Shades of Green is the Military Only Resort located right on Walt Disney World property.
Shades of Green is located right on Walt Disney World Property, in the Magic Kingdom Resort Area very near Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and Grand Floridian Resort and Spa,
Shades of Green is open to all U.S. Service Members current and retired Active, Reserve, and Guard. There are also several other categories of those associated with the military that are also eligible so be sure to check out Shades of Green’s Eligibility.
Shades of Green was originally the Disney Golf Resort and is nestled between two of Disney’s PGA golf courses, which offer military discounts on golf.
Shades of Green offers rates base upon rank/grade so be sure to check out their Room Rates. Special discounted rates are available for limited periods.
Let’s take a look at what the guest rooms have to offer and look like.
The views from most every room are spectacular. Views throughout the resort are unique and interesting. The lush tropical landscaping provides an incredible backdrop.
There are 2 guest wings at Shades of Green, the original Magnolia Wing and the newer Palm Wing. Rooms either face outwards to the Magnolia Golf Course or the Palm Gold Course, or inwards to either the view you see just below for the Palm Wing, or looking over the Mill Pond Pool for the Magnolia Wing.
Shades of Green also offers Poolside Rooms for 10 dollars more per night. All of these are located in the Magnolia Wing. They also offer a Very Limited amount of Suites.
Standard Guest Rooms
At 480 Square feet Shades of Green’s rooms are among the roomiest to be found on the entire Walt Disney World Resort. Guest amenities in Shades of Green’s oversized, standard guest rooms include two queen size beds and a single sleeper sofa. Maximum occupancy is 5.
Each standard guest room feature either a private balcony or patio, with two chairs and a table, that overlook the lush tropical setting.
Standard Guest Rooms’ bathroom setup is either a 2 room setup with shower and toilet in one room and a double sink counter in a separate attached room, or all bath room items in one room with a single sink.
Poolside rooms are also available
All rooms include:
- Refrigerator
- In-room Safe
- Internet Access – Free (Shades of Green’s in-room internet is not the strongest!)
- In-room Movies/Video Games
- Coffee Maker (uses coffee pods, not K-Cups)
- Hair Dryer
- Iron and Ironing Board
- Soap, shampoo, etc. in the bathroom
Shades of Green does offer adjoining rooms but does not guarantee them.
Shades of Green’s Resort Amenities
Shades of Green’s Resort Amenities include:
- Onsite AAFES Store
- Military Ticket Office
- Varied Dining Options
- Free Resort Transportation
- 2 Beautiful Pools
- Gym and the Magnolia Spa
Shades of Green Resort Activities and Amenities Overview
Steve Says
While the rooms here at Shades of Green are big and well-appointed, during my most recent stay (May 2025), I was quite disappointed! This was for 2 main reasons: the room temperature and floor cleanliness.
The Temperature – I’d seen posts online recently about the new thermostats at Shades of Green setting the room back to a preset hot temperature if there was no motion in the room. This turned out to be the case.
My room was a warm 76 degrees when I entered. Now, I understand hotels setting thermostats to a cost-saving temperature between guests, as at some hotels, it could be days between guests in the room, but this is Disney, and with a close to 100% occupancy rate, it’s only a couple of hours at the most between guests in the room, so I’m not sure how much it saves it let the room temp come up then have to drive it down soon thereafter.
First, these new thermostats cannot be set to a temperature below 68. I don’t know about you, but when I come into a room after trudging through the theme parks in temperatures in the high 90s with real feel temperatures in the low 100s, I want the room as cool as possible. I always set my room temperature to 65 when at Disney. I’ve paid for the room, and this includes the cost of the utilities for the period I’ve rented the room; this is factored into the room price, so let me set the temperature that I want!!!
Now, here’s the worst part! These thermostats do have a motion sensor, and if they do not detect motion for a period of time, they will set the room temperature back to 76. So when you return to the room you are paying the electric bill for, the temperature has been reset back to 76 without your consent! And it gets worse! When you are asleep, there is not enough motion to keep the thermostat from resetting to 76. I went to sleep with the temp set to 68 and the appropriate covers for that temp; however, I woke up sweating in a room that was now 76 degrees!
For this reason alone, I will not stay at Shades of Green again by choice. If I have to get pictures, etc. I will use this procedure I found on YouTube to adjust my room thermostat.
The Floor – The last 10 years or so, many hotels have been converting to fake hardwood floors versus the old carpet. This is a good idea as carpets will absorb spills and hold the contaminant, and are much harder to clean. If hard surface floors are properly maintained, they can be a cleaner option. These floors must be wet-mopped between guests!!! Unfortunately, many hotels, apparently including Shades of Green, see the switch only as a labor-saving move, as the floors usually look clean even when they are not, so they can get by without the required cleaning. I spent 1 night in a Shades of Green room and in the morning, after showering, walked around the room in my bare feet for an hour while packing. By then, my feet felt dirty, so I got a wet washcloth to clean them before putting on my socks and shoes. Check out the result below, gross!
