Shades of Green the military resort on Walt Disney World property has just announced two new specials.

The Junior Enlisted Holiday Special runs 1 – 19 December 2012 and is 50% off the regular rate for those in the paygrades of E1 through E5 and cadets.

This works out to $47.50 per night.

Go to the Shades of Green reservation page and enter JRHOLIDAY in the Group Code (leave the rank dropdown blank).

The other new special is the Escape Winter Special for Junior Enlisted, also for E1 to E5 & cadets.

Again it’s a 50% discount available 15 -28 January.

enter the Group code JRESCAPE on the Shades of Green reservation page

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Shades of Green Links

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• Disney Tickets at Shades of Green
• Shades of Green Services and Activities

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On my recent trip to Walt Disney World I discovered a cool new program to recognize our military members.

This program was just started by the Magic Kingdom Foods Department and is in a trial period at two Magic Kingdom restaurants.

At Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe and the Liberty Tree Tavern, military members who identify themselves will receive a special thank you card signed by all the Disney Castmembers who prepare their meal.

This great program was so new that when I was there on Wednesday Magic Kingdom Guest Relations really do some digging to confirm it.

Here’s How It Works

Pecos Bill’s is a counter service dining location in Frontierland. When ordering, if you mention to the castmember at the register that you are military, they will ask which service you belong to and enter the info into your order.

When the order is printed for filling, the castmember who starts your tray will place a card tailored to your service on the tray and sign it. Every castmember who works on the tray will also sign the card.

When you are presented with your tray you’ll have a nice token of appreciation from Magic Kingdom Foods and their castmembers.

At the Liberty Tree Tavern, which is a full service dining location, mention this to the castmember at the podium upon check-in or to your waiter or waitress.

I imagine that castmembers will also be on the lookout for those who appear military and would query them as to their status because this program is really unknown right now.

A Special Surprise

Here’s an idea. If the military member didn’t know about this and the spouse was to order the food or talk to the reservation podium by themselves, then this card would be a nice surprise!

A special thanks to Kylie, a castmember who was working at the Tortuga Tavern. She saw my Military Disney Tips tee shirt and told me about this program which she’d just participated in at Pecos Bill’s.

And Kudos the the whole Disney World Magic Kingdom Foods Department for this great idea!

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The Best Guide Book For Disney World Planning

If you buy only one guidebook to plan your Walt Disney World vacation it should be the Unofficial Guide Walt Disney World.

It is by far the best Disney planning book that I’ve read. It’s full of everything you could possibly want to know about Walt Disney World, from resorts and theme parks, to restaurants and activities.

I’ve got to warn you though, it’s very thick book. But that’s good because there’s so much to learn about Disney World. There were other guidebooks that I used it rely on before I discovered the Unofficial Guide, and I do still get them because of all of the research I do, but the Unofficial Guide has become my primary resource.

There is of course lots of detailed information on the Disney Theme Parks. And when I say detail, I mean it’s very detailed, even to the point of providing touring plans of the Theme Parks for many different circumstances, which will save you lots of time during your day in the parks. There’s lots of information on pre planning, how to make the most of your time and money, and a very extensive section on accommodations. All the hotels have great descriptions given, even down to what are the best rooms to ask for when making your reservation. There’s another great section on dining in and around Walt Disney World. There’s a section on the Disney Cruise line. Information on what to do outside of the theme parks like Disney’s water parks and other activities at Disney World such as shopping and Disney nightlife.

The Unofficial Guide is really great for two reasons. Each year they send their team of researchers to Disney World to gather extensive information. These teams check all the hotels and restaurants, check wait times for the rides and they test their touring plans to make sure that they’re still valid. The other reason this book is so great is that the readers send in comments suggestions and reviews, many of which are posted in the book.

There is a website associated with the Unofficial Guide: TouringPlans.com which contains quite a bit of free information, but the best information is for members only. You can purchase a year’s membership for less than it costs you to park for a day at one of Disney’s theme parks.

Once you purchase a membership you’ll have access to their crowd forecast calendars. These calendars are based on their extensive research in the parks and they predict how heavy or light crowds will be in the theme parks each day. You can look at prospective dates for your trip to see what attendance will be like and decide which park to visit on what day.

Members can also check wait times on all the rides, real time from their phone with a free app called Disney World Lines from TouringPlans.com. A year’s membership is $10.95 but you will get a discount if you’ve purchased the Unofficial Guide.

You can’t go wrong with the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World, it’s well worth the money.

There is a Disneyland version also.

Note: MDT is a TouringPlans.com affiliate.

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The Disney Armed Forces Salute Ticket

There are lots of different Disney Discounts available for Disabled Vets.

But trying to figure out which, if any apply to your situation can be not only confusing but sometimes impossible, if you don’t know where to look.

As I said in my recent Birthday Post, I get lots of questions from my great readers via email. Many are from disabled veterans who are asking if they are eligible for any Disney Discounts.

So I decided to do a post to clear the topic up. Here is my Guide to Disney Discounts for Disabled Veterans.

What’s Your Status?

Many who write me say “I’m a disabled Vet. Am I eligible for a discount at Disney?” unfortunately for a question as vague as that the answer has to be maybe… There is a lot more information required in order to make a determination.

The important questions that need to be answered in order to determine which offers you are eligible for are:

• Were you Medically Retired for your disability?
• Are you classified as Permanently Disabled?
• Are you 100% Disabled?
• Or a lower percentage?

Different Disney Discount Offers For Veterans

There are two totally different ways for military members, including disabled veterans to obtain a discount at Disney theme parks.

1. The Disney Armed Forces Salute
• temporary offer
• With very attractive discounts on both park tickets and resort rooms
2. The Shades of Green Resort
• A military owned and operated resort on Disney World property
• A benefit which has always been available but which does not offer as great discounts
• Discounted both rooms and tickets

Eligibility

Medically Retired

If you were medically retired then you are eligible for both Disney’s Armed Forces Salute and Shades of Green as a retiree. The disability doesn’t play into the equation.

Link to the Armed Forces Salute Info
Link to Shades of Green Info

Permanently Disabled

If you have an ID with the DAVPRM code (Disabled Veteran Permanent) on it, then you are only eligible for Disney’s Armed Forces Salute. Unless you are 100% disabled (see below).

Link to the Armed Forces Salute Info

100% Disabled

If you are 100% disabled then you are only for Shades of Green. Unless you are DAVPRM (see above).

Link to Shades of Green Info

Less Than 100% Disabled

If you are less than 100% disabled and not DAVPRM then you are not eligible for any regular military discount. But you are eligible for stays and ticket purchasing ability at Shades of Green in the months of September and January only. Anyone who has served honorably is eligible for this benefit with their DD-214.

Link to this Special Shades of Green Program

I hope this clears up a little of the confusion! If not leave a question in the comments below!

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Run don’t walk to your BX, PX, NEX, Shoppette, Class VI or other military store, to buy your copy of this week’s Army Times, Navy Times, Air Force Times, or Marine Corps Times!

Military Disney Tips was quoted in the Off Duty section on page 3 in an article about the end of Disney’s Armed Forces Salute.

I was contacted by Jon Anderson a Senior Staff Writer at Military times at the end of April for an interview which started out focused on Shades of Green but turned into an hour and a half long conversation about all things having to do with Disney Military Discounts plus some other topics too. Get me talking about Disney and you’ll be occupied for quite a while. The interview was for an article yet to come which will also be in the Off Duty section of all the Military Times Newspapers. This week’s short feature on the “Watch List” is solely to get the info out about the scheduled end of the Disney Armed Forces Salute which has been in effect since late October 2010.

Besides the great quotes from me in the piece Jon quotes a Disney spokeswomen as saying that “Hopefully we’ll have something to announce by early this summer” a bit of info I posted on Facebook a couple days ago.

My quotes in the piece mention that the Armed Forces Salute has caused Shades of Green to offer discounts as well, something that had never happened in the past.

I know we are all waiting for that special announcement in early summer, but in the mean time keep your eye out for the upcoming larger article with more info from me in a Military Times Off Duty Section near you!

UPDATE

– For those of you who do not have access to a base you can now view the article online. Choose your service: Military Times, Army Times, Navy Times, Air Force Times, Marine Corps Times.

