2009 is a great year for anyone to visit WDW, but it’s an especially good year for military personnel and their families. Through December 23, every active or retired US military member is entitled to a free 5-day Disney’s Armed Forces Salute ticket! Yes, FREE! What’s more, he or she can purchase up to five additional 5-day companion tickets for $99 plus tax each.

These special tickets expire December 23, 2009 and the “No Expiration” option cannot be added. The Armed Forces Salute Tickets have both the the “Park Hopper” and the “Water Park Fun & More” option, but the companion tickets do not. For $25 plus tax you can add either option to a companion ticket.

Military personnel must present a valid US military ID (active or retired). Activated members of the National Guard or Reservists must present active duty orders in addition to valid military ID. In order to be eligible, the military member must have been active for any length of time between January 1, 2008 and December 23, 2009.

You might want to stay in Disney’s military-only resort, Shades of Green. Although I’ve never been (it really is military-only!), I’ve heard wonderful things about it. Rates are based on rank and are very reasonable in contrast to comparable Disney resorts. You can check it out here.

You’ve served your country, now what are you going to do? (This is the part where you say, “I’m going to Disney World!”)

Happy Travels!

OK, so this isn’t really new news. The free dining offer was announced a few weeks ago. But for those of you who are new to Affording the Mouse, I thought I’d take this opportunity to explain the Disney Dining Plans.

First, the free offer. For travel dates between August 16 and October 3, guests that book a full price Magic Your Way package (that’s basically a resort stay with at least a one-day ticket purchase) for at least three nights will receive the Disney Dining Plan for free! Must be booked by June 21.

So, what exactly is the Disney Dining Plan? Well, it’s actually several plans. Let’s break it down:

• New for 2009 is the Quick Service Dining plan. For each night of your stay, every guest over 3 gets 2 quick-service meals and 2 snacks. Each guest also gets a refillable mug that can be used at the resort of stay for unlimited soft drinks, coffee, milk, etc. The cost of this plan is $31.99 per day for adults and $9.99 per day for children 3-9.
• The basic Disney Dining plan includes (per night of stay): 1 table-service meal, 1 quick-service meal, and 1 snack. Cost is $39.99 per day for adults and $10.99 per day for children 3-9.
• The Deluxe Dining plan allows (per night of stay) a choice of 3 table-service or quick-service meals, plus 2 snacks per guest. Guests also receive refillable mugs. This plan is $71.99 per day for adults and $20.99 per day for children 3-9.
• Finally, there’s the Wine and Dine plan. This one can be added to any other dining plan, and includes one wine entitlement per room per night of your stay. (Some wines “cost” more than one entitlement.) A more detailed explanation is here. This one adds $39.99 per day per room (not per person) and is obviously only available to adult guests.

There are other premium packages available, but since this blog is called Affording the Mouse, I don’t recommend those based on cost. A few other caveats: kids must order from the kids menu, if one is available. Some special table service meals, such as character meals, “cost” two credits. Snack credits can be used for obvious items in the park (ice cream, drinks, etc.) but can also be used for some pre-packaged snack items in gift shops. So, if you’re nearing the end of your vacation and you have leftover snack credits, see what you can find at your resort shop.

Are the dining plans a good deal? When they’re free, certainly! But if you are paying full price, there are a few things to consider. What age are your children? If you have a ten-year-old, you’re going to pay the full adult price, and he or she may not eat the full entree. And what are your priorities? Do you want to spend an hour or more each day at a table service restaurant? And do you want to have most of your meals planned in advance? (Since the introduction of the dining plans, table service restaurants are often booked weeks, if not months, in advance. ADRs are absolutely necessary if you plan to use those table service credits.)

If fine dining is a priority, if your family enjoys sharing relaxing meals together, and if you are all hearty eaters, the dining plans can be a great value. But, if you’re like me and have preschoolers who would rather be riding Dumbo than sitting at Le Celliar, it’s probably best to skip dining.

But, hey, when it’s free…

DisneyShopping.com has undergone a redesign and is now DisneyStore.com. At a glance, the changes seem minimal. In fact, if I hadn’t received an email alerting me to the change, I might not have even noticed it. See it for yourself here.

And here’s the important news: DisneyOutlet.com hasn’t changed! For those of us who never pay full price, this is THE site for Disney merchandise. Sign up for email alerts, and you’ll get first notice of deals like free shipping and seasonal sales. Sure, the merchandise isn’t always the “latest & greatest” Disney has to offer, but most items are the very same ones you would have paid 25-50% more for at DisneyStore.com just a few weeks or months before. I especially like shopping for kids costumes here, since they are deeply discounted throughout the year.

Speaking of costumes, there’s a whole new line of princess costumes for 2009. You can see them all by clicking here. Happy shopping!