Hi I'm Steve Bell, my mission is to help the U.S. Military/Veteran community learn about Disney’s military discounts and help them plan for a fantastic Disney vacation.
Military Disney Tips Monthly Newsletter – August 2026
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The Military Disney Tips Monthly Newsletter Hello and welcome to this month's newsletter!☕ From Steve’s Desk August turned out to be a really good month for content on Military Disney Tips. I published quite a bit this month, but some of my favorite new articles came directly from things our family actually did on our recent Disney trips. We ate at Three Bridges, finally tried Sangria University, returned again to Wailulu Bar & Grill, and took the family on a private Magic Kingdom fireworks cruise. Those experiences gave me a lot to write about—not just what each experience is, but whether it was worth our time and money and who I think would enjoy it. On the military side, I continued building out our Shades of Green planning coverage, including choosing between the Palm and Magnolia Wings, using Minnie Vans strategically, and resort hopping from Shades of Green. There’s also a new guide explaining how Lightning Lane works with military tickets, plus plenty of other new and updated Disney planning content. I hope you enjoy catching up on everything we added during August! Steve ⭐ Featured Stories of the Month Should every Disney vacation be planned down to the minute? I don't think so. In this post I look at when careful planning is essential, when you can safely be more spontaneous, and why my family's favorite strategy is to plan the framework and wing the details. Whether it's your first trip or your fiftieth, knowing what to plan—and what to leave flexible—can make for a much better Walt Disney World vacation. 👉 Should you wing it at Walt Disney World? We expected to eat at Three Bridges Bar & Grill once during our June trip. Instead, we found ourselves back there three of our four nights. In this new review, I explain why the food, drinks, and atmosphere kept drawing us back, why Coronado Springs has become one of our favorite evening destinations, and why experienced Disney visitors may actually enjoy it more than another crowded night at Disney Springs. 👉 Three Bridges Bar & Grill Review: Why We Ate There 3 Times in 4 Nights We Finally Tried Disney's Sangria University. After talking about it for years, We finally attended Sangria University at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort. It turned out to be one of the most relaxing and enjoyable afternoons of our trip. Here's what happens, whether it's worth the money, and when we'd recommend fitting it into your Walt Disney World vacation. 👉 Is Sangria University Worth It? Our Disney Coronado Springs Experience We Tried a Disney World Fireworks Cruise One of our favorite recent Walt Disney World experiences didn't require entering a theme park at all. Our family chartered a private pontoon for Happily Ever After, cruising Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake before watching the fireworks from the water. Our new review covers the entire evening, the cost, what's included, the advantages and tradeoffs, and whether we'd book another one. 👉 Disney World Fireworks Cruise Review: Our Magic Kingdom Experience 🪖 Military Planning TipsWhich Shades of Green Wing Should You Request? Should you choose the Palm Wing for its attached parking garage and split bathroom, or the Magnolia Wing for easier access to the pools, playground, Evergreens, and the Exchange? My new comparison explains the practical differences between the two wings and helps you decide which request best fits your family and vacation style. 👉 Palm Wing vs. Magnolia Wing at Shades of Green: Which Should You Request? Do Disney Military Tickets Include Lightning Lane? This new guide clears up one of the most confusing questions military families ask. The answer isn't simply yes or no—it depends on whether you're visiting Walt Disney World or Disneyland. We also explain Disneyland upgrade rules that can surprise first-time visitors. 👉 Do Disney Military Tickets Include Lightning Lane? WDW vs. Disneyland Explained Can Minnie Vans Make Staying at Shades of Green Even Better? One of the biggest tradeoffs of staying at Shades of Green is transportation—but it doesn't have to stay that way. In this new guide, I explain the strategy our family uses to combine the free Shades of Green buses with just a few well-timed Minnie Van rides to make the vacation easier without giving up the resort's military value. 👉 Can Minnie Vans Eliminate the Biggest Transportation Drawback of Staying at Shades of Green? The Military Family’s Guide to Resort Hopping from Shades of Green Some of Walt Disney World’s best dining, holiday displays, lounges, waterfront walks, and resort experiences are outside the theme parks. Staying at Shades of Green does not prevent you from enjoying them—but it does require a different transportation strategy. This new guide explains the best paid and complimentary routes to the Monorail resorts, BoardWalk area, Skyliner resorts, Animal Kingdom-area resorts, and Disney Springs Resort Area. It also covers the new Disney Springs transportation restrictions and the permanent closure of the old Shades of Green walkway to the Polynesian. 