Taking your Child's friends on a trip?

[jcemom]

Last year my SIL invited her 17 yo DD's best friend along on their vacation. They were together ALL THE TIME and got along great. My niece didn't really want to go because she thought she was too old for Disney, but she was a little happier to go knowing she would have a friend along to hang out with.

Well, a month before the trip the friend got a boyfriend and everything changed. She ended up not going. SIL paid the $50 cancellation fee to remove her from the Disney reservation and didn't have a problem with her dining reservations being for one too many people. She was out the cost of the airfare though as that wasn't refundable or transferable. It definitely added some last minute stress to their trip planning, but they ended up having a terrific time anyway, even my niece.

 

[GoinghometoWDW]

Tracey, I am sorry that happened to your niece.

 

[Princesspolly0110]

Last year my SIL invited her 17 yo DD's best friend along on their vacation. They were together ALL THE TIME and got along great. My niece didn't really want to go because she thought she was too old for Disney, but she was a little happier to go knowing she would have a friend along to hang out with.

Well, a month before the trip the friend got a boyfriend and everything changed. She ended up not going. SIL paid the $50 cancellation fee to remove her from the Disney reservation and didn't have a problem with her dining reservations being for one too many people. She was out the cost of the airfare though as that wasn't refundable or transferable. It definitely added some last minute stress to their trip planning, but they ended up having a terrific time anyway, even my niece.

In this case, my mom (and being adult myself now, me too!) would have politely asked for her parents to pay for the airfare that went to waste. My parents would have never let me turn back on a commitment for a boy when I was 17. Then again, I wouldn't give up going to Disney, even now! Lol!

I had a boyfriend in 2012 who broke up with me 2 months before my grad trip to Disney. My parents had treated both of us to the trip and when I told him he was not going on the trip, he refused to pay for the airfare because he was still willing to go, even though he had ended our relationship and was in a relationship with someone else shortly after. That, in my opinion was the most immature thing ever. We ended up getting a sympathetic travel agent with SWA who helped us switch the name on the ticket. What a mess!

 

[dprincessmom]

Funny you should post this because I am seriously considering taking DD friend on our trip next time. She is going with us for a long concert weekend this year so I am kind of using that as a test case. Of all of DD's friends this is the only one that I would even consider doing this with.

I think my DD and her friend would have a blast.

 

[jcemom]

Tracey, I am sorry that happened to your niece.

Thank you. Yeah, it was a bit of a mess at the time. My niece ended up having a great time with her family though! It started off as a rocky first Disney experience lol, but they are all very much looking forward to going back soon!

My DD will be turning 13 this year and I'm probably going to have to consider taking a friend along soon, though I don't really want to. Usually it's just the two of us and I enjoy the time we spend together. She went with a friend's family last year (I paid for airfare, park tickets and spending money, and I did all the trip planning). DD and her friend's mom clashed almost the entire time and I was worried it would affect our friendships, but everyone cooled down eventually. (The friend's mom didn't want any part of the planning, said we were the experts, that I should pick everything and DD should be the tour guide. Then I think once she got there she was a little unhappy with the September heat, didn't like feeling as if DD was telling her what to do -- following the touringplan plans I printed out -- but hadn't done any research so didn't know how to change anything up. DD's friend and her dad were fine with things. *I* was more than a little nervous having my 12 year old so far from home, not to mention dealing with the clashing personalities lol, but I know the family well and they probably watch their daughter better than I watch my own so I knew I could trust them.) They still had fun, plan to go back next year, and DD has been invited to visit the beach with them this summer.

In this case, my mom (and being adult myself now, me too!) would have politely asked for her parents to pay for the airfare that went to waste. My parents would have never let me turn back on a commitment for a boy when I was 17. Then again, I wouldn't give up going to Disney, even now! Lol!

I *think* my SIL did ask them to cover the airfare but she didn't really expect to ever see the money. I'll have to ask her if she ever got anything. I know she mentioned that the girl's parents had a very hands-off parenting style and the girl pretty much made her own decisions, had a job and was expected to pay for anything she wanted, etc.

 

[wdw4rfam]

In this case, my mom (and being adult myself now, me too!) would have politely asked for her parents to pay for the airfare that went to waste. My parents would have never let me turn back on a commitment for a boy when I was 17. Then again, I wouldn't give up going to Disney, even now! Lol!

I had a boyfriend in 2012 who broke up with me 2 months before my grad trip to Disney. My parents had treated both of us to the trip and when I told him he was not going on the trip, he refused to pay for the airfare because he was still willing to go, even though he had ended our relationship and was in a relationship with someone else shortly after. That, in my opinion was the most immature thing ever. We ended up getting a sympathetic travel agent with SWA who helped us switch the name on the ticket. What a mess!

We are taking my DDs boyfriend on our trip as a grad gift this fall. This is my fear. They have been dating for years and is basically part of our family he is at our house so much. I had to buy airfare so far in advance because it's thanksgiving weekend that they are flying back. I jokingly told him he owes me $400 if he breaks up with her before then.. He jokingly told me back he would never break up with her before that, he'd wait till after, he's never been to Disney My fear is if they did, we are not flying we are driving down 2 days earlier to secure both rooms for free dining. That flight is already sold out so I wouldn't even be able to book someone else to fly with her. I'm hoping all goes as planned.....

