A military spouse in San Diego just saved $3,400 on her family’s summer entertainment plans. Theme parks, movies, sports games – all at a fraction of the regular price. Most service members have no idea these discounts exist, and theme parks aren’t exactly advertising them on billboards.
Theme Parks’ Best-Kept Military Secrets
Remember when Disney World cost an arm and a leg? Not anymore. Military families are walking through those gates at half price, but that’s just scratching the surface. Disney’s keeping quiet about their best deals – deluxe resorts at moderate prices. Picture this: Animal Kingdom Lodge, with giraffes outside your window, at Pop Century rates. One Army family just booked a week at the Polynesian for less than regular rooms at Caribbean Beach Resort.
The real magic happens when you know how to stack these discounts. Jessica Martinez, an Air Force spouse, combined half-price park hoppers with Disney’s unpublished military resort rates and saved $2,800 on her family’s vacation. “We even got free dining during our stay,” she says. “The kids watched Magic Kingdom fireworks from our balcony every night.” Pro tip: Disney’s Memory Maker photo package, normally $199, comes free with military tickets.
Universal Studios is beating Disney at the military discount game, but they’re weirdly quiet about it. Beyond their advertised ticket discounts, they’re giving military families front-of-line passes free during certain months – that’s an $89 per person value. A Navy family recently scored three free nights at Universal’s Hard Rock Hotel just by asking about unadvertised military specials. The best part? You can get early park admission without staying on the property, a perk usually reserved for resort guests.
Entertainment That Won’t Empty Your Wallet
Are those movie theater lines on opening weekends? Military families are skipping them entirely. Regal Cinemas runs this under-the-radar deal called Military Mondays – free tickets, for any movie, any showtime. Even AMC’s military discount works on blockbuster opening nights. Tech Sergeant Mike Chen used this for the latest Marvel movie, saving $84 for his family of four, including IMAX upcharges.
Sports stadiums are practically rolling out red carpets for military families, but you won’t see it on their websites. The Yankees keep their best field-level seats aside for military members at regular prices. The Red Sox? They’re offering free stadium tours before military appreciation games. During a recent Seahawks game, an Air Force family got upgraded to club-level seats just by showing up early and mentioning their military connection.
Year-Round Access to Premium Entertainment
Six Flags’ military deal is almost too good to be true – half-price season passes and free parking all year. But here’s what most people miss: Their Flash Pass discount stacks with military rates. Marine Corps Sergeant Sarah Thompson saved over $400 by combining these deals for her family of five. “We’ve been to the park twelve times this summer,” she says. “The Flash Pass means no waiting in lines, even on busy days.”
The savings get even better at Busch Gardens and SeaWorld. Their Waves of Honor program dishes out free admission, but nobody tells you about the hidden perks. Military families can visit multiple parks, get free dining plans during off-peak seasons, and even score behind-the-scenes tours that normally cost extra.
Local attractions often beat the big chains for military savings. The San Diego Zoo, usually $62 per adult, opens its gates to military families free of charge. At the Bronx Zoo, military members get unlimited free admission plus three guests. A Marine family recently saved $140 at their local aquarium just by flashing their military ID at the ticket counter.
Indoor entertainment centers are jumping on the military discount bandwagon too. Main Event and Dave & Busters start at 20% off everything – games, food, drinks, the works. Sign up for their military rewards first, though. That discount jumps to 30% during off-peak hours. One Army family turned a $200 gaming package into a $140 deal, plus they got free game credits for their next visit.
Chuck E. Cheese might sound old school, but their military Mondays include 20 free game tokens with any purchase. Sky Zone Trampoline Parks give military families 30% off jump time, and they’ll throw in free SkySocks – a small perk that adds up when you’re bringing the whole family.
Even water parks are making waves with military deals. Great Wolf Lodge cuts room rates by 30% for service members, but here’s the real splash: They offer free waterpark passes on military appreciation days. Kalahari Resorts matches the room discount and raises the stakes with free meal vouchers during off-peak seasons. One Air Force family turned their weekend getaway into a four-day vacation for the same price.
The streaming world’s getting competitive for military dollars too. Netflix, Hulu, and Spotify are bundling up services at rock-bottom prices. That Spotify Premium, Hulu, and Showtime package that normally costs $28? Military members get it for $4.99 monthly. Amazon Prime drops from $14.99 to $6.99, and Disney+ offers 30% off annual subscriptions through the Exchange.
Museums across the country are opening their doors too. The Blue Star Museums program isn’t just about free admission to 2,000+ museums nationwide. Many of these places offer year-round military free admission, but you have to ask. The Museum of Science in Boston includes free IMAX tickets for military families. The Kennedy Space Center goes beyond basic admission, offering backstage tours to military families at no extra charge.
Your base’s Information, Tickets & Travel (ITT) office is sitting on goldmines of savings that never make it online. They often have exclusive deals that beat public military discounts by miles. An Army family recently booked a Universal Studios package through ITT that included their hotel, tickets, and meal plan for less than just the regular ticket prices.
Local deals might be the biggest secret of all. Every city has hidden military perks at family entertainment spots. From bowling alleys offering free games on certain days to mini-golf courses giving military kids free rounds with paying adults, these deals add up fast. A Coast Guard family in Seattle saves about $200 monthly just by using local military discounts for weekend entertainment.
Make These Savings Work for You
Your military service earned these benefits – but they won’t find you. Keep your military ID handy and always ask about discounts, even if you don’t see them advertised. Check your base’s ITT office before booking anything, and join military discount groups on social media where families share their latest finds. These aren’t just discounts; they’re opportunities to create amazing family memories without breaking the bank. Share these tips with other military families – they deserve every chance to save too.