Possibly taking one of my kids friends

Okay so we have started thinking about a trip next May 2014 yeah I know a long ways off but we need to start saving.

Long story short DD 14 mentioned it to her best friend of years and years and she said she wants to go.

Pretty sure her parents will let her and pretty sure that the finances are not a problem as both her and my DD did a school field trip to DC with my DW.


Now for finances there is a clear monetary amount in the dining plan and airfare its an added person so I can point to it and say its "X" amount of dollars. This is the easy part.

Here is the hard part and I dont know how to approach it. As on one hand I'd love to take her and my daughter would love to have her and it would make us a party 6 which would make rides so much easier.


The issue with going from 5 to 6 is hotels. At 5 we can stay at POR but when I hit 6 we then have to go to a value family suite. I am fine in values but a value suite is more than POR. Just looking at numbers I am getting about a $350-400 difference.

I know not a huge difference but I am sure there will be several additional costs associated like bigger rental car to airport, extra food, etc.


I guess the question is how to factor all this out? Do you even worry about it? Or just say heck with it and be glad that you could bring a friend to the Magic and love that your daughter got a trip of a life time with her best friend.

This is a tricky one. Since it came about from a friend kind of asking to go, I would discuss it with her parents and see if and what they would be willing to pay for. Only after that would I make a final commitment.

If on the other hand I asked one of my children's friends, I would pretty much expect to pay for everything and any contribution would be appreciated, but not expected.
 
If we asked some one to go along we would expect to pay for everything. IF the parents sent along money I would let the child use it at their leisure. However, if the parents insisted on sending some and designated it I would go along with their wishes. We would pay for everything or we wouldn't ask them.:artist:
 
I agree about talking to the family before asking the friend.

One thing to consider is the family dynamic. If one of my kids was asked to go on a trip and it would cost us airline and park tickets we would have to say no. I would have a hard time handing the families vacation money over to one child while my other child had no vacation.

I realize each child has their own experiences, and my two both have an opportunity to do activities, summer camps etc, some the same ones and some different ones, but a big vacation for just one would be unfair in my eyes.
 
I agree about talking to the family before asking the friend.

One thing to consider is the family dynamic. If one of my kids was asked to go on a trip and it would cost us airline and park tickets we would have to say no. I would have a hard time handing the families vacation money over to one child while my other child had no vacation.

I realize each child has their own experiences, and my two both have an opportunity to do activities, summer camps etc, some the same ones and some different ones, but a big vacation for just one would be unfair in my eyes.

Having multiple kids, I see your point. However, I do spend $ for kids to go on school trips, and that includes lodging, airfare, and food ($100+), so I would look at it like the same thing.

I doubt we will ever bring a friend on an expensive vacation (no need, no room), but I think it's smart asking the friend to cover airfare and park tickets, if only for the fact that kids this age can be fickle, and that way if the friend decides to back out, the inviting family is not out the money (at the very least airfare, which is usually non-refundable). Hotel and food should fall on the inviting family (since the friend has no say in those expenses).
 














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