Military/general public discounts!

SnowBelleAlice

Mouseketeer
Joined
Apr 9, 2014
Hello, it’s been a while.
I am now eligible for Disney’s military discounts, I’m wondering if they are better than any discounts Disney offers the GP. Our group will be 2-4 Disney adults, I’m familiar with dining plans *free* and “pre paying” for food by purchasing Disney gift cards at Target, saving 5%
 
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Military salute discounts for tickets are the best you will find anywhere. Room discounts for military where not great this year. Dining plan usually isnt a money saver. You have to do the math there yourself but there are no discounts on dining for military and the free dining wasn't really a deal either. Shades of Green is your best bet for resort for the money if you are eligible. And now SoG can make FP at 60+ days out.
 
Military salute discounts for tickets are the best you will find anywhere. Room discounts for military where not great this year. Dining plan usually isnt a money saver. You have to do the math there yourself but there are no discounts on dining for military and the free dining wasn't really a deal either. Shades of Green is your best bet for resort for the money if you are eligible. And now SoG can make FP at 60+ days out.
Thanks!
I’d never pay for a dining plan, free is fine, otherwise just pay as we go with pre purchased Disney gift cards.
Free dining at a Value wouldn’t be the better deal? How is SoG?
We’ve only stayed at Pop, and AoA LM in the past.
 
Free dining usually means no room discounts and at a value I believe it was only quick service dining plan this year. Only deluxe resorts had the regular dining plans at free dining and I believe the rooms were rack rate. **Free dining discounts changed a lot this year or last. SoG is far more deluxe than the Disney deluxe resorts. Haven't stayed there but it is gorgeous and the food is very good. Location is great and they have bus service to/from parks.
 


Shades of Green is a lovely resort--my family has stayed there twice now in the last four trips we made. (SOG, Fort Wilderness Cabins, in our RV off property, SOG). Although you don't really get the "Disney Theme" throughout, it is still on par with the Deluxe Resorts (and the rooms are actually larger. A basic room sleeps 5) with prices on par with the Value Resorts. The only drawback is not getting to get the meal plan or the Magical Express Service. The breakfast buffet is offered and pretty good. Caveat--no microwaves in the room.
 
As mentioned the salute tickets are your best bet for 4/5 day tickets. We add the Park hopper plus to ours so we can mix up our days between waterparks and parks. We have stayed at SOG a couple times and it is a nice resort, but it isn't really "Disney". We found transportation there to be excellent (we only go in fall and winter). And if you don't want to wait for a shuttle it is only a few minute walk to the Poly and monorail where you can either go to TTC or the monorail parks/resorts. Keep in mind, unless you pay for a sunrise (I think that's it)package no meals are included in your room rate. Also, it is three tiered room rate system, meaning E-1 through E-6 is Cat 1, E7-E9, 01-03, WO1-CW3 is Cat 2 and O4-O10, DoD Civilians, CW4-CW5, is Cat 3. As a Cat 3 we can many times get a better or same rate at the moderates with the discount or the value resorts are great rates with or without the discount. I have to say I do love the location of SOG. We are going in September for our 23rd Anniversary and were going to stay at SOG, but I have really wanted to stay at POF since our stay at POR.
 


Free dining usually means no room discounts and at a value I believe it was only quick service dining plan this year. Only deluxe resorts
had the regular dining plans at free dining and I believe the rooms were rack rate. **Free dining discounts changed a lot this year or last. SoG is far more deluxe than the Disney deluxe resorts. Haven't stayed there but it is gorgeous and the food is very good. Location is great and they have bus service to/from parks.

SoG is not far more deluxe than the Disney deluxe resorts!!!

The rooms are plain and about the same as any military hotel on a post/base in decor/furniture. The rooms are large but that's about the only plus on that end.

The food at the Italian restaurant is not good but the rest is average for disney standards. Location is alright and bus service is sufficient.

Price is a big plus and the grounds are pretty nice and it is handy to have a shopette/class six type place to buy things and Starbucks.
 
SoG is not far more deluxe than the Disney deluxe resorts!!!

The rooms are plain and about the same as any military hotel on a post/base in decor/furniture. The rooms are large but that's about the only plus on that end.

The food at the Italian restaurant is not good but the rest is average for disney standards. Location is alright and bus service is sufficient.

Price is a big plus and the grounds are pretty nice and it is handy to have a shopette/class six type place to buy things and Starbucks.
I have to disagree. Disney deluxe rooms are not really deluxe at all. They are small for deluxe rooms and the theming is hit or miss. The only real deluxe thing is the price tag. Also, I don't think there is really great Italian food at all anywhere on property. But I grew up on the homemade stuff so I am a bit biased there.
 
