In honor of Veterans Day, the Walt Disney Company has announced several deals for Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and Walt Disney World. These include ticket deals for the Florida and California parks, as well as a deeply-discounted 2026 WDW Annual Pass that’ll cost a fraction of the normal AP price. Here are full details about the special offers and more that Disney is doing to commemorate Veterans Day.
In case you missed it, today is the official kickoff of the “Disney Celebrates America” campaign, the once-in-a-lifetime celebration of the 250th Anniversary of the United States. The Semiquincentennial event starts on Veterans Day 2025 and continues through the Fourth of July 2026 weekend to honor America’s past, celebrate the present, and inspire its future.
Both Walt Disney World and Disneyland will feature heavily in “Disney Celebrates America,” and one such way is the discounts that’ll be offered throughout 2026 at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and DCL. Here are more details from Disney’s announcement…
Disney Cruise Line 2026 Military Discounts
U.S. military service members and retired veterans can set sail and enjoy the magic of Disney at sea while visiting spectacular destinations around the world with special offers on select Disney Cruise Line sailings.
Eligible active and retired US military personnel can earn a $250 onboard credit per stateroom for all 2026 sailings from Florida aboard the Disney Wish and Disney Dream. Disney Cruise Line is also offering special military rates on select Disney cruises.
Once onboard, everyone in the family will enjoy extraordinary entertainment, world-class dining and industry-leading guest service that immerses guests in legendary storytelling that only Disney can create. Visit disneycruise.com for complete details.
Disneyland 2026 Military Discounts
Disneyland Resort is saluting active and retired U.S. military personnel with promotional theme park tickets.
With the 2026 Military Salute Ticket Offer, eligible service members can visit Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park with discounted 3-Day and 4-Day Park Hopper tickets valid for visits January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026. Park reservations are required. This offer will be available for purchase November 18, 2025, through December 27, 2026, at participating U.S. military base ticket offices and via GOVX.com.
2026 Military Salute Disneyland Ticket Deal:
- 3-Day Park Hopper: $314
- 4-Day Park Hopper: $369
- 3-Day Park Hopper with Lightning Lane Multi Pass: $416
- 4-Day Park Hopper with Lightning Lane Multi Pass: $505
An additional opportunity for special savings, a 1-Day, 1-Park Disneyland Resort Military Adult Ticket is $104, subject to park reservation availability. A 1-Day, 1-Park child ticket (ages 3-9) is also available for $98.
For the first time, these tickets are available for purchase via GOVX.com – in addition to U.S. military base ticket offices – beginning November 18, 2025, valid for visits November 18, 2025 through December 30, 2027 (so an expiration that’s one full year later than the above deal), with no blockout dates.
U.S. military members can visit their military base ticket office or GOVX.com starting November 18, 2025 for more information, including eligibility requirements and other restrictions.
Walt Disney World 2026 Ticket Deals
To celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, Walt Disney World is introducing the “Disney Celebrates America” Military Salute Ticket. This commemorative ticket is available to eligible U.S. service members and their families for just $499 per person plus tax, granting access to all four Walt Disney World theme parks throughout 2026.
Additionally, we continue the tradition of offering our Disney Military Salute Tickets that offer outstanding value for 2026 visits. Eligible U.S. service members can enjoy a 6-Day Park Hopper ticket for $449 plus tax (just $75 per day, plus tax). Specially priced 4-Day and 5-Day Park Hopper tickets are also available.
Both ticket offers are valid January 1 through December 18, 2026, with an advanced theme park reservation and subject to blockout dates from March 29 – April 11, 2026 and November 22 – 28, 2026. For more information, details on how to purchase and eligibility, please visit your local participating military base or our official website.
The “Disney Celebrates America” Military Annual Pass is obviously the best deal of the bunch at only $50 more than the 6-day ticket. This is basically Walt Disney World’s Sorcerer Annual Pass, but with one week of additional blockouts around Easter.
Notably, the Sorcerer AP is only available to eligible Disney Vacation Club Members and Florida residents…and it costs $1,099. The least-expensive Annual Pass that the general public can purchase is the top tier Disney Incredi-Pass, which has no blockouts, but also a massive $1,629 price tag. Comparatively, the “Disney Celebrates America” Military Annual Pass is an exceptional deal. Assuming you’re a military member (or family) and plan on spending over 6 days at Walt Disney World in 2026.
What’s unclear is whether this all-year access ticket will offer Annual Pass benefits. We’re the ones who have dubbed this an Annual Pass–not Disney. Given that it’s valid for overwhelming majority of the 2026 calendar year, the term seems apt. However, that doesn’t mean it’ll come with the normal AP benefits; it probably won’t. (If it does, it’s probably worth upgrading from the 6-day tickets to the all-year ticket solely for the discounts.)
The other ticket deals are likewise the best that Walt Disney World offers. While we don’t yet have pricing for the 4-5 day durations (or other add-ons), expect them to be around $30 to $50 cheaper. That’s the case for this year’s version of the deals, which really encourage purchase of the longer duration since the incremental cost for anything more than 4 days is pretty low. Same idea with the “Disney Celebrates America” AP. It’s a total of $50 extra whether you visit for 7 days or over 300 days.
