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.
- The Disney Armed Forces Salute
- temporary offer
- With very attractive discounts on both park tickets and resort rooms
- 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 military 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
How to obtain a military ID
I hope this clears up a little of the confusion! If not leave a question in the comments below!
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YourFirstVisit.net The premier website for first time visitors to Walt Disney World!
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My Disney Experience - The Official Disney iPhone App
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My son in law bought afs tickets and we have reservations for January, his current I.d expires in December. He is trying to reinlist but they don’t have anything in his current field, so he is trying to get an extension. If he does not get approved are we going to be able to use these tickets due to his military I.d. Expirering?
Tina, unfortunately a current valid military ID is required to activate the Disney Armed Forces Salute tickets once you arrive at a Disney theme park. Could you go earlier?
what if I am at 30% disabled??? do I get any discount?
Jhovany,
You would need to have the DAVPRM for the Armed Forces Salute.
How do I apply for this DAVPRM card? My card just has a bar code that says service connected and I am 30%/
Hi Suzette,
Here is a link to the page that describes the process for obtaining a military (not VA) ID with the DAVPRM code.
I am a 100% p&t service connected veteran. My new ID card says DAVPRM. Does this mean I am eligible to stay at shades of green anytime?
Yes Adam you are and eligible for the Armed Forces Salute as well.
I don’t understand how disney won’t discount a disabled veteran unless they are 100% or permanently disabled . They will discount civilian workers but not someone who has served our country regardless of how disabled they are . My husband is supposedley only 80% disabled according to the ARMY . But little does anyone know that it is very difficult to recieve 100% disability through our government that doesn’t want to pay our disable vets anything let alone give them the treatment they need and have well deserved. I think someone from all of these theme parks should completely change these discounts. How does a civilian worker recieve a discount but not a disabled vet regardless of percentages. Most of the civilian workers barely work as it is and very rarely help our soldiers while they are still active .
Sorry to sound so negative but we are a military family that has been treated so wrong by the ARMY and I know we are not the only ones. They make the world think that they take care of their soldiers but in reality they don’t. Especially our wounded warriors.
It is very difficult to get 100% P&T. I was medically retired from the Army with 30% disability (I incurred a physical problem that precluded me from performing my military duties and a “nervous” or “mental” breakdown resulting in PTSD related to extreme stress. The two disabilities were unrelated). The next 10 years of trying to get 100% P&T would take pages to relate, so I’ll cut to the chase. I was stuck on 80%. At one of my annual interviews, the Interviewer told me that I would have to prove that I was unable to hold down gainful employment in order to be considered for 100% (that did not include the P&T). I gave them the proof they needed, but still no 100%. At my last interview, the Interviewer (a different one) who had worked at the main VA office in St. Petersburg, Florida, said that it all depends on how the Interviewer writes up his report. The Board looks for certain “tag” words. If those “tags” aren’t there, then the 100% is not awarded. Unfortunately, he did not give me any clues as to what those “tag” words were. Through him, I got the 100% but not the P&T. When I turned age 63 i received a letter from the VA awarding me P&T because of my age. Through this whole ordeal, I was receiving Social Security Disability and VA Disability. The DAV (Disabled American Veterans) guided me through the process and handled my claims. To go from 30% to 100% was approximately 15 years of claims and interviews. Mental disabilities are a lot harder to prove than physical disabilities.
Hello. I’m sure this is asked a million times but I’m very confused by the wording on the shades of green website that says only career retired (20 years or more) are eligible for this and yet you say if we were medically retired we are eligible for the special. I was just medically retired at 18.5 years…. Am I not eligible for this special? I have the same retiree ID card as anyone would get at 20 I believe. I don’t see anything mentioned above written on it.
Hi Yesenia,
As long as you have a regular DD Form 2, blue retired ID card you are good to go. If it looks just like any other one that a 20 year retiree has they have no way to know how many years you served.
You mentioned both Shades and the “special.” The Armed Forces Salute eligibility is totally separate from and more restrictive than Shades eligibility. But a retired ID is a retired ID.
But if you have a different card we’ll have to talk some more specifics though.
http://www.cac.mil/uniformed-services-id-card/
I sure do have a DD Form 2 (blue card). I only mentioned the Shades of Green page because it is where I saw the Armed Forces Salute originally. I thought it seemed odd that I would not be eligible as a retiree. It was very confusing that the special is more strict on the SoG site than as listed on the Disney site itself (where there is not mention of a 20 year requirement… just retired with ID card). I also called my local MWR today and was assured that I am indeed eligible.
Great!
The main reason I started the site is to try to help with the confusion. I don’t know why it has to be so hard…
One issue is non-military people trying to speak military, that’s where some of the inconsistencies creep in.
Does being 60% connected (disabled), medically discharged, considerd for a military discharge? A VA ID card is available.
Hi Kerri,
Non-retired veterans need to be 100% disabled to qualify for Shades of Green and additionally need to be permanently disabled veterans (DAVPRM) for Disney’s Armed Forces Salute. VA ID cards are not accepted, the only valid identification for eligibility are DoD issued military IDs.
Ok, my husband is an honorably discharged veteran. He is now 100% disabled because he cannot work because of his service connected disability & he has a commissary/mwr/exchange card that says davprm. We live in northeastern Pa and would like to purchase Sea World tickets before we leave for Florida. Do you know of a place where we can go? Thanks in advance for all your help, Sharon
Hi Sharon,
Not knowing right where you are, what Base is closest? McGuire/Ft Dix perhaps?
This page http://www.militarydisneytips.com/Tickets/On-Base-Tickets.html Has links to all the services ticket pages.
Hi, Steve — first thanks so much for this great info. My husband is 100% disabled vet and thanks to the info posted here we both got military id’s and were able to get military salute tickets at our local MWR office. However, my husband is now in a program at a VA hospital in Ohio, and won’t be able to go. I’ve read and re-read the FAQ’s but there doesn’t seem to be much about the spouse of a disabled veteran activating the tickets at the park. As far as you know, does that work the same way as it would if he were an active service member? Can I as his spouse activate the tickets in his absence? Thanks so much for your help!
Hi Tammy,
Oh Great! You just made my day!!!
I’m so glad you were able to find the site and get your IDs.
You know that is a grey area in Disney’s rules. I will reach out to my ticket expert to ask. In the mean time, what is the form number of your ID? A DD Form 1173 or 2765 and what does it have in the relationship box?
Does a TA-180 card hold eligibility?
It is on this website you referenced above and is a DD Form 2765 (TAMP)
Hi Kindra,
While those in the Transition Assistance Management Program are not eligible for discounts from Disney they are eligible for Shades of Green.