SoG is not far more deluxe than the Disney deluxe resorts!!!

The rooms are plain and about the same as any military hotel on a post/base in decor/furniture. The rooms are large but that's about the only plus on that end.

The food at the Italian restaurant is not good but the rest is average for disney standards. Location is alright and bus service is sufficient.

Price is a big plus and the grounds are pretty nice and it is handy to have a shopette/class six type place to buy things and Starbucks.

Agree. SOG is definitely NOT deluxe. It's like a Hampton Inn, without the free breakfast.
 
I have to disagree. Disney deluxe rooms are not really deluxe at all. They are small for deluxe rooms and the theming is hit or miss. The only real deluxe thing is the price tag. Also, I don't think there is really great Italian food at all anywhere on property. But I grew up on the homemade stuff so I am a bit biased there.

That I will agree with...Disney deluxe is not truly deluxe when thinking about a true 5 star resort outside the disney bubble.

Shades rooms outside of being large are furnished closer to La quinta. Don't get me wrong, I've stayed there before and probably will sometime down the road as well as it is an option for us but it reminded us of staying in an on post hotel room with upgraded lobby and landscaping.
 
That I will agree with...Disney deluxe is not truly deluxe when thinking about a true 5 star resort outside the disney bubble.

Shades rooms outside of being large are furnished closer to La quinta. Don't get me wrong, I've stayed there before and probably will sometime down the road as well as it is an option for us but it reminded us of staying in an on post hotel room with upgraded lobby and landscaping.
Yeah, we made our first trip to WDW last year after dozens of trips to DL. Stayed at the Grand Floridian, very very very nice, but smaller room that our beloved Holiday Inn Expresses for other trips. Certainly smaller and less deluxe than the much newer Grand California.
 
We love SoG and have stayed there many times. It is true the square feet of the rooms are larger than some of the Disney Deluxe. Everything is perspective, I don't "need" Disney theme decor in my room. There are newer remodeled room, and some older decor rooms at SoG. The rooms sleep 5 as their is a single sofa bed (the back folds down to reveal the mattress). I also find SoG more relaxing than some of the Disney hotels. It is a nice and quiet hotel, which is what it is designed to be as a military R&R MWR location.
 
Check out militarydisneytips.com for great info. I have found this year that the military resort discount is very hit or miss and not a set amount. In the past, I’ve done better using the room only discount for a Mod resort than pricing at SOG. Not this year—I have 3 stays at SOG booked and 2 stays booked through a DVC rental co.—all less expensive than what Disney offered for the same dates. Also, free dining is NOT a savings for guests that qualify for the military discounts.
 
I am not retired (did my 6 and got out) but I am a veteran. Am I still qualified and does my license serve (has the Veteran designation printed) as sufficient ID? Or does a copy of the discharge papers work?

Can the military tickets be upgraded to APs after 1st use the same way other discount tickets can be?
 
Active duty gets free ticket. Retirees have to pay. It’s discounted but no t free
 
It's been many years since Disney has given free tickets to military and I even remember 7 days for $99. But I am grateful for any military discounts they give.
 
I am not retired (did my 6 and got out) but I am a veteran. Am I still qualified and does my license serve (has the Veteran designation printed) as sufficient ID? Or does a copy of the discharge papers work?

Can the military tickets be upgraded to APs after 1st use the same way other discount tickets can be?

Unfortunately SOG does not recognize a veteran as being eligible unless you disabled (service related).
 
We stayed at Coronado Springs in April for 4 nights with a military room only rate. The rate was about $200 less (total) then the cheapest rate we could get, I don't recall if AP rates were available then or not, but we are AP so if they had, military was cheaper.

As for the SOG debate on being a deluxe. My take...... I feel SOG is more comparable to a moderate but still lacks Disney theming. We have only stayed at SOG when we did not do parks, a night before a cruise for example so we could go do Disney Springs and mini golf. But given the price if there was availability and it was cheaper then a moderate, I'd choose SOG. I'd choose over a value anyday even if same price. Yeah it sucks no Magical Express but the price of Uber to/from MCO will still give you a cheaper room over a moderate. Plus now that you could book FP+ 60 days in advance at SOG that is a huge perk. I feel the only thing I'm losing with SOG is the ability to ship packages back to the room. When we stayed in the past, we'd walk over to Poly to hop transportation.
 

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