Shades of Green – Disney Deluxe Resort Comparison

Welcome to the third installment of the Shades of Green – Disney Resort Comparison Series.

This post wraps up my series intended to help you determine the differences between Shades and the Disney Resorts. I hope that you’ll find them helpful. Be sure to post comments and questions below.

Also please see How does Shades of Green compare to Disney in Price and the other 2 posts in the series:

• Shades – Disney Value Resort Comparison
• Shades – Moderate Resort Comparison

Military members who use  Disney’s Armed Forces Salute room discount receive up to a 30% discount off of regular Walt Disney World Deluxe Resort rates.

Shades of Green is the military-only, military-owned and operated resort on Walt Disney World property. Shades offers great low rates based on the member’s pay grade.

I hope that you find this post helpful! Be sure to post comments and questions below

The Resorts

The Disney Deluxe Resorts that are eligible for up to  30% off of the full price rate are:

• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and Villas
• Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• Disney’s Beach Club Resort
• Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
• Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa
• Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
• Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Disney’s Yacht Club Resort

These Disney Vacation Club Resorts are also eligible for up to  30% off of the full price rate:

• Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge (cabins excluded)
• Cooper Creek Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge (cabins excluded)
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village
• Disney’s Beach Club Villas
• Disney’s BoardWalk Villas
• Disney’s Polynesian Villas
• Disney’s Old Key West Resort
• Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa
• Disney’s Riviera Resort

3-Bedroom Villas at the DVC Resorts and Suites in Moderate and Deluxe Resorts are also excluded.

Disney Deluxe Resorts include amenities such as: full-service restaurants, room service, luggage service, valet parking, swimming pools with a slide, hot tub and cast member lead activities, beach access, on-site recreation, on-site childcare, and monorail and/or bus or boat transportation and Disney Skyliner access at some..

For this comparison, I’ll be using the Beach Club Resort, but all of the Disney Deluxes are similar, varying in the exterior and interior themes.

• Both the Wilderness and Animal Kingdom Lodges are cheaper than the other deluxes due to their slightly smaller rooms and their more isolated locations compared to the theme parks.
• The WDW Swan and Dolphin are third-party-owned resorts located on WDW property and as such will not be covered in this comparison. They have an entirely different price schedule and their own military discount. See this page for more.

Shades of Green includes amenities such as full-service restaurants, quick-service dining options, limited room service, luggage service, swimming pools and hot tub, an Army-Air Force Exchange Store, discounted ticket sales, and bus transportation.

This is a comparison between the lowest cost room at each resort, a Standard View Room at the Beach Club, and a Standard Room at Shades of Green.

The Beach Club’s room in this review is representative of all the other Disney Deluxe resorts except as noted in each section.

Disney’s Deluxes offers various upgraded rooms for from $25 to $120 per night (not including suites or concierge). These upgrades can be in then room view or interior decoration.

Views range from the basic covered here through (roughly in order) garden/woods view, pool view, water view, to special types based upon the resort, like theme park view, savannah view, premium savannah view, tower theme park view, and tower lake view.

Interior options can be king beds, bunk beds, or concierge options.

Shades’ Rooms come in Standard (rated here), Poolside (identical to the standard view except for the view) for $10 more per night, and Family Suites.

Room – Price

Note: starting in 2018 the Disney Armed Forces Salute room discount rates are not a set percentage off, meaning that depending on your dates you might receive a lower discount amount; the only way to know what your price will be is to call (or have your Travel Agent do it for you).

For this comparison, I’ll be using the new 2025 Military Discount Percentages:

• Disney’s 2025 Armed Forces Salute discounted rates*. The Salute discounts are:
  • Disney Value Resorts – Up to 15% Off Rack Rates most of the year and 20% off during the summer
  • Disney Moderate Resorts – Up to 20% Off Rack Rates most of the year and 25% off during the summer

I’ll show the prices for Standard Rooms at both resorts.

Shades of Green – Shades of Green has 3 price categories for the standard room based on your rank/status:

1 October 2024 – 30 September 2025:

• Category 1 – $179.00 per night
• Category 3 – $229.00 per night
• Category 3 – $239.00 per night

1 October 2025 – 30 September 2026:

• Category 1 – $184.00 per night
• Category 3 – $237.00 per night
• Category 3 – $257.00 per night

Category #1 – E-1 thru E-6 and Cadets

Category #2 – E-7 thru E-9, O-1 thru O-3, WO-1 to CW-3, Widows, Medal of Honor Recipients, 100% Disabled Veterans.

Category #3 – O-4 thru O-10, CW-4, CW-5, Active and Retired DoD Civilians.

