Who Qualifies for Disney Armed Forces Salute and the Universal Orlando Military Freedom Pass?

Disney Armed Forces Salute and Universal Orlando Military Freedom Pass Eligibility Are Not the Same

The Disney Armed Forces Salute and Universal Orlando Military Freedom Pass are two of the best military theme park discounts available, but they do not use exactly the same eligibility rules.

Some military members qualify for both.

Some groups qualify for Disney but not Universal.

Others qualify for Universal but not Disney.

And if you do not qualify for either of these special promotional offers, that does not necessarily mean you are out of military ticket options.

The Disney Armed Forces Salute and Universal Orlando Military Freedom Pass are special, highly discounted promotional ticket programs. They are not the only discounted Disney and Universal tickets available through military ticket offices.

This guide shows you where you fit.

Quick Eligibility Comparison

It is important to note that for the several groups marked “No” above,  other Military Discounted Disney or Universal tickets are available.

Who Qualifies for Both Programs?

The following groups can use both the Disney Armed Forces Salute and the Universal Orlando Military Freedom Pass:

• Active Duty members
• Reservists
• National Guard members
• Military retirees
• 100% disabled veterans with the required military identification

Current military spouses can also use both programs, but the spouse rules are different between Disney and Universal. I explain that distinction below.

Disney Armed Forces Salute Eligibility

Disney’s promotional military ticket eligibility belongs to the Eligible Service Member.

For this program, Eligible Service Members include:

• Active Duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces
• Reservists
• National Guard members
• Military retirees
• U.S. Coast Guard members and retirees
• U.S. Space Force members and retirees
• Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service
• Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• 100% disabled veterans with the required DEERS/RAPIDS-issued military ID

A current military spouse can use the member’s Disney eligibility when the member is not using it, but the spouse does not receive separate Disney eligibility or a second ticket allotment.

Read more about the Disney Armed Forces Salute

The Disney Spouse Rule Is Easy to Misunderstand

Disney often describes the offer as available to an Eligible Service Member “or spouse.”

That does not create two independent eligibilities.

The member holds the eligibility. The spouse can use that eligibility in place of the member.

The member and spouse cannot each purchase a separate set of six Disney promotional tickets.

When the spouse uses the offer in place of the member, the spouse also cannot use the ticket that is reserved for the Eligible Service Member.

That makes the spouse-only situation different from the member being present and using one of the promotional tickets.

Disney’s Six-Ticket Limit

Disney allows a maximum of six promotional military tickets under an Eligible Service Member’s entitlement during the promotional year.

The Disney Armed Forces Salute tickets and Disney Celebrates America tickets share that same six-ticket limit.

For example:

• Six Salute tickets uses up the entire allotment
• Three Salute tickets plus three Celebrates America tickets also uses the entire allotment
• You cannot purchase six of each

The spouse does not create another six-ticket allotment.

There are limited exceptions involving larger immediate families, and a separate practical rule applies when the Eligible Service Member or spouse already has a qualifying Walt Disney World Annual Pass.

100% Disabled Veterans and Disney

A 100% disabled veteran can use the Disney promotional military tickets with the proper military identification.

Disney requires the DEERS/RAPIDS-issued 100% DAVPRM military ID.

A Veteran Health Identification Card does not establish Disney Armed Forces Salute eligibility.

Neither do disability paperwork, VA benefit letters, or other documentation in place of the required military ID.

This distinction is important because a veteran with any percentage of service-connected disability can have year-round Shades of Green access under the Disabled Veterans Equal Access Act. That broader Shades of Green eligibility does not create Disney Armed Forces Salute eligibility, but those veterans can still purchase other discounted military-channel Disney tickets through Shades of Green.

Who Qualifies for the Disney Salute but Not the Universal Orlando Military Freedom Pass?

Two important uniformed-service groups fall into this category:

• Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service
• Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Disney includes PHS and NOAA in its Eligible Service Member definition.

Universal does not include them in the Freedom Pass program.

Universal Orlando Military Freedom Pass Eligibility

The Freedom Pass uses a different eligibility list.

For the Freedom Pass, the following groups qualify:

• Active Duty U.S. military
• Reservists
• National Guard
• Military retirees
• 100% disabled veterans
• Current military spouses
• Current Department of War civilian employees with the required DEERS-issued photo identification

Universal specifically excludes:

• NOAA Commissioned Corps
• U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps
• Department of Homeland Security civilians
• Retired Department of War civilians
• Divorced spouses
• Child dependents
• Contractors
• Foreign affiliates
• Veterans who are neither retired nor 100% disabled

Read more about the Universal Orlando Military Freedom Pass

Current Department of War Civilians: Universal Freedom Pass Yes, Disney Armed Forces Salute No

This is one of the biggest differences between the two programs.

A current Department of War civilian employee with the required DEERS-issued photo ID can qualify for the Universal Orlando Military Freedom Pass.

That same civilian status does not qualify the employee for Disney Armed Forces Salute promotional tickets.

A retired Department of War civilian does not qualify for the Freedom Pass.

Both current and retired DOW civilians may still have other discounted military-channel ticket options through Shades of Green.

The Universal Spouse Rule Is Different from Disney

Universal treats the current military spouse differently.

For the Freedom Pass, the military member and current spouse each have their own six-ticket eligibility.

That means:

• The military member can purchase up to six Freedom Passes
• The current spouse can separately purchase up to six Freedom Passes using the spouse’s own valid military ID
• The combined maximum is 12 Freedom Passes

One ticket from each six-ticket allotment must be used by the military member or spouse who purchased that allotment.