Shades of Green’s Guest Room Ratings
Here’s how MDT Readers rate the rooms at Shades of Green on a 1 to 5 scale in our Shades of Green Surveys.
You will also see the following symbols after the numerical rating to indicate the most recent trend:
- Rating Increased is +
- Rating Decreased is –
- No Change is =
This symbol is then followed by how much the rating changed.
Overall Room Satisfaction – 4.54, =
Cleanliness of Room – 4.72, =
Room Size and Layout – 4.86, =
Quietness of Room – 4.40, =
Comfort of Beds and Pillows – =
See the Full Survey Post for all ratings plus guest comments in each category!
Reader Comments:
New room thermostats can not be set below 68. The thermostats have a motion sensor, which sets the room back to 76 degrees when you are out of the room OR SLEEPING!!! Yes, you will wake up sweating!
The floor was filthy, sock and feet bottoms turned black with minimal walking in the room!
The rooms need an update especially the ones with the old style bathrooms. We’ve stayed in 2150 and like it a lot more. It would be nice if all of the bathroom vanities had the extra shelf below for storage so the counters don’t get cluttered and also had the sliding door to the toilet/shower area. It’s been awhile since the Palm side was updated.
Room light needs to improve.
Housekeeping did a very good job. The room air seems “stuffy”, helps to open door outside door for a while when temperature permits.
Hot water did not work. Worst of all MX knew about it. They came in, and in broken English told us we had to turn the vanity hot water on, then set the hot water shower at a particular point on the valve. Best we ever got was “cool” water.
Bathroom needs refurbished. Small single sink vanity area.
Great room, housekeeping was great!
The only reason I gave the room a 4 on cleanliness was because there were some ants in the bathroom. Nothing major.
Connecting door allowed noise from other room to filter through more than a solid wall would have. The ceiling fan light cover fell off – fortunately, it was plastic.
The room itself was great, but we were right off the elevator. Lots of noisy guests in the hallway until late every night and early each morning.
Great room, housekeeping was great!
The bathroom needs to be refurbished. Small single sink vanity area.
We suggest grip bars be installed in the shower/tub rooms, fully handicapped not totally necessary
The pool music was very loud from 9 pm-10 pm. The pillows were not comfortable
We’ve stayed at SoG a few times and each room we’ve stayed in has issues with the HVAC. Sometimes the fan is too loud and won’t turn off/on. Sometimes the ro0m is too cold, sometimes too hot, and sometimes just right. My guess is the system is old and has trouble just like many military facilities around the world.
It seemed every time a maid came into our room they set the alarm for 6 am. They also did it to the adjoining room which I believe was unoccupied during most of our stay.
It would be nice to have a king-size bed.
Even with the most recent updates they’ve made to the resort, things just seem dated and in need to cleaning up. The rooms look a bit better than other parts of the resort. For instance, hallways, elevators, pool areas REALLY need to be repainted/repaired.
We loved our stay at Shades of Green!! It was the best and we were so happy to spend downtime at the pools in between trips to Disney.
Would have preferred a microwave in the room. A larger refrigerator would be nice also. Especially for longer stays.
Clean and well-appointed. Very functional.
The lighted mirror in the bathroom did not work in 3 of our 7 rooms. Told the front desk 3 different times. Finally, after I went to the front desk personally, someone checked into it and said they had no more replacements for them. The plug-in on the nightstand did not work in my room, and although I appreciate the phone charging station, it is in a very inconvenient place.
We stayed at the Grand Floridian in 2021, and we’re happier with Shades of Green.
This was our first time booking multiple rooms. I asked that the be in the same area, not necessarily adjoining. The were all in a row with 2 connected.
I asked to have a room on the first hallway from the PX. We’ve stayed on that hallway several time (rm 205, 205, 202) and on the third floor hallway once. We love being close to the lobby and the room is surprising quite even though its on the main hallway for all the Magnolia side guest. I’m a very light sleeper and had not noise issues.
I wish the refrigerator was bigger. It’s a square mini-fridge rather than the taller rectangular type. It’s placed in the furniture. Two of our rooms were missing the cabinet doors that usually hide the fridge. The cabinet door isn’t really necessary.
It’s great that the toilet and shower are separated from the sink area by a door. There were double sinks as well.
Would have preferred a microwave in the room. A larger refrigerator would be nice also. Especially for longer stays.
The rooms need USB plugs or the lamps with the USB plugs in them. We had a hard time charging all of our devices each night. Two of our regular outlets also didn’t work, the one behind the coffee pot and the one behind the round table.
