This post is part of our Frequently Asked Question Series in the Disney Armed Forces Salute Ticket FAQ section.
The Disney’s Armed Forces Salute offers huge savings on theme park tickets and resort rooms to those Service Members who are eligible to participate.
No I’m so sorry that is not possible. The member or their spouse must be part of the party.
These highly discounted tickets are only for the member (or spouse) to use with friends and family, not for letting those who are not eligible use them without the member.
Or you might be in this situation: You’re not really eligible, but your Base Ticket Office sold you Disney Armed Forces Salute Tickets anyway.
What To Do
The only recourse as the Disney Armed Forces Salute tickets are non-refundable, is to get Disney let you use the purchase price towards full price tickets or reschedule the trip until you can go with the military member.
If you are going without the member I recommend bringing: the tickets, the original purchase receipt and a letter from them explaining why they cannot attend and that they want you to be able to use the Disney Armed Forces Salute tickets towards full price ones, and any documentation to back up their letter (doctor’s notes, orders, leave cancellations, etc.) should also be on hand.
Just in case you should be prepared to cover the full price yourself if Disney does not allow you to use the tickets towards full price ones. This isn’t very likely!
If however, you know the member won’t be going before purchasing tickets, have them buy you the
Regular Disney Military Ticket Discount for Walt Disney World and Disneyland, which are only slightly discounted to use without the member being present.
See: Regular Disney Military Ticket Discount for Walt Disney World and Disneyland
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This MDT Post By: Steve Bell Steve is the Military Disney Tips Founder. He is a retired U.S. Military Member who's been touring the Disney Parks since 1971! He has been writing about Disney for the US Military Community here for 18 years. Steve's mission is to help military families with their Disney vacations in every way possible. See Steve and His Family's Content |
Planning a Disney Trip? Want to get the best military discounts that are available? Feeling a little confused? See Our Great Disney Discount and Planning Info:
- Back to Basics Posts - A great place to start, offering basic topics!
- Disney Veteran & Military Discount Eligibility Guide
- The Military Family’s Walt Disney World Comprehensive Vacation Planning and Preparation Guide
- Military Disney Tips Disney Packing Checklist
- Disney Military Tickets – Your Start-to-Finish Guide
- Resorts/Hotel Overview Page
- Dining Overview Page
- Transportation Overview Page
- Technology Overview Page
- Shades of Green, WDW’s Military-Only Resort
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Hi Steve,
We have an upcoming trip to WDW. My dad is retired military and we have gotten salute to military tickets in the past. This year he is going with us but I am not sure if he is going anting to go in the parks. We are getting the pre activated salute tickets. My question is does he have to go with us to the park or just have a ticket that is for him and linked in the party? Thanks!
Hi Neil,
As long as he has one for himself you guys are meeting the intent of the rules.
That’s the huge problem with Shades of Green selling activated tickets, people could abuse the system by not buying one for themselves and just giving away, or scalping the tickets.
We had to postpone our trip to november and my husband will no longer be active will they still allow us to go in with our tickets if we have the expired id?
Hi Ashlynn,
That depends on where you bought the Disney Armed Forces Salute tickets.
If you bought them long distance from Shades of Green, they are already activated and you can go right to the park entrance and use them.
If you bought them anywhere else, they need to be activated prior to use and a current ID is required to do so. So this will be a big problem that can go one of two ways. You might be able to get the to allow you to use the tickets or they may refuse to let you use them and you’ll be allowed to use the value towards full price ones.
1. Bring any documentation that you might have as to why you needed to change the date of the trip (leave cancellation paperwork, TDY orders, commander’s written statement, doctor’s note, etc. and his DD-214) use this as ammunition when asking to be allowed to use the tickets. Elevate politely to management if needed and ask for some “magic” due to his serving and having to delay the trip past his ETS.This might work.
2. If it doesn’t you’ll need to ask to use the value of the tickets towards full price tickets (and you’ll need to be prepared for the cost). This should be no problem! Any park reservations that you made under the old tickets will remain on your account for a day (they aren’t cancelled immediately) and the new tickets will validate the reservations when you link them.
I’d really appreciate if you’d write back after and let me know how it goes, so that I might better serve others!
If the military member has a disneyland magic key pass, can they still buy the salute tickets for friends and family if they come on the trip but doesn’t use an actual salute ticket? They will be there to activate the ticket.
Yes, absolutely Jennifer!
One caveat is that as a passholder you are only eligible for 5 Salute tickets though. One has to be “reserved for your use.”
I’m a FL passholder.
My husband is a 100% disabled vet. We have used the salute tickets before. We were able to purchase them at shades of green when we arrived. We are planning a trip with the family in April 2024. Will we be able to purchase when we arrive . Two years ago we had to reserve ahead. My husbands health has been an issue lately and we won’t know if we will be able to go when the time comes. I don’t want to purchase tickets ahead of time. What do I do? Thank you, Anne
Hi Anne,
There hasn’t been any change to eligibility or in person purchases, but to ease your mind you could email the ticket office and ask about buying them with your status.
Then print out and bring their positive reply with you for insurance.
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