Should the whole family forfeit the holiday?

Sami_Bee

I would check what would be the least costly option but I would think it would be for half to go as planned and I would stay home with passport-less child and maybe we could book another hol that just the two of us could go on (could turn it into a bit of an adventure) failing that I would probably borrow the 'rents caravan and try to make the best of it going on lots of trips and a touch of apologetic bribery :embarasse:naughty:

duchy

If it was Disneyland as in California and not Paris (or WDW in Florida) -so therefore a longer trip of say 10-14 days then I'd be straight up to the passport office to obtain a same day passport for the child (cost £130 for an adult-presumably slightly less for a child) and take child 2 a day or two later. Yes it'll cost with the change in flights too (and the family may not be able to fly together comingback either) but that's the price the parents are going to pay for a stupid mistake and they can cope with the financial fallout later !

valk_scot

£2500? I would definately send Hubby on ahead with the child with passport and stay back to get the other passport sorted out, then travel to join them. And the extra costs would just be my own stupid fault, after all.

But.....having just come back from a holiday that included two days spent in Euro Disney I can confidently state that never would I be ever placed in the above situation because nothing would ever induce me to visit the place again. If you took all the gift shops, restaurants and money-grabbing venues ou of Euro Disney all that would be left would be a handful of fairly mediocre rides with massive queues and the occasional glimpse of a Disney character. Even my 6 year old daughter thought it was pretty rubbish. Parc Asterix, 40 minutes away, has far better rides, really short queues, lots more to see and do, food costs less AND you can use your Tesco vouchers for passes. £2500 to go to Euro Disney? Just don't, that's all I can say.

spinme

This really happened to my family 4 years ago! Checked passports day before and found that my daughter's had expired. Hubby dropped off me and son at Gatwick where we got flight to Italy and then he drove to Newport with daughter to get new passport. They managed to get a flight out the next day (when check-in staff took pity on his tale and they upgraded them both to Club class).

*Louise*

Having just asked OH his opinion, we agreed that, hypothetically (assuming all options have been tried before making the final decision - getting new passport, changing flight dates etc etc) - none of us would go.

After all - the ' Family Holiday of a lifetime' isn't all that great if half the family are missing.

dbfisokay

I think this is a family specific decision. All seem old enough to be involved in some form of discussion and therefore could decide as a family what to do. As long as neither money, self-centred considersations or the apportioning of blame get the central focus then either outcome would laudible. Decisions made under the threat of the aforementioned however would be messy. A time for current family unity or else future disunity.

d4n13773

boobyru wrote: »

one parent and both kids go - passport agency now does a 24 hour express service anyway so one parent can still make it with rest of the family a day later! sorted!

The passport office's 24 hr service requires you to book an appointment. At the moment (peak holiday time) it is taking 2 or 3 days to get the appointment unless proven life/death emergency or urgent government business.

I don't understand why people don't check their passports when they make the booking rather than waiting until the day of travel or when it is too late to do anything about it. :mad:

If you do get to the day of departure it might be worth just turning up and seeing if the staff on check in notice the expiry date (or even checking in on line, then passports won't be checked until the time of boarding.). However you do then risk being immediately deported from your destination if this is noticed by the immigration officers on arrival!

shadej

I would let my partner take the other child and re-book for myself and "said" child.
That way we loose a smaller amount. I couldn't afford to throw that amount of money away. It would be very sad though and I will feel I had failed my child in not spotting the mistake. I would do some exciting things with my child until the passport is sorted.

Contains_Mild_Peril

dbfisokay wrote: »

I think this is a family specific decision. All seem old enough to be involved in some form of discussion and therefore could decide as a family what to do. As long as neither money, self-centred considersations or the apportioning of blame get the central focus then either outcome would laudible. Decisions made under the threat of the aforementioned however would be messy. A time for current family unity or else future disunity.

I'm normally one for being honest with kids and involving them in decisions, but in this case I don't think it would be fair to do so, and would be likely to cause resentment between siblings. If the decision the parents reach is for the whole family to miss the holiday then it would be kinder to make some excuse as to why it was cancelled rather than let the kids know it would have been possible for one them to go. Let the parents have the guilt trip all to themselves!

Ebenezer_Screwj

A ridiculous amount of money to spend on a family holiday but having paid, those eligible should go. The parents could always arrange a more suitable UK seaside holiday later on to include the missing child.