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See all the current Shades of Green Packages

Shades of Green Links

• Shades of Green
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• Shades of Green Room Rates
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• Shades of Green Services and Activities

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Disneyland Fans, here is a photo eBook for you: Sunrise to Sunrise by TouringPlans author and photographer Tom Bricker.

I have long been a fan of Tom Bricker. I first happened across his flicker photostream a few years ago. To say his photography is stunning is an understatement. I really recommend that you spend some time looking at the fabulous images that you’ll find in his photostream.

Tom’s blog the Disney Tourist Blog is filled with great Disney info and of course his great photography.

Tom is also the photographer for my favorite Disney planning book the Unofficial Guide Walt Disney World. The Unofficial Guide’s website TouringPlans.com is also one of my highest recommended websites.

On 29 February Tom set out on a mission. His goal, spend 24 hours (during the One More Disney Day Promotion) in the California Disneyland Theme Park AND to record the experience with images. Tom certainly succeeded with his mission, this wonderful eBook is filled with great images of Disneyland, starting as the title says at sunrise and ending with a second sunrise.

Page after page is filled with spectacular images! I couldn’t stop clicking through the 75 pages of this eBook. There is page after page of beautiful pictures! Check out these sample pages below.

Disneyland: Sunrise to Sunrise Sample Page

The eBook Features include:

• 75 pages of great photos and information
• 200+ photos from one full operational day in Disneyland
• Facts and historical tidbits about Disneyland
• The portability of being able to take this vibrant eBook anywhere and view it on your phone, iPad, or other eBook reader
• A 100% money-back guarantee

Disneyland: Sunrise to Sunrise Sample Page

If you are a Disneyland fan or are planning a trip this eBook is well worth the very reasonable price of $8.00! But I’m happy to announce that I am able to offer a 25% discount code SUNRISE2012 which will give you 25% off the $8 price of the eBook at checkout. Just click the image below to order.

 
Disclosure: MDT will receive a small referral fee on every purchase

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What If Disney Discontinues The Armed Forces Salute?

Disney’s Armed Forces Salute is scheduled to end on 30 Sept 2012.

Many military members and their spouses are anxiously waiting to start planning a midpoint leave or post deployment Disney vacation. Unfortunately Disney has yet to announce if they will be continuing offering the Armed Forces Salute past 30 Sept or not.

In January 2009 Disney began offering this very popular military discount on Disney resort rooms and theme park tickets. Many new members of the military have never experienced a time during their career without the Disney Armed Forces Salute, so they are unfamiliar with what other discounts are available.

I’ve received so many emails from those who are frustrated that they are unable to decide if they’ll be able to afford a Disney vacation during the last quarter of 2012 on their military salary.

Old School Disney Military Discounts

On the off chance that Disney does stop offering the Armed Forces Salute, I wanted to do a comprehensive refresher on what discounts would still be available for your Disney Military Vacation.

Military Discounts on Disney Theme Park Tickets

I recently did a post on the Regular Disney Military Discounted Tickets. These discounted tickets, while nowhere as cheap as the Armed Forces Salute tickets have always been available, still are, and will continue to be. These Military Discounted Magic Your Way Tickets are sold at Base Ticket Offices (who may have a limited supply and selection) and at Shades of Green, the military owned and operated resort on Disney World property. You will save approximately 4%-8% off of the Disney gate price with these tickets depending on length and options selected.

Click here to see Shades of Green’s ticket price lists.

It is important to note that Disney raises their prices on Magic Your Way Tickets every year. Traditionally Disney has upped the prices on all of their tickets in August, but last year they surprised everyone with a June 2011 ticket price increase. Price increases on regular gate prices will cause a corresponding increase in the military discounted ticket price. These tickets can be purchased ahead of time to beat the yearly increases. Tickets with 14 day expirations will remain valid and ready for use as long as they are unused. Once used for the first day of admission the expiration clock starts.

Military Discounts on Disney Resorts.

When talking about Military Discounts on Disney hotels, I like to divide the Resorts in and around Disney World into four categories, Shades of Green, Disney Owned Resorts, Other On-Property Resorts, and Off Property Resorts.

Shades of Green

Shades of Green is a military owned and operated resort located on Walt Disney World property. It was formerly called the Disney Inn (among other names) and was owned and operated by Disney. After it was first leased then purchased outright over 18 years ago by Army MWR it became the Shades of Green.

Prior to the Armed Forces Salute, Shades of Green used to be the only military discount going at Disney World, so the vast majority of military vacationers stayed at SoG. Priced comparable to a Disney Moderate Resort yet sized like a Disney Deluxe, Shades of Green was always a great deal.

Should the Armed Forces Salute end, Shades will again become the primary military destination for those visiting WDW. Shades of Green sets its room rates on the military member’s rank, with regular prices ranging from $95 to $141.  Shades of Green increases their room rates at the beginning of each fiscal year. Although they did not raise rates this past October (2011).

Shades has had to work hard to keep their occupancy levels where they need them in the face of the steep resort discounts available via the Armed Forces Salute. They have tried out many different types of discounts since Disney’s current military discount started.

 Shades of Green’s current discounts can be found here.

An extra benefit available through Shades of green are overflow room rates at Disney resorts.

Disney Owned Resorts Using Overflow Rates

Overflow rates were a very popular program that Shades offered, a program which is currently rendered obsolete by the Armed Forces Salute. Before the Armed Forces Salute when Shades was full during your desired vacation dates they would offer you an overflow rate at various Disney Resorts. This overflow rate was generally up to 20% off the regular room rate. This can’t compare to the current 30% to 40% AFS rates.

Disney only offered a limited number of these rooms, so if one of these rates was your goal it took careful timing to make to make your reservation… After Shades was booked but before the overflow rates were gone.

My family used to do this all the time before 2009. We’ve stayed at many a Disney resort for a “good” rate.

Other On-Property Resorts

There are other resorts which are not owned by Disney but are considered “On Property Resorts.” These include the Swan and Dolphin (Westin owned) and the various hotels in the Downtown Disney Resort Area.

These resorts currently offer military discounts, but that could change in the aftermath of a Disney Armed Forces Salute termination. You’ll just have to check with the chain or local hotel to determine what is offered.

Currently the Swan and Dolphin offer military discounts as do the Downtown Disney Resorts.

Off Property Resorts

There are a huge number of hotels in the local vicinity of Walt Disney World. Many may offer discounts from time to time. Again a check with the corporate chain or local hotel is in order if you are inclined to stay off property.

Many people have had good luck with travel discount sites like Priceline and you can check this website for military deals in the Orlando area.

Disney Bring Back the Armed Forces Salute!

Here’s hoping we won’t have to worry about going back to pre-Armed Force Salute pricing options for a long time!

Write or email Disney to let them know how much you want the Armed Forces Salute to return!

wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com

Walt Disney World Guest Relations
PO Box 10040
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-0040

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See all the current Shades of Green Packages

Shades of Green Links

• Shades of Green
• Shades of Green Rooms
• Shades of Green Room Rates
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• Shades of Green Services and Activities

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Shades of Green the Military Resort located on alt Disney World property in Orlando, Florida has announced two discounts for the Fall 2012 timeframe.

Both of these offers are available for new reservations on standard rooms only on a first come, first serve basis. Discounts will be taken from applicable room rate based on category. Modifying these reservations may result in change of room rate. Offers are available for a limited time only. These cannot be combined with any other offers.

The offers are:

October Special

• 1-13 October 2012
• $99 Room Rate ($89 for category 1)

To reserve this special follow the below link and use one of the following codes and insert in the group code box (please do not use the military/civilian grade box):
SPECIAL1 – Category 1 Guests $89.00 Per Night (E1-E5, Cadet)
SPECIAL2 – Category 2 Guests $99.00 Per Night (E6-E9,O1-O3,100% Disabled Veterans, Widows, Medal of Honor Recipients)
SPECIAL3 – Category 3 Guests $99.00 Per Night (O4-O6, CW4-CW6, O7-O10, Active Duty Foreign Military, DoD Active/Retired)
http://reservations.shadesofgreen.org/admin/html

Halloween Special

• Four-Night special 28-31 October 2012
• Starting at $349
• Includes Dinner for 2 adults and 2 kids (4-9)

Call 1-888-593-2242 to book this Special.

