Disney's Armed Forces Salute 2009

[TiggeRia]

The other day I read a post on here about 5 day park tickets for members of the military (+5) being sold for $99. I came back to try and find some more information on them, because it would save my parents a lot of money when we go in April, but now I can't find the post on it anymore. Does anyone know what happened to it or if it was even legit? TIA

[BrerGnat]

www.disneyworld.com/military

[Melanie]

Hmmm, that's really strange. Wonder where that thread went?

Regardless, here's the info, and I'm going to change the name of this thread to reflect this.


Walt Disney World Salutes the Men and Women Who Serve

Save up to 40% on rooms

Special deal for eligible members of the U.S. Military: Save up to 40% on rooms at select Disney Moderate Resorts!* For stays most nights January 4 to December 23, 2009, except not available at all 2/13-2/15, 4/4-4/18, 5/22-5/24, 7/3-7/4, 11/25-11/26/09.

Also, ask about special rates through December 23, 2009 at other select Walt Disney World® Resort Hotels.

*The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Minimum length of stay requirements may apply for Friday or Saturday arrivals. Savings based on non-discounted price for the same room. No group rates or other discounts apply. Advance reservations required. Additional per-adult charges apply if more than two adults per room.

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Plus a complimentary 5-day "Disney's Armed Forces Salute" ticket

Through December 23, 2009, each active or retired member of the U.S. military may obtain one complimentary 5-day "Disney's Armed Forces Salute" ticket with Park Hopper® and Water Park Fun & More options. This ticket is valid for five days of admission into the four Walt Disney World® theme parks, plus a total of five visits to a choice of a Disney water park, DisneyQuest® Indoor Interactive Theme Park or certain other attractions. During this offer period, active or retired U.S. military personnel (or their spouses, but not both) may also make a one-time purchase of up to a maximum of five 5-Day "Disney's Armed Forces Salute Companion" tickets (one theme park per day) for $99 per ticket, plus tax, for family members (including spouse) or friends. Although this ticket for family members and friends does not include either the Park Hopper® or Water Park Fun & More options, this ticket can be upgraded to add either such option, or both, for an additional $25, plus tax, per option. Actual prices may be less. All tickets and options are non-transferable and must be used by December 23, 2009.

Activated members of the National Guard or Reservists (with orders showing active status after January 1, 2008) and active or retired members of the United States Coast Guard are also eligible to participate in this offer.

"Disney's Armed Forces Salute" tickets can be obtained only at participating U.S. military base ticket offices (including at the Shades of Green Resort at the Walt Disney World® Resort), or at main entrance theme park ticket windows. Tickets are not valid until activated at the main entrance theme park ticket windows. Valid military identification (including, for activated members of the National Guard or Reservists, orders showing active status after January 1, 2008) will be required to be presented by the service member (or spouse) for all ticket transactions (including to activate tickets at the main entrance theme park ticket windows). See your military base ticket office or <see below> for details.

[Melanie]

Disney Parks Celebrate U.S. Military With Free, Multi-day Admission to Theme Parks in 2009

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. / ANAHEIM, Calif. (Jan. 5, 2009) – As Disney Parks ask “What
Will You Celebrate?” and invite guests to turn their personal milestones into magical family
vacations in 2009, America’s military personnel will have one more reason to celebrate: Free multi-day admission to Disney’s U.S. theme parks.

With the “Disney’s Armed Forces Salute” offer, active and retired U.S. military personnel, including active and retired members of the United States Coast Guard and activated members of the National Guard or Reservists, can enjoy complimentary, multi-day admission into Disney’s U.S. theme parks, great rates at select Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort hotels, and additional special ticket offers for family members and friends.

“For so many of the men and women who serve in our U.S. military, time together with their
families is cause enough for celebration,” said Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “We are grateful for their service and hope ‘Disney’s Armed Forces Salute’ will allow our troops to create wonderful, magical memories with their family and friends.”

