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Tucked between the Magnolia and Palm golf courses, very close to the great mouse’s home, Magic Kingdom, rests a resort dedicated to hosting America’s military.

Florida’s Shades of Green was originally built as a luxury resort known as the Disney Inn. In 1994 the Department of Defense leased the property and turned it into an exclusive oasis for retired and active military personnel, Defense Department civilians and their families. The name Shades of Green is meant as a nod to the well-recognized camouflage colors of the military and serves to encompass all branches of the armed forces.

Ticket discounts vary and can be as little as 6.5 percent and as much as 30 percent. If you’re looking for the best deal and the best discount, more is usually better. Look for passes that cover several days and several parks. The Park Hopper and Magic Your Way tickets seem to offer the best deals all around.

To purchase your discounted military tickets for Disney, check with your local MWR office, get a quote from them and keep shopping. It is not uncommon for prices to vary from base to base. If you’re already in Orlando, check their local Navy Exchange which has a small ITT/MWR base near the airport. Or, those last minute people can pick up their park passes at the Shades of Green resort, but remember this means you won’t get to do any additional discount shopping.

If you’re thinking about a group vacation, your military discount will count for the entire group as long as 50 percent of the people are qualified to receive military benefits. Active and retired armed forces members as well as their dependents qualify.

California’s Disneyland doesn’t have a hotel dedicated to the military, but the Disneyland Resort does offer military personnel a discount. A word of advice here, book early as this hotel fills up quickly. Ticket discounts are still available in California and checking with your local MWR is the easiest way to determine the rates.

If you’re thinking about a vacation that’s a little more exotic, consider a Disney Cruise. The mouse gives some good discounts on their cruises but they’re based on availability and some restrictions may apply. Check dates with Disney Cruise lines to find the best time to cash in on your discount and then research some other specials, the military deals might not always be the best.

(Photo via flickr cc)

Sleeping away from home can be a expensive undertaking, so spending each dollar well is an important part of every traveler’s plans. Searching for the absolute best hotel rates is your key to maximizing luxury and minimizing costs, and CNN has come up with tips on how to do just that:

• Start using new search engines: There are plenty of search engines out there specific to travel, and chances are you haven’t tried them all out. Kayak.com, Hotels.com, and Farecast.com are all great places to start, but a quick search will uncover many others as well.
• Play with dates: Rates can differ greatly over just a few days, so use hotel rate calendars to figure out which days will be least expensive.
• Get it guaranteed: Many hotel chains promise to match any rate you can find, and some go beyond to match the rate and provide a discount. Mariott, for example, offers a 25 percent price reduction, Swissotel offers half off of the lower rate for your first night and matches the rate for following nights, and Starwood gives you a 10 percent discount. To lock in these special rates, make sure you file your low rate claim at least 24 hours in advance.
• Call the hotel directly: Instead of calling the generic 800-number, call the hotel directly and speak to one of their employees. Ask about last-minute specials and less expensive nights to stay.

New York City is a world-class city and the cultural heart of the United States so who wouldn’t want to jet off here for a long weekend? Unfortunately the hotel deals are few and far between and have the potential to put a damper on this fun idea. It’s disheartening to know that shelling out $200 + per night for a hotel will usually only get you a 2 star hotel or less. However, the Millennium Group of Hotels is offering a special deal through Travelzoo for its Millennium Broadway Hotel, which is located in the heart of Times Square. For select dates July-September, you can book a Superior guestroom as little as $199 per night, and many of the dates that the special is valid are weekend dates. Amazingly enough, these rates are valid Labor Day Weekend too! Additional dates are available for $249 per night. The hotel was recently renovated and is staying in line with the stylish trends that ooze out of the city, but its renovation makes it a viable option for scheduling meetings and events since it houses new-age technology on-site. It’s the perfect choice of hotel if you are planning on ending each night of your trip with a Broadway show. To take advantage of this cheap rate; book online at www.milleniumhotels.com or call (800) 622.5569 and reference the code: ZOO.