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See all the current Shades of Green Packages

Shades of Green Links

• Shades of Green
• Shades of Green Rooms
• Shades of Green Room Rates
• Disney Tickets at Shades of Green
• Shades of Green Services and Activities

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Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is a special event held each winter on select nights at Magic Kingdom theme park. Purchase of an additional event admission ticket is required to attend Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. This festive celebration is filled with live entertainment, spectacular fireworks and an oh-so-jolly holiday parade.

Celebrate the magic of the season in the holiday wonderland of Magic Kingdom theme park. Gather with loved ones for a festive sight and sound filled special event that is sure to make you merry!

The event is held on select nights November – December 2012.

Military Discounted Prices are offered on the following nights:

November: 9, 12, 15, 25, 27, & 29

Time: 7 PM to Midnight

Military Discount Prices are: Adult – $41.27 plus tax & Child (3-9) $37.77 plus tax. Advance Purchase (must be purchased prior to midnight the day prior)

These tickets can only be purchased at the Walt Disney World ticket windows with your military ID.

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party features:

• Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade: 8:15 and 10:30 pm
• Holiday Wishes: Celebrate the Spirit of the Season Fireworks: 9:30 pm
• Celebrate the Season Show: 7:45, 10:05, 11:20 pm
• Castle Dream Lights - See the castle transformed into a beautiful display of holiday lights right before your eyes!
• Live stage shows with Disney characters
• See it “snow” on Main Street!
• Enjoy Christmas cookies and hot cocoa
• Some of the most popular attractions will remain open during the party!
• Meet some of your favorite characters throughout the park
  • Duffy the Disney Bear will be on a float during the parade, as well as greeting guests in Town Square
  • Phineas and Ferb – Tomorrowland
  • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – Frontierland

Additional Dates and Pricing (non military rates):

Dates

November 11, December 4, 6, 7, 11, 13, 14, 2011

Prices 

Advance Purchase: Adult – $56.95 plus tax & Child (3-9) $51.95 plus tax

Day of Event Purchase: Adult – $62.95 plus tax & Child (3-9) $57.95 plus tax

November 18, 27, December 2, 9, 16, 18, 2011

Adult – $62.95 plus tax & Child (3-9) $57.95 plus tax

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With less than 20 days to go until Disney’s much publicized Career Expos For Veterans, Disney has finally given out a little (very little) information.

Prior to 3 May 2012 the only information available on the Disney military job expos was from the links on this page which all still state: “Event details are still being confirmed. In the meantime, please search our site for any and all jobs you feel match your skills and qualifications, and apply online. Check back soon for more information.”

Thursday Disney posted the following on their Disney Careers Facebook Page:

“As part of our new veterans’ initiative, Heroes Work Here, Disney will be holding career expos in California, New York and Florida later this month.

These events will provide the opportunity to meet and network with representatives throughout Disney, workshops on resume writing and interview tips, assistance from our community outreach partners, and more!

Click here: http://ow.ly/aF9ZY if you are interested in this event, and you could be invited to attend.” (Bold text mine)

The cloaked link leads to this page: http://heroesworkhere.disney.com/events/interest.php?

There are a couple of huge issues I have with this:

1. In order to have seen this need to apply to be invited to the Career Expos you need to have a Facebook account. What Disney fails to realize is that many military members avoid creating Facebook accounts for security reasons.
2. At three weeks or less from these job fairs those who had been planning to attend don’t even know if they will be allowed to participate. I’ve been planning to attend and have already made and paid for reservations at WDW.
3. The fact that this is by invitation only leads me to believe that they are looking for only very specific skills, some not very well paying.

Your Information

Once on the page some basic contact information is requested, name, email, City, State, location you’d like to attend, and if you’d applied on their site before. Then you’re requested to enter your previous military experience. The choices are:

• Civil Engineering
• Developmental Engineer
• Judge Advocate General (JAG)
• Junior Level NCO or Officer with Troop Leading Time
• Logistics
• Maritime / Navy
• Medical / Nursing
• Military Food Service
• Military Intelligence / Information Systems
• Military Recruitment / Personnel Operations
• Operations / Military Police or Law Enforcement
• Public Affairs
• Quartermaster / Operation Logistics
• Scientific Research Utilization Field
• Signal Branch and/or Information Systems
• Training
• Other/Not Listed

As you can see some of the pairings of fields seem a little odd. They mention junior NCOs and Officers but senior level experience is noticeably missing. Also you are only allowed to select one choice, I myself have quite a bit of experience in several of these categories. I selected Training, I hope that my selection makes the cut.

It looks like they are looking for cooks and people to drive the boats around their lakes and not any type of management.

Were you interested in going to these events? Did you already schedule time off work make travel plans, hotel reservations?

EVENT SITREP

I’ll post as soon as I hear back as to whether I’ll be allowed to attend. If you to are planning to go to one of these Disney Military Career Events leave a comment below. Put the job category you selected. After you hear back let us know if they are going to allow you to attend.

Good Luck!

UPDATE

After going to the site mentioned above and requesting an invitation I also applied for a job that I am very well qualified for on the Disney Jobs website. As of 5/13 I have not received an invitation to the events based on those actions.

I did reach out to Disney public relations on 5/10 and requested press access to the event which they kindly granted.

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Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is a Halloween-themed special event held on select dates in Magic Kingdom theme park. Purchase of an additional event admission ticket is required to attend Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.

The event is held on select nights September – November 2012.

Military Discounted Prices are offered on the following nights:

September 11, 14, 18, 21, 25, & 28

Time: 7 PM to Midnight

Note: While the published start time is 7 PM, you can get in as early as 4 PM with your MNSSHP ticket

Military Discount Prices are: Adult – $37.77 plus tax & Child (3-9) $36.37 plus tax. Advance Purchase (must be purchased prior to midnight the day prior)

These tickets can only be purchased at the Walt Disney World ticket windows with your military ID.

During Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, Guests of all ages are encouraged to dress up in their favorite Halloween costumes. Even better, you can collect delicious candy as you trick-or-treat around Magic Kingdom theme park.

In addition to many favorite Disney attractions, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is filled with special entertainment, including:

Mickey’s “Boo-to-You” Halloween Parade—including Disney Characters and the stars of the Haunted Mansion attraction. The parade begins with a spook-tacular ride by the Headless Horseman.
Happy HalloWishes—a spectacular fireworks show where the Disney Villains go trick-or-treating in the sky.
Many favorite Disney Characters and Disney Villains in special Halloween costumes.
Special lighting, music and theming effects transforms special areas of Magic Kingdom theme park into happy haunted hollows.
The tone of the event is, well, “Not-So-Scary”, and is appropriate for children of all ages.

Additional Dates and Pricing (non military rates):

Dates

October: 4, 5, 8, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 21, 23, 25, 26, 28, 30, 31, & November 2 2012

Pricing

All Dates except 26 and 31 October

Advance Purchase: Adult – Adults $62.79 & Child $57.46 (3-9) $57.95 plus tax
Day of Event Purchase – Adults $69.18 & Child (3-9) $63.85 plus tax
Passholder/DVC Member: Adults $58.53 & Child (3-9) $53.20 plus tax (ends 25 October)

26 October

Same Day Purchase: Adults $69.18 & Child (3-9) $63.85 plus tax

31 October

Premium Pricing: Adults $74.50 & Child (3-9) $69.18 plus tax

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If you are new to Military Disney Tips Start Here

Disney’s Armed Forces Salute FAQ

Information on Shades of Green the Military Hotel on Disney World property

For up to the minute news get our Newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Twitter,and now Pinterest.

Free Disney Planning & Reservation Checklist

Related posts:

1. Military Discount Prices On Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween PartyMickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is a Halloween-themed special event held...
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Well, it’s been another fantastic year for Military Disney Tips!

The growth in traffic coming to the site has been fantastic. We’ve just closed out our fourth year on the web and I’ve got to tell you how rewarding doing this is to me. I’ve had contact with so many of you both through emails and blog comments. I really enjoy being able to answer your questions about these sometimes very confusing military discounts.

MDT has grown from the humblest of beginnings to the large resource for military families that it is today. While I have put quite a bit of time and effort into the site, it’s you the readers who make the site so successful.

I wanted to take a moment to say thanks to all of you. I’m so appreciative of your interest. It’s been my pleasure to try to help you in any way I can to plan for your Disney vacations.

I especially want to thank those of you who have taken the time to send in your suggestions for topics, your boots on the ground reports, and also words of encouragement. It means a lot to me!

