Have you let your teenager bring a friend?

[Jaclyn810]

i brought my best friend for my sweet 16 a couple of years back..we got ajoining rooms also (as i see some other people wrote) i was in that "too cool teenage stage" then where i didnt want to be with my family the whole time..we had our space but ate meals together and still were with them for most of it the vacation.. now i would like to disney just to get away from it all and be with my family.. but it was definately a fun experience (espcially since my friend was in disney for the first time so it was fun seeing her enjoy everything for the first time) i would definately say go for it as long as the friend is respectful and gets along with the family

 

[mexican-mouseketeers]

Our daughter is an only child and we would always bring her cousin or a friend with us. It actually worked out great the girls would stay with us for a little while in the morning then go do their own thing. We always paid for the friend and it always worked out well. However, again, there were no other children to contend with.

Great pictures!

Hey, that´s me with dd on Deck 10 (picture 12 of 99), I am sorry, if I had known you were taking a picture we would have moved out of the way.

Julie

 

[Sunny37]

We let our son bring a friend last year, and they had a great time. This young man had never even been in a hotel room! Our kids have been to WDW so many times that they take it for granted, yet when his friend went with us, my son was able to see how fortunate he is to be able to travel so much. The boys did pretty much what they wanted and DH and I did what we wanted. We even had the meal plan and they used mostly counter service for their meals on their own. We paid for everything including some souvenirs.

 

[sandymandr]

just in case you hadn't already planned to do this, may I suggest that you be sure to talk to the parents first and get their approval before mentioning it to either of the kids, I'd hate to disappoint the kids....or put pressure on the parents to be the "bad guy" and say no! Other than that, I think it is very generous and wonderful for you to include your child's friend in your family vacation....Disney is all about magic and you could give that kid wonderful memories, the more the merrier!!!

 

[sdrsdd]

I am an only child (now 28 years old), but my parents always let me bring me a friend especially in those teenage years! If you can afford it, I think your son would love the company. I always still thought it felt like a family vacation, especially if this friend is around your house a lot! Good luck.

 

[we3disneygo]

great to hear all the stories of all the great trips! our dd12 soon to be 13! has planned the next trip for her sweet 16....I'd like to surprise her with a cruise also!! she want's to ask her best friend to go....wish we could pick up the tab for everything but that's not an option.

 

[Deb & Bill]

When we invite a child, we pay it all. When we invite an adult, we provide the lodging.

 

[lindsey]

June 2004, we took DS (17yrs) and his two friends (16yrs & 18yrs). They had just finished their jr yr in hs and I knew it would probably be their last time together. We had previously taken both boys with us to the beach for several years, so we knew how we all interact. We drove and camped at FW. We had breafast items and sandwich stuff at the camper. I bought their park tickets and they knew up front they would pay for food and souviners in park. We also had a large extended family with small children, so the three guys did their own thing. It was the 9th trip for DS, so he knew his way around pretty good. We used cell phones to stay in contact.

 

[snowwite]

I am taking the kids in april.Just me and DD 18 and DS 14. They each want to bring a pal but that would mean getting bigger room. I had planned to have DD bring her pal because they are old enough to tour on thier own a bit and DS could hang w/me but I heard a lot of no fair etc so as it stands we arent brining anyone.Would you bring just one or let each kid bring one? DD pal is here all the time like a family member.DS doesnt make friends easily and the kid he wants to bring has been coming over for maybe a year and not very often. Plus he is sneaky and whispers a lot so I am not thrilled with taking him on my vac.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I am taking the kids in april.Just me and DD 18 and DS 14. They each want to bring a pal but that would mean getting bigger room. I had planned to have DD bring her pal because they are old enough to tour on thier own a bit and DS could hang w/me but I heard a lot of no fair etc so as it stands we arent brining anyone.Would you bring just one or let each kid bring one? DD pal is here all the time like a family member.DS doesnt make friends easily and the kid he wants to bring has been coming over for maybe a year and not very often. Plus he is sneaky and whispers a lot so I am not thrilled with taking him on my vac.

Since your 18 yr old may not be around your home much longer (maybe going to college), I'd let her bring a friend. Then next time you go, if son is still friends with his pal, bring that kiddo along.

 

[Plantlady]

I was the friend that got taken on vacations. I joined my best friends family when I was 14, 15 and 16. They were the most wonderful memories for me.

Our families were very close, our parents met when they were in college, they are really more like family than friends.

I am pretty sure, that my parents paid for my food, admission to everything, and I was given a bit of pocket money. I knew what my food budget was, and I knew not to go over it.

I think if you are comfortable with the kid, and the kid is comfortable with you, listening to your rules, ect, it should be fine.

 

[antmaril]

Two years ago I took my then 18 DS and his 17 year old girlfriend to Disney/Universal. She had never been to WDW, nor had she ever been on an airplane. It was a great trip. I paid for everything, as her mother couldn't really afford a trip like this. She had some spending money, but for the most part, it was all on me.

We had a very good time. Since my DS and I had been to Disney many, many times, it was really big fun to show it to his girlfriend. It was like seeing it all for the first time.

 

[SusanMomOf2]

Oh I think that bringing a friend would be an awesome idea! It would be so great for everyone, especially the friend who otherwise wouldn't be able to go. You are SO generous for even thinking about it. I say go for it. It'll still be a family trip +1 so don't worry. I'd love to bring one of my DD6's friends if we could afford it. We brought my 2 nephews on our last trip, and even though they're older boys, I don't regret it. There will be other times for "just us"... but for my nephews, it was once-in-a-lifetime.

Kudos to you!

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

When I was in college, we went on a family vacation and my younger brother brought a friend, who like your son's friend, would never have been able to afford the trip and had never flown on a plane, etc. I am pretty sure he had a little spending money, but my parents paid for everything else.

10 years later, we all still have the BEST memories of that trip, and all of them are improved by having my brother's friend there.