There is no tax added to these charges. This rate is for double occupancy, it is $2 less for single occupancy and add $15 per extra adult (ages 18+).

Shades of Green’s prices are the same every day of the year, they do not vary like Disney’s do.

The Beach Club – The Beach Club Resort’s 2025 rates for a standard room vary from $613 – $1117 per night including tax.

When the maximum Disney Armed Forces Salute discount of 30% the rate is applied these rates are reduced to $429 to $782 per night.

For each additional adult over 18 there is a $35 per night charge.

Prices for the other Deluxes for the same type of room range widely.

For a closer look at the price differences see our comprehensive post on Shades of Green – Disney Price Comparisons.

Disney’s Deluxe Resorts will never be cheaper than Shades of Green’s Category 3! Even on the cheapest day of the year at the cheapest Deluxe (Wilderness Lodge)!

Note: There are times of the year when the Disney Armed Forces Salute is not available at all, these are called blockout dates.

Shades of Green does offer discounts and packages at various times of the year. These vary widely and are often for specific very limited dates and are modified over time or canceled as rooms fill. In this comparison, I’m only comparing the rates available all year long. You should check to see if Shades is offering a discount or package for your dates!

There are other factors such as transportation which affect the bottom line though, so read on.

 

Room – Size

The Deluxe rooms have a maximum of five-person (four-person at the Wilderness and Animal Kingdom Lodges) occupancy per room (plus one child under 3 in a crib). Shades of Green offers five-person occupancy per room.

I took full measurements of both rooms. This included the full floor measurements of the sleeping area hall, closet, vanity, and bath areas (including the tub)

Shades of Green – At 514 square feet the Shades of Green room is the winner on size, hands down. This includes a large bedroom with 2 queen beds, a single sleeper sofa, entry hall, seating area with a small table and 2 chairs, a closet, and a large vanity area separate from the shower/toilet area. All Shades rooms have an inside hall, room entrance and a balcony/patio with a table and chairs.

The Beach Club – The Beach Club room measured in at 381 square. This includes a bedroom with an entry hall, seating area, closet, and separate vanity area from the shower/toilet area. All Deluxe rooms have an inside hall room entrance and a balcony/patio with a table and chairs.

Other Disney Deluxe rooms range in size from 344 square feet at the Wilderness and Animal Kingdom Lodges to 440 at the Grand Floridian.

Room – Beds

Both resorts have comfortable beds and pillows as well as great bedding.

Shades of Green – 2 Queen sized beds and a couch that converts to a day bed for one.  See how the couch-bed works (click next over the picture to see sequential pictures)

The Beach Club – 2 Queen sized beds a fold out sleeper couch. Some rooms only sleep 4 or have a single king bed.

Room – Amenities

Amenities at both resorts were very similar.

Each has complimentary wifi (Shades of Green’s is not very strong or dependable in the guest rooms), flat screen TV’s, mini fridge, coffee maker that uses coffee pods, a safe, iron and ironing board, toiletries, hair dryer, and luggage rack.

Both resorts had receptacles for recycling.

Room – Decor

The biggest difference between staying at Shades and a Disney resort is themeing. Shades is decorated like any civilian hotel and could be placed anywhere, worldwide and fit right in.

At the Disney resorts, you definitely know that you are at Disney. Some of their decorating is subdued, and some definitely isn’t depending on which resort you are staying in.

Shades of Green – Many worry that staying at Shades of Green will be like staying in billeting on base, but it’s definitely not, the rooms are top-notch. The rooms are decorated in greens (to tie into the resort name) with pictures of scenery and plants. The furniture is all good quality. It should be noted that, before the Army MWR purchased the resort from WDW, it was a deluxe Disney resort.

 

The Beach Club – The theming at the Beach Club surprisingly is not, “beachy” with cream, and pastel blues and greens. See the Mickey on the dresser, desk, and made of towels (by the maid) on the bed in the pic below. The furniture was all very good quality too.

Resort – Dining

Shades of Green – The food at Shades is, adequate, it is by no means bad, but if you are foodie looking for a fantastic meal perhaps you’d be more happy at one of WDW’s table service restaurants.  Much of the buffet food comes off the Sysco truck premade and is served as is.

Shades of Green – has a variety of restaurants:

• Manginos Steakhouse (Steaks and Seafood)
• The Garden Gallery (breakfast and dinner buffets and a la carte)
• Evergreens Sports Bar & Grill (sandwiches, wraps and burgers, salads, pizza, wings, and nachos)
• The Express Cafe (counter service breakfast and lunch sandwiches, pastries, snacks)
• The Java Cafe (Starbucks coffees teas, pastries, and ice cream
• Chip n’ Dale’s Deli (grilled hot dogs, wraps, sandwiches).

