Ticketing FAQs

Below is a list of some frequently asked questions about purchasing tickets through the Shades of Green in Orlando, Florida. If you have further questions, please complete the online form and we will get back to your shortly. 

Can I buy the Universal Express pass here?
The Universal Express pass is only available for purchase directly from Universal. It can be purchased online or at the park. The cost varies by day.

Can I buy Epic Universe tickets from you?

We do not sell tickets for Epic Universe at this time.  If you have purchased Universal Freedom Pass tickets from us, you are able to buy tickets for Epic Universe directly from Universal.  See Military Ticket Deals and Specials | Universal Orlando Resort™ for more information.  

Can I buy Lightning Lane passes here?
Lightning Land passes can only be purchased using the My Disney Experience app or website.

What is Lightning Lane?
Lightning Lane is a service provided by Disney that allows guests to book return times for rides so that they can avoid long standby lines. The service can be purchased through the "My Disney Experience" app or website. You can purchase Lightning Lane passes either 3 or 7 days in advance of your visit, depending on where you are staying.
For more information, please see Plan Ahead and Save Time in Line with Lightning Lane Passes | Walt Disney World Resort

Can I buy Memory Maker (PhotoPass) here?
Memory Maker must be purchased from Disney. To get the military discount, you will need to show your military ID at any Disney Ticket Counter or Guest Services office.

Can I buy Magic Bands at Shades of Green?
Shades of Green does not sell Magic Bands. They can be purchased from Shop Disney online before your visit, or at many stores in the Disney Resorts, Parks, or Disney Springs.

Do I need to buy Magic Bands?
A Magic Band is a convenient way to have your ticket on your wrist, but is not necessary for your park visit. If you are using Lightning Lanes or Memory Maker it may be worthwhile to have a Magic Band as you will need to scan your ticket each time you access a ride or have photos taken.

When are you open?
Our ticket office is open every day from 8am to 6pm.

Where is Shades of Green?
The address for Shades of Green is 1950 W Magnolia Palm Dr, Lake Buena Vista 32830. We are located across the street from Disney's Polynesian resort. To access our property, you will need to have a valid military ID (VHIC or Uniformed Services ID card).

Am I eligible to buy tickets?
Eligible guests include 

• Active duty service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Cadets of Armed Forces Academies, Reserve and National Guard
• Retired from Active Duty, Reserves, and National Guard
• Family members with current ID, including spouse, dependent child and guardian (child must be present), former spouse with benefits, and deceased with benefits/widow
• Current and retired Department of Defense and Coast Guard Civilian employees
• Current and retired Department of Defense and Coast Guard Civilian employees
• Veterans with a service-connected disability, Former POW, Purple Heart recipients, Medal of Honor recipients with a Veterans Health Identification Card issued by the Veterans Affairs Office (ONLY DURING THE MONTHS OF JANUARY AND SEPTEMBER, veterans with a DD-214 and proof of honorable discharge)

Not all of these categories qualify for Military Promotional tickets which are restricted to certain categories of service members

Why can't I buy the Military Promotional tickets?
Only certain categories of service members are eligible to purchase tickets labeled as "Military Promotional". These are deeply discounted tickets and the rules of sale governing who can purchase these tickets are determined by the theme park or company offering the promotion.

Can I buy tickets from you if I'm not staying at Shades of Green?
Yes. You do not need to be a guest at Shades of Green to purchase tickets.

My family member is a service member. Can I submit an order for them?
The service member or their spouse must be the person who signs the order form, and the service member or spouse must be available to speak with the ticket agent. If the service member is deployed and wishes to have someone act on their behalf, they will need to send an email from their military email address specifying who will be acting for them. We are not able to accept orders from family members other than the spouse of the service member or a dependent child with a current Uniformed Services ID card.

Why can't veterans buy tickets?
Eligibility for services is listed in Title 10 of the United States Code and is modified only by a Congressional Bill.

Can I buy tickets online?
We do not have an online purchasing program. To purchase tickets without visiting Shades of Green, please download our order form from shadesofgreen.org. The order form will need to be completed and returned to us by attaching it to our web form, or you can send it by email or fax. One of our ticket agents will call to collect payment and in most cases tickets are emailed to you.

How do I get my free SeaWorld/Busch Gardens tickets?
Active duty service members qualify for up to 4 free tickets for SeaWorld or Busch Gardens. To register for tickets, visit wavesofhonor.com.

