Taking our kids' friends with us !!

[HelenSB]

We are travelling to Orlando for our 6th visit in August (86 days and counting ), and have allowed our two daughters to bring along a friend each this time. We have been advised to get a letter from the parents of these children to authorise any medical treatment that may be needed for them during the holiday. Has anyone else had any experience of this and, if so, do we need to get the letters 'notarised' before we leave?? Hopefully we won't actually need them, but I'm trying to cover all eventualities!!!

 

[snookhams]

I think that I have read elsewhere that you will need a letter for the immigration in the US as they may assume that you have abducted them!!!!

 

[Lindy Loo]

must have letter for customs. I would DEFINATELY check this out, as there are all kinds of "checks" that have to be done if they are not your blood family.

 

[gilld]

We took our son's friend a few years back. His parents signed a letter authorising us to take him out of the country and agreeing to whatever treatment was deemed necessary in an emergency - though as Dh was his Doctor that wasn't a difficult decision for them

Not once were we asked about his relationship to us. He did need a separate customs declaration though.

 

[Miffy2003]

Welcome to the Dis HelenSB

How nice of you to take friends

We are travelling in August too. Where are you staying?

 

[HelenSB]

Hi Miffy2003,
We are staying in a villa on the Terra Verde resort for the first 17 days, then spending the last 4 nights at the Hard Rock Hotel in Universal. A bit expensive but we're hoping that the Express ride access will be worth it !!!
My 2 daughters, 11 & 15, are soooooo excited about taking their friends along. The only theme park one f them has been to so far is Crealy (Devon), so I think she is going to be amazed !! Where are you staying??

Thanks to everyone else who has replied also. I'm a little concerned about the type of letter I need from the parents as a friend of mine did this 3 years ago and was unable to get non-emergency medical treatment for her neice as their letter hadn't been 'notarised'. Don't want to take any chances so I think I'll look into it.

84 DAYS AND STILL COUNTING

 

[Disney owl]

We took our eldest ds girlfriend on our last visit & she was 16.

same as Gill, we had a signed letter from her mum giving us permission to take her & authorising any medical treatment. I offered the letter at customs but they didn't want to see it but wouldn't have travelled without it just in case.

She also had her own travel insurance.

 

[Stitch's Greatest Fa]

I speak not as a parent (no kids yet!) but as a teacher of a class of 30 Year 2 children (6 & 7 year olds), knowing how many things i have to get signed so that I can act in an emergency 'in loco parentis' as it were, I would advise you to get a letter just in case. You probably and hopefully won't need to produce it, but it would be awful if the kids needed treatment and it couldn't be authorised.

Hope this helps

 

[Jules224]

Hi, i would definately get a letter for the treatment side of things just in case and also we took my husband's niece and were advised that we had a letter from both of her parents stating they gave us permission to take her out of the country, we didn't get asked or show it all but i felt happier knowing we had it just in case.

 

[Miffy2003]

Hi Miffy2003,
We are staying in a villa on the Terra Verde resort for the first 17 days, then spending the last 4 nights at the Hard Rock Hotel in Universal. A bit expensive but we're hoping that the Express ride access will be worth it !!!
My 2 daughters, 11 & 15, are soooooo excited about taking their friends along. The only theme park one f them has been to so far is Crealy (Devon), so I think she is going to be amazed !! Where are you staying??

Hi Helen

Funnily enough, we are also spending 4 nights at Hard Rock Hotel this trip and we are also really loooking forward to it We are staying at the beach Club Villas and an offsite villa too for the rest of the trip.

We live about 4 miles from Crealy, so I know it well