Vacations can be expensive, and many military members and veterans can’t afford to spend a ton to take their family to a fun destination. Luckily, there are a variety of programs that can make a trip to an exciting city, fun amusement park, or other location more affordable. Here are a few of the great discounts, including Disney, that are available to active-duty military, retirees, or veterans.
Disney Discounts for Military and Veterans
Disney isn’t just a family-friendly destination; they are military-friendly as well. As long as you have a valid military-issued ID, including those given to retirees, you can visit Disney parks for less.
While the value of the discount can change from one year to the next, the Disney military promotional tickets are usually a good deal. For example, 5-day Disney World park hopper ticket purchases through December 15, 2019, are $257 plus tax each for eligible military or retiree families. The same tickets without a discount come in at over $460 on the Disney website.
Those who qualify can get their tickets at the ticket office on base or post. Additionally, they are available at Shades of Green resort which is only accessible to military members and retirees.
Moreover, while military families can take advantage of the Shades of Green resort, discounts are also available for other properties. Typically, you can save 30 to 40 percent off the normal room rates at certain Disney World and Disneyland hotels.
For those who prefer cruises, discounted rates for Disney Cruise Line are usually announced 30 to 60 days before the ship is set to leave the dock.
Other Amusement Parks
Disney isn’t the only amusement park that offers discounts to military members, veterans, retirees, and their families. In fact, there’s actually a pretty big selection.
For example, Dollywood gives active duty, retirees, reservists, disabled veterans, their spouses, and dependents 30 percent off. Through the Howling Heroes program, military families can save on a trip to a Great Wolf Lodge resort.
Kings Dominion allows active and retired military personnel to save on one-day tickets and season passes. Up to six family members can visit Kings Island for less when accompanied by a military member or veteran too.
LEGOLAND in Florida and California both have discount programs, and so does SeaWorld. Often, discounted tickets to Six Flags parks are available through base or post ticket offices, and Universal Studios even extends their military discounts to other DoD personnel.
Often, as long as one family member has a military-issued ID, that’s enough to enjoy the savings at these properties.
Events and Concerts
Founded in 2008, VetTix focuses on providing discounts to veterans, regardless of how long they served. The collect donated tickets from music performance bookers, entertainment companies, and sports teams, then distribute them through a lottery system.
The tickets themselves are actually free to veterans and their accompanying family members. All you have to pay is a small delivery fee of $14 or less.
There is a caveat to using VetTix. Since they use a lottery-style system, there is no guarantee that you’ll get the tickets. This can make planning a trip well in advance a challenge. However, for local events where travel arrangements would be simple, it’s hard to beat potentially free tickets.
Ultimately, all of these discounts can be incredibly valuable. If you are eligible, why not take advantage of them? Then, you can have an amazing vacation for less.
Do you know of any more great discounts for veterans and their families? Tell us about them in the comments below.
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