What You Want To Know

The big question on everyone’s mind right now is will there be a Disney Armed Forces Salute renewal past 30 September 2012? While I think it likely from talking to my Disney contacts, there is nothing official yet. Sign up for my Newsletter to hear about a renewal as soon as I know.

Shades of Green is also waiting to see what Disney will do. They’ve stopped announcing discounts past 30 Sept. because if there isn’t going to be an Armed Forces Salute they’ll revert to normal operations which would be no discounts off their normal prices. A thing we haven’t experienced since 2008.

Quite a few of you needed help interpreting or clarifying these sometimes confusing discounts. I received almost 600 emails this past year which it was my pleasure to answer. So many of you sent me your very kind compliments. Thanks!

This Year’s Big Growth In Numbers

This year the site has seen fantastic growth. Military Disney Tips received 242,412 visitors and 765,159 pageviews during the last 12 months. Our Newsletter has grown to over 1,725 subscribers. Our FaceBook fan page has grown to 1,347 Likes this year. Just prior to our 3^rd birthday we started our Military Disney Twitter account and we now have 189 followers. This year we started on Google Plus and we are in 104 people’s circles, we’re on the new military social media site Armedzilla, and just last month started our own Pin Boards on Pinterest.

Our Great Partners

This year is our 4th fantastic year partnering with Ears of Experience, an authorized Disney vacation planner and Veteran Owned Business. Over 495 of you have asked Amy for help making your Disney reservations this past year.

This has also been my fourth year teaming with YourFirstvisit.net a fantastic Disney World site geared towards the first time visitor. A perfect compliment to my site!

In July we became an affiliate of TouringPlans.com, publishers of the Unofficial Guides to Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Their books and Touring Plans website offer a huge amount of information as well as many step by step plans for touring Disney’s theme parks which will save you hours of time waiting in lines. They also offer their Lines App which gives you access to attraction wait times on your smartphone.

Big Stories This Year

The best stories of the year fell into many categories.

Many of course highlighted military discounts in and around the Disney Theme Parks,  like: Military Discounted Hotels – Military Deals in the Central Florida Area, Disney World Downtown Disney Resort Area Hotels offer Military Discounts, and Regular Disney Military Discount for Walt Disney World and Disneyland Tickets.

There were of course many Shades of Green posts: Shades of Green Offers 40 Percent Discount On Rooms, Lucky’s Snack Bar at Shades of Green, and Non-US Military Members Eligible To Stay At Shades Of Green.

Plus the non-Disney stuff like: 2012 Anheuser-Busch Here’s to the Heroes Salute – Free Military Theme Park Tickets. This is just a small overview of all the content over the last 12 months.

Worldwide Readers

While most of the site’s readers this year have been Stateside, we also have quite a few readers from overseas locations where our military members are stationed or deployed such as: The UK, Puerto Rico, Germany, Japan, Brazil, South Korea, Italy, Qatar, Guam, Iraq, The Netherlands, Spain, Afghanistan, Kuwait, The UAE, and Bahrain to name a few.

The Rest Of The Web

Because of the one of a kind content found on this site, many sites including other great Disney sites on the net sent visitors our way. I’d like to thank all of those sites for their support this year.

Here are the sites which sent the most traffic our way:

Yourfirstvisit.net

Dis Boards

Orange County Register Deals

Army Wife 101 Where Crystal allowed me to guest post

Wikipedia

Disney Dispatch

Disney Food Blog Where AJ has also allowed me to guest post

Disney Tourist Blog

USMC Life

Passporter Boards

Mouse Owners

Coastie Chicks

Couponing to Disney

Operation Military Kids

Military Duty Stations where I did a guest post

Military SOS

Your Favorite Pages

Here are some of the pages that you found most helpful this year:

Disney’s Armed Forces Salute

The infamous Unlimited Disney Military Discount Tickets Post. During the first several months of the Armed Forces Salute extension the offer changed several times and this version only lasted one week.

Sea World Busch Gardens Military Salute 2011 & 2012 

Military Discounts

Universal Orlando Military Discount 2011 &2012

Shades of Green

The Armed Forces Salute FAQ

And my new Intro to Military Disney Tips Page

Looking Forward

As you can see it’s been a busy year here at Military Disney Tips and I’m really looking forward to the upcoming year. It’s been my pleasure to provide content that I think you might find helpful and I’m so glad that the site’s growth shows you are enjoying it.

I’ve got some exciting things coming up. Later this month I’ll be covering Disney’s Heroes Work Here job fair and I’m excited to announce I’ll be interviewed for an episode of Soldiers Family Radio & TV, an internet based audio and video provider of content for military families seen by over 400,000 viewers. And look for some quotes from me in an upcoming Military Times (Army Times, Navy Times, and Air Force Times) Off Duty section article on “How to get the best rooms at the military resorts”.

Stay tuned for info on an Armed Forces Salute announcement and any other military discounts that become available in the next year. I’ll send out an immediate Newsletter Update as soon as I hear something!

Thanks so much, Steve

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If you are new to Military Disney Tips Start Here

Disney’s Armed Forces Salute FAQ

Information on Shades of Green the Military Hotel on Disney World property

For up to the minute news get our Newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Twitter,and now Pinterest.

Free Disney Planning & Reservation Checklist

See all the current Shades of Green Packages

Shades of Green Links

• Shades of Green
• Shades of Green Rooms
• Shades of Green Room Rates
• Disney Tickets at Shades of Green
• Shades of Green Services and Activities

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NEW YORK (AP) –

Starbucks is about to perk up “the happiest place on earth.”

The Seattle-based coffee chain on Monday is announcing a partnership to open a store inside each of the six Disney properties in California and Florida.

The first will open this summer at Disneyland California Adventure in Anaheim. The other locations will be at the nearby Disneyland Park and at the parks in Orlando, Fla. – Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and Epcot. The companies are still finalizing when the remaining stores will open.

This means some upcoming intense competition for Shades of Green’s Starbucks location Java Cafe.

The companies said each of the Starbucks stores at Disney will be designed to blend in with the property. Passersby might have to look twice to notice that it’s a Starbucks.

At Disneyland California, for example, the store will be called the Fiddler, Fifer and Practical Cafe, after the characters in the Three Little Pigs. The Starbucks logo will not be posted outside, although the name will be printed vertically on posts on either side of the entry way.

The cafe will be located near the park entrance, which is designed to conjure an idealized version of a Los Angeles neighborhood where the animator Walt Disney lived during the 1920s and 1930s. The inside of the cafe will be decorated with Spanish tiles, stained glass and dark wood paneling to fit that theme.

Baristas will wear aprons that Disney says will match the decor, rather than the forest green aprons employees wear at other Starbucks. The cups will also be co-branded. In addition to the full Starbucks menu, the coffee chain said its stores may offer a “Mickey Mouse cookie or two.”

Starbucks also opened a store in Disney Village at Disneyland Paris in June 2009. But this is the first time the coffee chain will have a store inside the theme park.

If you are new to Military Disney Tips Start Here

Disney’s Armed Forces Salute FAQ

Information on Shades of Green the Military Hotel on Disney World property

For up to the minute news get our Newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Twitter,and now Pinterest.

Free Disney Planning & Reservation Checklist

See all the current Shades of Green Packages

Shades of Green Links

• Shades of Green
• Shades of Green Rooms
• Shades of Green Room Rates
• Disney Tickets at Shades of Green
• Shades of Green Services and Activities

Did you enjoy this post? If you’d like more like it, please share it through your favorite social media by clicking the buttons below to let me know.

If you are new to Military Disney Tips Start Here

Disney’s Armed Forces Salute FAQ

Information on Shades of Green the Military Hotel on Disney World property

For up to the minute news get our Newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Twitter,and now Pinterest.

Free Disney Planning & Reservation Checklist

See all the current Shades of Green Packages

Shades of Green Links

• Shades of Green
• Shades of Green Rooms
• Shades of Green Room Rates
• Disney Tickets at Shades of Green
• Shades of Green Services and Activities

Related posts:

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Shades of Green is offering a Special Mother’s Day Brunch for those staying at the Military Resort on Walt Disney World property.

