Most Military Families who are looking into a Disney vacation are aware of the great Disney Armed Forces Salute room discounts.
But actually figuring out what their actual cost would be can be a little confusing!
Disney World Resorts have many factors which greatly change an individual room’s rates:
- Many different price periods during the year
- Days of the week Priced differently during yearly price periods
- From cheapest to highest
- Either: Sunday – Thursday or Monday – Wednesday – Cheapest
- Thursday and Sunday – Sometimes an Intermediate Price
- Friday and Saturday – Always Highest
- Each resort has from 2 to 10 different room types
Walt Disney World’s All Star Sports Resort
Here is a good way to figure your cost.
I use MouseSavers.com, they maintain up to date price lists for all Disney resorts.
1. Click the following links to go to the MouseSavers.com resorts pages Mousesavers.com WDW Room Rates: 2018 – 2019
2. On the page you’ll see links for the various Disney Resorts, just click on the one you want to price.
3. Then find where your desired room type and dates intersect. This is the regular rate for that room without any discounts.
Time for a little math…
4. Apply the Disney Armed Forces Salute Military Discount.
- Total the cost of your desired nights at the regular rate (MouseSavers rates include tax)
- Multiply that total by: 0.7 for Values, 0.65 for Moderates, and 0.6 for Deluxe resorts (This applies the 30-40% discounts based on category)
- This gives you the total for the room with the maximum military discount applied!
Note, these calculations are for the maximum discount you may receive, in 2018 Disney started giving graduated discounts for the Disney Armed Forces Salute.
You could also do the same calculations with rates pulled from Disney’s website. Doing this will allow you to compare to any general public discounts that may be offered for your dates.
You can now use this rate to compare to other hotels such as Shades of Green the military owned and operated resort on Walt Disney World Property (Shades’ rates are tax free by the way), the Disney Swan and Dolphin (Independent Westin Resorts on WDW property), or others.
Planning a Disney Trip? Want to get the best military discounts that are available? Feeling a little confused? See our:
Learn about the Disney Armed Forces Salute the best military discount that there is for Disney. For where to stay see our Resorts/Hotel Overview Page. Disney doesn’t discount dining for the military, but there are a few places on property that do, see the Dining Overview Page to learn where plus more dining info. You can also learn about Transportation Options. Be sure to check out our Technology Overview to learn about Magic Bands and My Disney Experience to see how they work with military tickets. Walt Disney World visitors might be interested in staying at Shades of Green, WDW’s Military Only Resort.
See: Top 8 Reasons to Use An Authorized Disney Vacation Planner
Steve Recommends
Do you want all of your Disney Planning information in one place, organized in a step-by-step logical manner with an emphasis on Military Discounts and offers? I've written 3 Guidebooks just for the Military Community:
Walt Disney World for Military Families 2020 - Available in Print, Kindle, and Digital PDF Download
The Essential Guide to Shades of Green - Available in Print, Kindle, and Digital PDF Download
Disneyland for Military Families - Available in Print, Kindle, and Digital PDF Download
Here are my recommendations for products and services I've reviewed that can improve your Disney planning. This is a short list since it only includes my top picks.
Ears of Experience - My recommended Travel Agent, Fee Free, Disney Only, Military Family Owned
Need a Little Extra Help Planning your Disney Vacation? Check Out Ears of Experience's Concierge Service
Military Disney Tips Negotiated Military Discounts
Orlando Shuttle Service - $15 off basic round trip pricing to ANY Orlando resort use MDT15
Amusement Park Rentals - 10% Military Discount on Strollers and Scooters Use 10MILITARY at checkout
EzPacking Cube Organization System, Tame Your Suitcase! - MDT Readers get 15% off with MILITARYDISNEY at checkout
Follow Military Disney Tips
Like our very active Facebook Page - Follow MDT on Twitter - Follow MDT on Pinterest - Get Steve's Free newsletter
Thank you! I already had the equation for the discount but you have a better one for adding the taxes. I would just multiply the rate by 0.13 and then add that number to the rate. Now, I have one less step.
Bookmarking this for future reference. Thank you for all the information, it really helps!
Shades also charges a daily parking fee while the Disney resorts do not, which is a consideration if the rates are otherwise competitive.
They absolutely do Brandon! Great point.
Do you have anything like this for the 3 Disneyland hotels?
Hi Heidi,
You can just go to the official DL site and pull the rack rates, then apply the formula in this post.
Can you explain why I am multiplying the total cost by 0.6 for deluxe when the actual discount is 40%. I’m a little confused about that.
Sure Jessica,
It is because when you multiply the total by 0.6 it yields 60% of the total, which is 40% off.
Do they ever add rooms to the Armed Forces Salute block as the dates move closer? Also, are rooms like “concierge” or “club” level rooms ever included in the discounts?
Hi Valerie,
There is no way to know if they open availability, you either get the discount or you don’t when you call. I always suggest to keep trying back as people do cancel though whether that availability is from additional rooms (I don’t feel it is) or cancellations no way to know.
The more expensive the room is the fewer they initially offer for the discount and once filled they are gone. So call as far out as possible for expensive rooms.
I have had the discount on 2 br suites, and the business class rooms (concierge lite) at the Coronado, never tried for a regular concierge though.
Are the 2 br villas at Saratoga Springs considered a deluxe resort and would be they be able to apply the 40% discount to those villas? Is it definitely a 40% discount for deluxe or might they only give us a lower % off?
Hi Julia,
If available all DVC villas qualify for the 40% discount. The number of more expensive rooms per resort, per night are very limited. We’ve done 40% off a 2br villa before