Inviting kid friend, $?

[princesscinderella]

We did this last year for DS it was his homecoming at HS so he stayed at a friends house for the dance on Saturday night and then I flew him and his two friends up to Orlando early Sunday morning to stay with us Sunday night (we had a 2 bedroom). The friends dad dropped them all at the airport. We live in so Fla so it was only a 30 minute flight on southwest. We paid for food and the flight (I used miles) but the parents bought the park passes. I love making these kind of memories for my kids.

 

[FinallyFL]

We have always paid for everything other than extra spending money when we have invited my daughters' friends to travel with us to WDW. However, we were aware that the friends wouldn't be able to come any other way.

 

[crisi]

We picked everything up in the same circumstances. Especially since it was similar - our older son didn't want to go, our younger did and brought a friend. We'd have been paying for him anyway.

 

[winterwhite]

After the way the last year has gone, I probably wouldn’t pick this year to open the conversation with my child’s friend’s parents about a vacation trip for just one of their children. It might just be the wrong time, unless I was willing to pay for absolutely everything.

 

[robinb]

We have our first visit as DVC members right after school gets out. I had planned on a big family trip, but my oldest (20) has to work and he can't join us. My 15 yo now doesn't want to come either. That leaves just me and my 13 yo in a 1 bedroom at Beach Club. I would like my 13 yo to bring a friend, but I'm not sure about paying for another kid. I wanted to get feed back on if I pay the entire trip, airfare, park admissions and food, or if I ask the other parents to pay all or part. In my world, it would be a lot of money for me to spend on another kid, but on the other hand its the same amount I would have spent on my 15 yo coming with us.

Thoughts on what I should pay and how to approach this with the friend's parents? I think most of her friends this would be a large out lay of money as well.

My daughter is an only child, so we frequently brought friends with us. We always asked the parents to pay for something. We usually asked them to pay for park passes and spending money while we picked up the rest. Once the parent offered to pay for airfare instead of park passes so we went with that instead.

I contacted the parent by phone and spoke to them directly about it. My daughter brought 2-3 different girls with her over the years and each time the parents were happy to give their kids a trip to WDW on the cheap. I usually knew which girl was the current "bestie" and asked the parents before the girls knew about it.

Don't let other people with deep pockets make you feel guilty about asking for the other parents to chip in. A vacation isn't like spending $50 bucks going out for pizza or to the movies. It can be nearly $1,000.

 

[Chris Ehlers]

We have brought Kids and Friends before as we always stay in a 2 Bedroom. We always just ask parents to cover Tickets and Spending money. This trip the boys will drive down and Im flying the Girls down with Miles

 

[bakerworld]

We did this once and I assumed we'd pay for everything except the park ticket. The kids parents gave me her spending money so I assumed it was for her to spend and gave it to her. She ended up going home with about half of it. Her mother came over and told me she made the girl give her the money back. To this day I don't know what that was all about, nor why the mother felt she had to tell me that. I got the impression that somehow both me and her daughter were in the wrong. The hotel was the same price because the kids were under 16 and the air faire was $39/ea way SW flight and we didn't eat 3 meals a day - more like one - which is why I gave the girl the money so she could buy food if she felt hungry.

Anyway, the whole thing left a sour taste so I didn't do that again. Good luck with your decision.

 

[Blondie58]

We have our first visit as DVC members right after school gets out. I had planned on a big family trip, but my oldest (20) has to work and he can't join us. My 15 yo now doesn't want to come either. That leaves just me and my 13 yo in a 1 bedroom at Beach Club. I would like my 13 yo to bring a friend, but I'm not sure about paying for another kid. I wanted to get feed back on if I pay the entire trip, airfare, park admissions and food, or if I ask the other parents to pay all or part. In my world, it would be a lot of money for me to spend on another kid, but on the other hand its the same amount I would have spent on my 15 yo coming with us.

Thoughts on what I should pay and how to approach this with the friend's parents? I think most of her friends this would be a large out lay of money as well.

