? about inviting teens to join you

[Nolcrest]

My 2 teens keep asking if they can bring someone with them to WDW. I really would love too but quite honestly can't afford to pay for 2 extras.

What does everyone else do? Do you pick up the tab for the guests or do they basically pay for themselves. I already have 2 rooms reserved.

Would like to know how others have done it.

P.S. We'll be driving.

Thanks!

 

[antmaril]

I invited my son's girlfriend (17) to come with us to WDW last year and we've invited her on a Disney Cruise in February. We are paying for everything. She will bring some spending money. She would not be able to join us if her mother had to pay for it.

I'm sure every situation is different.

 

[susy]

I would maybe ask the kids to pay for their tickets/meals, but be prepared to pay for the meals. Also, give them ideas on how to earn money towards their trip. Maybe all four kids can do a yard sale togehter or something to pay for soveneirs. I would talk to the kids' parents to see if they are willing to contribute to a trip. Some parents will gladly pay for their child to have an experience like that and some will just not be able to do it. I really don't think you should be expected to pay for Disney. It's not like just going to a hotel on the beach-the tickets are a big expense. Maybe in circles where people have tons of $$$ to throw around, it's expected. I would not expect someone to pay for my child.

 

[Sandy22]

Ooohh you guys are certainly generous

I for one would not pay any additional expenses for guests of my kids. You are already providing at no cost to them transportation, lodging as well as acting as their chaperone (though they might not appreciate it )

I would expect the invitees' parents to provide enough funds for park tickets, meals, souvenirs. For the parents it might be worth it to get a week long break from their teens

Good luck!

 

[Jet888]

We brought DD's best friend with us to WDW a few years ago they were 12 at the time. We drove and luckily were staying at AKL (5 per room) and we paid for her meals. She had money for parks and souvenirs and I know her mom probably thought she was going to pay for her own food because she had plenty of money left-over. It was fun having her, it definitely made it more fun for DD.

 

[Liz]

As another poster said, everyone's situation is different. Some people would pay for the guest and not think twice about it. For us its a financial balancing act to get OUR family there, much less friends of my kids.

I think it can work out to be a great thing but plan carefully. Maybe you should come up with a $$ figure to give the parents so they know how much their child would need to bring if they came. They may not realize the costs and they may come very under-prepared!

Hope it all works out!

 

[drp4video]

My daughter, now 17, always brings a friend in August when we go. The friend pays for their air fare, ticket into the park, and maybe $200 for food, as well as souveniers. We go for at least a week. I pay for the rest of her food and snacks, retnal car, and hotel room.

If I am lucky, my close friend and her grand-daughter (my daughter's friend) go with us, and then it only costs for my daughter and me, and we split the rental car.

For our CHristmas and New Year trip, no friends, just the two of us.

She is going with her music class in April, and as I don't want to drive down with 50 high school kids on a bus (20 hour drive), I am going to fly down and hang out with them when I want. The rest of the time, I will be on my own, which shall be a new experience for me.

 

[shortcake_smurf]

We asked my younger DDs friend to come with us in March. As we were getting two rooms anyway (husband can't deal with 3 women trying to get ready in one room), I told her she needed to pay for her park pass and spending money. We will pay for her breakfasts and dinners. It's a new experience for us, so we'll have to see how it goes. We had originally asked older DDs BF to come too but he backed out. So now my DH has to deal with 4 women getting ready but at least not all in one room. Older DD is 21 this trip so she will be able to explore PI so at least the younger one will have someone to hang out with and won't feel left out. -

 

[lindsey]

We took two extra teens with us in June 04- we were camping, so lodging was easy. Total 3 boys ages 16, 17, and 18. I bought them 4 day PH tickets. That gave them extra days to be lazy. They went to a concert one night at HOB (their expense). We had food available for breakfast and sandwich makings for one meal a day if they wanted it. They paid any of their own food that was purchased. Since my son had been 9 times already, he knew his way around pretty good. We gave them guidelines and kept in contact with cell phones. I knew this would be their last summer together - they will all graduate this June 05 and go to different colleges.

 

[Blueeyes101817]

not to disney, but last january, we all took a cruise together--it was mom and dad in one room..grandma and grandpa in one..myself and a friend in another, and my brother and a friend....my friend and my brothers friend paid for their airfare, and the cruise..any excursions and soveniers...my dad paid for some of our drinks onboard and the transfer costs...
on saturday, we are all going to disney--and its going to be again--mom and dad in 1 room..joe and his friend in 1 room and myself and my friend in another room--they are paying for the airfare and park ticktes--my dad paid for all 3 hotel rooms and will mot likely pay for some food

 

[dznyacct]

My 15 yo DS's best friend has joined us on our last 2 summer trips. In 2003 we went to Vero Beach for a week and then WDW for a week. In 2004 we did the 7 night DCL western and then WDW for 9 days. We paid for everything, only asking that he bring his own spending money. Taking him was a very big increase in our trip costs, but he and my son have been friends since they were 4 and I really feel like he's part of the family. I would LOVE to have him join my son and me in WDW over Easter/Spring Break, but cruising in the summer was sooooooo expensive, I just can't come up with the extra $$$ for him. His parents have had some financial difficulties, so I know there is no other way he could have gone on these trips. My DS is an only child and had so much fun having his best friend along. I told my son that he could ask another friend to join us in March, but they would have to pay for their own expenses (airfare, park ticket and food). He said he was fine going with just me (what a good son!), so I guess it will be just the 2 of us. If my son was asked to join another family on a vacation I would assume that all expenses would be my responsibility. Just make sure that the parents understand the financial arrangement.

