Bringing kids guests....who pays what???

[mbw12]

This is something that my husband and I were talking about and I was wondering your opinions and or experiences? Our neighbors are going to WDW and their children(High school age) are bringing friends.
so,. it got me and my husband thinking about how we would love to do that for our kids in the future (obviously far future, as our kids are only 7 and 5!!!) But anyway.....if your children bring a friend or a girlfrined/boyfriend......obviously we supply the accomodations....but what do most people offer? Food? Should the guests pay for their own tickets, etc? Just wondering how you handle inviting a friend for the kids and than saying...you pay for this, we pay for that, etc.
Now we have already brought adult guests with us already and it is....we supply room, you pay for everytghin else for your self.
But just wondering how some of you have handled bringing kids friends?

[rocketriter]

You can start by having a friendly conversation with the parents and asking them what costs they feel comfortable covering. (If they make significantly less than you do, of course, you might prefer to avoid this and quietly pick up the whole tab, but that's up to you.) I'd think that if there's some economic parity, then it's certainly reasonable for the guest's parents to pay for airfare and souvenirs for sure, probably park passes, and maybe meals--in that order of priority. But you and the other family both need to be comfortable with the arrangement or the kids will sense a problem and be uncomfortable themselves.

[Chuck S]

I used my points for some friends' teens. They paid their air, tickets, food & souvenirs, except for the few times when we actually ate meals in the room.

If their family were struggling financially, I'd probably start by picking up meals, then tickets and lastly air, in that order.

[mikesmom]

We took DS friend along (same one) several times when they were teens. We paid for the accomodations, food, (frankly, I would have been feeding both of them at home during the summer , anyway :goodvibes ) and airfare. The airfare was no bigger an issue than the room, as we had plenty of free Frquent flyer vouchers from SW Airlines so no cash was involved. The friend was supposed to bring money for his park tickets and spending money. Each time his Mom gave me a check for a couple of hundred dollars because she said she knew we would have "extra expenses" for the friend. We never asked for the money and never expected it. Would have taken him anyway, used the money for an extra PS for us all.

The kids have a lot more fun when they can have a friend along.

[wdwstar]

DNeice was going to go on vacation with us for this past easter to VB & poly concierge. Actually, tis is one reason why i booked the poly concierge is because DN said she always wanted to stay there with concierge, so i booked it. We always have extra tixs, no problem there, we were driving, i would have paid for her meals, i would have only asked dsis to send money if dn wanted to buy something. Here a few days before we left dn said she wanted to stay home with her friends, :sad2: yep, i was so sad. :sad2: I didnt even bother to change the amount of people checking in and brought her room keys back with her name on them. If i were to bring friends, i guess it would all depend on if they were best friends, i would probable treat them like dn. If they were just the friend for the month, i would take care of the room, a few meals here and there and they would have to buy their tixs and anything else they would want to buy.

[deerh]

We had that situation last year and upcoming in 06. My DS 16, asked his friend, and we said that the parents/him had to buy his tickets and souven. money. We chipped in on a LOT of the food, (most of it), so he worked all winter/spring to afford to go, and he had $400-$500 to spend on tickets/souv. I told the parents this upfront almost a YEAR in advance (11 mos), and it was no problem. I think telling them EARLY is a key as well, that way they can do chores/work to save the money up!

HTH!

DeerH

[fun2bmomof3]

We are bringing a friend of my daughter's. It was first offered that we supply room and some meals and they pay for tickets and they have enough money for the remaining meals, souvenirs and anything else they might want. The girl wanted to go so bad, but the parents said there was no way they could find the money. So we offered to pay for all food, still couldn't afford it. The girls (my daughter and her friend) were trying to do yard work and such to earn the money and not having much luck. They are only 12. So after much debate we offered to pay for the whole trip. The girl's parents are trying to find the money for her a little spending cash, souvenirs etc. She just wants a set of mickey ears for herself and her brother and sister. If nothing else I will buy these.
Meals and tickets will add $500 to our 2 week trip, but I do believe that this will be the only trip that this girl will get in her childhood.
Would we do this for any other child... probley if under the same circumstances and I could afford to.
But when it is one of my other children's turn to take a friend we will do as we originally did this time offer lodging and some meals and they pay for the rest.