How long will it take to get my tickets?
Response times will vary by time of year. Generally, from the time your order is submitted until you receive your tickets will be 1-3 days. During peak times the delay may be slightly longer.

Can I purchase tickets on the phone?
We do not take orders by phone. We must have a signed order form to process a ticket order. To purchase tickets without visiting Shades of Green, please download our order form from shadesofgreen.org. The order form will need to be printed, signed, and returned to us by email or fax. One of our ticket agents will call to collect payment and shipping information, and the tickets are shipped by FedEx.

Can I have tickets emailed to me?
In most cases we email tickets. Some tickets have to be sent by FedEx, and a handling fee will be applied.

I am overseas. How can I get my tickets?
In most cases we can email tickets.  In rare cases we will hold the tickets here at our Ticket Desk for pickup.

Can you hold my tickets at Shades of Green?
We do not generally hold tickets at Shades of Green. There are some exceptions like guests who are overseas and do not have a U.S. mailing address. In these cases, we will hold tickets at the Ticket Desk at Shades of Green for pickup.

Can I activate tickets here that I bought from my local base?
We cannot activate tickets bought from a base. Disney tickets that need activation should be taken to any Disney Guest Services office or Ticket Office.

How do I submit a ticket order?
To purchase tickets without visiting Shades of Green, please download our order form from shadesofgreen.org. The order form will need to be printed, signed, and returned to us by email or fax. One of our ticket agents will call to collect payment and will email the tickets.

How many tickets can I buy?
It depends on what kind of ticket you are purchasing. For Disney Military Promotional tickets there is a limit of 6 tickets per military sponsor per promotional period (generally 1 year). For the Military Freedom Pass for Universal, there is a limit of 6 tickets for the sponsor and (if married) 6 tickets for the spouse, but must all be purchased at one location.

For most other tickets, including Disney's Theme Park (non-promotional) tickets, there is no limit on the number of tickets that can be purchased.

What does "Plus" mean?
Disney has many ticket options including base (1 park each day), park hopper (more than 1 park each day), and park hopper plus (PHP). PHP tickets are park hopper tickets, and also include entry to the water parks, mini-golf, and the Oak Trail golf course (9 hole).

What is a "Disney Theme Park" ticket?  How is it different from the Military Promotional ticket?
Disney Theme Park tickets are discounted for military service members. These tickets have fewer restrictions than the military promotional tickets.

Military Promotional tickets are restricted to service members (active, retired, reservist, or DAVPRM) and spouses who have a Uniformed Services ID card. The sponsor or spouse must be using one of the tickets, and there is a limit of 6 tickets per promotional year. Military Promotional tickets can be used in any combination of days until the expiration date. As an example, you could purchase a 5 day promotional ticket and use 2 days in February, 2 days in July, and 1 day in November.  Park reservations are required when using the Military Promotional tickets.

The Disney Theme Park tickets are available to all people who are eligible to purchase tickets from us, to include veterans with a VHIC card or Service Connected disability, dependent children and their guardians (child must be present), and DOD civilians (active and retired). The purchaser is not obligated to be in the travel party, so these tickets can be gifted to family and friends. There is no limit to the number of these tickets that can be purchased. These tickets have a specific start date and are only valid for a set period from that start date.  You do not need to make park reservations when using the Disney Theme Park tickets.

When will next year's promotional tickets be available?
We typically get information on the next year's promotional offerings in November or December. We update our website with the new information as soon as it is available.

Do I need to make Disney park reservations?
Disney requires park reservations for any tickets that are not date-specific.  Our Military Promotional tickets are not date-specific and require that you make a park reservation for the first park that you plan to visit each day.

Can you make my park reservations for me?
The Disney park reservation system is controlled by Disney and is not something that we can access. For assistance in making your park reservations, we advise contacting Disney Guest Services.

Why do I have to wait until I have tickets to make park reservations?
You will need to register your ticket numbers in your "My Disney Experience" account before you can make a park reservation. We usually send ticket numbers by email, so you will be able to make your park reservations shortly after your ticket purchase is complete.

How do I make park reservations?
Disney park reservations can be made either using the "My Disney Experience" app, or on the website. For more information on how to create a "My Disney Experience" account, linking tickets, and making park reservations, see https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/plan/my-disney-experience/.

Do I need to make park reservations for Universal?
Universal requires that we specify a start date for all Universal tickets other than the Military Freedom Pass.