At the Disneyland Resort in Southern California:
Through June 12, 2009, each active or retired member of the U.S. military can receive one
complimentary three-day “Disney’s Armed Forces Salute” Park Hopper ticket valid for
admission to both Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure parks. During the offer period, active or retired U.S. military personnel also may make a one-time purchase of an adult or child three-day “Disney’s Armed Forces Salute Companion” Park Hopper ticket for up to five family members (including spouse) or friends for the price of an adult 1-Day Park Hopper ticket.

Disneyland Resort hotels are also offering special room rates for active or retired military
personnel. For example, at Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel, active or retired members of the
military and their families may find hotel rooms starting at $119 per night during value season, with great savings during other times of the offer period. This offer is available through June 12, 2009, and the number of rooms available at these special rates is limited.

For information regarding “Disney’s Armed Forces Salute” at the Disneyland Resort, or to make reservations, military personnel may call 714/956-6424.

At Walt Disney World Resort in Florida:
From Jan. 4 to Dec. 23, 2009, each active or retired member of the U.S. military may obtain one complimentary 5-day “Disney’s Armed Forces Salute” ticket with Park Hopper and Water Park Fun & More options. This ticket is valid for five days of admission into the four Walt Disney World theme parks, plus a total of five visits to a choice of a Disney water park, DisneyQuest Indoor Interactive Theme Park or certain other attractions. During this offer period, active or retired U.S. military personnel may also make a one-time purchase of up to a maximum of five 5-Day “Disney’s Armed Forces Salute Companion” tickets (one theme park per day) for $99 per ticket, plus tax, for family members (including spouse) or friends.
Although this ticket for family members and friends does not include either the Park Hopper or Water Park Fun & More options, this ticket can be upgraded to add either such option, or both, for an additional $25, plus tax, per option. All tickets and options are non-transferable and must be used by Dec. 23, 2009. Actual prices may be less.

Ask about the great rates that may be available at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels for active or retired U.S. military personnel during this offer period.

For information on the “Disney’s Armed Forces Salute” offer at Walt Disney World Resort or
the Disneyland Resort, or to make reservations, active and retired U.S. Military personnel may call the ITT office on their base. Information about “Disney’s Armed Forces Salute” offer at Walt Disney World Resort is also available at ww.disneyworld.com/military.

Through the years, The Walt Disney Company has demonstrated its support of United States’
servicemen and women through a variety of initiatives. Disney’s support for the U.S. Marines’ Toys for Tots program started 58 years ago – when Walt Disney became one of the original sponsors. Since 1995, Disney’s Operation Uplift program has sent over 90,000 postcards to troops worldwide, thanking them for their service. The company also supports U.S. service members and their families as a sponsor of the USO and its centers. Each year, Operation Disney Care packages, containing Disney DVDs, books, magazines and games, are sent to centers around the world to help entertain the servicemen/women and their families, Disney Minnie Grants are used to host family appreciation events, while Disney VoluntEARS donate many hours participating in local USO projects.

