Kids taking a friend to WDW, any comments.

[loadsapixiedust]

If your kids wanted to bring a friend along to WDW, would you allow it and how would it change your holiday? Where would you stay? I am talking about teenagers, we would have 2 adults and 3 teens.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I took a friend on a family vacation when I was a 12 or 13yo. I will tell you I was quite moody and my friend got along great with cousins and such and I got jealous. Yes, it was immature--but it really caused an imbalance that may have not happened had my friend stayed home. However--I was really a brat, so I may have just behaved that way regardless.

If everyone going gets along--it can work well...but it is an increased chances of something not going right. Especially since you have a trio of teens. Could be an odd one out situation.

Took a friend of DD's to Disney for her birthday. She is about 2 years older than my daughter--so I would have expected a little bit better behavior. She just couldn't understand that even though she was invited that she couldn't pick EVERY single ride. And then she got headaches. I called her parents and was told what to give her and that this was a normal reaction when things didn't go here way. Her mood and how well she felt always improved when it was her turn to pick something, but the moment it was back to my daughter...my goodness, I thought I was going to toss her in IASW and leave her there!

In the future--I would travel as multiple families, but it would have to be something REALLY special with very clear ground rules and expectations before I would welcome a friend to come along on a trip under my charge.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

My DS (6) is too young for me to consider it, but I could see doing it later. However, it would probably need to be a child I knew VERY well, who had already done some "challenging" things with the family. DS's best friend is over here all the time, he's slept over, I've taken him hiking, to basketball games, and to another city for a day long trip by train (we rode up to see a new exhibit at the Baltimore Aquarium). So, I feel like I know him well enough to predict what kind of behavior we'd get on the trip.

If DS really wanted to bring someone else I'd probably plan a number of events with the child first to test the waters.

 

[SqueakyMouse]

We've thought about allowing our 13 yo ds to take a friend; however, I value the time we spend together as a family on these trips. At ds' age, he's so busy that we don't often get to eat a meal together or just play around anymore when we're at home. That's what makes our time together at WDW so special. I guess I'm just not ready to give up that time yet.

 

[loopner67]

If your kids wanted to bring a friend along to WDW, would you allow it and how would it change your holiday? Where would you stay? I am talking about teenagers, we would have 2 adults and 3 teens.

First thought on this - no way. I'll tell you why.... it's hard enough to keep everyone happy on a trip to WDW, let alone bringing along someone else who's not a family member. You never know what kind of problems could arise. I know that sounds really negative and I'm usually *not* a negative person, but it's just too costly of a trip to take the chance with bringing a friend, in my opinion. I know that I'd probably never want to take a friend with us, but then again, my two boys are close enough in age and will always have each other.

 

[Principessa1284]

When I was 17 we brought my best friend with us, who is like a 2nd daughter to my parents. It worked out really well as she gets along with my little (well.. not so little. he's 6'2" now) brother we've known her for a good 3 years. It was nice to have a friend there and not just my brother because we don't get alone so well, and spending a week with just my family about drove me up a wall. It definately cut down on the fighting, and space wasn't an issue because we stayed in a 2 bedroom timeshare (marriott vacation club), and neither was money because her father paid for everything except suveniers which she paid for, and my parents bought or made us dinner every night.

 

[crisi]

We've thought about it. My kids are too young now, but I can see it when they are older. The problem being, my son has a few friends that (at least now, if they turn into young teenagers the way they are seven year olds) I wouldn't hesitate to bring. But my daughters friends seem destined to be moody, picky teenagers. And you can't do for one what you aren't willing to do for the other - if he gets to bring a friend, she does, too.

 

[jennifer293]

Funny you ask this question we are going in July for DD's 6th b-day and she asked me yesterday if her little friend Coleman could come along. I told her no because it is a very expensive vacation and we could not afford to pay for him and his parents probably couldn't afford for him to go. She said OK and went about her business. (Apparently she has told all the kids in her class that her b-day party is going to be at Disney and they of course all want to come)..

This will be our last trip to Disney for a while until the girls get older so the next few years we will more than likely be going to the beach somewhere and I could see us taking a friend of thiers (not boys..LOL) when they get a bit older. I went on vacations with my friends and we had a blast. I see no problem with it but I will make sure the parent forks over some money not all but some to cover the expense of food at the very least and souvies!!!

 

[skiwee1]

We've always done it and had a great time! The teens got to hang out with their friends but also hung out with us too. I was also allowed to bring friends with me on vacations when I was a teen and I have great memories of those trips!

 

[Teacher03]

We allow our kids to bring a friend if we know the friend well. My youngest daughter always brings the same friend because she is like a second daughter to us. Therefore, we can tell her to "knock it off" if we need to. My two oldest are in college and doesn't always get to come, so it is nice for my youngest to have someone to hang out with.

 

[3kidsmommy]

One of my best memories of growing up was the time my best friend and I spent in Daytona Beach and then in Orlando at WDW with my grandparents. We were in 8th and 9th grades, respectively. We had a blast adn since I am an only child, it gave me someone to hang around with. We walked around MK together, flirted with boys...it was so much fun.
Now, my own daughter is 10 and she would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to be able to take a friend with her. Although we have taken a friend camping, we have not taken a friend to Florida yet. I think she will be allowed to do that when she is 13 maybe...The same for my boys.