This is very different from Disney, where the spouse uses the member’s eligibility rather than creating a second promotional-ticket entitlement.

100% Disabled Veterans and the Universal Orlando Military Freedom Pass

Universal includes 100% disabled veterans in Freedom Pass eligibility.

The veteran must have the required valid DEERS-issued military photo identification.

A veteran with a service-connected disability below 100% does not qualify for the Freedom Pass solely because of that disability rating.

What About Veterans with Less Than a 100% Disability Rating?

A veteran with a service-connected disability below 100% does not qualify for either the Disney Armed Forces Salute or Universal Orlando Military Freedom Pass through that disability status.

That includes veterans who can stay at Shades of Green year-round under the Disabled Veterans Equal Access Act.

But that does not mean those veterans are out of military ticket options.

Veterans with service-connected disabilities can purchase regular discounted military-channel tickets through Shades of Green under its ticket-office eligibility rules.

Those tickets are separate products from the Disney Armed Forces Salute and Freedom Pass.

What About Purple Heart Recipients and Former POWs?

Purple Heart recipients and former prisoners of war can have year-round Shades of Green access under the Disabled Veterans Equal Access Act.

That status does not by itself qualify them for the Disney Armed Forces Salute or the Universal Orlando Military Freedom Pass.

They can, however, purchase other discounted military-channel Disney and Universal tickets through Shades of Green under the resort’s ticket-office eligibility rules.

What About Non-Retired Veterans?

An honorably discharged veteran who did not retire and does not have 100% disability status does not qualify for the Disney Armed Forces Salute or Universal Orlando Military Freedom Pass based simply on veteran status.

That remains true even when the veteran stays at Shades of Green during January or September through the Salute to Our Veterans program.

Again, resort eligibility and promotional-ticket eligibility are separate rules.

Other discounted military-channel tickets may still be available depending on the veteran’s Shades of Green ticket-purchase eligibility.

What About Children and Other Dependents?

A child dependent does not independently qualify to purchase either promotional program.

For Disney, promotional tickets can be used for family members and friends when purchased under the Eligible Service Member’s entitlement when the member or spouse is present for activation.

For Universal, child dependents are specifically excluded from being the eligible purchaser of the Freedom Pass.

Their ability to use a promotional ticket comes through the military member or current spouse, who must be present for activation.

What About Former or Divorced Spouses?

Former and divorced spouses do not qualify for either promotional ticket program through former-spouse status.

That includes former spouses who may retain other military benefits or Shades of Green access.

Disney specifically excludes former spouses using 20/20/20 status from its promotional tickets, and Universal excludes divorced spouses from the Freedom Pass.

If You Do Not Qualify for Salute or Freedom Pass, Check the Regular Military Tickets

This is the part many people miss.

The Disney Armed Forces Salute and Universal Orlando Military Freedom Pass are not the only discounted military theme park tickets available.

Shades of Green sells regular discounted Disney and Universal tickets to a broader group of authorized military-community customers.

Regular Disney Military-Channel Tickets

Shades of Green sells regular Walt Disney World tickets in lengths from one to ten days.

These are different from the Disney Armed Forces Salute.

They are available to the military groups who can purchase the promotional tickets and also to additional groups, including:

• Department of War civilians
• Retired Department of War civilians
• Veterans covered by the Purple Heart and Disabled Veterans Equal Access Act categories

These tickets do not require the military sponsor or spouse to use one of the tickets.

They are date-based tickets and do not require Disney Park Pass reservations.

Regular Universal Military Tickets

Shades of Green also sells regular discounted Universal Orlando tickets in addition to the Universal Orlando Military Freedom Pass.

These tickets have their own products, lengths, prices, and eligibility rules.

Depending on the current ticket lineup, regular Universal military tickets can include Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, Volcano Bay, and Epic Universe options.

So if you do not qualify for the Freedom Pass, check the regular military Universal ticket choices before assuming you must buy directly from Universal.

Read more about:

• Disney’s Regular Military Discounted Tickets
• Universal’s Regular Military Discounted Tickets

Shades of Green Eligibility Is a Different Question

Do not use your Shades of Green lodging eligibility as a shortcut for determining which promotional tickets you can buy.

The three questions are separate:

1. Can I stay at Shades of Green?
2. Do I qualify for the Disney Armed Forces Salute?
3. Do I qualify for the Universal Orlando Military Freedom Pass?

A person can answer “yes” to one, two, or all three.

See my Shades of Green Eligibility Guide for the lodging rules and required identification.

Bottom Line

The Disney Armed Forces Salute and Universal Orlando Military Freedom Pass overlap, but their eligibility rules are not identical.

Active Duty members, Reservists, and National Guard members, military retirees, and 100% disabled veterans with the required identification can use both programs.

Disney additionally includes the Public Health Service and NOAA Commissioned Corps.

Universal additionally includes current Department of War civilian employees.

Disney eligibility belongs to the Eligible Service Member. A current spouse can use that eligibility in the member’s place but does not receive separate Disney eligibility or a second allotment.

Universal handles spouses differently and gives a current military spouse a separate Freedom Pass allotment tied to the spouse’s own valid military ID.

And if you do not qualify for either special promotional program, do not stop there.

Shades of Green and other military ticket offices sell many regular discounted Disney and Universal tickets to a broader group of military-community customers.

The right question is not simply, “Do I qualify for a military discount?”

It is:

“Which military ticket program do I qualify for?”

For more background on veteran access and military discounts, see:

• Disney Military Discounts for Veterans Who Did Not Retire from the Military
• Disney Veteran Discount and Disney Military Discount Eligibility Guide
• Disney Discounts and the Disabled Veterans Equal Access Act

 

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