Most Military Families who are looking into a Disney vacation are aware of the great Disney Armed Forces Salute room discounts.
But figuring out what actual actual cost would be can take a little work!
Walt 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 the different yearly price periods:
- Friday and Saturday – Always the Highest
- Thursday and Sunday – Sometimes an Intermediate Price
- Monday – Wednesday – Always the Cheapest
- Sunday and Thursday are sometimes included in the cheapest days of that week (Sun-Thurs)
- Each resort has from 2 to 10 different room types, which are all priced differently
Here is a good way to estimate 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 resort price index page for: 2021 & 2022
2. On the page you’ll see links for the various Walt Disney World 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 on those dates 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 already include all taxes (they vary across property))
- 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 that 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.
I hope this helps with your Disney vacation planning!
This MDT Post By: Steve Bell Steve is the the Military Disney Tips Founder. He a retired U.S. Military Member who's been touring the Disney Parks since 1971! Steve's mission is to help military families with their Disney vacations in every way. Check out Steve's Bio. Subscribe to Steve's email newsletter to get website updates and news by clicking this link. |
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 GuideÂ
- Military Disney Tips Disney Packing ChecklistÂ
- Disney Military Tickets – Your Start to Finish Guide
- Resorts/Hotel Overview Page
- Dining Overview Page
- Transportation Overview Page
- Technology Overview Page
- Shades of Green, WDW’s Military Only Resort
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! |
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