This special meal will be served from 1000 to 1800 hours on Mothers Day Sunday 13 May 2012

The menu consists of:

A Carving Station featuring:

• Top Round of Beef with Au jus
• Kielbasa Sausage w/ Mustard

An Omelette Station with:

• Create your own omelet
• Made to order Eggs Benedict
• Crispy Bacon Turkey Sausage links
• Breakfast Potatoes
• Waffles
• Pancakes
• Cheese Blitzes w/raspberry sauce
• Breakfast Pastries

And a Brunch Buffet with:

• Lobster Bisque Soup
• Sautéed chicken w/ sundried tomato sauce
• Roasted Pork w/ fruit sauce
• Grilled Salmon w/ Dill sauce
• Pasta Primavera White Rice
• Wild Rice
• Fresh steamed vegetables

Finish off your meal with a freshly made assortment of desserts

The cost will be $18.95 per person

Reservations can be made by calling: 407-824-6325

If you are new to Military Disney Tips Start Here

Disney’s Armed Forces Salute FAQ

Information on Shades of Green the Military Hotel on Disney World property

For up to the minute news get our Newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and now Pinterest.

Free Disney Planning & Reservation Checklist

See all the current Shades of Green Packages

Shades of Green Links

• Shades of Green
• Shades of Green Rooms
• Shades of Green Room Rates
• Disney Tickets at Shades of Green
• Shades of Green Services and Activities

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The American Flag flies proudly over Disney World's Epcot

While many people refer to these days as “Blackout dates”, Disney calls them Blockout Dates. These are days when the military tickets are not allowed to be used.

I’ve received many emails from distressed readers who have planed their dates to visit a Disney theme park AND purchased their Armed Forces Salute Tickets (which are non refundable) at their Base ITT Office. Only to find that their tickets will not be accepted during their dates.

We’ve just passed the time of year where this was the biggest problem, Spring Break. Many military families plan their Disney vacations around their kid’s school spring vacation.

Disney’s Blockout Dates for Spring Break, during which they would not honor the Armed Forces Salute Tickets were from 2 to 12 April at Disneyland and at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom from 1 to 12 April 2012.

The next period of Blockout Dates which affect both Disney World and Disneyland is for the Fourth of July holiday.

2012 Remaining Disney Armed Forces Salute Blackout Dates

• At Disneyland in California- You may not use your Armed Forces Salute Ticket in either theme park (Disneyland or California Adventure) on the fourth of July 2012.

• At Disney World in Orlando, Florida - You may not use your Armed Forces Salute Ticket at the Magic Kingdom on the fourth of July 2012. You may however use the Armed Forces Salute in the other Florida theme parks (Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom).

After the fourth of July there are no remaining Blockout Dates during the 2010-1012 Disney Armed Forces Salute, which is currently scheduled to end on 30 Sept 2012.

Did you enjoy this post? If you’d like more like it, please share it through your favorite social media by clicking the buttons below to let me know.

If you are new to Military Disney Tips Start Here

Disney’s Armed Forces Salute FAQ

Information on Shades of Green the Military Hotel on Disney World property

For up to the minute news get our Newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Twitter,and now Pinterest.

Free Disney Planning & Reservation Checklist

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What did we do before Disney’s fabulous Armed Forces Salute?

Many new members of the military have never experienced a time when Disney did not offer the popular military discount, but prior to January 2009 there was no such thing (except for a similar offer in 2002).

These Tickets Are Still Available

While the Regular Disney Military Discount Tickets may be little known by newbies and long forgotten by us old heads, they are still available. These tickets are Disney’s Magic Your Way Tickets.

How Much Do These Tickets Save You?

The savings offered by these tickets are nowhere as good as those offered by the Armed Forces Salute tickets, which is why they are often forgotten. These tickets will save you anywhere from 4 to 8 percent (depending on number of days) off of what you’d pay at the Disney theme park gates for the same ticket.

Why would You Want These Tickets?

There are several reasons why you might want or need to purchase these tickets.

• A One Day Disney Trip
  • One-Day Military Discounted Disney Tickets are less than the Armed Forces Salute tickets. Two-Days plus run more.
• Longer Disney Trips
  • For stays over 8 days some types of these Military Discounted Disney Tickets can be cheaper than buying a third Armed Forces Salute Ticket.
• Large Parties
  • Disney allows only 6 Armed Forces Salute Tickets Active at one time (with exceptions for larger immediate families). If you have a large party who are not all your dependents, then you’ll need to buy these to have enough tickets.
• Your allotment of Armed Forces Salute Tickets used up
  • There is a maximum of 12 tickets allowed during the October 2010 – 30 September 2012 timeframe. If you’ve used yours up these are your next best option.

Where Can You Get These Tickets?

Not at Disney, These tickets are not for sale at Disney World or Disneyland ticket windows. You must but them from a Military Reseller on a military installation.

Most Bases have a Moral Welfare and Recreation Information Ticket and Travel Office which carry a variety of military discounted tickets, both for Disney and other venues. Bases do not always carry a full complement of these Military discounted Magic Your Way Tickets.

A full complement of Military Discounted Disney World Magic Your Way Tickets is available at Shades of Green, the military owned and operated resort on Disney World property.

Magic Your Way Tickets come in many varieties and lengths. Hopper, Non-Hopper, 14-Day Expiration, Non-Expiring, Water Park and More, from 1 to 10 days in length.

Shades of Green also has their special all-inclusive Stars and Stripes Passes for military members staying on Disney property.

Waiting On the Armed Forces Salute

Disney has yet to announce if there will be a renewal of Disney’s Armed Forces Salute past its 30 September 2012 expiration date. As I said if there isn’t, then we’ll be back to these special military Disney tickets being the only game in town.

Other Theme Parks

Base ITT Offices and Shades of Green also sell tickets for other theme parks like SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, Universal Studios, and many other attractions. Definitely drop by your base ITT Office to find deals like these.

Did you enjoy this post? If you’d like more like it, please share it through your favorite social media by clicking the buttons below to let me know.

If you are new to Military Disney Tips Start Here

Disney’s Armed Forces Salute FAQ

Information on Shades of Green the Military Hotel on Disney World property

For up to the minute news get our Newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Twitter,and now Pinterest.

Free Disney Planning & Reservation Checklist

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Here’s a info-graphic I made which shows who is and isn’t eligible for the various military discounts available at the major Theme Parks.

I’m a real visual person so I know sometimes it helps to see an image or chart instead of reading about something.

I’ve included all the current discounts: the “Regular” Military Discounted Tickets for Disney, Universal Studios, SeaWorld and Busch Gardens, the Disney Armed Forces Salute, Anheuser-Busch’s Here’s to the Heroes, Universal’s Military room and ticket package, as well as Shades of Green.

Click the Info-graphic to see a larger version

Please Note… This chart shows basic eligibility only! You’ll need to refer to the links below for full rules and details!

Here are links for the discounts mentioned on the info-graphic:

• Disney’s Armed Forces Salute
• Anheuser-Busch Here’s to the Heroes
• Universal Military Packages
• Shades of Green
• Non-Retired Military
• Non-US Military
• Shades of Green Ticket Prices

If you are new to Military Disney Tips Start Here

Disney’s Armed Forces Salute FAQ

Information on Shades of Green the Military Hotel on Disney World property

For up to the minute news get out Pinterest.

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The Disney AAA Welcome Center used to be located in Ocala Florida.

It’s been closed now for almost 6 years. Shortly after I started this blog I wrote a piece on Disney’s slow withdrawal from outdoor advertising. Disney’s outdoor advertising once was comprised of a huge amount of billboards reaching almost to the Florida border, the Disney AAA Welcome Center, and even a radio station.

The Welcome Center was a joint venture between Disney and the Automobile Association of America. Those traveling to WDW via car could stop there to get information, make reservations, buy park tickets and Disney Merchandise. They even had a small theatre playing WDW information films.

After Disney closed the Welcome Center it went through several different tenants over the years. The most recent occupant didn’t even put up a sign. There were just a few cars parked in the lot.

RIP Disney AAA Welcome Center

Well I was in central Florida the past few days for (surprisingly) non-Disney related stuff and as I drove by exit 350 on Interstate 75 I could see they’d torn the old Welcome Center building down.

I stopped on the way home to snap some pics and thought I’d post this memorial.

Check out more pictures of the Disney Welcome Center during it’s heyday and my post on Disney’s outdoor advertising.