 

[skiwee1]

If we do the inviting then we pick up the entire tab. It isn't an invitation if you make them pay for it or even a part of it. We always take a friend for my son skiing and the only money they would bring is for souveniers.

 

[scoutsmom99]

When I was 17 I went with a friend's family and I paid my arifare, park ticket, and spending money. They covered the food, hotel room, and rental car. It worked out pretty well.

 

[DrTomorrow]

It's perfectly acceptable to invite someone and pay for everything. It's also perfectly acceptable to invite them and explain that they will have to pay certain expenses. Whatever you do, make sure this is clear to both the invitee and his/her parents at the time you invite them. I've read posts about people who invited and assumed that the guest (a child) would pay for food, only to have the guest arrive with $35 "emergency money".

IMHO - YMMV

 

[mom_rules]

We've done this a couple of times. If our kids invite friends then it is up to them to split the cost of the room (so they choose what they can afford at the time), their airfare, park tickets and spending money. We pick up the tab for everything else (those character meals and sit down restaurants, not to mention wakeboarding, parasailing and tubing etc can get expensive).

 

[robsmom]

I think it can work out to be a great thing but plan carefully. Maybe you should come up with a $$ figure to give the parents so they know how much their child would need to bring if they came. They may not realize the costs and they may come very under-prepared!

I agree with this but want to add one very important caveot that no one has mentioned. I believe that if you are inviting a child and you expect their parents to pay something than you need to approach the parent not the child. Under no circumstances should the child know that this is being considered until the parents agree. I think it would be very inconsiderate to put a parent in the position of having to say no if they can't afford the trip. I have personally thought about this as I have an only child and think having a playmate can be a good thing. I think that if we do invite anyone in the future I will offer it as an invitation meaning that I am paying for it. If the parents offer to contribute and really want to I will let them do what they want but otherwise it is my invitation and my gift. If i can't afford the extra person, then I will not invite them.

 

[Bonnie40]

Wow, I had no idea that so many people travel with their kids' friends! I always see our vacations as 'family time' that we all treasure. It would never occurr to me or to my kids to invite others to join us. I understand it would be different with an only child, but I find the time away from phones, computers, friends, etc., makes for incredible memories that we will always treasure. We always comment that when you are just with your immediate family, everyone can just 'be themselves'...

 

[Tigger&Belle]

This is an interesting thread. I've never invited a friend of my childs to WDW yet, but since my youngest is so much younger than his siblings we'll probably do it someday.

My DD did go away for the weekend with her boyfriend and his family. They went skiing for a day and stayed with their friends. It was a birthday present to my DD so everything was included.

I do agree with robsmom that if the parents are going to be expected to pay for even part of the trip that they need to be approached first and the expenses spelled out. If a person has never been to WDW they are going to probably be surprised by the cost of everything, especially park tickets. For a week long trip park tickets would be over $300 (recently bought a 7 day park hopper plus ticket and it was $325, not sure what the MYW ticket would be). Even one sit-down meal and a counter serve meal for a teenager could easily be $25-30/day and could be a lot more if drinks and snacks are included. That's not counting extra activities. Adds up fast!

T&B

 

[skiwee1]

Wow, I had no idea that so many people travel with their kids' friends! I always see our vacations as 'family time' that we all treasure. It would never occurr to me or to my kids to invite others to join us. I understand it would be different with an only child, but I find the time away from phones, computers, friends, etc., makes for incredible memories that we will always treasure. We always comment that when you are just with your immediate family, everyone can just 'be themselves'...

I could see if it were a once in a lifetime vacation and you wanted to make it a family affair but for those that enjoy traveling a lot then bringing a friend is great. Afterall it isn't just you that wants to enjoy themselves. I know that my kids love to bring friends to experience places with. At ages 12 and up it seems quite reasonable for kids to want to spend sometime without their families. I was always allowed to bring friends on our trips and we had a blast. My parents paid for everything. Afterall they were invited.

 

[mom_rules]

Most definitely agree-my kids are both in their late teens-so it's generally their friends asking them to come along-like I said, okay with me as long they have the $ for 1/2 the room, tickets and air fare. We don't mind helping them out with other things and we love that our kids still want to vacation with us (even with their friends) but I think it is a little much to expect for us to pay for everything when they have invited themselves along.