Universal Studio’s Orland has a new special military offer for 2012 & 2013. This offer is for a limited time only…
Welcome to the third installment of the Orlando Military Discounts Series, in which I’ll cover the Military Discounts still available for Universal Orland’s theme parks. The first installment covered Disney’s Armed Forces Salute and the second covered Anheuser-Busch’s Sea World and Busch Garden’s Hero Salute. The final post in the series I’m going to call “There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch” which will wrap it all up.
Lots of search terms bring visitors to my site, besides people searching for information on Disney Military Discounts I get lots of people searching for Universal Studios Orlando Military Discounts for 2012 and also on Sea World and Busch Gardens Military Discounts.
Universal Studios is now offering a special Military Salute Discount offer. Its been a while since they have, their most recent Military Salute (7-day hoppers, free for the member & $94 for guests) ended on 30 March 2010, and we have been waiting quit a while for them to make a new special military ticket offer.
The new Military Salute is a free three-day ticket for the military member, you’ll need to buy the regular military discounted tickets for the rest of the party.
Universal has special room and ticket military discount offers
Here are the specifics on the regular military discounts that are sill available at Universal Orlando.
Military Discounted Universal Orlando theme park tickets – May be purchased at Shades of Green or your base ticket office.
Please see the current Shades of Green Price List.
Military Discounted Blue Man Group Tickets – Universal has continued their Military Discounted Tickets for the Blue Man Group Show at it’s Orlando Florida theme park.
The special military price is $59.00, compared to the regular box office price of $89.00
Blue Man Group tickets are available for sale at select base ticket offices and Shades of Green.
Universal Orlando Military Vacation Packages – These packages are for what Universal calls a 2-night getaway, and include both theme park tickets (for 3 days) and resort room accommodations. They start at two different price points based upon resort choice and other options.
The two price points are $165.00 and $275.00 per adult. These rates are for active, retired, and reserve military personnel.
The cheaper $165 per adult package includes
• 2 night’s accommodations at Quality Inn International, a Rosen Hotel
• 3 Day Base tickets (one park per day) (normally $111 at regular military discounted price)
• Access to live entertainment at Universal CityWalk
• Early Park Admission to experience the Wizarding World of Harry Potter
The more expensive $275 per adult package includes
• All the above from the cheaper package
• An upgrade to one of Universal’s On-Site Deluxe Hotels
• Universal’s Express Plus access to rides (bypass regular standby lines – a $40 + tax per day value)
The On-Site Universal Hotels are:
• Loews Royal Pacific Resort
• Hard Rock Hotel
• Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
These Military Vacation Packages are valid through 21 December 2012.
To book your vacation call 1-888-340-4614 or see your base ticket office.
If you missed the first two installments of this series they are located here:
1. Disney Military Discount 2011 – Orlando Military Discounts Series
2. Sea World Busch Gardens Military Salute 2011 – Orlando Military Discounts Series
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Beyond Disney: The Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando, SeaWorld & the Best of Central Florida
Universal Orlando 2012: The Ultimate Guide - Another very good guide book
Simple Stroller Rentals - Beats Universal's prices, plus they offer a 10% Military Discount
The Vacation Architect - My recommended Travel Agent for Universal Orlando
Universal Studios Orlando Resort Guide - NBC Universal, Inc. - Official iPhone App (Free)
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Hi, Steve,
My husband is in the Air National Guard, and we are headed to Orlando the week of July 10. I wonder if you could give us some advice. First off, I have read if you buy your 4 day passes at Shades of Green, there is no tax. Is this true? Next, what information does he need with him to purchase these tickets?
Lastly, we have never bought water parks and more, but are considering it. Are these to be used during the 4 days you go to the regular parks or can they be used other days during your visit?
I appreciate any advice you can give!
Sincerely,
Molly
Hi there Molly,
Yes, there is no tax at Shades of Green as it is a military owned facility, and all your husband will need to buy the tickets is his military ID. You then take the tickets to one of the theme park’s ticket sales windows to activate them. The’ll want to see IDs for all that are old enough to have them (adults).
The waterparks and more can be used at any time and each use subtracts one “visit” from your ticket. You can use one or more visits on the same day as a theme park or on other days.
So your WP&M ticket could be used up in 4 days or you could stretch it to 8 days if you do 4 days of theme parks and one WP&M visit per non theme park day.
My husband is retired military both he an I have Id how many tickets can we buy at discount rates. We are traveling with our 2 sons and grand kids.
Hi Patti,
The discount is based on the military member’s social security number. As a dependent your ID has his SSN on it. So no matter who’s ID you use you both are only eligible for 12 tickets, with no more than 6 active at one time.
Now if you were both military you would be each be eligible for 12.
You didn’t say how many grand kids… But I assume you need more than 6 at one time.
There is one exception the the no more than 6 active at one time rule. To quote Disney “Exceptions should be made for immediate families larger than five people. For example, if a family has six children, allow all members of the family to purchase 4-Day Disney Military Promotion Tickets.”
When they say immediate family they mean the member, spouse and their kids. You may be able to talk the person at the ticket window to allow you to activate what you need even though they extras are for grand kids and not your kids.
IMPORTANT: Dont pre purchase (if you plan to) more than 6 tickets, as the place you’ll find out if you can activate more than 6 is at a Disney theme park ticket window.