Other Offer Details:
• Complimentary "Disney’s Armed Forces Salute" tickets may be obtained only by active or retired U.S. military personnel, including activated members of the National Guard or Reservists (with orders showing active status after Jan. 1, 2008) and active or retired members of the United States Coast Guard. Spouses are not eligible.
• Complimentary “Disney’s Armed Forces Salute" tickets for admission to the Walt Disney World Resort can be obtained only at participating U.S. military base ticket offices (including at the Shades of Green Resort at the Walt Disney World Resort), or at Main Entrance theme park ticket windows. Military personnel will need to activate those tickets at Main Entrance theme park ticket windows in order to use those tickets (no more than 1 such complimentary ticket per service member will be activated).
• Please see a participating U.S. military base ticket office for an exchange certificate for the complimentary “Disney’s Armed Forces Salute” ticket for the Disneyland Resort. The exchange ccertificate will need to be redeemed for such ticket by the active or retired military personnel at a Main Entrance theme park ticket window (maximum of 1 such complimentary ticket per service member).
• "Disney’s Armed Forces Salute Companion" tickets for family members and friends may be
purchased only by active or retired U.S. military personnel, including activated members of the National Guard or Reservists (with orders showing active status after Jan. 1, 2008) and active or retired members of the United States Coast Guard (or, in each case, their spouses, but not both).
• "Disney's Armed Forces Salute Companion" tickets for admission to the Walt Disney World
Resort can be purchased only at participating U.S. military base ticket offices (including at the Shades of Green Resort at the Walt Disney World Resort), or at Main Entrance theme park ticket windows. “Disney’s Armed Forces Salute Companion" tickets for admission to the Disneyland Resort can be purchased only at participating U.S. military base ticket offices.
• Military personnel (or their spouses) who purchase "Disney’s Armed Forces Salute Companion” tickets for admission to the Walt Disney World Resort for family members and friends will need to activate those tickets at Main Entrance theme park ticket windows in order for those tickets to be used (regardless of where those tickets are purchased).
• Military personnel (or their spouses) who purchase "Disney’s Armed Forces Salute Companion” tickets for admission to the Disneyland Resort for family members and friends will receive exchange certificates to be redeemed by such military personnel (or their spouses) for tickets at Main Entrance theme park ticket windows (one ticket per exchange certificate).
• The military personnel (or spouse) will be required to present valid military identification (which, for activated members of the National Guard or Reservists, also includes orders showing active status after Jan. 1, 2008) for all ticket transactions (including to activate tickets, and/or redeem exchange certificates for tickets, at Main Entrance theme park ticket windows). A valid ID may also be required for admission.
• "Disney’s Armed Forces Salute Companion” tickets are limited to five per service member
(regardless of place of purchase and whether purchased by service member or spouse) and all
five must be purchased at the same time. Accordingly, no service member (or spouse) will be permitted to activate, and/or to redeem exchange certificates for, more than a total of five "Disney’s Armed Forces Salute Companion" tickets for the Walt Disney World or Disneyland Resort (regardless of whether activated or exchanged by the service member or spouse).
• First day of use of “Disney’s Armed Forces Salute” complimentary tickets and "Disney's Armed Forces Salute Companion" tickets at the Disneyland Resort must be no later than June 12,2009, and tickets expire 13 days after the first day of use or June 25, 2009, whichever occurs first. Last day of use on “Disney’s Armed Forces Salute” complimentary tickets and "Disney's Armed Forces Salute Companion" tickets at the Walt Disney World Resort is Dec. 23, 2009.
• Tickets must be used by the same person on any and all days. "Disney’s Armed Forces Salute" complimentary tickets may be used only by the service members to whom they are issued. "Disney's Armed Forces Salute Companion" tickets may be used only by the friends and family members for whom they are purchased.
• This offer may not be combined with any other offer.

[Marilyn Michetti]

I was wondering where it went also. In fact, I still haven't found it.

[Marilyn Michetti]

I have to find out more, because DH and I are both veterans, but his benefits come through me - he's discharged - I'm retired. In this case, I'm wondering - is he my spouse, or do we both get the five days free?
Think I'll call SOG and ask.

[Beast_fanatic]

Very weird about the other thread. I know I merged another thread into it and it was OK after that, but now I can't find that thread either. I think the boards ate it.

[kakn7294]

Yeah, I lost it too! Weird! One of my posts in the locker room has disappeared too but at least the rest of the thread was still there! My sister's family is taking advantage of this in October at WL. I think this is a great salute to all our service men and women - you deserve it!

[TiggeRia]

I'm glad to hear I'm not crazy-I looked for it for quite awhile knowing I had recently read it! Thank you so much for your help!

[Melanie]

Not meaning to look a gift horse in the mouth, but I'm a little bummed the Disneyland offer is only for half the year. Not sure we'll be back in the country by that time. But we'll definitely be taking advantage of the WDW offer!

