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Military Disney Tips

Huge Koi Fish at Shades of Green

Feed the fish at Disney's Shades of Green ResortWhile most moments in a Disney Vacation are jam-packed with activity, there will be gaps between activities and quiet moments that need to be filled.

Disney World is filled with lots of intense activities and lots of waiting. This can drive some kids crazy. Left with nothing to do there is no telling what could happen. Perhaps the dreaded meltdown.

It might be that you are back at Shades of Green for a mid-day break from Disney’s theme parks or you’re waiting for Mangino’s Italian Bistro to open for dinner. But you’d like to find something for the kids to do.

The beautiful view to the rear of Shades of Green

Well Shades of Green has these fantastic Coy Fish in ponds just out the back door from the lobby on the first floor.

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A Disney Mid-Day Break A Good Time To Use Shades of Green’s Laundry Rooms

Take a mid-day Disney break and wash your drawersCentral Florida can be very hot and muggy in the summer. Almost all Disney planners recommend a mid day break from the theme parks to go back to the room and recharge your batteries.

We always do this if we are at WDW in the summer. Some people hate to leave the parks once they are there, but being there from early in the morning until closing has been known to make not only children but seasoned NCOs cry. Summertime hours in the parks can run from 8AM the 11PM or later. That’s just too much to take at one time.

So, sometime after lunch in the park bail out and head back to your room. Get out of your very sweaty clothes, hit the pool, or just get a nap. I recommend both.

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Military Disney Tips Round-Up 15 May 2011

Military Disney Tips Round-Up, Woody (C) Disney

It's a Round-Up Partner

WOW! It’s been a magical week for Military Disney Tips.

The website turned three this month and I posted a site overview/review to commemorate it.

I was featured in the Reserve & National Guard Magazine, in an article in which military travel experts were interviewed for summer vacation savings ideas.

I started a new series that I’m really excited about, Patriotic Disney. In which I’ll explore numerous patriotic topics involving Walter Elias Disney and his works. I’ll also have guest authors contributing to the series.

And this week I’ve made several new contacts which should lead to bigger and better things for MDT.

And now from around the web:

Disney in a preemptive strike pulled a fast one and applied for the trademark on Seal Team 6, just two days after their spectacular raid on Usama bin Laden’s compound. Disney could use the name and unit’s patch in many ways; games, toys, clothing, etc.

Dave at Your First Visit has a huge site with a lot of great Disney information. He’s just put together this guide to help readers find their way around.

AJ on the Disney Food Blog has a post on a BBQ Bash to be held on 2 July by the WDW Swan and Dolphin resorts at Walt Disney World.

Over at the Disney Dispatch there is a great interview with Skipper John, from Disney’s famous Jungle Cruise. “This week’s interviewee has a very special job. He takes guests to exotic lands and travels down the rivers of the world. And he does it every 20 minutes! That’s right, John is the envy of us all: he’s a Skipper on the World Famous Jungle Cruise!”

Chip and Company has a post about special military pricing on Disney Cruise Line 10 and 11 night Mediterranean cruises!

  • Rates are $110 per person, per night (based on double occupancy)
  • Sail Dates: 29 June 2011, 9 July 2011 and 20 July 2011

Well that’s it for now. I just want to thank you, all my readers for making Military Disney Tips the success that it has become!

If you are new to Military Disney Tips Start Here

Disney’s Armed Forces Salute FAQ

Information on Shades of Green – the Military Hotel on Disney World property

For up to the minute news follow us on facebook and twitter.

Free Disney Planning & Reservation Checklist

Military Disney Tips Turns Three

Military-Disney-Tips-Birthday (C) DisneyAt the beginning of this month Military Disney Tips turned three. I wanted to take a moment to say thanks to you my readers. I’m so appreciative of your interest. It’s been my pleasure to try to help you in whatever way that I can to plan for your Disney vacation.

It’s been a big year for MDT, we broke the story on both the extensions of the Disney Armed Forces Salute, both in October 2010 when the offer was renewed for this fiscal year, and again just last month with the extension until September 2012. It’s been a busy year too trying to keep up on the numerous packages and specials offered by Shades of Green throughout the year. Also I was interviewed by AmeriForce Publishing for inclusion in an article about Disney Military discounts. The article is due out later this month in their Reserve & National Guard Magazine.

Over the past year the site has seen fantastic growth. Military Disney Tips now receives nearly 10,000 visitors and 40,000 pageviews per month. Our Newsletter launched last October and has grown to over 390 subscribers. We also started our facebook fan page this past year and now have 220 facebook friends who like it. Just a couple of months ago the Military Disney twitter account was launched too.

The majority of our readers this year have been Stateside, but we also have readers from numerous locations where our military members are stationed: Italy, Germany, Iraq, the UK, Puerto Rico, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Qatar, Afghanistan, the UAE, and Bahrain to name some.

Because of the specialized content on this site, many great Disney sites on the net sent visitors our way. I’d like to thank those sites for their support this year. They are:

Yourfirstvisit.net where I’ve been lucky to do quite a few guests posts
disneyfoodblog.com Where AJ has also allowed me to guest post
universal-parks-military-discounts.com our sister site
disboards.com
wdwradio.com
passporterboards.com
mouseowners.com
dismarks.com
usmclife.com
couponingtodisney.com
westoverafrc.org
coastiechicks.net

You also found the site via search engines. Some of the things you were looking for were: Information on Disney’s Military Salute, Universal Studios Military Salute, Sea World Military Discounts, Shades of Green, and the Armed Forces Vacation Club.

Some of your favorite pages were:

Military Discounts
The Disney Military Salute announcement for 2011
Disney’s Armed Forces Salute
Shades of Green
Universal Military Salute
Shades of Green Military Discounted Ticket Overview
and the Military Disney Tips Blog

This year is our third year partnering with Ears of Experience, an authorized Disney vacation planner and Veteran Owned Business. Over 150 of you asked Amy for help making your Disney reservations this past year.

Again I want to say thanks for the Happy Birthday! It’s been my pleasure to provide content that I think you might find helpful and I’m so glad that the site’s growth shows you are enjoying it. I’m looking forward to an even better year coming up. I’ve got several great new projects like my new series of Patriotic Disney posts and several new partners who I’ll be joining with to produce more great content.

Yours, Steve

 

If you are new to Military Disney Tips Start Here

Disney’s Armed Forces Salute FAQ

Information on Shades of Green – the Military Hotel on Disney World property

For up to the minute news follow us on facebook and twitter.

New Intro to Military Disney Tips Page

I’ve been getting a lot of new readers lately so for those who are new here to MDT I just created a “Start Here” page. It’s a good overview of the site and an intro to military discounts for Disney Vacations. Even those who’ve been to the site before might find something they missed.

Drop by and check it out. I’d love your feedback on if there is anything else you think I should add.

Here is the link

Thanks, Steve

Disney’s Armed Forces Salute FAQ

Information on Shades of Green – the Military Hotel on Disney World property

For up to the minute news follow us on facebook and twitter.