Uncomfortable question about teen wanting to bring friend

[UPbeekeeper]

I have a bit of an uncomfortable question I would like to ask about when your teen wants to bring a friend, and I am interested in feedback from others that have done this, or if you have a child that has been invited to go with another family.

If you are the family doing the inviting, is it expected that you will pay for the friend's entire trip?

Without question, I think the inviting family should pay 100% of the friend's food costs and 100% of any necessities they may need while they are there and I think theother teen's family should pay 100% of their souvenir /spending money.

What about park tickets and flight? I estimate WDW tickets for a 5 day hopper pass to be about $300, 2 day Universal hopper about $140, and flight to be around $400. That's almost $900.

Do you offer to pay 100% of the costs because you are choosing to invite the friend for your teen? Do you ask the parents if the teen can come and tell them the cost to see if they choose to spend that kind of money? Do you offer to pay for everything if they can buy the airline ticket and spending $?

I guess if someone asked me if my teen could go on a trip but it would cost me $1000 I would more than likely say no. If they asked if I could pay the airline ticket and I had enough notice to save the money I would be more inclined to let my teen go. But the whole subject is kind of uncomfortable to me.

What has worked or not worked for you in the past?

 

[LuvtheGoof]

For us, there are two different answers. We have 2 boys, and if one asked to bring a friend, then I would expect that the friend's parents would pay completely for the park tickets and souvenirs. I would also hope that they would pitch in a percentage for the food. Since we drive, I would not ask for gas money, and as long as there is no additional cost for the room, I would not ask for anything for that cost either.

Now are sons are both over 18, and the last few years we have agreed to bring their girlfriends with us (we stayed in a 3 bdr SSR Treehouse with a separate boys room and girls room). Since we invited them, we paid for everything ourselves including a few souvenirs. The girls did bring money of their own for other items they decided to get, but the trip for them was free. We now have a fiance and a girlfriend, since our oldest proposed that trip in the MK Rose Garden!

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Dup!

 

[CaptainShortty]

I think I would expect them to pay for airfare and park tickets which would likely fall on the child's parents and then any incidentals like souveniers, extra snacks throughout the day that they wanted without the family, etc. which would probably fall on the child's expenses. The host family would then pay for housing and meals.