With all of the Disney deals that have been coming out recently from Disney and also Shades of Green I’ve naturally been trying to find out how to get the most bang for the buck. I did some research for my family 2 adults and 2 adult (10 and over) children. the dates I researched were 19-26 March. A 7 day period because of Disney’s buy 4 get 3 night offer. Also these dates because if your stay ends prior to 31 March you get a $200 Disney gift certificate.
In each of the following instances I priced Disney Moderate and Deluxe Resorts. I didn’t price Value resorts because their rooms are a little small for us.
First Disney’s buy 4 get 3: You are required to purchase a park ticket for each individual in your party. When you use the online reservation system it defaults to a 7-day ticket, and I’m sure that is what they’d push on the Disney phone reservation phone line. But you can change that to a 1-day ticket for everyone in your party, for a ticket cost of $300. On top of this offer I’d use the Disney Armed Forces Salute 5-day ticket = free, 3 family 5-day tickets = $297 (99 each). This gets you 7 nights and 6-days of tickets for the parks.
Animal Kingdom Lodge $2315.20 + Armed Forces Salute $297.00 = $2612.20 – $200 gift cert. =$2412.20
Port Orleans Riverside $1991.00 + Armed Forces Salute $297.00 = $2288 – $200 gift cert. =$2088.00
(no tax on the above Disney offer)
Next a Disney Resort room using the Disney Armed Forces Salute 40% discount (this is only on select moderates). Also add on the Disney Armed Forces Salute 5-day tickets. his gets you 7 nights and 5-days of tickets for the parks. Shades of Green says they can’t beat the 40% discount with their overflow rates.
Port Orleans Riverside $796.40 + Armed Forces Salute $297.00 = $1093.40
(not sure if there’s tax on this Disney offer)
The last combo I tried is Shades of Green’s Salute package ($5 off your room per night 4-8 night stay) with Disney’s Armed Forces Salute tickets. 7 nights and 5-days of tickets. With the SoG package you also get 15% off breakfast and dinner in their restaurant if you choose to eat there.
SoG pool view = $854.00 + Armed Forces Salute $297.00 = $1151.00
SoG standard view = $784.00 + Armed Forces Salute $297.00 = $1081.00
So… the two best prices…
Shades of Green standard view and 40% off the Port Orleans Riverside both combined with Disney’s Armed Forces Salute park tickets. There is only $12.40 difference between the two. So it comes down to what amenities are important to you.
Port Orleans Riverside is a Disney Moderate Resort, it (and all the moderates) are very large. Lots of people, long distances to walk. The whole resort is Disney themed but The rooms are “moderate” sized.
Shades of Green while not Disney themed has some of the largest rooms on property (2 queens and a sleeper couch) and is considered equivalent to a Disney Deluxe Resort.
It’s a great time for military members to visit Walt Disney World! Lots of incentives!
I’d love to here what combination you decide on!
Have fun!!!
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I do the combinations all the time for clients and for ourselves as we are a military family as well. A couple things to keep in mind. Shades charges $5 a day for parking if you have a car, Disney resorts do not. If you are flying in, Magical Express is free to Disney property guests. That means transportation to and from the airport is no charge where Shades will cost you on average $60 one way for a family of 4. If you are planning to eat a lot of meals on Disney property, you can add the Disney meal plan to the Military Disney Room Discount and save 20% on meals. Our family did not do the meal plan in March to see how much the savings really was (I was a skeptic) and we would have saved $180. Either way, it is important to run the numbers or book with someone that knows all the discounts to see which way is best. Shades is an awesome property, we have stayed there 6 times including our honeymoon but with all the discounts, 9 times out of 10 this year, Disney property is the way to go if savings is important and heck, it is Disney, the hotels are great!