Disney, SeaWorld and Busch Gardens offering free admission for military

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Walt Disney World and Worlds of Discovery are offering free admission for members of the military to their parks. While Disney is offering five days free, SeaWorld and Busch Gardens are offering free admission to the military member’s family as well. Disney’s offer extends to retired members.

Disney
With the “Disney’s Armed Forces Salute” offer, active and retired U.S. military personnel, including active and retired members of the United States Coast Guard and activated members of the National Guard or Reservists, can enjoy complimentary, multi-day admission into Disney’s U.S. theme parks and additional special ticket offers for family members and friends.

“For so many of the men and women who serve in our U.S. military, time together with their families is cause enough for celebration,” said Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “We are grateful for their service and hope ‘Disney’s Armed Forces Salute’ will allow our troops to create wonderful, magical memories with their family and friends.”

Through Dec. 23, 2009, each active or retired member of the U.S. military may obtain one complimentary 5-day “Disney’s Armed Forces Salute” ticket with Park Hopper and Water Park Fun & More options. This ticket is valid for five days of admission into the four Walt Disney World theme parks, plus a total of five visits to a choice of a Disney water park, DisneyQuest Indoor Interactive Theme Park or certain other attractions. During this offer period, active or retired U.S. military personnel may also make a one-time purchase of up to a maximum of five 5-Day “Disney’s Armed Forces Salute Companion” tickets (one theme park per day) for $99 per ticket, plus tax, for family members (including spouse) or friends. Although this ticket for family members and friends does not include either the Park Hopper or Water Park Fun & More options, this ticket can be upgraded to add either such option, or both, for an additional $25, plus tax, per option. All tickets and options are non-transferable and must be used by Dec. 23, 2009. Details can be found at www.disneyworld.com/military.

SeaWorld and Busch Gardens
Here’s to the Heroes provides a single day’s free admission to any one SeaWorld or Busch Gardens park, Sesame Place, Adventure Island or Water Country USA for the service member and as many as three of his or her direct dependents. Budweiser’s “Here’s to the Heroes” was launched in February 2005 to acknowledge the service of military men and women and the sacrifices made by their families.

“It is gratifying to all of us at Anheuser-Busch InBev that so many members of our armed forces have taken advantage of this program and honored us with a visit,” said Jim Atchison, president of Busch Entertainment Corporation. “This is a difficult time for our men and women in uniform – and their families – and we are honored to give them something back.”

Any active duty, active reserve, ready reserve service member or National Guardsman is entitled to free admission under the program. He or she need only register, either online at www.herosalute.com or in the entrance plaza of a participating park, and show a Department of Defense photo ID. Also included in the offer are members of foreign military forces serving in the coalitions in Iraq or Afghanistan or attached to American units in the U.S. for training.

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38 Comments

  1. Does carry over to the Retirees, I have a total of 40 years military service,; evans if it doesn’t, it’s a great program.
    Thank you

  2. It’s great to see the military being honored in any small way, but to shun the retired military is a sin. Retired personnel gave at least 20 years to defend our freedom. What about the disabled American Veterans. If you are going to honor the military then do it across the board and honor each of them for their dedication to the USA

  3. I just wanted to clarify free admission into Sea World. I am a retired Reservist interested in a weekend getaway with a friend who is employed with Federal Government (DOD) and hold a valid ID. What rules apply?

  4. I took advantage of the free admission to Sea World 4 yrs ago while my husband was active duty.. THANK YOU soooooo much!! It just doesn’t seem fair that since he’s retired, it doesn’t apply to us?? Not even at a discounted rate?

  5. I’ve called seaworld of orlando and they say retired military do not go in free. Last year we drove from tampa and ended up paying.. If you have something in writing please e-mail me so we can go this year.. Thanks

  6. Let me know if Sea World has free tickets for retired military disable for the year 2010. Or if you have any discounts.

  7. I am a Florida resident. My grandson is a Marine veteran. He will be visiting me in March, I want to bring he and his wife to Sea World. Will he qualify for a free ticket. He served in Iraq, Afganistan and Gitmo. Thank you

  8. As Clark Howard say’s, I shop with my feet. My family and I go to Florida 1 to 2 times per year. With a family of six, the park with the best discount gets my dollars, including food, gifts, etc. It gets pricey. I think the Busch Gardens program is great but would be nice if they included the retirees. A kid with 6 months service gets recognized but a family that sacraficed for 20 + years gets ignored. The same goes to local theaters etc. If you give a military discount, please include those who served most of their adult life.

