How much do you have a child's friend pay...

[manning]

I think the situation can have a lot to do with this. For example, for Spring Break we are letting our 9 year old DGD bring a friend to VB. The friend's father is a police officer. Mom is a stay at home mom with 4 kids. About 6 months ago they moved into a new house. Although I don't know their financial situation, we have decided to cover the friend's expenses because we think finances are probably tight.

Just make sure you get a medical power of attorney from them in case of a medical emergency. You may want to get trip insurance for the cruise part. Medivac can be real high if needed.

 

[BraveMom3]

I have three kids, and if they ever brought a friend, the friend would have to pay for park tickets and souveniers or I would not be able to do it. Paying for their food would be a strain. I can barely cover our expenses! We've had a few trips where a friend's family was there for part of our trip and our kids got together, and the kids loved it. Since my kids are getting older (16, 12, 11) I would like to take one of their friends on a trip at a time. There are 4 of us, so if we had another, we would really need to upgrade to a 2 bedroom so that would cramp my DVC points a bit, but I could probably live with it. My real problem is that we stay for 2 weeks when we go in June, and I really don't want company for the whole 2 weeks. Maybe if they could ride with us and fly home after a few days, or fly down toward the end of our trip and ride home with us? I'm gonna have to work this one out.

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

We took my daughters friend to Disney two years ago and had them pay airfare and spending money. We paid DDP and park tickets. I don't think I would take someone elses child on a cruise ship. If the child were to get sick or hurt out of the country and you not being legal gardian. I would be nervice about that.

Ditto on that.

It sounds like a logistical nightmare-why not just schedule another vacation some other time with the friend involved from the beginning...

I'm against kids bringing friends anyway; they end up totally ignoring their parents the whole trip and then what's so different from being home?

 

[bethy]

I'm against kids bringing friends anyway; they end up totally ignoring their parents the whole trip and then what's so different from being home?

I feel this way for our family, too - at least most of the time. For us, the whole reason we go on vacation in the first place is for a family immersion/forced bonding experience. To get us outside our rut and routine and gain a fresh perspective on things.

 

[tgropp]

Just curious. For all who say that the parents should pay everything for their childs friend to go along, is this from expeirence of taking your childs friend along to WDW, or just your personnal opinion?.

 

[mjem216]

ALWAYS HAVE PAD FOR MY SONS FRIEND

 

[Mike©]

if you bring one along? We are planning a trip in March: 6 days at Disney and then a 3 day Disney cruise. Our 10 year old wants to bring a friend along. It would cost for the plane ticket, park ticket, and we would have to upgrade our cat 6 to a cat 4 on the cruise. That is at least $1000 not counting food and extras.

I was just wondering what others ask the other child's family to pay?

here comes another opinion

I think that just maybe you would be best served by saying no to your 10 year old and point out that this is a "family" vacation. You can also point out that there will be many storys to tell their friend when they get back.

 

[spiceycat]

when I bring niece and her friends - I pay for everything.

but that is my choice. like bringing my niece.

 

[Dean]

Just curious. For all who say that the parents should pay everything for their childs friend to go along, is this from expeirence of taking your childs friend along to WDW, or just your personnal opinion?.

It's certainly one's choice to pay everything. I would not think it an expectation and that it would actually be the minority to pay for everything for such a trip. Certainly the specific situation would and should define what's appropriate and what's expected. I would never expect someone else to pay for my child's direct expenses for such a trip and I frankly, would not be comfortable with them doing so. OTOH, I would not expect to pay a portion of their own expenses that would have been the same regardless as is usually the case with the rooms and vehicular travel. Things like air fare, admission tickets, restaurant costs and anything they buy should be the responsibility of the child in question and their family. IF someone decides to accept this responsibility extra, that is certainly their option. My niece and a friend went on two trips together this past summer. Each for about a week with one week with one family and one with the other. The way they divided it up was the host family paid all for the week they had both kids figuring it'd be close enough.

 

[mmmcq]

We have not yet taken friends kids to WDW, but I can see that happening very soon. Our older DD's joined us late on this trip because neither wanted to miss college or high school classes. Our DD9 really wanted someone in the pool and on the slide with her. I'm too old for the slide! And my DD19 turns 20 in January and she really wanted to bring her boyfriend on this trip.....but I didn't have enough points for another studio and didn't want a body in the living room. As it turns out my DD17 slept there so she wouldn't have to share a bed. I like the boyfriend, so that was not the problem. She wants to share Disney with him as we have had made many happy memories there. She had to settle on bringing him home some mickey ears.

We have, however, taken friends kids on our summer vacations....and it usually has worked out well. I have also taken friends to CA with us and have paid for everything except airfare. It was a choice on the parent's part to let their child go with us on vacation. I don't think the guest paying for airfare is unreasonable.

If we were to take friends, I would pay use the extra points for an additional room if necessary and would cover the dining plan. I would ask that they cover air fare and a park ticket.