 

[wdw4rfam]

We also booked SWA because they are a little more willing to bend.

 

[soar2014]

Wow, allowing your child to break a commitment like that is also not in my rulebook.....and on an unrelated note that I still haven't vented about...I was planning a trip with my friend and her 2 small kids with me to WDW. She'd never been to WDW and her son was friends with my son. We weren't best friends, but our 8 yr old sons were friends. She had a domestic violence incident with a boyfriend who was then jailed, the following month she promised to come help me at a charity tournament and she not only failed to show but she turned her phone off all day! I was stuck with no help and humiliated at the charity tournament. I later found out she didn't show because she was shacked up with the boyfriend. Thank goodness it happened when it did though because it was the last day to cancel without penalty. Not everyone has the same scruples, morals, whatever you want to call it.

 

[jcemom]

He jokingly told me back he would never break up with her before that, he'd wait till after, he's never been to Disney

LOL he sounds like a smart boy!

 

[Princesspolly0110]

We are taking my DDs boyfriend on our trip as a grad gift this fall. This is my fear. They have been dating for years and is basically part of our family he is at our house so much. I had to buy airfare so far in advance because it's thanksgiving weekend that they are flying back. I jokingly told him he owes me $400 if he breaks up with her before then.. He jokingly told me back he would never break up with her before that, he'd wait till after, he's never been to Disney My fear is if they did, we are not flying we are driving down 2 days earlier to secure both rooms for free dining. That flight is already sold out so I wouldn't even be able to book someone else to fly with her. I'm hoping all goes as planned.....

If SOMETHING were to happen. Ask to be connected to the LUV line directly. This is the department that directly handles circumstances like that. They may ask how they can help you but politely just say, I need to speak with them, then get the number and explain your situation, they were able to swich the name on the reservation for a 75 dollar fee (that I still had to pay)

 

[BuckeyeBama]

We took my son's 19yo GF last year. We paid for everything. Should they have broken up before the trip I would not have even considered asking her for compensation. We invited her, offering to pay for everything and knowing that it would make the trip better for our entire family. Those expenses would not suddenly become her responsibility if things between her and my son changed.

Offer with a glad heart and accept that things may not work out as you planned.

 

[GoinghometoWDW]

I am pretty sure WDW4rfam was joking. Thanks for the info about LUV department Princesspllly0110 That is good info to have. I do appreciate all of the feedback.

 

[kangaroodle]

My friends family took me on a Disney trip in middle school. Their daughter was an only child and they wanted her to have another kid around. My parents paid for my park ticket and gave them some money toward food. My friends family paid for the hotel. I remember it as being a fun trip.

We are doing just this on our trip in July. My daughter just graduated HS and one of her friends is going with us. We are traveling with another family whose son is my son's best friend. That family also has another daughter and she is bringing a friend too! Each kid will have a friend along. The friends are paying for their own airfare and park ticket. The parents are giving us money for food and there is no charge for hotel room.

A Disney trip is expensive. I don't think that anyone should expect you to pay for everything!

 

[gdrj]

We brought Daughters BF instead of them doing a Senior Beach Week. He was responsible for airfare we covered all other expenses, if he bailed we weren't out anything. Funny thing was after the trip she knew he wasn't a keeper based on his reaction to Disney World

 

[senadler]

My daughter has brought a friend our past two trips to Disney when she was 13 and 14, and she is bringing another friend on our trip next October. She has two younger brothers, and having a friend along allows her some freedom to go on the rides her brothers wont go on yet. We have paid their expenses, and they have paid for their spending money. She and her friend typically go off on their own to ride some of the attractions, but we meet up for some and also for meals. We all have cell phones so keeping in contact is never an issue.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

We've had many trips with extended family, so that's more my background. Sometimes going with others works really well. Sometimes they only eat certain foods or times of day, or can only tolerate a rigid sleep schedule, or something else like that which makes being together for a full week a bit of a challenge, unless you are the same. (Like both morning people. or both night owls) The more your guest is a go with the flow personality, the better.

Also, on family trips, we find the more personal space everyone has, the better. A little privacy is wonderful!

 

[mickeyluv'r]

We brought Daughters BF instead of them doing a Senior Beach Week. He was responsible for airfare we covered all other expenses, if he bailed we weren't out anything. Funny thing was after the trip she knew he wasn't a keeper based on his reaction to Disney World

Oh, we had a trip like this too! I had forgotten.

BF whined about his feet hurting, didn't want to walk, was underdressed/whined about the cold (Feb trip), etc.

We have a running code of conduct joke, "Those who can't keep up will be left behind." Well, mostly it is a joke. That trip was one of the few times we all happily enforced the family code.

 

[GoinghometoWDW]

Hmmm....Maybe I should have taken my exhusband to wdw BEFORE we got married. I will have to tell DD this one. Her dad isn"t a fan. She will think it hilarious.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

He might come around. Mine did!

 

[GrumpyDad1974]

We took DD friend about 6 years ago, she was 11 and friend was 10. We just asked she bring spending money. They got along ok normal friend fighting. DD is an only child and was kind of jealous if DW or I spent anytime with her friend, it was kind of wierd/funny, we had never seen that side of her. We would only do it again if it was the right friend, we felt we had to know the parents a little bit, which is a lot tougher as the get older.