At what age to bring a friend?

[dragonfly57005]

She's 5???!!!! With this attitude?

Maybe the key is to figure out what she does want to do at Disney. Maybe she is beyond the princess stuff you think she should want to do. See if she wants to expand her horizons.

I personally wouldn't take a friend on that type of trip until they could help pay for part of it themselves. Not the entire thing, but at least contribute so they have a personal stake in it. 16+ age.

 

[5forDiz]

It's a huge responsibility and there would be no way DH & I would consider it unless the child was well into high school years and even then, it would have to be a longtime friend & parents that we know well enough to be sure that we are all on the 'same page' regarding our parenting styles, expectations, etc.

We were part of a high school graduation trip for our eldest DD & 4 friends (one of the girl's mom & aunt were staying in WDW at same time as well), when DS was 20 he had a friend who flew in to spend long weekend & they along with DH also went to Daytona 500; most recently our DNiece14 came along with our family & her mom, my sis, met up with us 5 days later. Good times

 

[buzz5985]

I wouldn't take a friend until your DD is much older. But that said, we are testament to how WDW and DVC can create wonderful new friendships.

Our DD 11 is an only child, but is very social. She makes friends quickly in the resort pool, and we always make sure that she has time to enjoy this as part of her time at WDW.

On our last couple of trips, she swiftly found kids that she hung out with during the course of our vacation. At Vero in March, she met up with a lovely family who we also enjoyed getting to know. But even better, one year ago she met a great kid in the BLT pool. They have been penpals ever since, and as it turns out, the family is booked to visit the same time this year. We will be joining up for at least one meal together, and I hope we will also enjoy Wishes with them at the TOPTW lounge.

Further, on the DCL cruise, through the DIS we met a number of great families including one that also happens to be DVC, and we are secretly hoping that sometime in the future we will see them again.

My DS 14 is an only also. He still text messages kids he has met at WDW, HHI, etc. Even as young as 5 he was going up and introducing himself to other kids on the playground. Has always been very outgoing, and unafraid of branching out from his parents. We took a friend for his for DS 13th birthday - a quick 4 day trip. The boy lives 4 doors down from us, they play on the same hockey team for years, are in Scouts together, we know the parents very well. Both had also spent time away from home at overnight scout camp from the age of 9 - so I think that made a difference too.

Janis

 

[AnnaS]

My son invited two of his friends years ago. I think they had just graduated high school.

I also invited three of my daughter's friends for my daughter's sweet 16th birthday celebration. Two were 15 and one was still 14 - turning 15 that year. Not sure I would start much younger than 13/14. It is a huge responsibility - of course the older they get, much less.

Do we know if the young girl is 5? if so, I don't think so, at least for me anyway.

 

[Sunshine22]

As others have said I would wait until your child is older. My DD15 brought 2 friends and my DD13 brought one on our Spring Break trip. Everyone had a great time. We brought the 13 yr. old friend to the beach twice for long weekends the summer before, so I knew she would be ok and not too homesick, etc.

 

[Brian Noble]

The whole point of vacations for my family is to have some time away from the hustle and bustle of work, school, etc. to just reconnect with one another. So, bringing friends simply is not on the table for us. For us, Disney no longer holds quite the same attraction it once did---whether that's because my kids are outgrowing the product, or just a matter of familiarity breeding contempt, I'm not sure. I suspect a little bit of both. But, for now, we are mixing in more non-WDW vacations for family trips. But, as non-Members, it's easy for us to make those changes, because we are not locked in to DVC as a destination. If we were, it would be more difficult to balance.

 

[GGOOFY1]

When my kids were smaller we did several trips with relatives, and they had their cousins to hang out with. My DS invited a friend for the first time when she was 13. At that there is alot of responsibility you have to concider. I had to get a power to treat just incase she got sick. And then there was the time they just got too tired of each other and started arguing . That's when I wanted to put her on a plane and send her home!!!

 

[a742246]

She is probably not bored but overwelmed. Disney can be overwelming to a 5 year old. I would suggest to slow things down and have alot of family time next trip. Less is probably better than more to a 5 year old, so slow things down and enjoy each other, they are only this age once, so treasure it.

 

[moredisneyplease]

If a five year old is bored at WDW, maybe you need to look at the attractions you are taking her to. No 5 year old should be bored at Disney, no matter how many times they go.

I have to agree that 5 is way too young to be taking along friends. I don't know any parent who would allow their 5 year old to travel with others. I certainly wouldn't be comfortable with that arrangement. I also can't imagine why you would want the responsibility of having another person's child along at that age either.

I would wait until at least the tween years to bring along a playmate, and I'd probably wait until at least 13.

this is exactly what I would say. i have a 3 and 6 year old and they both couldnt be MORE thrilled with WDW! Now next year i told my sister that I'd take her daughter who is 5 now but thats because i know i can handle a 4, 6, and 7 year old next year. as for bringing a friend....i wouldnt do that until teens!!

