Armed Forces benefits at Walt Disney World Resort
July 6, 8:54 PM
'Partners' Statue in front of Cinderella Castle 2009
Summer is here, and that means time to have fun with the family and get away. And what a better place then Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL? It’s the place where the whole family can find something that sparks their imagination, and where memories can be made. Now is a great time to visit with all of their benefits and discounts for Military personnel and their family.
No matter where you’re from, you’ll most likely by staying in a hotel, so we’ll start there. Staying on Disney property you have two choices. You can stay at the Moderate Level hotels, or the Shades of Green Resort. Shades of Green is the only Armed Forces Recreation center in Central Florida, so it fills fast. The best way to check on availability is to call their reservation line (888) 593-2242. The nice thing about Shades of Green besides catering to Military families only is that they also have free transportation throughout the Disney World Resort. The rates can be lower than similar rooms at hotels nearby, so it’s always worth a look.
The Moderate Level hotels on Disney Property (Caribbean Beach, Coronado Springs, Port Orleans Riverside, Port Orleans French Quarter, and Ft. Wilderness Cabins) are up to 40% off for stays most nights January 4 to December 23, 2009, except not available at all 5/22-5/24/09, 6/11/09, 6/14-6/18/09, 6/22-6/25/09, 8/18-8/21/09, and 11/24-11/27/09. Some great reasons to stay on property include free transportation to and from the airport, around the resort, as well as being able to take advantage of the Extra Magic Hours. Extra Magic Hours is where on select days one park will open an hour early and stay open up to three hours late, and only Disney Resort guests are able to attend this, making for lower crowds!
Next after getting your rooms would be your tickets for the parks. 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 and 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 your choice of a Disney water park(Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach), DisneyQuest (an indoor five story arcade that is a must for kids that are fans of video games), or mini golf. These tickets can be a value of up to $500! For the spouse and kids can purchase up to five 5 day "Disney's Armed Forces Salute Companion" tickets (one theme park per day) for $99 per ticket. Those then can be upgraded to the Park Hopper or Water Park Fun and More option for an additional $25 each. The only way to get these tickets is at your local base ITT office or at the Shades of Green.
Also, if your family is thinking about taking a cruise on the Disney Cruise Line, there are great discounts available too! They vary depending on the cruise length and time of year. To check on rates call (800) 951-3532. Ask for booking code MTO.
If you’re staying for a while, be sure to also check out their presentation of Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba. Through 12/23/09, when you present your Military I.D. at the Downtown Disney La Nouba Box Office, you’ll get up to 20% off. Be aware that this is for day of performance only, so you can only get it the day you are seeing the show. There are no performances on Sundays and Mondays, and they sell out quickly on days when the weather is rainy.
Now, if you’re still looking for a better deal on rooms, be sure to talk to you local base ITT office, as they’ll have the most current discounts on park tickets and hotel stay discounts. You can do this yourself as well by looking up local hotels in the LakeBuena Vista area and calling them up. Just simply state that you are in the military and ask if they have discounts available. 9 times out of 10 they will!
Enjoy yourself at the Most Magical Place on Earth!
Author: Chris Baldock
Chris Baldock is an Examiner from Orlando. You can see Chris's articles on Chris's Home Page.