My 2 cents is that SOG would still be the better option over staying at a WDW value property because you get the perks of staying at a deluxe resort without having to pay deluxe rates! The extended hours in the evening is huge for us!
Forgot to mention current or retired DOD Civilian employees can stay at SOG, but can not get in on the military rates at the Disney hotels (that I am aware of). and DOD civ. are excluded from the Military Salute tickets, but can get in on the regularly discounted tickets through SOG or through a military installation (Disabled veterans with VA I.D. cards can access military installations.) SOG offers bang for buck as they include extended evening hours. And the location is prime. Disney Value resorts only offer the early morning entrance (30min before park opening.) You also don't have to stay at Shades of Green to eat there. (that could be a money saver and its right next to MK.) 18.99 for their buffet compared to 57.99 at Liberty Tree Tavern in the park for sit down all you can eat American homestyle food.
I love the peace and quiet of SOG, we stopped by at the All Star hotel back 2018 just to check it out and we found to be very crowded and very noisy, dozens of kids running around unsupervised. I know Disney is for kids but most of us parents want it to be nice and quiet. I love the signs posted by the rooms at SOG reminding people to be quiet, too bad you can’t post them at Disney resorts. So yeah, I’m sticking with SOG.
This is going to be my first stay at Shades Of Green in September. I’ve always stayed at art of animation and I love it there I’m hoping I like Shades Of Green just as much
Thank you for the info, i stayed at the SOG for the first time last year after watching your video of you walking to Magic Kingdom. I am so bummed out, my wife and i really enjoyed the walk . Thank you for the videos....
Thank you so much! Yea I feel ya…we loved the walk too…more so in the cooler months but we loved it nonetheless. Try the walk from the TTC to the Polynesian when you’re there next. It’s a nice 10-15 minute walk with a lovely tropical feel. It’s not the same but it helps! Glad to hear you have enjoyed the videos! 🫶🏼
Thanks for another great video. I too compare prices as we are in the highest category at Shades. However, I always look forward to moving over to the larger rooms at Shades when we do a split stay. It feels relaxing and like a country club for the military. 😊
Thanks for doing all the leg work for us! Am I remembering correctly, that with the Poly walkway closed, the only transportation to/from SoG is the busses?
You're always welcome! You are correct...the SOG buses are the only transportation provided by the resort. You could always call an Uber or use the Minnie Vans though as another option.
Thanks you Confirmed Shades is the Way to Go! All Star Standard Room would probably be in bad location , If you travel with more then 3 people-price will go up . Agree you must look into it all . Walkway closing NO way is my vote Shades has alot more perks , your Vlog on transportation proves it. 😊
Thank you for sharing your input, Julie! You're right...there are loads of factors that must be considered. Like I always tell Tim "cheaper isn't always better". But of course I can understand if you have a tight budget to work with there might be things you have to sacrifice. I'm just glad Disney offers something for us :)
You're right...you almost have to check daily as fast as the rates are going up and down. That is one thing I love counting on at Shades...having consistent prices. It might be more work getting our tickets but I can at least take my time planning our stay knowing the price will be the same this week and next week. Have a great weekend yall!
Good idea to call and compare the room prices. Ive stayed at SOG x 3 and loved the rooms, amenities and location to the park and trams. I haven’t been since 2016 bc Ive been stationed in UK for a few years. Thank you for the breakdown and I cant wait to visit in a few years! 😃
You’re very welcome! I hope you get to return soon! The whole resort and property have been great for us. We have been staying just since 2019 and have quickly found a “home” there 🥰
We stayed at AOA last year and Pop in 2015. This was before we found out we could stay at Shades. Now that we know, we will never stay elsewhere. Between the information I get from your videos and a FB group(that i just found out you help moderate 😂) I feel like we know it already-even though we have never stayed there. We're looking forward to our first visit. Keep up the good work!
