2013-2014 Armed Forces Salute

[BrerGnat]

It's Back!!!

Disney has renewed the Armed Forces Salute for yet another year. As usual, this year brings some minor changes to the offer, which I will highlight below.

Kudos to Steve at MilitaryDisneyTips for providing this info before the official release. Steve has been a great source of info and works tirelessly with Disney to get this information out as early as possible.

The offer will run from 29 September 2013 through 27 September 2014.

This offer can be booked immediately, however, tickets will not be available for purchase until August 12, 2013.

You can book your rooms now by calling Disney directly or giving Magical Journeys a shout out! The ladies there can hook you up with this amazing deal!


Ticket Details:
Qualified individuals may purchase up to a maximum of six** theme park tickets during the period of the Disney Armed Forces Salute. These tickets are non-refundable and any days left on the tickets will expire at the end of the offer period.

Tickets purchased at military re-sellers and not direct from Disney must be activated prior to first use in person by the military member or spouse***.

Walt Disney World Ticket Options:

-The theme Park Hopper Option, which allows you to visit multiple parks on the same day

-The Water Park Fun and More Option, which allows 4 entrances to a variety of non-theme Park Disney venues

-Both the above options in one ticket


Disney World Armed Forces Salute Prices

Four-Day Park Hopper Tickets for $169.00*
Four-Day Water Park and More Tickets for $169.00*
Four-Day Park Hopper Tickets plus the Water Park and More Option for $198.00
These tickets can be purchased at Shades of Green, your local Base Ticket Office, or Disney Theme Park ticket booths (Tax will be added at Disney ticket booths).

Blockout dates (Dates that these tickets may not be used):

19 - 31 December 2013 (No Theme Park or Water Park Use)
13 - 20 April 2014 (No Theme Park or Water Park Use)
4 July 2014 (No Magic Kingdom Use)

WDW tickets go on sale 12 August 2013


Disneyland in Anaheim California

At Disneyland you only have one choice for your tickets.

Three-Day Park Hopper Tickets for $129.00
These tickets can be purchased at Your local Base Ticket Office, or Disney Theme Park ticket booths (Tax will be added at Disney ticket booths). If you do not have a base near you see this page for other options.

Blockout dates (Dates that these tickets may not be used):

19 - 31 December 2013 (No theme Park Use)
13 - 20 April 2014 (No theme Park Use)
4 July 2014 (No theme Park Use)
Disneyland tickets go on sale 12 August 2013


Disney Armed Forces Salute Ticket Rules

* At WDW the 4-Day Disney Military Promotion Tickets may be upgraded to add the Park Hopper® Option and Water Park Fun and More option. These options may be added any time prior to September 27, 2014. The no-expiration option is not available. Additional days may not be added to this ticket.

**For families larger than 6, Disney states "Exceptions should be made for immediate families larger than six people." For example, if a family has five children, Disney will allow all members of the family to purchase Disney Military Promotion Tickets, for Mom, Dad, and the five kids.

*** At Walt Disney World once the tickets are activated the party can split up. For example some go to Epcot and some to MK, or even use the tickets on different days. The Military ID is checked only upon ticket activation. At Disneyland the member has to enter the parks every time with those they sponsor, including park hopping. The ID is checked at activation and every entrance.


Room Discounts:
Qualified individuals may purchase book up to a maximum of three* rooms at a time during the period of the Disney Armed Forces Salute. This discount may be used as many times as you'd like during the offer period

There are Blockout dates during which Disney does not offer the discounts. These are "peak attendance" dates.

Please note, the number of rooms and room types at these rates are limited, so you might have to be flexible.

Walt Disney World in Orlando Florida

40% off Deluxe Resorts*
35% off Moderates and Fort Wilderness Cabins*
30% off Value Resorts including Art of Animation*
Disney World Room Blockout dates:

28 - 29 November 2013
23 - 31 December 2013
14 - 19 April 2014


Disneyland in Anaheim California

Up to 40% off Resorts*
Disneyland Room Blockout dates:

28 - 29 November 2013
23 - 31 December 2013
14 - 19 April 2014


Eligibility
Here is the list of who is eligible:

Current military members:
Active,
Reserve
National Guard

Retired military Members:
Active,
Reserve
National Guard
100% Service Connected Disabled with the DAVPRM code on their military issued ID.

Spouses or Unremarried Widows of the above, if the member is unable to go.

Foreign partners/Coalition partners stationed at a US base are eligible. They must have a permanent US Military issued ID (CAC card with blue stripe).


Restrictions:
4-Day Military Promotional Offer Important Details (The Fine Print) from Disney's original press release
• Disney Military Promotional Tickets may be purchased at participating U.S. military sales outlets ONLY by Eligible Service Members (defined below) or their spouses (but not both), for use by themselves and other family members and friends, as provided herein. These Tickets may not be otherwise transferred, distributed or resold.
• "Eligible Service Members" are active or retired members of the U.S. military, including the National Guard, Reservists and the U.S. Coast Guard.
• The actual prices charged at the individual U.S. military base ticket offices for Disney Military Promotional Tickets may be less than the prices set forth above.
• Participating military sales outlets must require that Eligible Service Members (or their spouses) present valid military identification to purchase Disney Military Promotional Tickets.
• Disney 4-Day Military Promotional Tickets for admission to the Walt Disney World Resort are not valid until activated by the Eligible Service Members (or their spouses) at Walt Disney World theme park ticket windows. Tickets and options expire and may not be used after Sept. 27, 2014. Valid military identification will be required for purchase and use.
• Disney 3-Day Military Promotional Tickets for admission to the Disneyland Resort expire and may not be used after Sept. 27, 2014. Valid military identification will be required for purchase and use.
• No more than six (6) Disney Military Promotional Tickets may be purchased and (if applicable) activated by any Eligible Service Member or spouse (regardless of the place of purchase and whether purchased by that person or that person's spouse). Accordingly, no Eligible Service Member (or spouse) may purchase Disney Military Promotional Tickets at any military sales outlet if that person (or that person's spouse) previously purchased Disney Military Promotional Tickets (whether at that same military sales outlet or at any other military sales outlet or at any other place.) In addition, one of the six (6) Tickets purchased must be used by the Eligible Service Member or his/her spouse.
• Each Disney Military Promotional Ticket must be used by the same person on any and all days.

