How Much Should Parents Pay?

[siobhan1997]

My DD friend age 11 shall be coming with us this March on a 16 trip to Disney and Orlando? Her parents have already paid for her flight. How much and for what else do you think her parents should be responsible for paying? We will be doing four theme parks, both water parks and Disneyquest as well as a few other things. We are renting a car for 15 days, staying 2 nights at the Nick Hotel and then on to timeshares. But everynight we eat supper out.

Opinions and help please

 

[emh1129]

That was nice of them to pay for her flight. Beyond the cost of the flight, I think she should just bring her own spending money, since she is your guest.
But I'm sure everyone will have a different opinion on this

 

[imsayin]

I think it depends on how the invitation was brought about? Did you invite the girl? Did they invite her to go with you?

 

[disneynutt1225]

Whenever I would be the guest traveling with another family, my parents would pay my theme park tickets and airfare, and give me some spending money if I wanted souvenirs. The "hosting family" would provide my hotel stay and more often than not my food.

It also depends on what you feel comfortable asking for. Were you expecting them to give you money for their daughter to come with you? Or was it an all inclusive offer?

 

[CarolynNC]

I think if you invite a friend for your child you should make the decision before you issue the invitation and make the conditions clear. That being said, you now either ask the parents what they'd feel comfortable contributing or you decide how much you want and make a request.

Every time I invite my son's friend to travel with us I pick up the entire tab. It's worth it for him to have someone to pal around with. It makes for a much more relaxed, happier trip.

 

[MermaidsMom]

I think if you invite a friend for your child you should make the decision before you issue the invitation and make the conditions clear. That being said, you now either ask the parents what they'd feel comfortable contributing or you decide how much you want and make a request.

Every time I invite my son's friend to travel with us I pick up the entire tab. It's worth it for him to have someone to pal around with. It makes for a much more relaxed, happier trip.

Really good advice! Last year my son's friends parents used miles to get him an airline ticket and bought his park ticket and sent spending money. We paid for all meals, hotels and extras. This year the friend he is bringing cannot afford to contribute and I knew this before we asked him. So, we will pay for it all, and I am hoping that he will bring his own spending money for park snacks/souveniers. I also agree that it's worth it to have someone for him to do things with, much happier trip

 

[taekwondo mom]

We took DD and her friend on the land /sea package.. Her parents paid for her flight and her part of cruise ( lower price since she was the 5th person )

We paid for all of her meals, spending money in parks ( she paid for the stuff she wanted for her family & friends) and xtra stuff on the cruise ( excersions..ie banana boat,, para sailing , pictures, drinks..( oh did they enjoy the mimia vices (virgin ones ) LOL!!!!

So worth the extra cost !!!!!!!!!!

 

[Reflection]

I'm interested in this topic and thanks to the OP for posting. My daughter would like to invite a friend for our trip to WDW this summer. My thoughts are since I will be extending the invitation, I plan to pick up the expense, with the exception pocket money for the guest, which I expect the friend's family to supply.

I'm curious though when folks say they pick up the cost of accomodations. Do you mean that because one of your child's friends is being invited you have to add the expense of another room? If this is not case, I don't understand what 'paying the cost of the room' has to do with the overall expense of having a guest. The room cost is an expense you would already have whether or not there was a guest. Most accomodations in the Orlando area, including Disney, do not add supplemental charges for children under 18.

 

[Jeanne B]

We invited our nephew to come with us this May - in part as company for our DD12 and in part because he's never been to WDW. Since we invited him we've offered to pay for his plane ticket, theme park tickets and food. I suggested to my SIL that he bring some spending $$ for whatever souveniers he wants to buy. His parents got divorced a few months ago and money is a little tight so unless they offer I don't expect them to pay for anything other than his spending money, especially since we extended the invitation. Of course, he's family so that's a little different than a friend but regardless, if we extended the invitation I guess I feel obligated to pay unless the parents offer to pay for some of the trip. Like MermaidsMom and CarolynNC said, it makes for a nicer trip when kids have company, especially for us with our DD being an only child. This will be the first time that she'll have someone along and I think it will be really nice for all of us.

 

[mjbaby]

My thoughts are since I will be extending the invitation, I plan to pick up the expense, with the exception pocket money for the guest, which I expect the friend's family to supply.

I agree with this approach completely.

 

[siobhan1997]

Your opinions are all very justified. I would certainly not ask for any money for accomodations, vehicle rentals, groceries, food etc. but I thought I should ask her parents to send her about $600.00 this would contribute to her park entrances, fun and shopping. I know in past my SIL son has invited friends to their FLorida trips and my SIL and BIL fully expected him to be paying his own way for everything.

Please keep the opinions coming.

 

[jennifer293]

I would ask them pay for her tickets to get in the parks, and ALL of her food. Too bad you are not staying onsite with the dining plan as it would be easier because you would know the exact amount she would need in food money. If you are eating breakfast like cereal and stuff in your room I wouldn't ask her to pay for that. Also any thing extra she may want for souvies...I am so glad we are not at the point of taking friends yet, but I know our day is coming.

