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Military Disney Tips Blog

By Military for Military

Ears of Experience Military Disney Vacation Experts
Home » Blog Posts » Shades of Green’s Shifting Military Discounts

Shades of Green’s Shifting Military Discounts

By Steve 7 Comments

The Shades of Green Resort is an Armed Forces Recreation Center located on Walt Disney World property near Orlando Florida.

Shades of Green opened it’s doors on 1 February 1994 in the resort that was previously known as the Disney Inn/Disney Golf Resort which was owned by Disney World.

(Updated January 2020)

Room Rates

Shades of Green has always set their room rates based upon military pay grades, just like the other Armed Forces Recreation Centers. There are 3 different price categories.

For most of its history these prices were very attractive compared to the rates at the Disney resorts.

Enter The Armed Forces Salute

In 2009 Disney began their almost constant offering of steeply discounted rooms to the military as part of their Armed Forces Salute. This new discount began to undercut the low rates at Shades of Green and room occupancy rates dropped. Shades responded by beginning to offer their own discounts.

Initially these discounts were not very attractive, offering minimal discounts on room rates and 5 dollars off the Regular Military Discounted Magic Your Way tickets.

After a year or so Shades began offering better, shorter term discounts, which are announced periodically through the year. Some were room only discounts, while others were packages that include dining for 2 at Shades of Green’s buffet restaurant, for either just breakfast or breakfast and dinner.

These packages were at times 30% to 40% off the regularly low price. There were several occasions when 50% off was offered.

Get Your Shades of Green Resort Discount Early!

The Beautiful Shades of Green Resort at Walt Disney World

Shifting Discounts

Then in 2012 Shades of Green advised me that they would begin offering their discounts in an “Early Reward” style.

[…the discounts that are offered ] in the future will be in the style of “early rewards.” For instance we are currently offering a 50% discount in January, but as we move closer to the winter we may see that become 20%.  Over the next year, it will definitely pay to plan ahead! 

                                                       – Deidra Penny, Director of Sales and Marketing Shades of Green July 2012

Based on that plan Shades began to alter their discounts as time goes on. They would make an initial announcement with the dates and discount details, but as rooms fill up they will start altering the offer in different ways.

  • They will reduce the discount percentage. For example, the initial 40% off will shrink to 30% or 20%
  • They will reduce the dates the discount is offered, a full month offer is suddenly only available for a week and a half or on just a few certain dates.
  • Packages that included dining will have the dining option deleted, but the price remains the same.
  • A percentage off offer for all categories will be changed to a dollar value off per night which makes the cost higher than the original percentage off price
  • They’ll even totally change the name of a discount. Example the February 2013 Carnevale Special was renamed the I Heart SOG February Special with major changes.
  • They will totally discontinue a discount

The initial discount percentage offered is almost always the best deal offered and will decrease over the life of the offer.

In recent years, very occasionally one day to a few will be added (usually in conjunction with other days dropping off).

Discounts Have Decreased Over Time

As mentioned above in the early years of this decade the discounts started at 50 or 40 percent off regular room rates and dropped to 30 or 20 percent before being cancelled. In the mid decade the starting discount became 30 percent off. Then in 2017 under a new manager the initial discounts were down to 20 to 10 percent off.

Since 2019 the discounts have become only 10 to 15 percent off. Also some discounts are offered only for a hand-full of days.

New in 2020 a whole new group of veterans is eligible to stay at Shades of Green, this could have a negative effect on discounts, reducing available dates or eliminating them altogether!

While the discount amounts now remain steady at these low amounts, offered dates do change. Dates are usually reduced, but occasionally a day or two might be added.

Get Your Deal Early

So the take-away from this post is that if you are planning to stay at Shades of Green, jump on a discount for your dates as soon as it is announced!

See our list of all the current Shades of Green discounts.

For more info on Shades of Green check out the links below:

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.

 


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
  • Disney Tickets at Shades of Green
  • Magic Bands for Shades of Green Guests

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 Guide 
  • Military Disney Tips Disney Packing Checklist 
  • Disney Military Tickets – Your Start to Finish Guide
Learn about the Disney Armed Forces Salute the best military discount that there is for Disney. See our Topic Overview Pages:
  • 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

Save on your Disney Vacation With Military Ears of Experience

Ears of Experience Disney Only Travel Agency. Military family owned and operated! They know all the ins and outs of Disney military discounts!

 
 
 

 

Filed Under: Shades of Green Tagged With: Dining, Military Discounted Rooms, Shades of Green, Shades of Green Packages

Comments

  1. Ann-Marie says

    4 March 2013 at 15:37

    We go to Disney every year and we get our military discount too. But even with that; its still so expensive. So we’ve done some research and started following The Ultimate Disney World Savings Guide. It is awesome and I do it with our Military discounts and we can actually afford it.

    Reply
  2. Tim Kerwin says

    15 April 2013 at 20:47

    Your website is great. I am taking my family with grandkids to DW in may/jun. total of 11 family. So I have learned a lot by using your website. Thank you. I do have a few questions if I may; you mention the AAFES store is closed for remodeling and the temp facility has limited items. By any chance do you know if I will be able to buy diapers at the temporary AAFES? Also you didn’t mention when the new AAFEs will be ready; I did see the Magnolia pool is closed thru July. Thanks for all the info. Great help.

    Reply
    • Steve says

      16 April 2013 at 07:42

      Hi Tim,

      I do believe that they have some kind of diapers.

      Unfortunately I do not know how long it will take them to do the remodel of the normal location.

      Hope you guys have fun! Steve

      Reply
  3. Arnold says

    11 April 2017 at 08:04

    There does not seem to be any new discounts ! Do you have any idea why ?

    Reply
    • Steve says

      12 April 2017 at 06:42

      Hi Arnold,

      Shades of Green will be starting a very long remodel of the Magnolia Wing in September. This will reduce the amount of available rooms and thus eliminate the need to attract extra bodies with discounts to fill the last remaining rooms during lower attendance periods. Expect discounts to be slim for 18 to 24 months.

      Reply
      • arnold says

        12 April 2017 at 12:31

        Thank you -Sorry to hear that !!!

        Reply
  4. Joanna says

    30 April 2018 at 09:06

    It is sad to me that Shades if Green offers its best discounts to those who can plan early. As you all know, active duty military can’t often plan that far ahead with vacations due to requesting leave. I have never been able to plan more than 2 months ahead with my husband’s schedule since we never know exactly when they come home from deployment or an exercise.

    Reply

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