My only real ‘critique’ of the Military Salute Tickets is that the Walt Disney World version continues to require reservations. The blockout dates already serve this role, and it’s pointless to have reservations on regular (non-AP) tickets in 2026. It’s not 2022 anymore. Honestly, I’d go a step further and say it’s also silly to have reservations on Walt Disney World Annual Passes in 2026. Disneyland is a different story.
No further analysis of these Walt Disney World and Disneyland ticket deals is necessary. Year in and year out, these are the cheapest tickets that Disney offers. If you qualify, jump on this deal.
This is a great price for a 6-day park ticket, and an exceptional deal on the “Disney Celebrates America” AP. If you’re eligible for these tickets, buy them, as they are without a doubt the best deal you’ll be able to find. None of the authorized third party sellers or other advice in our Discount Walt Disney World Ticket Tips advice applies for those who are eligible for the Armed Forces Salute. This is your best deal, period.
For those already looking ahead to 2027, the 4-6 day ticket deal is a frequently-offered discount, extended every year since (at least) 2009. The cadence over the last few years has been to release close to Halloween, so if you’re already anxiously awaiting the 2027 version of this deal, it’s safe to anticipate that sometime between the start of Disney’s new fiscal year in October and Veterans Day (it presumably happened late this year to coincide with the “Disney Celebrates America” kick-off).
Disney Celebrates America Details
As America’s preeminent storyteller, Disney will help bring the semiquincentennial to life by celebrating the dreams, stories, and optimism that have inspired generations. From sports and entertainment to travel and tourism, Disney encourages families everywhere to explore, learn and discover the diverse lands, and vibrant communities that make up our shared story.
“At its heart, America’s story is one of imagination, ambition, and possibility – the same ideals that have guided Disney since the beginning,” said Robert A. Iger, Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company. “This celebration honors both a nation and a spirit that never stop dreaming about what’s next.”
To mark the occasion, Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort will celebrate coast-to-coast, anchored by the Summer 2026 opening of Soarin’ Across America, an immersive flight experience aboard the beloved Soarin’ attractions at Disney California Adventure park and EPCOT. Soarin’ Across America will take guests on a breathtaking journey, highlighting some of the country’s natural beauty and iconic cityscapes.
“Disney Celebrates America” will culminate over the weekend of July 4, 2026 with a 24-hour, multi-platform broadcast that highlights the United States Semiquincentennial events nationwide across Disney’s linear networks and streaming platforms, including Disney+, Hulu, ABC, Disney Channel, ESPN, Freeform, FX and National Geographic, ending with a special evening fireworks broadcast from Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort.
David Muir, anchor and managing editor of “World News Tonight with David Muir,” will lead the daylong coverage and be joined by ABC News anchors and correspondents, iconic ESPN commentators, and National Geographic Explorers reporting from across the country for this one-in-a-lifetime presentation featuring top entertainers, athletes, explorers, and historians – all coming together to spotlight the wonder, achievements, and dreams that define the American spirit.
As part of the United States Semiquincentennial celebration, the beloved fireworks show “Disney’s Celebrate America! — A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky,” will play across all three nights of the holiday weekend, July 3-5, 2026, at both Disneyland and Magic Kingdom.
There will be other special events and offerings as part of “Disney Celebrates America” with relevance to Walt Disney World and Disneyland fans:
In June 2026, ABC News Studios will present a two-hour primetime special that journeys through the heart of our nation – where the real-life spirit of iconic locales like New Orleans and the American frontier comes alive through the beloved lands of Disney Parks, connecting audiences to the extraordinary people, places, histories, and traditions that make America unique.
Disney Consumer Products will once again honor our nation’s heroes with a new special military-inspired assortment now available at select locations across Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort, while supplies last. In addition, debuting in May 2026, an array of Americana merchandise, including select items commemorating America’s milestone anniversary, will be available for purchase at Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort, and DisneyStore.com.
Ultimately, it’s good to see the Walt Disney Company renewing and expanding the Military Salute special offers at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and Disney Cruise Line for 2026. I’m glad Disney continues to offer this, as it’s well-deserved, appropriate, and generates goodwill among not just members of the military–but also those in the general public who appreciate the fact that the Walt Disney Company continues to live up to its historic legacy of honoring service.
I’m likewise pleased to see this extend to the broader “Disney Celebrates America” campaign. As mentioned elsewhere, this is exactly what the United States needs more of in these unnecessarily charged and polarized times. Exercises in patriotism instead of politics that remind us of what makes this great nation special and works to unite the country instead of divide us.
This whole “Disney Celebrates America” for the 250th Anniversary of the United States should be a nice reprieve from the polarization, similar to how the parks already bring together people from all walks of life in the first place. We can’t wait to see what else is in store for the celebration beyond Soarin’ Across America and the big Independence Day weekend spectaculars.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
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