 

[dixipixi]

I have to agree with picking up the tab if you invite them. Unless you make other arrangements right at the outset.

We're bringing DS's (16) best friend this year. We had a lot of damage after Katrina and this kid showed up every day (even walking the 3 miles from his home once) to help us get back in our house. He always refused any money from us, so DH and I decided we would surprise him at Christmas by giving him this trip. He has never been and wouldn't be able to go if his parents had to pay for tickets or anything, so we're glad to take him. The only thing he's responsible for is spending money.

 

[ChristmasElf]

Are you planning on eating all your meals on property? If you will be checking out other things to do in Orlando, and where the best places to eat are, you will see taht the additional cost of feeding a little friend will not even be noticable.
I would just expect her to bring some souvenier and spending money. Everything else I would pay for since she was invited to come along.

If there are other places around Orlando you will be going to, make sure to pick up the coupon attraction books that can be found all over town. They will save you quite a bit of money on different attractions as well as restaurants.

 

[CarolynNC]

I'm curious though when folks say they pick up the cost of accomodations. Do you mean that because one of your child's friends is being invited you have to add the expense of another room?

As my son got older I'd reserve two rooms at WDW and US/IOA if I'd saved enough money. I should have mentioned his friend always brought some spending money but his family didn't have much to spare. When I handed out money to my son I handed a like amount to his friend. I didn't have to have two rooms but wanted my privacy.

 

[janette]

I'll be taking one of my great-nieces with us on our next trip. Her parents are paying her airfare and entrance tickets. They may send her some spending money but I wouldn't ask them for anything for her. The trip is a birthday gift from her parents and I'll probably tell them that if they have anyone wanting to buy her something they could suggest Disney $$ so that she will have a little extra so she can pick out a few things at the parks. I have lots of trader pins and other small things I'll bring with us.

We are DVC members and our kids are getting to the teen years and more likely on future trips to want to take friends. Meals would be on us, I'm the one deciding where we eat not our guests, if we are taking extras and need to cut our dining costs we'd just do less of the more expensive restaurants and eat in the room more. DVC also gives us the ability to reserve the space needed for that trip so accommodations would be provided. I'd ask about the same as with my great-niece that they cover airfare, entrance tickets and spending money for souvenirs and snacks.

 

[jim and meesie]

I am debating this issue right now before we invite a friend. My opinion is if the invitation is offered it is just that, an invitation to be a guest. When my kids have friends sleepover I don't expect the parents to pay for any of the entertainment we as a family plan (movies, Dave & Buster's, restaurants whatever). Now of course Disney is a much more significant invitation but I think the same rules still apply. Personally, I think $600. plus airfare is an awful lot of money for just one 11 year old girl's vacation. Every family has different vacation spending habits so maybe the family won't be surprised by the amount, I would be! It's one thing when a family plans their own vacation and have control over what they plan on spending (before the kids know about the trip), it's another when the kids get excited about the trip and then relize it's way more than they planned on spending.

Last year we invited my son's 17 year old girlfriend on our Orlando trip planning to pay for everything (which would have definitely entailed extra rooms). Much to our surprise her mom asked if we would be offended if the whole family planned their own vacation along with us. It ended up being great fun, our younger kids, our daughter (12), our son (10) and their son (12) hung out together, the two older teens our son (17) and their daughter (17) hung out and the parents (46), (45), (46) & (45) hung out, we all had playmates!!!

 

[rie'smom]

We've paid the expenses(flight,amusement parks{WDW& Universal}tickets,and of course,room and board) for my DD's friend. The friend has brought money for souveneirs for her family and we allow each girl a souvie per park.

 

[Black Diamond]

I am debating this issue right now before we invite a friend. My opinion is if the invitation is offered it is just that, an invitation to be a guest. When my kids have friends sleepover I don't expect the parents to pay for any of the entertainment we as a family plan (movies, Dave & Buster's, restaurants whatever). Now of course Disney is a much more significant invitation but I think the same rules still apply. Personally, I think $600. plus airfare is an awful lot of money for just one 11 year old girl's vacation. Every family has different vacation spending habits so maybe the family won't be surprised by the amount, I would be! It's one thing when a family plans their own vacation and have control over what they plan on spending (before the kids know about the trip), it's another when the kids get excited about the trip and then relize it's way more than they planned on spending.

!

I agree with this 100%. The OP extended an invitation. To now ask for 600.00 plus airfare is rather tacky. An invitation is just that and invitation! If I could not afford to pick up the tab, then I would not extend the offer.

 

[bicker]

It's something we're facing ourselves, in a couple of years, we plan on offering DN15 (at the time) the chance to bring a friend on a trip with us. Without any doubt, I would expect to cover all the girl's attractions and food expenses once at WDW; I wouldn't cover any souveniers, of course. Transportation is another story, and an interesting quandary. However, I agree with everyone that the provisions, if there are to be any, need to be part of the original invitation. I would tend towards, "You can bring any (female) friend you wish, as long as her parents are willing to pay for her to get to Orlando, and I'll cover the rest from there."