Starting in 2018 Disney changed the way they dole out Disney Armed Forces Salute Room Discounts.
Walt Disney World’s Beach Club Resort
In the past from 2009 through 2017, the Disney Armed Forces Salute resort hotel room discounts had always been a set percentage off of the standard rack room rate.
Back then if the discount for your desired resort, room type, and dates was available you would receive 30 percent off at Disney Value Resorts, 35 percent off at Disney Moderate Resorts, and 40 percent off at Disney Deluxe Resorts.
But starting with the 2018 Disney Armed Forces Salute there was a big change, actually the first change ever for this part of the program.
When the 2018 Disney Armed Forces Salute was released it quickly became apparent that things were not as they used to be. Members of the military community were reporting receiving discounts lower than they expected. There were many reports of 5 to 10 percent less than the 30/35/40 percent of past Salutes. There were even reports of both well lower than that or in a couple instances even slightly higher than the old discount percentages.
This continues for 2019.
New Discounts
Instead of a set percentage off for each room category (30% Value, 35% Moderate, & 40% Deluxe) the Salute discount is “Up To” those percentages off. Meaning the old set amount off is not guaranteed if the discount is available for your dates/resort/room category; instead you might get a lesser amount off.
In the past Disney offered the full discount until an undisclosed set level of booking was reached by date, resort, & room category; then the discount was no longer offered for those specific variables.
Now Disney will offer the full discount when bookings are low by date, resort, & room category; but as room availability decreases, so will the discount percentage offered until finally the cutoff is reached and the discount is no longer offered by date, resort, & room category.
Experts feel that this is the way all Disney room discounts are headed and that this is a test case on a smaller audience. If you don’t like this new system let Disney know how you feel about these variable discount amounts, See my Contact Disney Page. You never know it might help
See our full Disney Armed Forces Salute info page.
How about you, What discounts have you received from Disney on rooms?
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
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I’ve found when booking rooms at Walt Disney World under the new anyone’s-guess discount program that the preferred rooms are always a lower discount. The moderate rooms will be 35% if you have to walk a lot to get anywhere, but only 30% if you chose a preferred room. Same with the special rooms like the Princess rooms at Port Orleans Riverside, they’re at the lower discount. It works the same at the Value resorts, too. I don’t know about the Deluxe and Deluxe Villas, because I rent the DVC points if I’m going to stay in one of those.
Availability is a bit bizarre, too. When we went in Nov/Dec, I wanted a Value room for the weekend. I couldn’t get a military discount at all if we stayed Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. But I did get one (same resort) when I booked it for Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. So for three days there wasn’t a discount, but for four there was.
Hi Steve,
Can you tell me more about how it works to book more than one room on the salute room discount? If a family is bringing other family with them who are not military (like grandparents) would this be a valid use of the discount? It seems that reading the terms on Disney’s website that the service member or spouse needs to be staying in the room. I’m confused. Have used the discount multiple times myself, but trying to book my first stay with extended family coming along.
Thank you for your input! Love your site!
Hi there Jenny,
Thanks so much!
I have done multiple rooms on several trips. It’s really easy.
Disney isn’t always the clearest on their military discount wording. The member or spouse has to be in one of the rooms. What they are trying to say is you can’t let someone use your discount if you aren’t going.
You can use the additional rooms for anyone you’d like, family or friends (we’ve done both).
You can do 3 rooms at WDW, or 2 rooms at the Disneyland Resort. All technically need to be at the same resort and check in on the same day, though I’ve personally found these 2 not to be true at WDW (DLR would hold you to both I believe, as they are more strict on lodging rules). Check out days may be different.
When booking you’ll call (or your travel agent will) to make all the reservations. You’ll need your guest’s credit card info if they are paying for their room. Or you could pay the deposit and they can pay you back, if you do this you should not use online check in as the remainder of the bill will be charged to the card you made the reservation with most likely on your arrival morning.
Have fun!