👉 The Military Family’s Guide to Resort Hopping from Shades of Green 🆕 New Blog Posts & Pages This MonthSome Disney restaurants are worth visiting because they are convenient. Others are worth rearranging your plans for. Wailulu Bar & Grill at Disney’s Island Tower has become one of our favorite places to relax at Walt Disney World. We have returned for full meals, appetizers, drinks, desserts, and breakfast mobile orders, and it continues to earn a place in nearly every trip. Our new review explains what makes Wailulu special, which dishes and drinks we recommend, when to visit, how to reach it, and whether it is worth making a special trip even when you are not staying at the Polynesian. 👉 Wailulu Bar & Grill Review: Is It Worth a Special Trip? How Many Miles Do You Walk at EPCOT? Distances, Loops & Shortcuts EPCOT is one of those parks where the mileage can sneak up on you. Our newly modernized guide looks beyond the simple distance around World Showcase and explains how far guests actually walk once you add pavilion exploration, Lightning Lane return times, dining reservations, festivals, transportation, and backtracking. 👉 How Many Miles Do You Walk at EPCOT? Distances, Loops & Shortcuts Where to Get Beer in EPCOT's Germany Pavilion: Bier und Brezeln Cart and Bier Stand I added a new page for two easy-to-miss beer locations in EPCOT's Germany Pavilion. See where to find the Bier und Brezeln Cart and Bier Stand, what each currently serves, where to sit nearby, and the third quick-service beer option hidden farther back in the pavilion. 👉 Where to Get Beer in EPCOT's Germany Pavilion: Bier und Brezeln Cart and Bier Stand Kabuki Cafe at EPCOT I added a new Page for Kabuki Cafe in EPCOT's Japan Pavilion. It's best known for colorful Japanese kakigori shaved ice, but the little promenade kiosk also offers sushi, sake slushies, Japanese beer, sake, and more. We cover the menu, location, nearby seating, and our favorite kakigori combination. 👉 Kabuki Cafe at EPCOT: Kakigori, Sushi, Sake & More 🧳 Luggage Transfer Returns to Disney Value Resorts With Full Round-Trip Service 🔥 You Also Might Like
Thanks for being part of the Military Disney Tips community! Have a wonderful Fourth, and as always, thank you for your service 🇺🇸✨ Disney Cruise Line Military Discounts Did you know that the Disney Cruise Line also offers Military Discounts? They Sure do! These discounts aren't offered all the time, though. They are just for specific sailings and cabin types. And they are often available to book for a limited time. In fact, the list of availability changes every week! Disney updates the dates if needed on Mondays (as do we). You can see available dates and learn more on our Disney Cruise Line Military Discount page. (Updated each Monday afternoon) This Newsletter Brought To You By: The Mouse Experts, my trusted Disney-Specializing Travel Agent. Need help with your Disney Vacation? Contact The Mouse Experts, over 27,000 MDT readers have over the last 19 years. Military Disney Tips is a user-supported site. We couldn’t provide all of our great information without your support. So, remember to patronize our great sponsors if you need their services. Also, please read how to Support Military Disney Tips. |
Military Disney Tips
Hi I'm Steve Bell, my mission is to help the U.S. Military/Veteran community learn about Disney’s military discounts and help them plan for a fantastic Disney vacation.
The Military Disney Tips Monthly Newsletter Hello and welcome to this month's newsletter! ☕ From Steve’s Desk September turned into a month with a lot of practical planning content—much of it centered on a question I think is more important than simply asking what something costs: Is it worth it for your family? That comes through in several of this month’s new articles. We looked at when an expensive Minnie Van ride can actually be money well spent, whether taking an entire resort day makes...
The Military Disney Tips Monthly Newsletter Hello and welcome to this month's newsletter! ☕ From Steve’s Desk July was an exciting month at Military Disney Tips, with a little bit of everything. I wrapped up Disney's Fourth of July celebrations and America 250 coverage, then shifted attention to practical planning articles designed to help military families get the most from their vacations. One of the biggest highlights was the release of the 2026 Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party military...
The Military Disney Tips Monthly Newsletter Hello and welcome to this month's newsletter! ☕ From Steve’s Desk Well, this is a big weekend coming up! As we prepare to wish a America Happy Birthday, it's important to reflect on just how lucky we are, and to appreciate all of the accumulated sacrifices that we and fellow patriots down through the ages have made to reach 250! With that in mind I created several posts on all Disney is doing to celebrate. You'll see these in a special section below...