The Garden Gallery can be very busy in the mornings when everyone is trying to get going to the theme parks at the same time. MDT recommends a coffee and pastry at the Java Café or the Express Café to have while waiting on the theme park bus instead. Or do the same on arrival at one of the theme parks.

More on Shades of Green Dining

The Beach Club – Also has a variety of restaurants plus the other Epcot Area Resorts (Boardwalk Resort, Yacht Club Resort, and the WDW Swan and Dolphin) restaurants are in easy walking distance.

• The Beach Club Marketplace is a quick-service restaurant offering limited breakfast items, sandwiches, flatbreads, soups as well as prepackaged sandwiches and salads, desserts and drinks.
• Beaches and Cream is a 1950s themed soda shop serving burgers, hot dogs, soups, grilled cheese, and course ice cream.
• Cape May Café offers a daily character breakfast buffet featuring Beach-y Goofy and his friends. In the evening, the Cafe hosts a Clam Bake buffet with no characters.
• Hurricane Hanna’s Waterside Bar and Grill – fast food, snacks, and drinks for all ages.

Menus on DisneyWorld.com:

• The Beach Club Marketplace
• Beaches and Cream
• Cape May Café
• The Market at Ale & Compass
• Hurricane Hanna’s

 Resort – Recreation

The recreation options vary quite a bit between the two resorts while Shades used to be a Disney Deluxe Resort, the Disney resorts have progressed further since Shades ceased left the fold.

Shades of Green – Shades of Green has two pools, the Mill Pond pool is shaped like the Mickey Mouse icon and has a water slide and a kid’s water play area. The Magnolia Pool is the quiet pool featuring zero entry, walk-in access, and a hot tub. Shades of Green has an arcade. There are two lighted tennis courts and the resort sits in the middle of two of Disney’s golf courses. The clubhouse shares a parking lot with Shades of Green. For the little ones, there is a jungle gym/play set (at the Millpond Pool).

The Beach Club – Disney Deluxes offer an outstanding range of recreation options. Your recreation options include multiple pools and hot tubs including the very best resort pool on WDW property, Stormalong Bay, which is shared with the Yacht Club Resort, a sprawling, sand bottom, zero entry pool with a pirate ship play area, water slide, with cast member led activities, bike and surrey bike rentals, boat rentals (motor, pedal, and kayak), fishing, outdoor movies, a playground, and a video arcade.

Resort – Transportation 

It really depends on how you travel to your Disney World vacation:

Shades of Green – Guests arriving in Orlando via airline are responsible for obtaining and paying for their own transportation to Shades of Green.

Those driving to Shades of Green will have to pay $17 per night to park their car at Shades of Green. If you choose to drive your car to the parks, you’ll pay $35 a day for Disney theme park parking.

Shades does have its own small fleet of complimentary buses to take its guests to limited locations on WDW property.

Shades of Green currently offers bus service to:

• Transportation and Ticket Center (Magic Kingdom and Epcot)
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• Disney Springs
• Typhoon Lagoon

Shades Guests also have free full access to the WDW transportation system, which includes busses, the monorail, and various boat lines.

The Beach Club – As of January 2022, Guests arriving in Orlando via airline are responsible for obtaining and paying for their own transportation to Disney Resorts.

Those driving to their vacation at the Disney The Beach Club will pay no longer pay to park.

Parking is free at the Disney theme parks for Disney Resort guests. WDW resort guests have complimentary use of the WDW transportation system, which includes buses, the monorail, and various boat lines.

At the Beach Club bus transportation is available to all Disney World guest areas except Epcot and Hollywood Studios.

Boat Transportation to: Disney’s Yacht Club and BoardWalk Resorts, the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resorts, Epcot’s International Gateway, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Epcot’s International Gateway is also a short walk away and Hollywood Studios just a little farther in the opposite direction.

At Epcot’s International Gateway you can board the Disney Skyliner for Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and the Riviera, Caribbean Beach, Pop Century, and Art of Animation Resorts.

You should be aware that after boarding the Skyliner here, you will have to get off at the Caribbean Beach Station and get into a long line to board the route going to Hollywood Studios.

For Airport Transportation check out the Walt Disney World Airport Transportation section of my Transportation Overview Page.

Resort – Amenities

Shades of Green – Shades features on-site Disney and Orlando area ticket sales (tax free), an AAFES Store (tax-free souvenirs and sundries), luggage service, two guest laundries, an on-site Gym with cardio and Nautilus equipment, and a full-service Spa.