The value resorts at Disney are 260sf, shades of green is over 400sf -there is no comparison between them both. Maybe the moderate or deluxe would be more comparable to SOG
Did you get a special offer from Shades during the month of September when you booked? Just curious because the site only currently shows 10% off for stays in August and E6 rates are standard $163/night which would be over a grand for your stay. Or did you use the military star card to save 10% on your stay? Share your secrets please! 😀
@@battlegroundbiscuits so we booked our stay back in March. Back then they had both the Aug and Sep deals but the Sep ones where WAY better at the $139 per night. I think it booked up about a month or so ago and they took it off the website. They had a 3 or 5 day span during the beginning of the month and also the exact time from we wanted 22SEP-30SEP. It was an absolute no-brainer! $138.55/ 2 adults one child/ 7 nights= $969.85
Thanks for this really helpful video! The best thing for me was showing a real time call with Disney and how to ask about the rates. How far in advance does Disney typically announce the military discounts for the following year?
Oh good! I'm glad that was helpful. It can be kind of awkward to ask for "the cheapest room" lol But hopefully the cast members understand where we're coming from and I'm sure they don't judge ;) I'll have to find out for sure when exactly they announce the military rates. I think I've seen people talk about them announcing in the summer but I'll need to confirm that.
Disney releases discount rates on a quarterly basis, but they do so in advance.... example: right now, you can probably get a military discount rate for as late as the end of June 2024.... but not for July-August. It's all big math in the sky stuff. The rates are also based on the time you are booking the room for. For instance, the % discount that you might get for a stay in April is not the same %, for the same room, that you would get for a stay in June. Notice they advertise "Up to X%, based on availability".
Thank you, that could bump up the price. Also, I stayed in the Army for only half a year but got an honorable discharge . Am I still qualified to stay at Shades of green. Thank you for your vlogs, which have been very helpful. Bummer about the walkway to Polynesian 😊
SOG is good, but Disney no longer charges for parking at their resorts. SOG does charge for parking. So that might make staying at a Disney resort cheaper if you are driving
SOG used to be so nice (back in the 1990's) but has gone downhill in my opinion. Last time we stayed there (2013) I asked for an extra pillow and got a lecture from housekeeping about how they only have so many pillows and we can't have an extra. We bought DVC that very day and have never looked back. Our first DVC stay I requested one extra pillow as a test and was brought like 4 pillows, an extra set of sheets and an extra thick blanket, no questions, no lecture, just service with a smile.
Oh wow! I’m sorry you had that experience! We started staying at SOG around 2019 and can genuinely say that we have never had a negative customer service experience there. Every time we have an issue they graciously help or fix whatever it is. Maybe we have been lucky the past 20 times we have been lol But it sounds like things have improved since your last stay. I am very interested in DVC though so it’s nice to hear you’ve been enjoying that for a decade still! It’s just hard to beat the price of SOG so it would take a lot of convincing for us ☺️ Thank you for sharing!
Yes this is absolutely something to consider not only for resort availability but for crowd levels and Disney room rates! Holidays will always be higher! Thank you for adding that!
I did some serious "phone shopping" for a room at a Disney Resort for our upcoming October 2023 stay.... that's an arrive Friday/depart Saturday stay. I am a Cat II at SOG... so that room is 214 per night..solid. 8 night stay. I could have stayed at AS Sports and saved about $300.... or stayed at POP and spent $500 more. I rejected AS resorts out-of-hand. Staying there is not worth the $300 savings over 8 nights. I thought about that offer at POP for a bit... but cancelled it as well. I've had that reservation at Shades in my pocket since ...mmm...January? Already had a room...just wanted to "Shop Disney". I once got a "steal" on a military discounted room at PO French Quarter... but it was not really a steal. It was a short-fused trip and there was no room for us at Shades. I "saved" about $150 per night over the rack-room rate at POFQ.... but still spent about $115 more per night than I would have spent at Shades...and that was back when my Cat II rate was like $175 per night.
I do this a lot too…it’s always fun to see what you COULD get. I always consider doing split stays just to have new experiences. But it’s crazy to me how much the prices change depending on the time of year, how many nights and which way the wind blows lol Thank you for sharing your experiences here! I know it will help someone reading when they are considering similar options! 💕
I read online that All Star Sports give you a complimentary magic band?! We are planing our first trip and my husband kinda want's to go all out and get Magic bands but we want to make sure we can actually use them. I know Shades of Green you can't use the Magic Band at the hotel.