[fun2bmomof3]

Oops I accidently deleted part of my post. I would be willing to pay 100% again if I knew like this time that the family truely couldn't afford it. And it depends on the child also. Some of my children's friends are spoiled brats and I hate even taking them out somewhere local with us because they end up costing me two to three times what any other child would and then complain the whole time. Every situation is different I guess.

[kathleena]

I would think every situation is different depending on the child/children coming with you, your persoanl financial situation, airmiles for tickets etc etc.

I would be inclined to say we will provide the accomodations and food in the room. You pay for park tickets, meals outside the room (unless of course we specifically invite them to a dinner out or something), airfare and incidentals.

[spiceycat]

when I take my niece and she brings a friend I pay for everything except sourvenirs. (I will drive them)

if they want to bring something home - they pay for it

when my brother takes their friends - there friends has to pay for everything - except accomodations and getting there - he drives. He expects them to have food for the groceries and everything else including the tickets.

however airlines tickets from b'ham to orlando aren't that expensive. We are lucky we have SW. Atlanta where they live doesn't.

[yesdisneyfool]

I told the parents this upfront almost a YEAR in advance (11 mos), and it was no problem. I think telling them EARLY is a key as well, that way they can do chores/work to save the money up!

We do the same, and for May '06, grad gift, we told DD that she could bring 4 friends and all they had to pay for was Tix and Spending - we will pay for, travel, room (DVC of course) and all meals (in and out of the room). We told each girls parents in May '05.

[mom2alix]

Like you, our kids are still young, but we really thought about this situation. Part of the reson we bought DVC was so we could always have accomodations large enough to bring family/friends.

Right now, we think we would probably offer to pay lodging and all meals/snacks the kids eat WITH US (I think it's just easier to have the whole table on one ticket and pay it). When they're old enough to be off by themselves for lunches, etc. they can pay for their own . We would ask the parents of the guest to cover their park tickets (can purchase in advance at our Disney Store), the airline ticket, and provide the child with spending money.

Financial issues might change what we offer to pay. We originally had this agreement with DMIL, but ended up paying for everything. If it turns out to be too much of a pain, our kids will just have hang out with each other and like it! ;)

[sprite]

OUr last trip my dd(15) brought a friend. The friend paid for her own airfare and park tickets. She also brought spending money (which she had spent all year earning.)

We provided lodging and all food.

[Disneylovers]

We will be doing this in June of '06, DD is bringing her girlfriend with, they will both be 18, and recent hs grads. She will pay for her airfare and park ticket. Her folks are going to pay for her meals. We will provide breakfast every day, and probably a couple of sit down meals. The girlfriend asked me to give her a rough idea how much she needs to save, she's starting to save now. :wave:

[jade1]

We are bringing a friend of my daughter's. It was first offered that we supply room and some meals and they pay for tickets and they have enough money for the remaining meals, souvenirs and anything else they might want. The girl wanted to go so bad, but the parents said there was no way they could find the money. So we offered to pay for all food, still couldn't afford it. The girls (my daughter and her friend) were trying to do yard work and such to earn the money and not having much luck. They are only 12. So after much debate we offered to pay for the whole trip. The girl's parents are trying to find the money for her a little spending cash, souvenirs etc. She just wants a set of mickey ears for herself and her brother and sister. If nothing else I will buy these.
Meals and tickets will add $500 to our 2 week trip, but I do believe that this will be the only trip that this girl will get in her childhood.
Would we do this for any other child... probley if under the same circumstances and I could afford to.
But when it is one of my other children's turn to take a friend we will do as we originally did this time offer lodging and some meals and they pay for the rest.