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Kids want to be with other kids and there's nothing wrong with that, actually it's quite normal. Just as a 5 year old would vacation with a sibling or a cousin, "only" children do not have this opportunity so what can you do? Yes, bring a friend! As far as being too young or too much responsibility, well that's really up to the parties involved.

I have been bringing my son's best friend with us to Disney since he was 5, and vice versa. We are friends who had known each other for years, along with that came the trust that we each care for the others child as we care for our own! We had been having play dates amd multiple slepp overs since they were 3 1/2, they got along great. It really depends on the individuals (both child and parents), no I wouldn't take a stranger anymore then I would allow my son to go with a stranger but long family friends are different.

They are 14 now and they both have many vacation memories together.

My friends always gave me money for tickets but I chose to pay fro everyhting else.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

At 5 (the age of your DD according to your signature) she should be learning to branch out and make friends. This might be why she doesn't seem interested in Disney as much... she's home sick for her friends! Most kids go through this - I did, my siblings did, my own kids all did. Your daughter will cope just fine - she just needs to learn social skills. Let her socialize at the pool, in the community halls, even waiting in line for rides. She'll be making new friends in no time and have stories to bring home to entertain her true best friends.

I agree with everything you say but unfortunately it's not the norm when poeple are on vacation. It's been my experience that children vacationing with family and siblings, cousins etc. seldomly invite lone children to play with them, it's actually the opposite, it's the exception and not the norm. You might make a friend at the pool today but tomorrow they are going home or going to another park, or better yet their family really doesn't want you to attach yourself to their family vacation.

I think it's asking a lot from a 5 year old or any child for that matter to go out every day and make new friends (away from home, while on vacation), most adults don't or can't do this! Just my honest opinion and as the parent of an "only" child it's been my experience, which is exactly why I began to take my son's best friend, also an "only" child at the age of 5. Even with the added responsibility and the ins. card and the POA to treat in case of emergency, in 11 years, it's been fantastic for all of us!

Unless you've been an only child or have an only child (I am both) you don't know what it's like.

To give a recent experience, I took my son and 5 of his 14 year old friends to Disney Jun 6-10. At the quiet pool a little girl, possibly 4 yrs old, swam over and wanted to play with the boys, her parents were both sitting, watching her, sitting in their seats. I played with her with a noodle because the boys were horsing around too much. None of the other kids her age who she approached welcomed her to play, she kept going back to my boys. My thought, her parents should have been in the pool with her but that wans't the case.

 

[ChickieToo]

I agree with everything you say but unfortunately it's not the norm when poeple are on vacation. It's been my experience that children vacationing with family and siblings, cousins etc. seldomly invite lone children to play with them, it's actually the opposite, it's the exception and not the norm. You might make a friend at the pool today but tomorrow they are going home or going to another park, or better yet their family really doesn't want you to attach yourself to their family vacation.

I think it's asking a lot from a 5 year old or any child for that matter to go out every day and make new friends (away from home, while on vacation), most adults don't or can't do this! Just my honest opinion and as the parent of an "only" child it's been my experience, which is exactly why I began to take my son's best friend, also an "only" child at the age of 5. Even with the added responsibility and the ins. card and the POA to treat in case of emergency, in 11 years, it's been fantastic for all of us!

Unless you've been an only child or have an only child (I am both) you don't know what it's like.

To give a recent experience, I took my son and 5 of his 14 year old friends to Disney Jun 6-10. At the quiet pool a little girl, possibly 4 yrs old, swam over and wanted to play with the boys, her parents were both sitting, watching her, sitting in their seats. I played with her with a noodle because the boys were horsing around too much. None of the other kids her age who she approached welcomed her to play, she kept going back to my boys. My thought, her parents should have been in the pool with her but that wans't the case.

As the mother of an "only" with a bestie who is also an only, I concur that children shouldn't be expected to be as self-reliant to make friends every day, everywhere. My DD12 has the gift to do that, and always has. We became friends with another DVC family because my DD and one of their DDs met on the playscape at the end of Mission Space. We spent time with them that vacation and have traveled with them too. Though I suspect that as she gets older, and kids get more "clique-like" that type of encounter will only get more difficult. On the flip side, DD's bestie would never do that. She also sometimes gets homesick when she sleeps at our home, even though she knows my house inside and out and she spends a lot of time here, and the families spend a lot of time together. We only live a few houses away, and I have to call my girlfriend and 1:00 am to come and get her daughter who is crying.

It really depends on the kid and the family. In fact, last year when DD and friend were 11, I almost asked DD's friend to come to Disney with us, but I didn't only because if she got homesick there would be nothing I could do to solve that short of schlepping her all the way back to Connecticut.

Personally, I wouldn't take anyone younger than 11/12, and I wouldn't let DD go with anyone before she was 12, but I have taken niece and nephew at younger ages, but I feel that is totally different.