Sadly, Disney stopped giving complimentary magic bands to pass holders and resort guests a few years ago so whatever you read was probably out dated BUT you can still get them at a discount when staying there. And you're right, while they can't be used at Shades of Green they CAN be used in Disney resorts. And further, everyone can use them inside the parks for linking tickets and photos (and for interactive sounds when walking by statues if you have the plus bands) What I always recommend for first timers is that ONE person in your party get a magic band so that you can test it out etc...then while you're there you can purchase them for anyone else who just has to have one. Plus, they have more options to purchase from at the parks vs. online. I hope that helps!
What is the non-military prices compared to the military discount. The reason I asked is I looked on the Disney web page and a standard room (Aug 29-Sep 1) was 107.20 a night, which is 321.60, but your military discount was 382.04 for 3 nights. I know the prices change minute by minute, but it looks cheaper not to do the military rates.
Good call! Thats why I always say its good to just check your options before you book because you're right...sometimes Disney has special offers that are better than the military ones. I think the price you were seeing is the special summer savings (up to 30% off) price. When I looked the total for those dates, with the summer savings, totaled $365.02 after tax. So you'd save about $17 more doing it that way. Since those offers aren't always available I try to compare to the standard rates and that room averages $134/night. For Aug 29-Sept 1 the cost after tax (without summer savings) would be $456.27. So, higher BUT still about $30 less than Shades for that particular time frame. Thanks for bringing this up! I wanted to touch on this point but I didn't want the video to be a half hour long lol.
You have to know all the variables to ask; standard costs, military rates, promo/special discount rates….. good thing you are here Ashley to inform others about all the options… it’s ALOT to keep up with! I remember trying to explain all the differences to guest when it came to ticketing…aaaaahhhhhhhh!
Nope not being able to walk to Poly changes nothing. Taking a bus to TTC and then walking or taking monorail to Poly is worth the opportunity to stay at a deluxe resort with extra magic hour benefits for the very, very minor inconvenience!
I have to agree with you! I love Shades and I'll gladly pay a little more than the value resorts....but on the other hand I DO see the appeal to stay there and save some money if you're in the parks open to close. We may just try it sometime and get a first hand experience.
Have stayed at All stars sports. Yes, can cost less overall but you will be farther from most all the parks with only fast food counter service available at the resort. Rooms are much smaller and noise outside your room late at night and early in the mornings. Busses always filled to standing room only due to the high guest capacity at almost all times of the year along with large groups. If you are only there to sleep…maybe but it just doesn’t feel much like a vacation; feels hectic and hard to find a time or place to relax. It would be great if y’all stay there and give your perspective.
@@battlegroundbiscuits I have stayed at Shades of Green for going on 4 years now! They are cheaper per night then any of the Disney resorts and they are always clean clean clean and have all the amenities one needs. Very friendly and helpful staff and it’s easy to get to the parks via their bus system!
My 2 cents is that SOG would still be the better option over staying at a WDW value property because you get the perks of staying at a deluxe resort without having to pay deluxe rates! The extended hours in the evening is huge for us!
Yes! Several factors to consider! You're absolutely right :)
I heard that Disney is stopping the extended hours in 2024 for the deluxe resorts
@@kellywaldron9485 you heard wrong
Forgot to mention current or retired DOD Civilian employees can stay at SOG, but can not get in on the military rates at the Disney hotels (that I am aware of). and DOD civ. are excluded from the Military Salute tickets, but can get in on the regularly discounted tickets through SOG or through a military installation (Disabled veterans with VA I.D. cards can access military installations.) SOG offers bang for buck as they include extended evening hours. And the location is prime. Disney Value resorts only offer the early morning entrance (30min before park opening.) You also don't have to stay at Shades of Green to eat there. (that could be a money saver and its right next to MK.) 18.99 for their buffet compared to 57.99 at Liberty Tree Tavern in the park for sit down all you can eat American homestyle food.