[kakn7294]

Not meaning to look a gift horse in the mouth, but I'm a little bummed the Disneyland offer is only for half the year. Not sure we'll be back in the country by that time. But we'll definitely be taking advantage of the WDW offer!

That is kinda strange - why offer the full year at one and not the other? Maybe they'll decide to extend it and you can take advantage of that too.

[BrerGnat]

That is weird about the Disneyland offer. The only thing I can think of is that the summers at DL are CRAZY busy, and then after the summers, the "Holidays at DLR" start in October and it's ALSO crazy busy from Oct-December, so they rarely offer any sort of promotions, since they have massive crowds pretty much the whole time. They've even stopped offering good AP rates at the hotels in the fall like they used to.

However, the WDW offer is excellent, and perhaps I will be able to convince DH to take a family trip over there towards the end of this year, simply to take advantage of the savings.

[mudpuppysmom]

Marilyn~

How I read and understand it -- it is for active or retired military, so if you are just discharged you are not considered retired (unless you have your 20 years). So I'm assuming that you need to buy your DH a ticket and your would be the free one.

I also thought about trying to confirm how this is going to work, so if I do get some concrete info I'll share here.

[ginger19]

According to the cm I just spoke with, the person checking in must have a valid military ID. They were fairly sure it was just retired or active which, thankfully, we fit. I'm so glad tihs was posted here as I hadn't seen it before!

[Marilyn Michetti]

O.K., I have a valid military I.D., and DH is my dependent.
This will cut down on the amount of free passes, and it's going to bum out those who are expecting to be able to access this offer, then find out they're not eligable.
This could get a little saucy.

[mudpuppysmom]

I'm clear on the fact that ACTIVE or RETIRED miltary can take advantage of this, but I read on another site that the tickets can be upgraded.....so I'm fuzzy on that aspect. We usually go for 7 WHOLE days, so I'm wondering if we can upgrade our tickets for two more days or not? I know it says you can upgrade the companion tickets to include hopper and water park & more options ($25 PER option), but there is no mention of upgrading to more days......Now, I'm wondering! If anyone hears anything post it here please.

[BrerGnat]

I would hazard a guess that you canNOT upgrade the passes to add more days. How would that work on the "free" ticket, for starters? Also, it's a completely separate type of ticket media from the base ticket, so I am not even sure their systems would allow such upgrades (which is why you cannot also add the "no expiration" option to them).

I would guess that if you want to stay two (or more) extra days beyone the 5, you would have to just purchase separte tickets for that. At that point, it would probably be cheaper to just get the military dicounted hoppers through SOG or base for the dependents, though, rather than getting the companion tickets and then adding more passes on top of that. For the active duty member, it would obviously be cheaper to still take advantage of the free hopper and then purchase extra days as needed.

[pixiesmimi]

So, if I'm understanding this right, the military member has free 5 day tickets including water parks, etc. and his spouse (other family members?) pays $99 for the same thing except has to pay an extra $25 to get the water parks, etc. This would have to be bought at the gate or SOG or on post or base by showing an ID. Do you have to show the ID also at the turnstiles? Then we would have to purchase individual extra day tickets if we were staying longer than 5 days? What if we weren't planning to use the water parks, etc. Can we get the tickets without this?

[Rosemickey68]

Has anyone checked to see if this applies to Widows? Just wondering!
Thanks!

[Drachengeist]

There is some conflicting information here and I am trying to puzzle it out. Maybe Melanears can shed some light on it.

The promotion is supposed to go through Dec 2009 but her first post under the details says that the first day of use has to be by June

The thread says you can get the tickets from the base, shades of green etc where as the disney military discounts link says "Tickets must be purchased at the theme park ticket windows "

And again the thread seems to say that you can be either Active or retired but the disney military discounts link says "Military personnel must have been active for any length of time between Jan. 1, 2008 and the end of Dec. 23, 2009." Is this only applicable to reservists? Or ar they trying to restrict the offer to those active and who were at least active in 2008?

Confused and bemused and I havent even done the TeaCups yet.
Any input for clarity would be appreciated