*The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Minimum length of stay requirements may apply for Friday or Saturday arrivals. Valid Military ID will be required upon check-in and military member (or spouse) must stay in the room. No group rates or other discounts apply. Advance reservations required. Additional per-adult charges apply at the Walt Disney World Resort if there are more than two adults per room. Other restrictions apply.

[Melanie]

Thanks for all the details, Nat. Great news!!!

[vicster]

Way to go Disney for honoring the Armed Forces!!!

[minnie04]

Not a Military family, but love the way Disney salutes our Armed forces!!! I hope all military families can make memories with this offer.. Thank you all for serving our Country

[wildernesslady]

My son in law is retired military and has a trip planned. Is he able to add days to the pass. They will be there for 7 days.

[BrerGnat]

My son in law is retired military and has a trip planned. Is he able to add days to the pass. They will be there for 7 days.

No, you cannot add days

He can get two passes and use them back to back, but there is a limit of 6 tickets per military member per offer period.

[wildernesslady]

Thanks Natalie.

[poohbearkris]

Does anybody know if it is a maximum of 6 tickets per year, or is it a maximum of 6 per trip?

[BrerGnat]

Does anybody know if it is a maximum of 6 tickets per year, or is it a maximum of 6 per trip?

Maximum of six tickets per offer period. Not per year, exactly, but between the valid dates of the offer.

There is no limit to how many times you can take advantage of the hotel discounts, though.

[poohbearkris]

Thanks!!

[ANG]

I am so so glad they renewed it!!!

PLEASE can anyone confirm if one family member can use 2 tickets (for a total of 8 park days)? I know the limit is 6. But can we buy 2 for DH and 2 for me to have 8 park days total?

[nls721]

I am so so glad they renewed it!!!

PLEASE can anyone confirm if one family member can use 2 tickets (for a total of 8 park days)? I know the limit is 6. But can we buy 2 for DH and 2 for me to have 8 park days total?

I did this in September 2012 and it worked fine.

[BrerGnat]

I am so so glad they renewed it!!!

PLEASE can anyone confirm if one family member can use 2 tickets (for a total of 8 park days)? I know the limit is 6. But can we buy 2 for DH and 2 for me to have 8 park days total?

Yes, you can. There used to be a rule that required waiting 7 days between consecutive uses of tickets by the same person, but that rule has been eliminated.

[nls721]

I am hoping I can explain this right

If I do the 4 day hopper and add the water park and more option on, does everything expire in 4 days? I thought at one time the water park option could be used within 10. This is what I'm thinking of doing. Parks Monday and Tuesday, no actual park except a water park on Wednesday, then parks again Thursday and Friday. Or, would my 4-day hopper be invalid on Thursday then since I would have used it for four days?

I hope I'm making sense. Thank you!

[BrerGnat]

I am hoping I can explain this right

If I do the 4 day hopper and add the water park and more option on, does everything expire in 4 days? I thought at one time the water park option could be used within 10. This is what I'm thinking of doing. Parks Monday and Tuesday, no actual park except a water park on Wednesday, then parks again Thursday and Friday. Or, would my 4-day hopper be invalid on Thursday then since I would have used it for four days?

I hope I'm making sense. Thank you!

These Armed Forces Salute tickets have different "expiration" rules than regular MYW tickets.

Once you purchase these tickets, they can be used any way you want, up until the date of expiration of the offer period.

If you get the WP&M option, you will get 4 days of Theme Park Admission and 4 "fun" entries. You can use these days any way you want up until the pass expires on September 27,2014. The water park options are separate from the theme park days, so you really could stretch it out to 8 days worth of fun, by alternating parks with water parks.

For example:
You could theoretically take 4 different two day trips to WDW during the offer period, and on each trip, just go to the parks one day and the waterparks one other day. The passes don't expire until the offer expires.

[nls721]

Wow Natalie! That is great. Thank you for the feedback. I will be able to extend my trip next fall and do some waterparks in there too.

[Gayle]

Served in the Navy for four years, and Army for two. So I wish they would honor all us vets

[ginger19]

Does anyone know if we had bought passes last year but had days left on them, would they now be valid until the end of this extension?
We use them every year when we go but this past year was the first time that we had days left so I'm not sure if we can still use them.

[BrerGnat]

Does anyone know if we had bought passes last year but had days left on them, would they now be valid until the end of this extension?
We use them every year when we go but this past year was the first time that we had days left so I'm not sure if we can still use them.

No. Each promotional period has an end date. Sept 28, 2013 was the end date of last year's AFS promotion. All unused days needed to be used by that date or they are forfeited.

[ginger19]

No. Each promotional period has an end date. Sept 28, 2013 was the end date of last year's AFS promotion. All unused days needed to be used by that date or they are forfeited.

That's what I thought, thank you.