I love the peace and quiet of SOG, we stopped by at the All Star hotel back 2018 just to check it out and we found to be very crowded and very noisy, dozens of kids running around unsupervised. I know Disney is for kids but most of us parents want it to be nice and quiet. I love the signs posted by the rooms at SOG reminding people to be quiet, too bad you can’t post them at Disney resorts. So yeah, I’m sticking with SOG.
I get that...the parks are full of chaos so its nice to come back to a bit of "calm after the storm". I'm sure you're not the only one! 🙌
This is going to be my first stay at Shades Of Green in September. I’ve always stayed at art of animation and I love it there I’m hoping I like Shades Of Green just as much
I will be very curious to hear your thoughts! If you think about it please come back and update! I'm biased but I really think you'll enjoy SOG!
Thank you for the info, i stayed at the SOG for the first time last year after watching your video of you walking to Magic Kingdom. I am so bummed out, my wife and i really enjoyed the walk . Thank you for the videos....
Thank you so much! Yea I feel ya…we loved the walk too…more so in the cooler months but we loved it nonetheless. Try the walk from the TTC to the Polynesian when you’re there next. It’s a nice 10-15 minute walk with a lovely tropical feel. It’s not the same but it helps! Glad to hear you have enjoyed the videos! 🫶🏼
I know this video was made a while back, but are there rates for 100% disability?
Thanks for another great video. I too compare prices as we are in the highest category at Shades. However, I always look forward to moving over to the larger rooms at Shades when we do a split stay. It feels relaxing and like a country club for the military. 😊
You're welcome! Yes the larger rooms are a huge plus for me...I definitely need space to spread our stuff out lol
Thanks for doing all the leg work for us! Am I remembering correctly, that with the Poly walkway closed, the only transportation to/from SoG is the busses?
You're always welcome! You are correct...the SOG buses are the only transportation provided by the resort. You could always call an Uber or use the Minnie Vans though as another option.
Thanks you Confirmed Shades is the Way to Go!
All Star Standard Room would probably be in bad location , If you travel with more then 3 people-price will go up .
Agree you must look into it all .
Walkway closing NO way is my vote
Shades has alot more perks , your Vlog on transportation proves it. 😊
Thank you for sharing your input, Julie! You're right...there are loads of factors that must be considered. Like I always tell Tim "cheaper isn't always better". But of course I can understand if you have a tight budget to work with there might be things you have to sacrifice. I'm just glad Disney offers something for us :)
Thanks again for another great video! Wild how much the prices can change. Yall have a great weekend
You're right...you almost have to check daily as fast as the rates are going up and down. That is one thing I love counting on at Shades...having consistent prices. It might be more work getting our tickets but I can at least take my time planning our stay knowing the price will be the same this week and next week. Have a great weekend yall!
@@battlegroundbiscuits Hey just checking in on y'all
Good idea to call and compare the room prices. Ive stayed at SOG x 3 and loved the rooms, amenities and location to the park and trams. I haven’t been since 2016 bc Ive been stationed in UK for a few years. Thank you for the breakdown and I cant wait to visit in a few years! 😃
You’re very welcome! I hope you get to return soon! The whole resort and property have been great for us. We have been staying just since 2019 and have quickly found a “home” there 🥰
We stayed at AOA last year and Pop in 2015. This was before we found out we could stay at Shades. Now that we know, we will never stay elsewhere. Between the information I get from your videos and a FB group(that i just found out you help moderate 😂) I feel like we know it already-even though we have never stayed there. We're looking forward to our first visit. Keep up the good work!
Which group does she help moderate? I’m in one where we aren’t allowed to mention the walkway. The admin lady is a real peach LOL
@@DianaPaulenka Shades of Green and Disney Tips for the Military.
Search “shades of green & Disney tips for the military” 😉
Thank you for adding this Robert! Good to hear from you and really appreciate your support!! 💕
The value resorts at Disney are 260sf, shades of green is over 400sf -there is no comparison between them both. Maybe the moderate or deluxe would be more comparable to SOG
SOG’s the best during the SEP room deals. Its $139 a night (for E6). We are staying the 22nd-29th for under a grand.
