[JacksHH]

The unsung perks of being in uniform are the many military-only deals and discounts businesses offer. We found some great new bargains on cars, computers, vacations and more — all there just for the asking. The only catch: Warriors only need apply. Happy shopping!

Electronics!
Dell: 7 percent off through its employee purchasing site. And that’s on top of Dell’s regular diet-deep discounts.

Reality check: Take its fully loaded XPS M1530 laptop that lists for $1,602. A recent sale dropped the price by $421. With the 7 percent discount kicking in from there, the price bottomed out at $1,098.

Total savings: 31 percent.

Verdict: Good deal. Take it.

Details: www.dell.com/eep


Apple: Up to 17 percent off (but most discounts seem to be more in the 6 percent to 9 percent range) through the employee store. Although iPhones are not discounted, iPods are and come with free shipping and engraving.

Reality check: The Mac Book Air with a 1.6 gigahertz processor recently was selling on the employee Web site for $1,691. The same model at Best Buy sold for $1,800.

Savings: 6 percent

Verdict: Worth it.

Details: www.apple.com/r/store/government/epp.html


Microsoft: Microsoft offers Office 2007 Standard Edition for $50, discounted 87 percent.

Reality check: To find it cheaper, you’ll have buy it on the black market downrange.

Savings: 87 percent.

Verdict: More than a steal.

Details: www.microsoft.com/office/offers/military/

Cell phones!
Verizon: 15 percent on service, 25 percent on accessories. Military discounts for handsets vary. You can get deals through the Web site (hit the business link on the home page, then employee discounts), in stores or at kiosks.

Reality check: Verizon’s other corporate partners may rate higher discounts, but these incentives are nothing to sneeze at.

Verdict: Worth it.

Details: www.verizon.com/


Other carriers:

• Sprint: 20 percent off service, 13 percent off equipment. Get discounts through the store, via phone or online.

• AT&T: 15 percent on service, various discounts on phones and accessories. Go through the business center on its Web site.

• T-Mobile: 14 percent off rate plans and features, 11 percent off all overage costs, waived activation fee. No discounts on phones or accessories.

Note: Check the contract to make sure you can cancel your service if you change duty stations where service isn’t available. If you deploy, you are legally allowed to do so.

THEME PARKS!
Universal Studios: Through the end of May, any active-duty service member or veteran can buy one ticket to the famed Los Angeles movie lot and theme park and get a second ticket free. Two annual passes are also available for the price of one.

Reality check: Other theme parks might give a service member free admission, but not his guest; when attending the park with a guest, this deal is similar to other parks.

Note: You must buy the tickets in advance at your installation’s tickets and tours office.

Verdict: Great vacation deal.

Details: www.universalstudioshollywood.com/

Free admission to all Anheuser-Busch theme parks: SeaWorld Orlando, SeaWorld San Diego, SeaWorld San Antonio, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Sesame Place, Adventure Island and Water Country USA.

Reality check: Doesn’t get any better than free. Good only for one park, per person, per year.

Verdict: Exceptional. Considering tickets can run upward of a hundred bucks, this is a steal.

CARS!
General Motors: It advertises the “Best Damn Military Discount” from any car company. Discounts vary by make and model.

Reality check: Tricked-out 2009 Corvette Coupe 1LT lists for $54,855 on the military Web site. With the discount it’s $50,277, a savings of $4,578, or 8.3 percent. However, a 2009 Canyon pickup truck garnered a less generous 2 percent discount (which still works out to several hundred bucks).

Verdict: Great, if you’re looking to buy a ‘Vette.

Details: https://www.exclusivegmoffer.com/ip-...do?program=mpp

Note: Compare with other discounts and visit dealerships — in this economy, car dealers are ready to deal.


Exchange New Car Sales: If you’re serving overseas for a month or more, you qualify to purchase a car through Exchange New Car Sales, an organization with outlets at most international military stations and aboard some Navy ships that specializes in military vehicle discounts. You can choose from Ford and Chrysler vehicles or Harley-Davidson and Buell motorcycles.

Reality check: You don’t have to worry about getting gouged, and you may also qualify for extra programs and incentives such as warranties and maintenance.

Verdict: A great deal if you’re serving abroad.

Details: Visit www.encs.com.

More deals!
Can’t find the discount you’re looking for? Many retailers and companies will offer a military discount just for asking — don’t be afraid to speak up when you’re at the checkout register. For a list of other companies that offer discounts to service members and their families, visit www.militarytimes.com/marketplace/discounts/.

Disney discounts
The House that Mickey Built has loads of discounts; most are great, and some are even better than their regular military discounts. Here’s a look at some of the best:


Shades of Green: A Defense Department-owned resort on the Disney World campus in Florida, for example, offers some of the best lodging deals around. Room rates vary depending on rank and room type, from $93 to $275 a night. Comparable Disney resort rates range between $240 and $399, depending on which of the eight resorts you pick, with many rooms running well over $600 per night.

Verdict: Very good deal.

Details: www.disney.com, or contact a travel agent.


Single-day tickets: Be careful if you buy tickets into the fun parks from Shades of Green. A single-day ticket at the gate is $75. At Shades of Green, it’s $77.50. And you’ll pay 3.36 percent more for two-day all-access “Magic Your Way” passes at SOG than if you purchase them online. The rates get better for three-day passes and beyond, but barely, and never better than a 1.9 percent discount.

Verdict: Don’t do it. Just buy your tickets at the gate. Also, check beforehand to see if there are additional charges like taxes and shipping.

Magic Your Way Stars and Stripes: Tickets (includes Park Hopper, Water Fun and more) get you one free extra day to any ticket package when staying at Shades of Green or any Disney resort.

Reality check: Two-day Stars and Stripes tickets (expire after three days) are $231, compared with the regular three-day tickets with Park Hopper, Water Fun and More at $312 — that’s a 35 percent savings. The military rate if staying off resort is $306, or 32 percent savings.

Verdict: Not bad. Worth considering.

Note: A current Disney promotion for the military community offers free or discounted tickets to Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Disneyland in California. Dates for the offers differ, so check with your base tickets and tours office. You may be required to get the tickets through those offices.

Details: www.disneymilitarysales.com.


OIF/OEF 20 percent discount: Available at Shades of Green for troops and their families on block leave or just returning from duty in Iraq or Afghanistan, the package offers a 20 percent discount on all available room categories, plus breakfast and dinner buffets in the Garden Gallery Restaurant. The packages are limited to one-time use and range from a four- to seven-consecutive-night package. Proper forms and copies of orders are required.

Verdict: Worth considering if you fit the criteria.


Article: http://www.militarytimes.com/offduty...unts_040609OD/