Shades of Green on Walt Disney World Resort: Hotel & Room Tour

Recently our family visited Walt Disney World and stayed on property at Shades of Green, a resort exclusively available to military servicemembers, veterans, and their guests. This was our first Disney trip of any kind, so I scoured internet reviews trying to determine whether we should take advantage of our eligibility to stay at Shades of Green or if we should opt for a Disney-owned resort to make our trip as special and memorable as possible.

I found clear information to be lacking, so I thought I’d share our experience here. Granted, our first Disney experience is a little unique as it’s in the midst of COVID-19 restrictions, but we ended up having a wonderful time. Here’s what you need to know. ***Information is current as of October 2020.***

THE VALUE

Room rates are based on rank, making it an exceptional value especially for lower-ranking servicemembers.
The size of standard rooms are quite large and comparable to higher-end rooms at Disney resorts. It’s possible to find lower-priced rooms at the value resorts, but the accommodations are much more cramped.
If you forget something, there is a small Exchange on site with food, snacks, drinks, treats, toiletries, ponchos, souvenirs, and even Disney apparel. Prices are higher than you’d find at a typical grocery store (as you’d expect for a convenience location), but we found them to be half the price of the same items at a Disney hotel store.
Every room has a balcony! This is a huge benefit as you can expect to pay a premium to enjoy a room with a balcony at Disney-owned resorts.

THE BENEFITS

Shades of Green guests are eligible to book FastPass+ selections 60 days in advance of their stay. This is the same as guests of Disney hotels. Non-Disney visitors typically can only book FastPass+ 30 days in advance. Note: Disney has currently suspended the use of FastPass+ as part of their COVID-19 measures.
Shades of Green guests are eligible for Extra Magic Hours in the parks. Non-Disney visitors typically don’t get to enjoy this benefit. Note: Disney has currently suspended Extra Magic Hours as part of their COVID-19 measures.
Shades of Green has a reputation for being a quieter hotel than many others on Walt Disney World Resort property. While it is often fully booked, guests tend to be very respectful of others and it’s not as busy or bustling as some of the Disney-owned properties. We found it nice to have a quiet respite at the end of a busy day in the parks. We also weren’t bothered by noisy neighbors or people walking down the hall.
Shades of Green has their own fleet of buses that run regularly to the four Disney parks and Disney Springs. Buses are free and reliable and incredibly easy to use.
Super fun pools! During the day on our non-park days, we basically had the pool to ourselves because all the other guests were in the parks.
A coffee stand that wasn’t busy. What?!? I’m from Seattle. I expect that when I want to get coffee, there will be a line. There was almost never a line! What makes it even better is that the coffee was decent. I was a very happy customer!

THE DRAWBACKS

Shades of Green guests are not eligible for the Disney Dining Plan. Note: Disney has suspended all Disney Dining Plans as part of their COVID-19 measures.
Shades of Green guests are not eligible for Disney’s Magical Express (free airport transportation), nor do they have a hotel-sponsored shuttle to and from the airport. Note: Our family used Uber, and booked an UberXL (large option), and the one-way cost was $75 including tip. We found this to be incredibly easy and reasonable.
Shades of Green bus drop-off points are a little further from regular Disney transportation. This wasn’t a huge deal at all (it’s not like we’re talking an extra quarter mile or anything) – but I do think it’s worth noting that the closest bus stops are understandably reserved for Disney resorts.
There are no in-room microwaves. However, there is a microwave in the laundry rooms so you can heat things up when you need – you just have to leave your room.
Every time you come onto the Shades of Green property, you have to pass through the gates and show your military ID. However, we WERE able to order grocery delivery, Uber Eats, and Uber transportation pick-ups without a problem. They were permitted on the property without us having to go through extra security measures.
You have to pay for parking. This isn’t surprising, and is pretty typical for a resort (and Disney properties) but it’s worth mentioning that if you bring a vehicle, plan for this extra expense.
Shades of Green books up quickly. Don’t count on it for a last-minute getaway. Plan ahead!

COVID MEASURES AT THE HOTEL

Masks are mandatory everywhere except in your room, when you are in a pool chair or swimming in the pool, or seated and eating in a restaurant.
Temperature checks are required EVERY TIME you pass through the gate and onto the property. Even if you’re on a bus from one of the parks, the gate guards hop on the bus to check your ID and everyone’s temperature before letting you return to the hotel.
A couple of the restaurants are closed (Garden Gallery and Express Cafe). The eat-in menu at Mangino’s has been limited, and many of the most popular items (including pizza) have been moved to takeout only. This is to limit the number of people eating in the restaurant and facilitate social distancing, as well as encourage people to eat in-room to reduce contact. They have set up a take-out station specifically to help this process go as smoothly as possible.
Traditional housekeeping services have been suspended. Housekeeping staff will take out the trash and replace towels upon request. We mostly put out the “do not disturb” sign and set our trash cans outside our door to limit contact further.
Pool hours have been adjusted (I believe). I’m not sure what the regular hours are, but right now the Mill Pond Pool (slide pool) is only open until 4pm, and the Magnolia Pool (with the hot tub) is only open from 4pm-10pm.
Bus capacity to the parks and Disney Springs has been reduced.

RESORT AND ROOM VIDEO TOUR

Here is a video tour of the property and our standard room (room tour starts around 6:40). Obviously I don’t have experience staying at an “official” Disney property, but I honestly can’t imagine our experience being any better. Our stay was relaxing, the staff were kind, the other resort guests were respectful, our room was large and comfortable, we felt safe with their COVID mitigation measures, and transportation to the parks was a breeze. I’d recommend it without hesitation!

I’ve also included a SUPER brief history of the Shades of Green property for anyone who’s interested.

Learn more about rates, availability, and amenities at the Shades of Green website.

Have you stayed at Shades of Green vs. a typical on-property Disney World resort? What was your experience like? Would you recommend it, or do you prefer to opt for Disney?

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