I had a friend who went to WDW this past March and took my DD17 with her daughter. I offered to pay airfare and park ticket and more.....and she accepted reimbursement for the airfare and the park ticket. My friend does not enjoy the rides and was thrilled that my DD was there as entertainment.

I can also see in the not so distant future where another friend will ask to take my DD9with them to Argentina when they go home. And we will probably say yes. She has had my daughter on a beach vacation and I've had hers for the same. The kids do well for extended periods of time with each other. That's a key point when travelling with friends of your kids.

At 15 my family sent me to England and then Switzerland on the same trip to visit friends of theirs from Boston who both happened to be living overseas for a number of years and had kids my age. I had a wonderful time in London and skiing in Davos. I apparently behaved myself because the family invited me to continue on with them to Paris. But I said "no" because I had a band performance I didn't want to miss. To this day I regret that decision. I've been to Paris twice since then........but still it was such a silly reason not to go. I think it's great for kids to travel with other families. My folks were always inviting my friends to travel with us - although we never flew to Disney.

Anyway, my piont is that do whatever you are comfortable with. If you know the child and are confident the kids will get along more or less for that period of time - then go for it. But I would be uncomfortable asking for reimbursement for the cabin upgrade. You'll either have to eat it this time or maybe wait till next time to invite the child.

 

[DIZZNY]

We have not yet taken friends kids to WDW, but I can see that happening very soon. Our older DD's joined us late on this trip because neither wanted to miss college or high school classes. Our DD9 really wanted someone in the pool and on the slide with her. I'm too old for the slide! And my DD19 turns 20 in January and she really wanted to bring her boyfriend on this trip.....but I didn't have enough points for another studio and didn't want a body in the living room. As it turns out my DD17 slept there so she wouldn't have to share a bed. I like the boyfriend, so that was not the problem. She wants to share Disney with him as we have had made many happy memories there. She had to settle on bringing him home some mickey ears.

We have, however, taken friends kids on our summer vacations....and it usually has worked out well. I have also taken friends to CA with us and have paid for everything except airfare. It was a choice on the parent's part to let their child go with us on vacation. I don't think the guest paying for airfare is unreasonable.

If we were to take friends, I would pay use the extra points for an additional room if necessary and would cover the dining plan. I would ask that they cover air fare and a park ticket.

I had a friend who went to WDW this past March and took my DD17 with her daughter. I offered to pay airfare and park ticket and more.....and she accepted reimbursement for the airfare and the park ticket. My friend does not enjoy the rides and was thrilled that my DD was there as entertainment.

I can also see in the not so distant future where another friend will ask to take my DD9with them to Argentina when they go home. And we will probably say yes. She has had my daughter on a beach vacation and I've had hers for the same. The kids do well for extended periods of time with each other. That's a key point when travelling with friends of your kids.

At 15 my family sent me to England and then Switzerland on the same trip to visit friends of theirs from Boston who both happened to be living overseas for a number of years and had kids my age. I had a wonderful time in London and skiing in Davos. I apparently behaved myself because the family invited me to continue on with them to Paris. But I said "no" because I had a band performance I didn't want to miss. To this day I regret that decision. I've been to Paris twice since then........but still it was such a silly reason not to go. I think it's great for kids to travel with other families. My folks were always inviting my friends to travel with us - although we never flew to Disney.

Anyway, my piont is that do whatever you are comfortable with. If you know the child and are confident the kids will get along more or less for that period of time - then go for it. But I would be uncomfortable asking for reimbursement for the cabin upgrade. You'll either have to eat it this time or maybe wait till next time to invite the child.

Thanks to you and everyone for their advice and thoughts. I think along the lines as you do. I do see us taking friends along in the future but this trip would just be too difficult with the cruise at the end. I am of the mind to ask the parents to pay for the airfare and spending money...not sure about park ticket yet - I think it depends on the situation. Eventually, we may just pay for it all but I will have to wait until we move and change jobs this summer to see how the financial situation settles out. I agree it is absolutely key to know the child and parents well enough to make this successful. Thanks again!

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

Thanks to you and everyone for their advice and thoughts. I think along the lines as you do. I do see us taking friends along in the future but this trip would just be too difficult with the cruise at the end. I am of the mind to ask the parents to pay for the airfare and spending money...not sure about park ticket yet - I think it depends on the situation. Eventually, we may just pay for it all but I will have to wait until we move and change jobs this summer to see how the financial situation settles out. I agree it is absolutely key to know the child and parents well enough to make this successful. Thanks again!

I think if you came to me and said "we'd like to bring your kid with us but you need to pony up airfare, tickets and spending money" my reaction would be "heck, if I'm paying for all of it, she may as well just go with us on vacation instead of y'all."

 

[jimaok]

Always when we invited a friend (numerous times), I pay for everything except souveniers. After all, we invited them. I can't imagine saying to my kid's friend, We'd like to invite you tom come to Disney with us buuuut you have to pay all your expenses- Pretty tacky. If you can't afford it - don't ask them.