Did you get a special offer from Shades during the month of September when you booked? Just curious because the site only currently shows 10% off for stays in August and E6 rates are standard $163/night which would be over a grand for your stay. Or did you use the military star card to save 10% on your stay? Share your secrets please! 😀
@@battlegroundbiscuits so we booked our stay back in March. Back then they had both the Aug and Sep deals but the Sep ones where WAY better at the $139 per night. I think it booked up about a month or so ago and they took it off the website. They had a 3 or 5 day span during the beginning of the month and also the exact time from we wanted 22SEP-30SEP. It was an absolute no-brainer!
$138.55/ 2 adults one child/ 7 nights= $969.85
@@gimmpy91 score! 👏🏼 Nice job! Congrats! 🍾 Well enjoy your week at Disney! We will just miss you there by a few days.
Thanks for this really helpful video! The best thing for me was showing a real time call with Disney and how to ask about the rates. How far in advance does Disney typically announce the military discounts for the following year?
Oh good! I'm glad that was helpful. It can be kind of awkward to ask for "the cheapest room" lol But hopefully the cast members understand where we're coming from and I'm sure they don't judge ;) I'll have to find out for sure when exactly they announce the military rates. I think I've seen people talk about them announcing in the summer but I'll need to confirm that.
Disney releases discount rates on a quarterly basis, but they do so in advance.... example: right now, you can probably get a military discount rate for as late as the end of June 2024.... but not for July-August. It's all big math in the sky stuff. The rates are also based on the time you are booking the room for. For instance, the % discount that you might get for a stay in April is not the same %, for the same room, that you would get for a stay in June. Notice they advertise "Up to X%, based on availability".
SoG. Checking out today.
Thank you. Does Disney charge for parking at their resort. Does Shades of Green charge for parking. 😊
You're welcome! Parking at Disney World resorts is complimentary. Shades of Green parking is $17 in their parking garage 😀
Thank you, that could bump up the price. Also, I stayed in the Army for only half a year but got an honorable discharge . Am I still qualified to stay at Shades of green. Thank you for your vlogs, which have been very helpful. Bummer about the walkway to Polynesian 😊
And if you park at a Disney resort then parking at the parks is also included
SOG is good, but Disney no longer charges for parking at their resorts. SOG does charge for parking. So that might make staying at a Disney resort cheaper if you are driving
Yes, every dollar counts! Things are constantly changing too so it’s always good to do a quick comparison before deciding.
Could you do a comparison of the suites at Disney vs suites at shades?
I’d love to! We don’t have experience in the Disney suites but it’s on my list 😊
SOG used to be so nice (back in the 1990's) but has gone downhill in my opinion. Last time we stayed there (2013) I asked for an extra pillow and got a lecture from housekeeping about how they only have so many pillows and we can't have an extra. We bought DVC that very day and have never looked back. Our first DVC stay I requested one extra pillow as a test and was brought like 4 pillows, an extra set of sheets and an extra thick blanket, no questions, no lecture, just service with a smile.
Oh wow! I’m sorry you had that experience! We started staying at SOG around 2019 and can genuinely say that we have never had a negative customer service experience there. Every time we have an issue they graciously help or fix whatever it is. Maybe we have been lucky the past 20 times we have been lol But it sounds like things have improved since your last stay. I am very interested in DVC though so it’s nice to hear you’ve been enjoying that for a decade still! It’s just hard to beat the price of SOG so it would take a lot of convincing for us ☺️ Thank you for sharing!
All so keep in mine Labor Day is September 4
Yes this is absolutely something to consider not only for resort availability but for crowd levels and Disney room rates! Holidays will always be higher! Thank you for adding that!
Great !!! now can u do a compare of the moderate hotels which would be nearer the class of Shades…!!!!
I’m writing this idea down to make a video on it in the future for sure!