The Beach Club – features a Disney resort gift shop (souvenirs and sundries, luggage service, a guest laundry, on-site recreation, on-site childcare, an on-site Gym with cardio and Nautilus equipment, and a full-service Spa.

Disney – Amenities

Early Entry & Extended Evening Hours

Starting in October 2021, Disney Resort guests including Shades of Green guests will be eligible for the new Early Entry & Extended Evening Hours that replace Extra Magic Hours.

Guests may both enter every theme park early and stay late on select days at select Walt Disney World theme parks.

• Early Entry
• Extended Evening Hours

Disney Genie, Genie+, and Individual Lightning Lane Purchases

All guests can participate in Disney Lightning Lane Single Pass and Multi Pass in-app purchases. Guests staying at Shades of Green, all Disney Resorts, and the Swan and Dolphin Resorts can make Lightning Lane Single Pass and Multi Pass selections and purchase their Individual Lightning Lane attractions up to 7 days before their visit, while others will have to wait until 3 days prior.

Disney Lightning Lane Single Pass and Multi Pass Information

Guests staying at Disney Deluxes, Shades of Green, and the Swan and Dolphin Resorts can purchase Disney Lightning Lane Premier Pass, while those staying elsewhere cannot.

Disney Lightning Lane Premier Pass Information

Magic Bands

Those Shades guests wanting to use Magic Bands for their park tickets will need to buy their own, either ahead of time at the Disney Store or at a WDW gift shop.

Summary

Deciding which resort is right for your family is a very personal decision, so I’ve tried to present an impartial review of both resorts, listing both the good and the bad.

You’ll need to decide which of these areas/items are the most important for you, cost, amenities, room size, transportation, etc.

I hope you find this helpful! Please leave a comment below with which resort you’d choose and why.

 

Information on Shades of Green the Military Hotel on Disney World property

See all the current Shades of Green Discounts and Packages

 

Shades of Green vs. Disney Deluxe Resorts — FAQ

Which typically costs more: Shades of Green or a Disney Deluxe with the Armed Forces Salute?

Disney Deluxe Resorts price higher than Shades of Green—even compared to Shades’ Category 3—based on current examples in this guide. Always price your exact dates and room types to confirm.

What discount level applies to Deluxes with the Salute?

Disney advertises “up to” a percentage off for Deluxe resorts (and DVC villas noted in the post). The actual discount varies by resort, room type, and date, and blockouts apply.

Are Shades of Green rates taxed?

Shades’ room rates are tax-exempt. Disney Deluxe quotes include hotel tax after discounts.

How do standard room sizes compare?

Shades Standard rooms are about 514 sq ft and sleep up to 5 (2 queens + single sleeper). A typical Deluxe Standard room (e.g., Beach Club) runs ~381 sq ft (Deluxe range ~344–440 sq ft) with standard occupancy of 4–5, depending on bedding.

Do both offer balconies/patios and interior corridors?

Yes. Shades and Disney Deluxes have interior corridors and most rooms include a balcony or patio.

How does dining differ?

Shades offers multiple venues (quick-service, buffet breakfast, steakhouse, sports bar). Deluxes typically have more on-site table-service options, lounges, and easy access to neighboring resort dining (e.g., Beach/Yacht Club, BoardWalk area).

Transportation pros/cons?

Shades buses run to TTC (for Magic Kingdom/EPCOT), Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Disney Springs, and the operating water park; from those hubs you can use Disney transit. Many Deluxes sit on premium lines or walking paths (e.g., EPCOT/Studios boats & walkways, Monorail, Skyliner access nearby), which can save time—especially at rope drop and close.

What about parking costs?

Disney resort overnight parking is currently complimentary and theme-park parking is free for Disney resort guests. Shades guests pay the Shades overnight parking fee if they have a car and the current Disney theme-park parking rate if they drive to the parks.

Do Shades guests get Early Entry and Extended Evening Hours?

Yes. Shades guests get Early Entry at all parks and Extended Evening Hours on select nights (the same late-night benefit window Disney Deluxe guests receive).

Lightning Lane booking windows for Shades?

Shades guests can make Lightning Lane Multi Pass/Single Pass selections and purchase Individual Lightning Lanes on the earlier on-site timeline.

Any situations where a Deluxe beats Shades on price?

Based on the examples in this post, Deluxes do not undercut Shades Category 3. Inventory and promotions vary, so verify with live quotes if your dates are unusual.

Does Shades offer promos?

Sometimes. They’re limited, can change without notice, and aren’t used in this comparison. Check directly with Shades for current offers.

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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