Single Parent Travel

On Monday, we came across a tweet that read:

“Any1 know of great Disneyland deals for Feb that you DO NOT have to be a family of 4 – Some of us are single parents! We deserve a deal too!”

We of course did all we could to suggest great Disneyland area hotels where it was possible to book a room with one adult and one child (the person’s particular situation), because we absolutely believe that single parents, as well as any other “untraditional” travelers, deserve the same deals as a family of four.

Inspired by this person’s plight, we present you with our top tips for single parent travel:

Single supplement fees stink. For those not familiar, this an extra fee tacked on to nightly rates at many hotels when there is only one adult staying in the room. The idea is that when the hotel lists a room at $200 per person, they are banking on the fact that there will be two adults in that room, for a total of $400. When only one adult is staying, hotels add on this supplement, so they can still charge $400 per night for the room. There usually isn’t a way to get out of this, so a solution can be found at resorts like Beaches, who designate certain months as Single Parent Fun months. During these selected time periods, the single supplement fee is waived entirely, and a handful of activities offered cater specifically to single parents and their children.

Aside from the pricing dilemma associated with single parent travel, solo mommies and daddies need to be with their children at all times. Mom can’t decide to escape for a few hours with a relaxing spa treatment, while dad supervises the little ones (or vice versa). Even on family vacations, alone time can be desired. If this is a concern of yours, consider a stay at Franklyn D. Resort & Spa (or their sister resort, Pebbles) in Jamaica, where your family will be assigned a Vacation Nanny. Like a personal assistant to your family throughout your stay, your Vacation Nanny will make sure your children are safe and entertained while you enjoy a massage or a night on the town.

Though this is something that single fathers will experience more often than single mothers (not right, but true), single parents can face problems when crossing borders. You may look like a toddler-toting soccer mom, but if that border official sees things differently, you’re not going anywhere. To make sure parental abduction isn’t expected, it’s important to carry a couple of crucial documents with you, even if you’re told that they are not required. These include a letter from the other parent, giving consent to have their children taken out of the country, a legal custody agreement (if you have one), and proper identification (usually a birth certificate) for all minors. There’s more detailed info on this sometimes delicate topic here.