Military Discount Enquiry
 

Chaps,

Shameless use of the subscribers on this forum but can anyone offer some advice on Military Discounts available and best ways to take a holiday in Disneyland Florida.

I am still in the RAF and looking to take Mrs L and daughter there in Oct.

Any assistance/recommendations gratefully received.

MODS: Apologies if there was a better place to but this.

Cheers to all,

Follow the link as below

Military Discounts & Coupons - Travel, Hotels, Airfare, Disney

Two new offers just started for active service and veterans:

Cunard and Princess Cruises offer betwen USD50 and USD250 per veteran onboard credit on cruises.

:uhoh: Unless things have changed recently you are unlikely to get a discount from Disney. Even when working in Centcom plus a letter from my 2 Star Gen (US Army), Disney said no to discount. At the main entrance they even have a sheet showing the IDs they will accept (US Mil Only), they wouldn't even accept my US issued ID. Busch Gardens on the other hand was free for the family plus 20% off all consessions in the park.:ok:
Maybe things have changed this year?

So bypass the system as above - always a way........

As Jumping Jack says, use the US Navy MWR. It's just one block over on the western edge of Orlando International Airport. Make sure you turn up on a weekday during working hours and buy your tickets there.

MWR Dept ITT Manager SSP90 (ITT - Information, Tickets, and Travel)
ITT Office Orlando at the Navy Exchange Complex
Tradeport Dr.
Orlando, FL 32827
Commercial: 407-855-0116
Fax: 407-850-9149
E-Mail: [email protected]

When you are over, ask for a Military discount wherever you go, it's expected and generally given. PM me if you want any info on accommodation and car rentals etc.

I use this one personally:

Forces Discounts - The UK's largest forces discount website

You do have to register, but I've found it useful.

Shades of Green
 

We went a little over a year ago and the US Forces Shades of Green was a good place to buy discounted tickets and get advice. Google it for directions, but its an old disney hotel now operated by the US military, just show your RAF ID at the entry gate for access. The ticket office is just past the reception desk.

Nice to see the MWR at the US Navy Base doing the business. Regrettably the MWR at McDill weren't so accomodating! :sad:

Seaworld - I went there last year and was bowled over when I asked about mil discount - wondered if there might be 10% off or some such but the whole family was ushered in for free. At the main show, which was excellent, the commentator dedicates it to serving military personnel, and asks them to stand and be recognised - specifically naming Canada, UK and French allies. I was quite choked up. And it was a fabulous resort!

I asked military discount at a Car Hire in Florida (Nr Disneyland). No discount available but a free upgrade was :ok:

Paid for a standard four door sedan and instead got a Lincoln Town Car; which is the same type of vehicle that the President uses :)
http://www.news-blogs.com/_images/au...n_car_2006.jpg

Current adverts on TV state "Dine Free"
Small print says Aug/Sep = Hurricane Season!!!!!


Simple economics......
Appeal to lower-class England to eat free during school holidays, knowing that the real money will be spent on booze.
Everyone knows the Brits can drink the Yanks under the table, unless said Yanks are hiding from the hurricane under said table.

I stayed at Shades of green a few years ago. discounted tickets and relatively cheap accommodation. That would be my first port of call.

I used Shades of Green a few years ago and they were so helpful it was embarrassing! They asked me what we wanted to do, and they worked out the most cost effective way to do it. It probably saved us several hundred dollars. You can stay there during the low season, but they do work on a strict priority basis, with Brit Mil on their hols being quite low on the list! But hey, if you don't ask, you don't get!!

We also took a book called "Brits Guide to Orlando" that detailed nearly all the excursions offered by the tour companies, but gave you the direct numbers of the companies that operated them. Calling direct was way cheaper than the prices quoted by Sir Richard's lot, and then I asked if they offered Mil Discount and they became cheaper still. :ok:

Jumping Jack

Assuming you are talking about CENTCOM HQ at McDill AFB another option would have been to head over to the military ticket/travel office in the Exchange. No pain, no strain, discount tickets to the majority of the places worth visiting in Florida and beyond. I've done it a dozen times and seen customers with all sorts of allied uniforms in line.

When you are handing a valid prepaid ticket to the lads at Disney they don't care where you bought it (as it could be from any of a hundred discount programs), but buying it there can be problematic as you describe.

Yep, used the chaps and chapesses at the Exchange MWR place...very helpful and lots available, as I said only place we had difficulty with was Disney. The Busch Gardens/Seaworld discounts were great! Shame really as a few years ago when I was stationed up in Norfolk, VA, Disney had no problem with 'Foreign Mil'.

At the end of the day a discount is great, but even without we still enjoyed our days at Disney. :)