If you are new to Military Disney Tips Start Here

Disney’s Armed Forces Salute FAQ

Information on Shades of Green the Military Hotel on Disney World property

For up to the minute news get our Newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and now Free Disney Planning & Reservation Checklist

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YourFirstVisit.net is the internet’s premier website for First Time Visitors To Walt Disney World.

This month marks the end of this great site’s fourth year on the internet!

The site was started four years ago with the intent of helping the first time Disney World visitor navigate the sometimes complex process of planning for and executing that first vacation. For those of us who have been to Disney several times it’s easy to forget how daunting planning that first trip to WDW can be.

The site is designed for first time family visitors to Walt Disney World who do not know if they will ever return. It guarantees the best possible first family visit to Walt Disney World for the least possible time spent planning!

The site’s about page says “It is a first-of-its-kind travel site that focuses on first time visitors, gives exact instructions for the best possible first trip, and—more importantly—gives next best choices ranked in order if these instructions can’t be followed.” 

The First Time Visitor

YourFirstVisit’s owner/webmaster Dave conceived the idea for the site while attending a convention held at Disney World and once home began working on the idea.

Dave says “I keep the first time family visitor, unsure if they will ever return, and not really wanting to read 200 web pages or a 400 page guidebook, at the forefront of my thinking and writing.”

A Huge amount of research and detail go into Dave’s site. You’ll find many great graphics and charts which help detail for the WDW novice the best time to go to Disney World based on their preferences, WDW crowd levels, and price seasons for the various WDW resort categories.

Dave makes recommendations on the best resorts, attractions, and experiences for the first timer and explains why these might or might not be right for your first visit.

The Seasoned Veteran

While lots of information on the site is geared to the first time Disney World visitor, experienced WDW visitors can find lots of useful information on the site too.

I often find myself checking YourFirstVisit for information even though I’ve been to WDW countless times and even used to work there.

Dave has recently completed the arduous (some might say enviable) task of staying at each and every Disney World Resort. This has allowed him to write very detailed resort comparisons. Here is a recent three part post on the Disney Deluxe Resorts.

Besides the great resources mentioned above for deciding when is the best time for you to go to Disney, Dave recommends what to do once you are there. Check out his itineraries and dining recommendations.

A Great Resource

Military Disney Tips has lots of information geared to the MIlitary Member looking for discount information on Disney Vacations. And that remains our focus.

I find YourFirstVisit.net to be the perfect compliment to my site!

Please drop by YourFirstVisit.net to leave a happy birthday message today and also be sure to spend some time on the site when you begin planning your next post deployment leave or family getaway.

YourFirstVisit.net Homepage

If you are new to Military Disney Tips Start Here

Disney’s Armed Forces Salute FAQ

Information on Shades of Green the Military Hotel on Disney World property

For up to the minute news get our Newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and now Free Disney Planning & Reservation Checklist

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Here are the happenings on Easter Sunday 8 April 2012 at Disney Worlds Military Resort – Shades of Green.

You can start your Easter at WDW with a Sunrise Service. Starting at 9 am at the Shades of Green Garden Gazebo.

Shades of Green's Gazebo

At 10 am there will be an Easter Egg Hunt and Easter Bunny visit for the kids at the Millpond Pool. BYOB (bring your own basket!).

Easter Egg Hunt Age Groups:

• 4 to 7
• 8 to 10

Elsewhere Around Disney World:

Unfortunately Disney has yet to release information on their activities, but last year they had a Meet and Greet Mr. & Mrs. Bunny in the Magic Kingdom and a Easter Sunday Service at the Contemporary Resort. Check with the front desk at your Disney Resort to check.

Wondering what the crowds will be like at WDW on Easter? See YourFirstVisit.net.

If you are looking for a specific denomination service, Chip & Company has a great list.

If you are new to Military Disney Tips Start Here

Disney’s Armed Forces Salute FAQ

Information on Shades of Green the Military Hotel on Disney World property

For up to the minute news get our Newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Twitter,and now Pinterest.

Free Disney Planning & Reservation Checklist

See all the current Shades of Green Packages

Shades of Green Links

• Shades of Green
• Shades of Green Rooms
• Shades of Green Room Rates
• Disney Tickets at Shades of Green
• Shades of Green Services and Activities

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One of the features of Disney’s popular Armed Forces Salute is that Military Members with large immediate families are allowed to buy the number of Disney theme park tickets they need.

Normally service members are limited to 6 tickets active at any one time (a max of 12 during the Oct 2010-Sept 2012 timeframe) . This limit would present a problem for military members with more than 5 dependents. But Disney wisely has made an allowance for these families.

I’m often asked by readers who email me, or those asking in post comments to define “immediate family.” These people understandably would like to purchase Armed Forces Salute Tickets for as many as possible in their party. Often it’s those traveling to Disney with large groups of extended family members, siblings, in-laws, cousins, grand kids, etc. and want to get tickets for everyone.

Now if you only need a total of 6 tickets or less, one must be for the military member and the others can be for anyone… But if you want to use the “immediate family” exception and purchase more, then the tickets can only be for the ”immediate family.”

Disney doesn’t define ”immediate family” which is why I’m often asked to.

Here is my take…

An immediate family is the military member, their spouse, and their dependent children.

It does not include

• Adult Children living outside the home
• Grand Children
• Parents
• In-Laws
• Siblings
• Cousins

This is, as I said my take on this, there is no official Disney definition that I’m aware of. But this is what you should base your financial planning on.

I have found though, that Disney Ticket window workers do seem to have latitude on what they are allowed to do. So once you arrive it doesn’t hurt to ask if you can activate more than 6, just explain your circumstances and see what they say.

I hope this clears it up a little…

If you are new to Military Disney Tips Start Here

Disney’s Armed Forces Salute FAQ

Information on Shades of Green the Military Hotel on Disney World property

For up to the minute news get our Newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and now Pinterest.

Free Disney Planning & Reservation Checklist

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Are you a Disney Fan like me?

Have you ever dreamed of working at Walt Disney World?

Or perhaps you’d prefer somewhere else in the Disney Company like ABC TV, or ESPN, or how about the Disney Cruise line?

Individuals with military training and work ethics have long been desired in the civilian workplace. The leadership experience and management training gained during years of military service can be priceless.

Today the Disney Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer Robert A. Iger announced Heroes Work Here, a new company-wide initiative to hire, train and support returning veterans.

Mr. Iger said “The military values of honor, integrity, commitment, and courage, along with the skills and experience they’ve gained through their service, make veterans incredibly valuable employees for any company.”

As part of the initiative, Disney will provide at least 1,000 jobs and career opportunities for returning U.S. veterans over the next three years.

Heroes Work Here includes recruitment efforts across all segments of The Walt Disney Company, including ESPN, the Disney-ABC Television Group, Disney Consumer Products, The Walt Disney Studios, and Disney Parks and Resorts. The company will host career fairs and participate in events designed to showcase opportunities for returning military personnel.

Disney looks forward to joining forces with our veterans in the continuation of our American Story!

Disney now has a dedicated page on their Casting site for Veterans, this page has links to a generic Disney Company job search, a Heroes Work Here Facebook page, and a page with upcoming Veteran Job Fairs (Orlando, New York, Anaheim).

UPDATE – More information about the invitation only Career Expos

Here is a Disney YouTube video introducing the initiative.

I’ll be attending the Orlando career fair to report on everything I discover!

In the meantime start thinking about your follow-on career at Disney.

Is there a Monorail in your future?

If you are new to Military Disney Tips Start Here

Disney’s Armed Forces Salute FAQ

Information on Shades of Green the Military Hotel on Disney World property

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How would you like to save 40% on your Shades of Green Stay?

Scratch that… Shades has just changed the discount percentage to 30%, dates remain the same.

The military resort located on Walt Disney World property has just announced their Endless Summer Special.

This discount runs from 20 August through 30 September 2012.

It’s available on standard rooms, on a first come first serve basis.

Valid for August 20th – September 30th, 2012. The discount will be taken from applicable room rate based on the military member’s category.

Shades Matches Disney

This great offer brings the Shades of Green room discount up to the same level as the room discount available with the Disney Armed Forces Salute.

With the Armed Forces Salute Disney Deluxe resort rooms are discounted 40%, Moderates 35%, and Values 30%. (Disney resort categories)

Shades of Green is classified as a Deluxe Resort.

While the 40% discount is the same as the Disney Deluxe Resorts, Shades of Green’s non-discounted rates are comparable to Disney Moderates, so this deal could save you a lot.