Wish there was a microwave. Learned late in our stay that there was one in the laundry room for use.
Location on the 2nd floor actually ended up being very convenient. Our room was a little far from the lobby, but not too bad.
Ice machine for the refrigerator didn’t work, part was on order.
WiFi and hot water were spotty.
Hot water was not always available.
Room were wonderful. Big and spacious. Great having the separate sink area from toilet/shower area. Balcony and view were top notch! Plenty of usable furniture. Safe was good to have as I brought extra cash!
After staying at other WDW resorts, Shades is our hands-down favorite. The room size is great for our family of 5, and the trundle bed fits everyone in our family more than other trundles at WDW (i.e. Caribbean Beach).
We loved our location by the pool!! Our cleaning lady was super sweet too, I wish I remembered her name room 236
Constantly heard adults and children yelling in the hallway. Several nights children playing in the halls, running and yelling.
Loud kids and teens running the hallways, esp late at night, but you get used to it (they have had a long day at the parks! ), We enjoy staying at SOG because of how nice the rooms are.
Need a pull out couch bed for a full-size bed
Decor is getting dated. The furniture is chipped and bath tub needs retiling and updating.
7 SOG visits in 7 yrs! The only Disney Hotel that competes with the SOG is the Yacht and Beach Club at 3 times the price.
Sog is the only place we stay in Orlando even if we don’t do the Disney parks. It’s a beautiful resort and great value. Palm rooms are beautifully redone.
Could hear next door through the connecting door. Rolled-up a towel for blocking base of door – helped a little. Parents need to control their kids.
The walls are pretty thin, so you hear any noise from the hallways or the rooms next door. However, once we were moved into a different room, our stay was very quiet and peaceful. I guess you just have to hope for courteous neighbors!
We never had readily available hot water. We spoke to the front desk several times, and maintenance came twice. We were told first it was fixed… It wasn’t. Then they said to turn on the hot water in the sink and the tub and let them run until it got hot. Took upwards of 15-20 minutes! Then it was Luke warm at best most of the time. Coffee maker never worked, carpet in room felt dirty to the touch, door to the fridge was coming off the hinges.
This room was next to the playground, and a couple of nights unsupervised children playing on playground were very loud. We usually love the area because it is so quiet. however Security did run them off at pool closing time.
It would be nice to have a mirror in a location outside of the bathroom so that someone getting ready in the room would have a way to take a look if the restroom was occupied.
All info on standard rooms shows 2 sinks in bathroom. We got a very small bathroom with 1 sink.. front desk told us we had to request it. How can you request something that you think comes with all standard rooms! Even this website shows 2 sinks!! Very uncomfortable with 3 adults and 1 child! Also table had only 3 chairs for a room that accommodates 5 people. Not happy about extra charge for 3rd adult when we only had 4 people in our room. We probably won’t stay here again!
Family Suites
Shades of Green also offers eleven Family Suite combinations. Five Family Suites sleep up to six guests and six Family Suites sleep up to eight guests. Because the number of Family Suites is very limited, these rooms reserve quickly. If interested in making a reservation for a Family Suite, I suggest you do so as soon as you confirm your vacation dates. Guest amenities in the Family Suites include a separate bedroom with King size bed and full-size bath, living area with two queen size sofa beds and additional full bath, dining table with chairs. Some Family Suites feature a fold down Murphy Bed.
More Info and Links
Reservations may be made online at shadesofgreen.org or via phone at (888) 593-2242.
The Best Rooms at the Shades of Green
More information on Shades of Green’s Suites
Read about sponsoring your non-military guests at Shades of Green
Check in is after 3 p.m.. Check out is prior to 11 a.m..
There are laundry facilities on property.
Shades of Green is a smoke free resort and pets are not allowed.
Shades – Disney Price Comparison
Shades – Disney Value Resort Comparison
Shades – Disney Moderate Resort Comparison
Shades – Disney Deluxe Resort Comparison
What’s New or Easy to Miss (2025)
- Thermostats changed: Rooms now use motion-sensor thermostats that reset to 76°F when no motion is detected—even during sleep—and cannot be set below 68°F.
- Flooring updates: Most rooms now feature hardwood-style flooring instead of carpet, though cleaning consistency varies.
- Bathroom layouts differ: Some rooms have double-sink split layouts, while others still have older single-sink bathrooms.
- Wi-Fi and outlets: Wi-Fi is free but weak in some rooms. Bring extra charging cords or a power strip as outlet access may be limited.
- No in-room microwaves: Microwaves are located in laundry rooms and at the Express Café.
- Suites book fast: Family Suites are very limited—reserve early to secure one.
Shades of Green Standard Room FAQ
How big are the standard rooms?
Each standard guest room measures about 480 square feet, making it one of the largest standard rooms on Walt Disney World property.
How many guests can a standard room sleep?