Wonderfull, did you go yet? We are fortunate enough also to take our neice twice or forget it-she would have never gone. It is was so rewarding. :wizard:

[Deb & Bill]

We brought a couple of neices without their families with us on a few trips. If they could drive with us, they rode with us in the car. A few times it meant either picking them up in their home town (a little bit out of the way, but not much) or coming up with a meeting point on the way there. We bought their tickets and food. They brought spending money for souveniers. We even bought them some. We paid for all the extra deals, tickets to MVMCP, MNSSHP, Candlelight Processional dinner, CRT, Sunrise Safari, etc. They were our guests and our son enjoyed being with his cousins. When we brought along adult guests, we provided the room, maybe the ride down, sometimes the tickets. They usually bought us a nice meal.

We have guests going with us for part of our stay at OKW in January, a family of five. We'll get the two bedroom villa for that part of the stay and they'll get to buy park tickets and souveniers.

If you invite a kid, it's nice if you can pay their way or at least the part at WDW.

[fun2bmomof3]

Wonderfull, did you go yet? We are fortunate enough also to take our neice twice or forget it-she would have never gone. It is was so rewarding. :wizard:


No, We are going in September, 55 days and counting till we will be in WDW once again. Yippee!! :cheer2:

DD's friend is so excited about the trip. She doesn't have internet at home so she spends time while at our house pouring over anything Disney that can be found. I gave her our park brochures and guides from previous trips and her mom says they are about worn out from her looking at them so much.
I'm so glad we are able to afford bringing her along. :earsboy:

[Simba]

My family allowed my gf to go with me about 4 years ago and let me bring my best friend with me this past April. My gf had to pay for airfare and park tickets. That only equated to about $400 for 8 days in Disney. We paid for everything except airfare for my best friend this past April. He had never been out of the state and has been earning/saving money to finish paying for college. We told him if he could pay for the $250 plane ticket, that everything else would be taken care of. He gladly paid the $250 for a 5 night trip to Disney. Both also had to bring $ for souvenirs but we covered all the snacks and other extras. Both had a wonderful time.

[CharlesTD]

We supply the accomodation they pay for passes and meals if driving don't worry about gas etc but if flying they or their parents pay for flight.

[LiteBrite]

We've taken our 17yo daughter's boyfriend with us on 3 different trips now. We drive down, so he rides with us - no extra cost there. We buy his tickets, he stays in the room with us on an air mattress on the floor, and we buy all the meals, except for when he takes our daughter for a "date" meal, just the two of them. Anything else (souveniers, etc.) he pays for himself. This kid is always a pleasure to have along, and his presence makes the trip so much better for our daughter that we don't mind paying his way. Who knows - maybe when we're old, he'll be married to her and he'll have to support us! (JK ;) )

LiteBrite

[janets]

since we bought into DVC.

Our older son (7.5) is still a number of years away from bar mitzvah age. But we get a date 3 years ahead of time, so we'll have that date in about 2.5 years.

Instead of the traditional, big party, we thought about renting a GV and bringing down a few of his closest friends at that point in time for perhaps a 3 or 4 night stay. We figured 3 or 4 boys, in addition to ds, us and ds#2 (plus maybe my mom too).

Considering I would use points for the GV and hopefully do at least 1 meal in the unit, that would leave airfare (we're in NJ), park tickets, additional meals and souvies.

I figure that we can probably cover most of that, since we would otherwise be spending the money on a big party for him (not that we'd do a blown out black tie affair, but it would have to cost several thousand dollars to do). So instead of paying for the party, we'd pay for the trip.

I would probably ask the parents to send along some spending money, in case the kids wanted to get souvies to bring home. I think for me, the biggest problem won't be agreeing on who pays for what, it's going to be getting the parents to let me take their kids to WDW for 3 or 4 nights. I guess it will all depend on the kids and their parents. Some people are not comfortable letting others take their kids out of state. At 13, I would expect to give them a certain amount of freedom, but they would have to meet us for all meals and no wandering around at night without supervision.

I know this is all so far away, but I like thinking about it so when the time comes, we'll be ready.