The 30 September end date for this offer coincides with the scheduled 30 September 2012 end of the Armed Forces Salute.

See below for more Shades of Green info links…

Dave from youtfirstvisit.net did a great cost analysis comparing this 40% off rate at Shades of Green to using the Free Disney Dining Plan at the various Disney resort categories.

To make your reservation click the link below and use one of the following codes in the group code box (do not use the military/civilian grade box) :

ENDLESS1 for category 1 guests $57.00 per night stay (E1-E5, Cadet)
ENDLESS2 for category 2 guests $73.00 per night stay (E6-E9,O1-O3,100% Disabled Veterans, Widows, Medal of Honor Recipients)
ENDLESS3 for category 3 guests $78.00 per night stay (O4-O6, CW4-CW6, O7-O10, Active Duty Foreign Military, DoD Active/Retired)

Click here to make your reservation

Restrictions:

• Subject to availability
• Modifying reservation may result in change of room rate
• Cannot be combined with any other offer

If you are new to Military Disney Tips Start Here

Disney’s Armed Forces Salute FAQ

Information on Shades of Green the Military Hotel on Disney World property

For up to the minute news get our Newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Free Disney Planning & Reservation Checklist

See all the current Shades of Green Packages

Shades of Green Links

• Shades of Green
• Shades of Green Rooms
• Shades of Green Room Rates
• Disney Tickets at Shades of Green
• Shades of Green Services and Activities

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Disney World has announced it is offering free Dining Plan add-ons for late August through late September 2012.

Disney Free Dining Plans are offered based on the type of Disney resort category that you’re staying at during your vacation.

The two Free Dining Plans being offered are:

• Disney Value resorts get the Disney Magic Your Way Quick-Service Dining Plan (you may upgrade to the Standard or Deluxe Dining Plans*)
• Disney Moderate, Deluxe, or Villa Resorts get the Standard Disney Magic Your Way Plus Dining Plan (you may upgrade to the Deluxe Dining Plan*)

*To upgrade you must pay the difference in cost per night.

Most, but not all, Disney resort rooms are included, and availability is extremely limited on this offer.

The Details:

• Book by 18 May 2012.
• Check in dates on or after 25 August 2012
• Book a minimum of 3 nights and a maximum of 14 nights
• You must purchase a minimum 2-day Magic Your Way Disney World ticket for each person in the room

Can you use this offer with your Military Discount?

Unfortunately no.

Disney does not allow you to combine Free Dining with the fantastic savings offered by the Disney Armed Forces Salute.

So why mention this?

The reason I’m telling you about this offer is so that you can compare all possible discounts for your vacation dates.

You might have noticed above that you only need to purchase 2-Day Magic Your Way Tickets. You could combine these with the Armed Forces Salute Tickets for longer stays.

So, it is possible that under certain conditions combining the Free Dining Offer with regular resort and ticket prices could be cheaper than using the Armed Forces Salute room and ticket offers PLUS paying for your meals.

It’s important to price both options and compare. Make sure you make a realistic estimation of what you’ll spend on food.

You can see menus and prices for Disney restaurants on the Disney Food Blog.

See my page for Shades of Green menus and prices.

Lots of Variables

Trying to find the absolute lowest price on a Disney Vacation can be challenging, especially when you are dealing with variables like the Free Dining Plan offer compared to the Armed Forces Salute.

Why not let a travel professional help you?

Ears of Experience is my recommended Travel Agent. They are Disney specialists. They book only Disney vacations, so are experts on current discounts and getting the lowest price for you on your Disney vacation. Plus they are a military family owned small business! There is no extra cost for their service, you pay the same as if you made your reservations yourself.

Give Ears of Experience a call and let Amy find you the best price possible.

Use this convenient form to request information or you can call them direct at 1-877-80MOUSE, be sure to mention you heard about them here!

UPDATE:

Dave from youtfirstvisit.net did a great cost analysis comparing this Free Disney Plan  at the various Disney resort categories to using the  40% off rate at Shades of Green.

If you are new to Military Disney Tips Start Here

Disney’s Armed Forces Salute FAQ

Information on Shades of Green – the Military Hotel on Disney World property

For up to the minute news get our Newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and now Pinterest.

Free Disney Planning & Reservation Checklist

See all the current Shades of Green Packages

Shades of Green Links

• Shades of Green
• Shades of Green Rooms
• Shades of Green Room Rates
• Disney Tickets at Shades of Green
• Shades of Green Services and Activities

Related posts:

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Your Base’s Information Tickets and Travel (ITT) Office can be a fantastic resource for finding Military Discounts.

Not only can you purchase Military Discounted tickets for destinations such as Walt Disney World, Disneyland, the Universal Studios parks, and the Anheuser-Busch theme Parks (the SeaWorlds & Busch Gardens) at the ITT Office, but you also can find discounts on other local attractions as well as many regional hotels.

My base ITT Office just hosted a Travel Fair, at which representatives from many destinations set up booths to inform military members of their military discounts. There were representatives from some South Eastern towns, Orlando area hotels, and Orlando area attractions including: Universal Studios Orlando, Kennedy Space Center, Legoland Florida, Gatorland, and Boggy Creek Airboat Rides. Each had literature and information to pass out.

Some highlights were:

Universal Studios Orlando – Confirmed no plans to bring back a “Special Military Discount” like Disney’s Armed forces Salute. Universal’s last similar offer ended in March 2010. The only discount available is the roughly 10% at your ITT Office or Shades of Green. The Universal representative did confirm that the lack of a military discount was due to the volume of full price traffic driven by their new Harry potter themed attraction and merchandise. She also mentioned that they needed the cash flow to offset the cost of the remodel. So yhey are only offering their regular military discount through ITT and Shades of Green as well as their Military Room and Ticket packages.

Kennedy Space Center – Continues to offer discounted tickets through ITT Offices and Shades of Green, but the rep. said that as soon as next week she expected to be able to offer free admission to active and retired members as well as 50% off for their guests.

Legoland Florida – Offers a 10% Military Discount at the gate, but much better discounts through your ITT Office.

Many Orlando Area Hotels with Military Discounts – Many hotels had reps offering rates as low as $42.00 per night at locations near Disney World or Universal Studios, many with shuttle service to the theme parks. If you are interested in the lowest rates and don’t mind staying off Disney property drop by your ITT office as that is where these hotels offer the lowers rates.

To find the ITT Office near you check out these links:

Army IT&R Web Site

Navy ITT Web Site

Marine ITT Web Site

Air Force IT&T Web Site

Other Orlando Military Discounted Hotels

Shades of Green – the Military owned and operated hotel on Disney World property

Disney’s Swan and Dolphin Resorts offer a Military Discount

The Armed Forces Vacation Club – Great discounts are available on condo rentals in the Orlando area.

Disney World Downtown Disney Resort Area Hotels offer Military Discounts.

Military Discounted Hotels – Military Deals in the Central Florida Area.

Do Your Research!

Always compare the rates you find on all hotels.

Make sure you factor all costs associated with each option as you’ll have to pay for different things depending on where you stay.

• Parking (at your hotel, at the theme parks)
• Transportation (airport, to the theme parks)
• Resort fees and taxes

Careful preplanning will help you save quite a bit!

If you are new to Military Disney Tips Start Here

Disney’s Armed Forces Salute FAQ

Information on Shades of Green – the Military Hotel on Disney World property

For up to the minute news get our Newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and now Free Disney Planning & Reservation Checklist

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Shades of Green has unveiled a very short term discount for those who care for wounded or ill military members.

Shades of Green Caregiver Special is designed as a respite for those providing for our country’s wounded and ill Armed Forces members, veterans, and Family Members.

The dates the discount is available are: May 10th–20th, 2012

The discounted rate is: Only $69.00 per night!

The $69.00 per night (double occupancy) special rate includes:

• Standard Room Accommodations
• Additional guests 18 and over $15.00 per night
• Only Valid May 10th-20th, 2012
• (Blackout dates may apply)

In order to qualify for this rate e-mail Shades of Green reservations at: Reservations@shadesofgreen.org with your story of being a caregiver. Shades will respond within 2 days to advise you if you qualify.

Note: To be eligible as a caregiver to stay at the resort you must also meet our standard Eligibility Requirements – Must be Active Duty or Retired military, members of the Guard or Reserve, DoD civilian employees, and Family Members of the above groups with a military/Government ID card.

