Quad Cities Travel Hack You Need To Know To Save A Ton Of Money

Spring is here, and soon, your kids will be out of school, and you'll probably be planning a summer vacation because it's the only time to do anything. The number of kids you have and their ages depends on the size of the fortune you have to spend to go on vacation.

As you may have heard during my time on the radio, my family just got back from a trip to Disneyland in California over spring break. We went to Disneyland for two days and across the street to California Adventure for one. We saved money a few different ways, but there is one way we did that blew my mind.

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It's a Quad Cities travel hack you need to know before you take your family anywhere because you could save so much money on tickets, travel, hotels, and more.

As kind of scary as it might feel, getting tickets through the U.S. Army MWR Leisure Travel Office on the Rock Island Arsenal is going to save you a bunch of money and it's super easy.

Travel Hack: Book Your Vacation Through The Arsenal

Literally, it's the best.

When we were looking at tickets to go to Disneyland, we priced out how much it was going to be to get tickets through Disney and compared them to the Arsenal. I know you want to know just how much money we saved. Let me show you.

We wanted to go to the parks for 3 days and had 6 adults who needed tickets. For 3 days, an adult ticket averages to around $139 per day on Disney's website. That $417 per adult equates to $2,502 for tickets for all 6 adults, before tax is added. That doesn't include a Lightning Lane pass or anything. That's just to get in.

Through the Arsenal, each day was about $109 per adult, and you don't pay the tax on it. To add the Lightning Lane pass for each person (super worth it, by the way), the ticket price per day goes to $139. If we hadn't cared about Lightning Lane, we would have saved almost $550, but with the Lightning Lane pass, we're paying the same price and not waiting in those long lines.

**Prices are subject to change through the U.S. Army MWR Leisure program. Disney ticket prices vary on the day and time of year you travel.**

What Other Places Do They Have Discounted Tickets To?

They have a ton.

Here is the short list from their website:

• Adventureland Amusement Park and Adventure Bay Waterpark
• Six Flags Great America (Gurnee, IL)
• Six Flags St. Louis
• Lost Island Water Park
• Lost Island Theme Park
• King's Island

I didn't see Disneyland or DisneyWorld tickets on the list, but I called (309)782-5890 to ask if they did, and sure enough, we were saving hundreds of dollars.

How To Take Advantage Of Discounted Tickets

No, you don't need to work at the Arsenal, be in the military, or be a veteran. In March of 2024, the MWR Program was opened to the public so anyone could use it. They also have an automotive service center to get your vehicle fixed and outdoor recreational things to do on the arsenal.

To get those discount tickets, even hotels, and do all of the other cool stuff, you have to get an Arsenal Island Visitors Pass. The pass is required to enter the base and take advantage of the MWR program. Don't worry because getting a year-long pass is free and easy to get. Just follow the steps below:

• Visit the Arsenal Welcome Center Bldg. 23, 23 Prospect Drive, Moline, IL. Mon-Sun 7 AM-3 PM
• Bring REAL ID & SSN - if you do not have the REAL ID, bring 2 forms of identification

Finally, get ahold of my new bestie (she doesn't know it yet), Anna Winters. Email her and save money on tickets if they have an "in" to that destination.