I did some serious "phone shopping" for a room at a Disney Resort for our upcoming October 2023 stay.... that's an arrive Friday/depart Saturday stay. I am a Cat II at SOG... so that room is 214 per night..solid. 8 night stay. I could have stayed at AS Sports and saved about $300.... or stayed at POP and spent $500 more. I rejected AS resorts out-of-hand. Staying there is not worth the $300 savings over 8 nights. I thought about that offer at POP for a bit... but cancelled it as well. I've had that reservation at Shades in my pocket since ...mmm...January? Already had a room...just wanted to "Shop Disney". I once got a "steal" on a military discounted room at PO French Quarter... but it was not really a steal. It was a short-fused trip and there was no room for us at Shades. I "saved" about $150 per night over the rack-room rate at POFQ.... but still spent about $115 more per night than I would have spent at Shades...and that was back when my Cat II rate was like $175 per night.
I do this a lot too…it’s always fun to see what you COULD get. I always consider doing split stays just to have new experiences. But it’s crazy to me how much the prices change depending on the time of year, how many nights and which way the wind blows lol Thank you for sharing your experiences here! I know it will help someone reading when they are considering similar options! 💕
I read online that All Star Sports give you a complimentary magic band?! We are planing our first trip and my husband kinda want's to go all out and get Magic bands but we want to make sure we can actually use them. I know Shades of Green you can't use the Magic Band at the hotel.
Sadly, Disney stopped giving complimentary magic bands to pass holders and resort guests a few years ago so whatever you read was probably out dated BUT you can still get them at a discount when staying there. And you're right, while they can't be used at Shades of Green they CAN be used in Disney resorts. And further, everyone can use them inside the parks for linking tickets and photos (and for interactive sounds when walking by statues if you have the plus bands) What I always recommend for first timers is that ONE person in your party get a magic band so that you can test it out etc...then while you're there you can purchase them for anyone else who just has to have one. Plus, they have more options to purchase from at the parks vs. online. I hope that helps!
@@battlegroundbiscuits It does help thank you!
What is the non-military prices compared to the military discount.
The reason I asked is I looked on the Disney web page and a standard room (Aug 29-Sep 1) was 107.20 a night, which is 321.60, but your military discount was 382.04 for 3 nights.
I know the prices change minute by minute, but it looks cheaper not to do the military rates.
Good call! Thats why I always say its good to just check your options before you book because you're right...sometimes Disney has special offers that are better than the military ones. I think the price you were seeing is the special summer savings (up to 30% off) price. When I looked the total for those dates, with the summer savings, totaled $365.02 after tax. So you'd save about $17 more doing it that way. Since those offers aren't always available I try to compare to the standard rates and that room averages $134/night. For Aug 29-Sept 1 the cost after tax (without summer savings) would be $456.27. So, higher BUT still about $30 less than Shades for that particular time frame. Thanks for bringing this up! I wanted to touch on this point but I didn't want the video to be a half hour long lol.
You have to know all the variables to ask; standard costs, military rates, promo/special discount rates….. good thing you are here Ashley to inform others about all the options… it’s ALOT to keep up with! I remember trying to explain all the differences to guest when it came to ticketing…aaaaahhhhhhhh!
THANK YOU.
You're welcome!
Nope not being able to walk to Poly changes nothing. Taking a bus to TTC and then walking or taking monorail to Poly is worth the opportunity to stay at a deluxe resort with extra magic hour benefits for the very, very minor inconvenience!
I have to agree with you! I love Shades and I'll gladly pay a little more than the value resorts....but on the other hand I DO see the appeal to stay there and save some money if you're in the parks open to close. We may just try it sometime and get a first hand experience.
Have stayed at All stars sports. Yes, can cost less overall but you will be farther from most all the parks with only fast food counter service available at the resort. Rooms are much smaller and noise outside your room late at night and early in the mornings. Busses always filled to standing room only due to the high guest capacity at almost all times of the year along with large groups. If you are only there to sleep…maybe but it just doesn’t feel much like a vacation; feels hectic and hard to find a time or place to relax. It would be great if y’all stay there and give your perspective.
Are these rates per night?
Yes 😊
@@battlegroundbiscuits I have stayed at Shades of Green for going on 4 years now! They are cheaper per night then any of the Disney resorts and they are always clean clean clean and have all the amenities one needs. Very friendly and helpful staff and it’s easy to get to the parks via their bus system!
@@lillyyochum2348 agree completely! 🥳 It really does feel like home!