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

[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!!

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.

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.