  9. I don’t understand why retirees are treated like they are. It really bothers me that people don’t think of the service they have already given to this country and why they don’t deserve to get free service also.

  10. My husband is military veteran and we are traveling to Disney in Mid August, could we still obtain free tickets to the parks? Thanks

  11. I think this is a great offer for the military. However what about our retirees who are veterans and disabled. they also gave for our freedom and their bodies and families have suffered the same as active. For some this might be the last oppertunity to walk and enjoy memories pictures and finally relax with their familes. To exclude retires is is hurtful and shamless to act as if someone who is a vertern and retired to be excluded from this offer.
    please reconsider offering to the retires and verterns who have fought for your freedom to have an oppertunity to have such a wonderful place to go spend time with our familys.
    thanks so much for letting me vent my frustration on excluding us vetern retirees. 🙂

  12. WHAT A SHAME IT IS.HOW RET.MIL PERSONAL,AND RET.DISABLED VETS. ARE TREATED AT SEA WORLD AND BUSH GARDEN’S.HAVE THEY FORGOT ABOUT ALL THOSE SOLDIER’S .THAT LOST THIER LIVES, WIDOW’S AND CHILDREN.SO SAD.

  13. I agree with everyone above. This program looks wonderful, however retired military are not included. Those of you above who said that vets are included are incorrect. Only to Disney Parks, not Bush Gardens. So…… my husbands 20 + years including deployment to Iraq seems not to be appreciated by Bush Gardens. What a shame! Seems all our men and women who have so selfishly served our country should be included.
    Thank you to all the places that do include retirees, and I personally thank each and everyone of you….. active, inactive, retired or disabled! THANK YOU!

  14. My husband served 23yrs. with an honorable discharge. He suffered a heark attack his last year in the service. He recovered by the grace of God. He served in many deployments. Why can’t my family of five take advantage of free admission to Sea World San Antonio this summer. We are all equally important. Thank you for your time.

  15. My husband is a disabled vet also. No fair that their not included in the discount. A lot of sacrificing they did.

  16. I t would be nice if disabled and retired vets were included in free or discounted admissions we did sereve our country don’t forget about us..

  17. Lucky i would kill for freeeeeeeeee tickets to sea world Or Bush gardens im goin to seaworld next week
    MOOOHAHAHAHAHAHAH BUT I THANK THE MILITARY FOR KEEPING U.S.A SAFE LOVE YOU <3 😉

  18. I LOVE YOU U.S.A I HOPE TO EVER LEAVE THE U.S.A CAUSE IT WOULD BE SAD LIVE !!!!! LIVE DREAM AND BEEEEEEEE FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE :]

  19. To exclude retires is is hurtful and shamless to act as if someone who is a vertern and retired to be excluded from this offer.
    We were active also..

  20. i am pernmently disabled and will like if possible free tickets to disney land and others places of entertainment.i am on a fixed income. thank you

  21. How do I get a respond to my question? My husband is a pernmently disable veteran can he get discounted or free t ickets to disney World or other theme parks in Orlando

  22. My son would love to take his son who is six to seaworld for vacation 2012. He is a disabled veteran who really sacrificed. It’s a shame that Disney offers but Seaworld doesn’t. He can’t afford to take him to Disney it’s too far away. To see my grandsons face with excitement wanting to go and him wanting to take him for his bonding time with his son. I will buy their tickets. But, I just want to say, especially disabled veterans deserve some kind of regonition for all what they did for their country. Seaworld needs to rethink how they shun them out. They will lose business by doing this to retirees and veterans.

  23. I served my country for over 20yrs and as a result I am now a disable veteran. It would be great to visit the parks and enjoy fun times with my family. Who ever made up this policy needs to be review again and this time consider retire and disable soldiers.

  24. I’m very appreciative to Busch Gardens and Sea World that they make this generous offer to Active Duty. I’m retired, disabled, and don’t feel they owe me anything special.