Heads up - 2017 Military Room Discount dropped today!!!

[Order66]

When calling for the military discounted room rates, do you have to know which resort you want or can you provide dates and number of people and they'll pull what's available to compare?

They will quote as many resorts as you want, but I believe they still search them one at a time. Last year I simply asked for price information to stay at a moderate and I was given prices for my dates at POR, POFQ and CBR. I also asked for Pop to compare the savings staying value. This year I called and booked POR. I was given quotes for all the booking levels available for my dates.

regards

 

[Kimber733]

Perfect, that sounds exactly what I want to do. Thank you!

 

[twodogs]

They can pull it up, but they have to look one resort at a time, for the dates that you want. It is not as easy as "we can come in October, where is available with the military discount?". I think it is a very tedious process. If even one night of your dates is not available for that resort and room category, it will show unavailable.

 

[Kimber733]

That makes sense! We know when we can go so that will narrow it down a bit.

When searching dates without any kind of discount code on the WDW site, are those rack rates?

 

[twodogs]

Yes those are rack rates. Then you take your military discount off of that. It can be exciting to get a big discount! We were able to use the 40% off Deluxe last year for a 2 bedroom villa at AKL Kidani. Now that saved us some money!! Our favorite Deluxe, due to proximity, is BLT, but the villas are typically excluded or the entire resort is excluded. One year I was offered the military discount on a studio at BLT, but we really need a kitchen, so that didn't work. As long as you are flexible with resorts, they should hopefully find something that works with your dates. I think it is better than any other offer Disney gives, just about, and especially for Deluxe properties. Have fun! Wish I was planning a WDW trip right now, but we are heading the other way to DLR for next year!

 

[Kimber733]

Yes those are rack rates. Then you take your military discount off of that. It can be exciting to get a big discount! We were able to use the 40% off Deluxe last year for a 2 bedroom villa at AKL Kidani. Now that saved us some money!! Our favorite Deluxe, due to proximity, is BLT, but the villas are typically excluded or the entire resort is excluded. One year I was offered the military discount on a studio at BLT, but we really need a kitchen, so that didn't work. As long as you are flexible with resorts, they should hopefully find something that works with your dates. I think it is better than any other offer Disney gives, just about, and especially for Deluxe properties. Have fun! Wish I was planning a WDW trip right now, but we are heading the other way to DLR for next year!

That makes me very excited! Definitely some great deals to be had, hoping it's renewed for 2018.

Have fun planning for DLR! We're in Southern California so have been plenty and I just love it there. I can't wait to experience WDW for the first time, and for now I'm enjoying all the research!

 

[Order66]

That makes sense! We know when we can go so that will narrow it down a bit.

When searching dates without any kind of discount code on the WDW site, are those rack rates?

If you have flexibility in your dates, they'll give you availability/prices for that too. I went this year in June with my kids and my friend and her kids, so 2 rooms. We stayed at Pop and were planning to stay a week. We were flexible in that we could go either tues/tues or wed/wed. For a tues arrival they only had preferred with the discount. So we chose wed/wed with a standard room at a lower price. We got 60's lake view. 1st floor and connecting rooms. Couldn't have been better if we chose the rooms ourselves. When we went last year at Thanksgiving I didn't even plan on going until summer. When I called they were only showing POR or CBR preferred or POFQ Riverview available with the discount. All higher priced rooms. So I booked Pop and kept randomly calling to change. About 3 months out I was able to change from Pop to POR garden view. So even if they don't have what you really want, book what you're OK with and keep trying. What you want could open up. This year I called the day they released and still only had a choice of pool or royal rooms (I only asked for POR as that's our favorite). this trip I'm not really flexible with dates as my kids will be seniors and 2 days of missed school is the max i'm willing to do. Hence....Thanksgiving break rather than over their actual birthday in December.

regards

 

[tanya1221]

Booked CR, Park View, CL, Roll-in shower for September 2017. Saved over $2900!!!! Could not believe I got this! I've been trying for three years to get this room with discount. Thank you for the heads up!!!!

Wow what a great discount! I had reservations at pop century, but when I called they had nothing at the values so I had to switch to port Orleans Riverside. I know I saved some, but I had to do room only to get the military rate. Just didn't seem like a whole lot if savings.

 

[tanya1221]

Thank you for the heads up! I was able to re-book my vacation next summer for the same room (Royal Room at POR) and save $600!

Recently booked at por regular garden view at discount rate, now wondering if I can get a royal room discounted.

 

[dmband]

Just switched from AOA to POR.
This is the first time we will be using military tickets since the magic band has been around and now retired.
Can anyone tell me where and how to get tickets that can be attached to MDE and allow me to select FP+ in advance?

Being retired, going to the base isn't an option anymore as we don't live near it.
Did I read you can buy them from SOG and have them shipped or are those different?
Do you still need to activate the tickets if you already attached them To your MDE account t and selected FP+.
Thanks

 

[twodogs]

Yes you can buy and have them mailed. If you buy from Shades, it's only 45 days in advance and you will want to do FPs at 60 days, so that's not ideal. Here are other options that ship earlier. http://www.militarydisneytips.com/b...-military-discounted-disney-tickets-by-phone/

This way you can have them mailed greater than 60 days out, link them on MDE and make FPs. Yes they must be activated on first use at the park and military ID is required at activation.

Make sure to check out the Military Salute tickets as they are the best value if the number of days fits your plans.

http://www.militarydisneytips.com/Disney-Armed-Forces-Salute.html

 

[Order66]

My husband was Reserves, so we have never lived near a base with full services. A lot of the base offices will sell tickets over the phone. I got mine from DCCC in Ohio as that's the nearest office to us, but still 2+ hours away. They emailed me a form to complete and return to verify our eligibility and sent us the tickets in a few days. You'll want them prior to your 60 day FP+ window. They'll link to MDE fine and will say something like Military Voucher...(I can't remember exactly). You do have to activate them when you arrive prior to use. Normally we don't use the tickets on arrival day as I'd rather not use up a ticket for less than a full day, so we usually go to DS for dinner and activate them at GS there so we are ready for the next morning. It's a pretty quick and painless process even if you have to stop at a park window in the morning.

So I would just suggest looking up the MWR nearest to you and see if they offer phone sales. If they don't, try the next nearest one. We did go to DLR once and ordered from Camp Pendleton as the website link you were given by the PP suggested. I just felt like calling CA from OH to go to FL seemed like a long way to do things. But ordering from them was easy too. But I know that other MWR offices offer the service by mail too. Just have to look.

regards

 

[kitkat324]

My daughter and I are going with a friend (military spouse) and her daughter. Staying in one room. Does the room have to be booked under friends name to qualify for the military discount? Or could I book the room and we still qualify for the discount because she is staying in the room?

I only ask because she is very overwhelmed and would prefer that I handle everything from making the reservation to fp's to adrs.

 

[dmband]

My daughter and I are going with a friend (military spouse) and her daughter. Staying in one room. Does the room have to be booked under friends name to qualify for the military discount? Or could I book the room and we still qualify for the discount because she is staying in the room?

I only ask because she is very overwhelmed and would prefer that I handle everything from making the reservation to fp's to adrs.

No, you can book it under any name you like they don't ask who is military over the phone or anything.
You just need to make sure she has her ID when checking in and for future ref, you can book three rooms at a time. Each can be in different names and the one ID can be shown for all three