I am a little confused about using the military 4 day passes to Disney. I have my 3 kids, my wife, my mother-in-law and myself. Am I able to purchase the tickets for all of us and just use my ID to activate all of them. Also, can I purchase military discount tickets to Universal Studios Orlando for my mother-in-law also. I guess what I am basically asking is would I be able to these tickets on my mother-in-law even though she does not have a military ID.
Hi Chris,
For the Disney Armed Forces Salute 4-day tickets you as the military member can activate 6 tickets at a time with your ID. All six of you must be there at the ticket window for the activation and they will as to see photo IDs (licenses) for the other adults but that’s just to enter their name onto the ticket.
For the Universal tickets you can buy as many as you want for whoever you want.
Hope this helps, let me know if it’s still unclear.
First of all, thank you so much for all this info! It’s so nice to see this! Second of all, can you please reply directly to my email, instead of on this “wall,” as I’m not all that used to using this, so I may not see your response. Lastly, I understand the “1 free admission a year” thing, but I was wondering if it’s only to ONE park only, or is it to all of the parks? Meaning, do I have to choose which park I want to use the ONE free admission to, or does each park have one free admission? This summer, we are planning to hit several of the parks listed, so I’m HOPING that we are able to get into each of them with the “one free admission a year” deal. Are we able to? I look forward to your response. Thank you!
Hi, While you don’t say which offer you are asking about, I assume it’s the Anheuser-Busch Here’s to the Heroes program because you mention “free admission.” The A-B offer is currently the only free offer for military members.
This great offer is for admission once a year to one theme park for the military member and up to three direct dependents.
Sorry but you’ll have to pick one to se the offer at.
We are planning to go to Disney World on July 2-7, 2012. Was wondering if the military discount can be use in Disney resturant or other resturant in Orlando. We already have tickets to Disney which we order from Travel agent. Would like to know if Universal Studo take military discount to get ticket for my daughters love Harry Potter and we want to take her there for just a 1 days pass. Just like to know what kinds of military discount can be used in Orlando and Miami. Thank you for your help on this.
Darla hello,
Well, first were you aware of the Disney Armed Forces Salute Tickets? They are much cheaper, read about them here and in this FAQ, perhaps you can return the tickets from the travel agent, they should have told you about the Armed Forces Salute.
There is no military discount on food at Disney World, sorry.
You can purchase one day military discounted Universal tickets at Shades of Green (prices) or your base ticket office
I purchased a ticket from ebay for universal studios that is a one day park to park ticket. When I got it in the mail it appears to be a military ticket. Will I still be able to use it even though I do not have a military ID?
That is a good question Jason,
And I’m afraid that you might not be able to know until you get there. Some military tickets sold at Base Ticket & Travel Offices need to be exchanged at the theme park with a military ID, others are ready for use i.e. ready to run through a turnstile for entrance.
Perhaps if you called Universal if they could look it up using the ticket number and tell you 1. if you’ll need a mil ID and 2. if it is still valid (not used already).
Thanks for the quick response! It looks like any other ticket that Ive purchased for universal in the past. On the back it says:
This ticket is valid for both Universal and Islands for the length of the ticket.
Commander Navy Region SW
1 Day t PTP Adult OE-USF and IOA
Then has the barcode on the bottom.
My husband is E5 Navy Reserves and our family consists of him, myself, and 4 boys (aged 12, 5, 3, and 1). Our travels dates for Orlando is July 29 – August 4, 2012; so time is of the essence. As a military family, we strive to take advantage of any military deals everywhere, especially in Orlando. The parks we are visiting include SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, and LegoLand. Walt Disney World and/or Universal Studios are still in question due to the high admission cost. Are there any deals available to us that cost less than the $89/person rate? Also traveling with us are my parents. Are they entitled to these deals as well? Please Help!!
Oh I forgot to add, we are wanting to visit Walt Disney World or Universal Studios for just one day only.
Hi Kimberly,
Well, ticket prices have gone up since you last looked (early June) the Price for a 1-day WDW non-hopper ticket at the gate is $ 94.79 for an adult and $ 88.40 for kids (3-9) with tax included. The Shades of Green Prices are $92/$86. You might find it at your Base ITT Office for a few cents difference, but that’s the best military price.
Universal tickets are $88/$82 at Shades.
When you buy these “regular” military discounted tickets you can buy them for your whole party. I recently bought Universal tickets for my daughter and her friend who went by themselves.
I’m sure you know about the Here’s to the Heroes for SeaWorld and Legoland Florida – Offers a 10% Military Discount at the gate, but much better discounts through your ITT Office.
Hi Steve,
I hope this is ok to post. This was put out by my ITT office today and thought I would share. I’m not sure where all the “participating” ITT offices are located or how many are even participating. May be you will be able to find out more information.
We are starting the week with awesome news at ITT:
Universal Studios Orlando is starting a Military promotion which consist of ONE FREE 3-Day Park to Park ticket (ability to bounce from one Universal park to another each of the 3 days) for Active Duty, Reservist, National Guard, Coast Guard, and Retired Military.
This is a $185.00 value, and it is ONLY AVAILABLE at participating ITT offices, like us! The tickets will be distributed to patrons until 3/31/13, and they will have to be completely used by 6/30/13. We have placed an order and will let you all know when we receive the tickets.
Renee
Hey there Renee!
Thanks. I did see a rumor online yesterday and today the Ft Brag ITT office put a picture of the flyer on their facebook. So I went by my ITT (in Florida) at lunch and they had no info. She said she was trying to get with her rep to find out.
I did also call Universal Orlando Media Relations and requested they send me any info/press releases they had on it, but nothing by the CoB today.