tickets. And SoG cannot do upgrades of ticket.

Ok! That's what I figured. I will just get the AP at our local base like I did last year. Thanks!

 

[TinksThree]

We have used the military tickets for a few years now and I thought about getting a regular AP this year. Is there a military discount on the AP? I feel lost not having known this already!!

Edit: Sorry I am on my phone and now seeing above comments!!

 

[mckryan]

We have used the military tickets for a few years now and I thought about getting a regular AP this year. Is there a military discount on the AP? I feel lost not having known this already!!

The AP is $597 at Shades of Green. The PAP is $715. WDW's regular prices on these are $609 plus tax ($648.59) for the AP and $729 plus tax ($776.39) for the PAP.