[Lasrnw]

Having only one child we have taken many friends on many many vacations and our rule has always been we pick up the tab for everything except souveniors. We never wanted to put the burden on a family to pay for expenses for someone we invited or have a family say no if it was someone my son wanted to invite because they didn't have the money at the time.
Always worked for us and let everyone enjoy!!

[Rex Rules]

IMO, If you invite someone along, you should foot the entire bill for them, exactly as if they were your child, as well.

[ColoradoBelle1]

Yes, deciding on who pays for what is dicey. It would be nice to think: they are my guests so of course I'll pay all the expenses BUT if that would be a hardship, odds are you wouldn't offer at all...I think it really needs to be based on indidual circumstances. We have an only, so we often took friends for her. We took daycare provider's daughter on two trips, one to Yellowstone and one to DIsney. I think we either had her pay for airfare to Disney or exchanged it for daycare. Another friend who was well off, paid her airfare and a check for some meals out to Grand Cayman. And another teenage friend paid for her rate at an all inclusive (child's rate) and her airfare....Took her college bf to Hawaii and he paid for his own airfare and one meal. (That was the most expensive and it was after I divorced so a bit of a stretch.)

I agree that it is more fun for the kid (and thus the parents iykwim) to take a friend along. If you can afford it without hardship, do it. If the kid's parents offer to pay, I think airfare and park admission is a reasonable way to go. Spending money...the kid's should earn that IMHO.

Easiest way to broach the topic is to have all the things that can be prepaid (airfare, park tickets, special event tickets,tours etc) lined up so that the other family can buy it online for their kid or at least see what the costs are and maybe reimburse you.

What I found was that most parents were so thankful that their kids would have the opportunity to go somewhere they couldn't take them, that they were glad to contribute at least the airfare.

[jade1]

No, We are going in September, 55 days and counting till we will be in WDW once again. Yippee!! :cheer2:

DD's friend is so excited about the trip. She doesn't have internet at home so she spends time while at our house pouring over anything Disney that can be found. I gave her our park brochures and guides from previous trips and her mom says they are about worn out from her looking at them so much.
I'm so glad we are able to afford bringing her along. :earsboy:

Fun-should be fairly quiet then (still hot though), what resort? That can relate to the OP topic-you know what resort by point total and room size etc.

[SB in KY]

When my youngest was 12 we brought her Best Friend on a 10 day trip with us and picked up the tab...her mom insisted on buying her plane ticket even though we offered. (nice gesture from a nice mom),

Since then both of my DD's have brought groups of friends on trips (4 and 5 friends per trip)....we could not begin to foot the tab for all of them on multiple occasions....so we drive and bring them all along (usually bringing 2 cars). We have been able to do 4 park days for them all and water park visits...using years worth of odd days from old park hoppers and those "pluses" I never thought we would use. We tell the girls that I will have groceries available and fix meals for times that they want to eat in at OKW, but they all pay for their own meals if they choose to eat out. Then we always treat everyone to 1 special meal (Chef Mickey's or Boma's or Prime Time Cafe usually).

These have been some terrific trips and have made memories I know all of them will treasure without imposing financial hardship on anyone. One of the girls that has come twice has to earn her own spending and meal $$ babysitting, etc, the others have been bankrolled by their parents, but I do not think it hurts kids to earn trip $$ if they want to go (my own DD's had to earn all the $$ for a school trip to France and it gave them a whole new perspective on what it takes to travel!!)

I always reserve the right to edit the guest list!! The "high maintenance" friends are not included....and so far we have never had any trouble and in fact they have been some of the least expensive and most enjoyable trips we have taken!!

[rigsby25]

We brought one of our daughter's close friends in 2004. We paid airfare, tickets, and food. The friend bought souveniers, and junk food etc. I figured the money wasn't going so much to the friend, but to my daughter, since it allowed her to have so much more fun. Kids want to be with their friends. I have also told my son that sometime, and only once, he can also bring a friend on us. His trouble was that the parents could not afford it, and would not let us pay.