A Golf Resort for the Services

In these times, we are more aware of the service of our men and women in the military. We can all agree that they deserve every kind of consideration from the basics to the most extravagant, like, say a golf resort.

Yes, if only we could give them a golf resort exclusively for the use of active-duty and retired military personnel and the Coast Guard, and current members of the Reserve, National Guard and the civilian employees of the Department of Defense. While we're dreaming, why not have it designed like a Walt Disney deluxe resort and put it next to the Magic Kingdom itself with opportunities to visit the theme parks?

That would be the outline of the Shades of Green golfing resort at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. It was originally part of the park and named The Golfing Resort, then extended to include guest rooms in 1986 and renamed The Disney Hotel . It was leased beginning 1994 by the U.S. Dept of Defense then bought early in 1996 as an element of its Morale, Welfare and Recreation program.

A Wish on a Star

The Shades of Green Golf Resort is in the deluxe category with 586 guest rooms, a fitness center, arcade, lighted tennis courts, two heated swimming pools, a pool for children, and laundry facilities. The dining facilities are also what you would expect of a deluxe golf resort. It includes an Italian restaurant called Mangino's, a sports bar named Evergreen's, a snack bar with extended hours, a '50's style ice cream parlor named America, a family style buffet called The Garden Gallery. A snack/ sandwich stand poolside and the Express Caf.

For the purposes of early theme park entry and transport on Disney property, Shades of Green golfing resort is thought of as a Disney resort. This indicates that guests of Shades of Green golfing resort can use the hour before opening and up to 3 hours straight away following the posted closing time in Walt Disney World.

There are special attractions open at Wizardry Dominion Park, Epcot Center, Disney-MGM Residences and Disney's Animal Dominion Theme Park. The ticket office on site offers discounted admission tickets for the Disney World theme parks to all eligible guests. The golfing resort is also open to people who holiday with the eligible guests.

Room rates aren't fixed so you need to call to debate.