If you are new to Military Disney Tips Start Here

Disney’s Armed Forces Salute FAQ

Information on Shades of Green – the Military Hotel on Disney World property

For up to the minute news get our Newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and now Shades of Green Services and Activities

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OutServe the association of actively-serving LGBT military personnel will hold their second Annual OutServe International Leadership Conference at the Shades of Green Resort. Shades of Green is a military owned and operated resort located on Walt Disney World property in Orlando Florida.

The Leadership Conference is scheduled for 25 – 28 October 2012.

The Conference will welcome currently serving LGBT and straight military members, veterans, spouses/partners, and allies to join workshops and meetings. Last year’s conference which was held in Las Vegas boasted an attendance of 200 members. This year’s conference numbers are expected to double. Like the 2011 Conference, this year’s will provide an international forum on creating an environment of respect in the military with regards to sexual orientation and gender identity.

With more than 4,500 members and 45+ chapters worldwide, OutServe is one of the largest LGBT employee resource groups in the world. OutServe works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity.

2011 OutServe Job Fair

With the ongoing veteran employment crisis, OutServe will also host a job fair during the event that will be open to veterans and employers.

Outserve publishes the bi-monthly OutServe Magazine which highlights the contributions that actively serving LGBTs are making to the United States military, discusses and educates readers about DADT repeal policies, and advocates for the continued fight for equality for all Americans.

A large LGBT presence, while new at Shades of Green is not new to Walt Disney World. The annual Orlando Gay Days event plans visits to Disney’s theme parks each year. This year’s Gay Days at Disney are scheduled for 31 May through 3 June 2012. The schedule for this year is Animal Kingdom 31 May, Hollywood Studios 1 June, Magic Kingdom 2 June, and  Epcot 3 June.

If you are new to Military Disney Tips Start Here

Disney’s Armed Forces Salute FAQ

Information on Shades of Green€“ the Military Hotel on Disney World property

For up to the minute news get our Newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and now Pinterest.

Free Disney Planning & Reservation Checklist

See all the current Shades of Green Packages

Shades of Green Links

• Shades of Green
• Shades of Green Rooms
• Shades of Green Room Rates
• Disney Tickets at Shades of Green
• Shades of Green Services and Activities

Related posts:

1. Shades of Green at Walt Disney World Turns 17This month Shades of Green celebrates their 17th Birthday. They...
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Wednesday 15 February, Shades of Green will celebrate their eighteenth birthday with a clam Bake served on Mangino’s Patio from 5:00 – 9:30pm.

Manginos is Shades of Green premier Italian restaurant.

The Clam Bake menu consists of:

Clam Chowder for an appetizer and a bucket of seafood containing,

• Lobster
• Shrimp
• Clams
• Muscles
• Corn on the Cob
• Red Skin Potatos

Specialty drinks will be available.

This menu will also be available inside Manginos

The cost for the Clam Bake is $25.95.

Interested in Shades of Green’s history? Here is an excerpt from last year’s post covering Shades of Green’s history.

“In 1992, after Desert Storm Army MWR placed an ad in the Orlando Sentinel inquiring if anyone in the local business community would be interested in leasing a resort property to the Army. The number of rooms and required amenities, such as a pool, restaurant and lounge were listed. They received 40 responses, it was decided that the offer from the Walt Disney World Company to lease the Disney Inn was the right offer. After negotiations were completed the Shades of Green opened it’s doors on 1 February 1994.”

Read the rest of the post here.

If you are new to Military Disney Tips Start Here

Disney’s Armed Forces Salute FAQ

Information on Shades of Green the Military Hotel on Disney World property

For up to the minute news get our Newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and now Shades of Green Services and Activities

Related posts:

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photo by maple

Shades of Green has announced their dinner menu for Valentines Day.

The special dinner will be served from 5:30 until 10:00pm on Valentines Day 14 February 2012 in Manginos Italian Bistro

The meal consists of four courses.

First, the appetizer is Blackened Shrimp with Mango Papaya Salsa.

The salad course consists of a Classic Wedge Salad served with Gorgonzola, Bacon, and Ranch Dressing.

You will have your choice of entrees, select from:

• 12oz Rib Eye Steak served with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Fresh Seasonal Vegetables
• Beast of Chicken sauteed with Sundried Tomato Sauce served with Parmesan Roasted Potatoes and Fresh Seasonal Vegetables

For Desert there is a Gourmet Chocolate Lover’s Desert Buffet.

Manginos regular menu will also be available.
Shades of Green has these special ad-ons for your February reservation: two different Sweetheart Valentine Gift Specials:

• The Be My Valentine Package – 4 Chocolate covered strawberries, 1 375 ml bottle of Rosa Regal wine, 2 Champagne flutes, 1 rose – Price $19.95
• The Premier Sweetheart Package – includes all the above plus 1 Shades of Green Robe – Price $59.95

Call (407) 824-3665 to add these to your reservation.
If you are new to Military Disney Tips Start Here

Disney’s Armed Forces Salute FAQ

Information on Shades of Green€“ the Military Hotel on Disney World property

For up to the minute news follow us on facebook and twitter.

Free Disney Planning & Reservation Checklist

See all the current Shades of Green Packages

Shades of Green Links

• Shades of Green
• Shades of Green Rooms
• Shades of Green Room Rates
• Disney Tickets at Shades of Green
• Shades of Green Services and Activities

Related posts:

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When can we expect News on Disney renewing their Armed Forces Salute past 30 September 2012 end date?

A Little History

The current Disney Armed Forces Salute runs through 30 Sept 2012. It is basically the 4th year in a row Disney has had a special military discount with steeply discounted tickets and rooms. This round of discounts was prompted by the economic downturn, which began in late 2008. Prior to this the last special offer was in 2002 during the post 9/11 travel industry downturn.

On 4 January 2009 Disney announced and started their Armed Forces Salute, which ran through 23 December 2009. This offer included a free 5-day ticket for the member and up to 5 more for $99.

Then on 21 December 2009, they announced the 2010 offer. Tickets had to be purchased by 31 July 2010 (later extended to 31 August) and the offer only ran through 30 September 2010. This time military members could purchase up to six 4-day tickets at $99. The free one for the member was gone.

All through August and September 2009 Disney officials said they would not be continuing these offers past 30 Sept. Then on 4 Oct after the offer had ended they announced a 30-40% room discount through 30 Sept 2011. The 2011 ticket offer was not announced (because of legal issues with the military) until 24 October. So there was no ticket offer for 23 days in October 2010.

A Major Surprise

On 18 April 2011 Whoopie Goldberg announced on ABC’s The View that Disney was extending the 2011 offer until 30 Sept 2012. It took weeks for me to confirm with Disney officials the details, and for several months the details of the offer changed several times. There were 4 or 5 different versions. Finally things settled down to what we have today.

As I’ve stated many times before, here on the blog, in the newsletter, and in e-mails that Disney’s offering their Armed Forces Salute was and is purely a financial decision. The purpose of these discounts is to get bodies into the Disney resorts and theme parks during a time when the economy is slow.

Disney’ Plan

The Disney Parks CEO is on record having said that their goal is to wean the public off of the big discounts they had to offer in the economic downturn.

When and how quickly I just don’t know…

So When Will We Know?

So having said all that between now and September, I see several different ways this could play out:

1. Disney could make another surprise announcement at any time between now and the end of the current offer. (Probability – Low)
2. Disney could, towards the end of the Summer or early Fall announce that they will be having another discount starting 1 October 2012 through 30 September 2013. (Probability – Medium to Low)
3. Disney could at the last minute (either just as the current offer expires or after the expiration) announce another discount starting 1 October 2012 (or later) through 30 September 2013. (Probability – High)

The problem with all of these scenarios is that, those trying to plan for a vacation after 30 September 2012 have no idea what they’ll have to pay for their Disney Vacation.

I try my hardest to stay on top of this each time around and will get the news out as soon as I know.

I broke the story on the last two offer announcements, so keep tuned, I’ll post about it on the blog and send out an immediate newsletter update when I do find out!

If you are new to Military Disney Tips Start Here

Disney’s Armed Forces Salute FAQ

Information on Shades of Green“ the Military Hotel on Disney World property

For up to the minute news follow us on facebook and twitter.

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