Up to five guests with two queen beds and a single sleeper sofa, plus one crib if needed.
Do all rooms have balconies or patios?
Yes. All rooms include either a balcony or patio with chairs and a table overlooking the resort’s tropical landscaping.
Which building are the standard rooms located in?
Standard rooms are found in both the Magnolia Wing (original) and Palm Wing (newer). Poolside rooms are located exclusively in the Magnolia Wing.
Are the bathrooms all the same?
No. Some rooms have a split layout with two sinks and a separate toilet/shower area, while others have a single-sink setup with all fixtures in one space.
Do rooms include microwaves or large refrigerators?
No microwaves are in-room. A mini-refrigerator is provided. Microwaves are available in the laundry rooms and Express Café.
Are adjoining rooms available?
Yes, adjoining rooms can be requested but are not guaranteed. Requests are noted and accommodated when possible at check-in.
Is the air conditioning adjustable?
Thermostats can be adjusted to as low as 68°F, but they reset to 76°F after periods of inactivity due to motion sensors.
Are the rooms clean and modern?
Guest reviews praise the size and housekeeping, but some note dated décor, floor cleanliness issues, and inconsistent hot water in older rooms.
Are the rooms noisy?
Noise levels vary. Rooms near hallways or elevators tend to be louder; others, especially those facing the golf course, are quieter.
Do rooms have USB or modern charging ports?
Most rooms lack built-in USB outlets, so bring adapters or a portable charging hub.
Is Wi-Fi reliable?
Wi-Fi is free but can be slow or inconsistent. It’s suitable for browsing but not streaming.
What time are check-in and check-out?
Check-in: After 3 p.m. | Check-out: Before 11 a.m.
Is Shades of Green smoke-free and pet-free?
Yes. Shades of Green is a 100% smoke-free and pet-free resort (service animals allowed).
Military Tip: Request a Magnolia Wing Poolside Room for direct pool access, but expect a $10/night premium over standard rooms.
How-To: Choose the Best Standard Room for Your Stay
- Decide your priorities. Choose the Magnolia Wing for pool access or the Palm Wing for quieter golf-course views.
- Request preferences. Ask for split bathrooms, connecting rooms, or specific wings during booking (requests not guaranteed).
- Bring small comforts. Pack a power strip, extra coffee pods, and a portable fan for comfort.
- Stay cool wisely. Move occasionally to keep motion sensors active if you prefer a cooler room.
- Wear socks or slippers. Floors may appear clean but can feel dusty—especially on bare feet.
- Book early for suites. Family Suites book up quickly, often a year in advance.
- Report issues promptly. Contact the front desk for any hot water, lighting, or outlet concerns during your stay.
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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 |
Information on Shades of Green the Military Hotel on Disney World property
See all the current Shades of Green Discounts and Packages
A Special Note on Shades of Green Discounts: Something to be aware of is that Shades constantly changes the dates and discounts offered of their specials and packages. Shades of Green Links
- Shades of Green
- Military Members Review and Rate Shades of Green
- Why Stay at Shades of Green?
- Shades of Green Rooms
- Shades of Green Room Rates
- How to make reservations at Shades of Green
- Shades of Green Resort Activities and Amenities
- Disney Tickets at Shades of Green
- Magic Bands for Shades of Green Guests
- Shades of Green Fact Sheet and FAQ
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:
- 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
- Shades of Green, WDW’s Military Only Resort
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Military Disney Tips' Recommended Disney Travel Agent Ears of Experience Disney Only Travel Agency. Military family owned and operated! They know all the ins and outs of Disney military discounts! |











Steve: It’s been nearly 6 years since we’ve communicated, but I will be making the trek from Green Bay to SoG/WDW in June 2022; our grandson age 17 will be at the DHS Disney Performing Arts OnStage supporting a recording session with his high school music ensemble – he’s Orchestra.
If there’s ONE thing I’ve learned in my previous 4 trips to SoG/WDW, don’t go without first reading every page of Military Disney Tips. Your sage advice and direction has been a true blessing. I just purchased your SoG Essential Guide and will read every word, again, and I still have my older copy.
We’ve never met, but when it comes to WDW, it feels like you are my best friend; your service to your country is always appreciated, but your “service” to your fellow “lifers” is priceless!
And Yes, I updated my Amazon link to support MDT!!!
r/
Jim
Hi there Jim,
So nice to hear from you again! I enjoyed out back and forth emails in the early years!
Your praise humbles me. Thanks so much! I just love doing this.
Steve
We’re planning a trip with our family, 8 adults. And 7 grandchildren ages 12 to 1
What’s the best way to book a room
Hi Karen,
You can either call or do it online.
Reservations (888) 593-2242
shadesofgreen.org (Book Now, right at the top)