TIA


Julia

We own DVC. On three different trips I have invited others to join me. I have never asked for $$$ for the room portion of the stay but they have all paid for their own airfare, park tickets, and food. No one has ever complained but been very appreciative as the room portion of a WDW trip is expensive. All have loved staying at GF Villas as do I. We have had great times. We are adults and not children. However, back in the day when a friend(s) traveled with our son, we laid costs out upfront so the other family could say yes or no with all facts present. Yet other families may do things differently. I think it comes back to what you think and presenting expectations.

 

[lamflo01]

We paid. All their friends practically lived at our house anyway. (2 sons) it was easier to keep em outta trouble.

 

[hlrubin507]

I would cover everything except for the flight and spending money for a kid that age. As you said, you would have paid for your other kid anyway. The parents will be incredibly appreciative but will still have skin in the game for the air transport and pocket money. That said I would only bring a kid that you really enjoy and who will make the trip more enjoyable for you and your kid.

 

[SwanVT2]

I am an only child and growing up my parents let me bring a friend on two occasions. I was 15 one time and 17 the other, and both times my "friend" ended up being too focused on finding boys in the parks to hang out with and it really made me miserable. I just wanted to go on rides and have fun! So, I'm here to provide input on that factor (not the money factor). Basically, how your child imagines it might be with a friend might not pan out as they expected. It is a lot of time to spend with just one friend. Personally, I'd just go with your 13 year old and make some memories with them!

 

[karen4546]

I am an only child and growing up my parents let me bring a friend on two occasions. I was 15 one time and 17 the other, and both times my "friend" ended up being too focused on finding boys in the parks to hang out with and it really made me miserable. I just wanted to go on rides and have fun! So, I'm here to provide input on that factor (not the money factor). Basically, how your child imagines it might be with a friend might not pan out as they expected. It is a lot of time to spend with just one friend. Personally, I'd just go with your 13 year old and make some memories with them!

THIS ! I think a trip with just you two would be great. Maybe you could even switch to a different resort/room to save points. Or, your other child may decide to go after all.

 

[Brian Noble]

Looks like you've already found a solution, but for posterity: If we were making the invitation to have a childhood friend join us, we would plan to cover all expenses. If the other family offered to pay for part of it, we might accept a portion, but it would depend on circumstances. We certainly would never ask. If that was a bit of a stretch for us (and it certainly was at times) we would not make the invitation.

Now that the kids are both (almost) independent, we plan to invite Significant Others along when possible---letting the kids decide who is/is not "Significant". Given that they are all just getting started and no longer being supported by their parents, we would pay for it all and refuse any offers to help. If they really insisted, we would probably let them do the shopping and prep for dinner one night in the condo or pick up the tab at movie night.

 

[Maleficent's Dad]

I learned a lot reading this thread... Personally, I would never invite a child on vacation and then expect his/her parents to contribute anything other than additional spending money. That's just me. And yes, we have 2 kids - who have both brought friends over the years.

 

[808blessing]

I haven’t done this yet but if I did, imagine discussion going like this: you think J would like to come with us one year? Yes! We could help bc we cover lodging with dvc points. Transportation would be free too!

oh really! How much is the airfare and tix?

Give a range of quotes and then later then they would ask about food I would say just for about $25 a day on a disney gift card to help out with food - we cover the rest - and direct to discounted sales on gift cards.

 

[Erica Ladd]

We had tried to bring our two kids and our dds two friends to the universal meetup event for both nights but it didn’t work out. Our plan was to pay for most everything but they would buy the meetup tix and bring spending money. The tickets cost about $300 per person and included a meal plus unlimited food during the event hours. (So almost 2 days of food). Even then DH was like let’s just buy the tickets too. And I totally get his thinking. If it happens in the future that’s the route I would hope to be able to do. Pay for it all and they bring spending money for souvenirs or snacks or whatever.

 

[ain0004]

We did an invite. But they are paying for airfare, park ticket and sending spending money along for food and anything she would want. Will we most likely pay for items, yes.
But I will not pay for the big ticket items. The other parents have agreed. You have to do what is right for your family,.

 

[Donna M]

We did an invite. But they are paying for airfare, park ticket and sending spending money along for food and anything she would want. Will we most likely pay for items, yes.
But I will not pay for the big ticket items. The other parents have agreed. You have to do what is right for your family,.

So true, I agree, you have to do what is right for your family. All our situations are different.