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Famous Family Gets Court Fine After Spending Thousands on Disney World Vacation
In April 2025, the Radford family, Britain’s largest family, traveled to Walt Disney World Resort, Central Florida, to celebrate Sue Radford’s 50th birthday. The Channel 5 stars, known from 22 Kids and Counting, brought 21 of their 22 children and all 11 grandchildren on the trip. Their visit reportedly cost £52,000 (about $69,000), with flights alone totaling over £26,000.
Despite previously mentioning they were “feeling the pinch,” the Radfords spared no expense on their multi-generational celebration. Sue shared updates and photos throughout the trip, capturing the family’s time at the parks.
However, their vacation led to fines for removing four of their children from school during term time. The family was fined £65 per child, plus £118 in court costs, totaling £756. In the UK, parents can face fines if their children miss more than ten unauthorized school sessions per year. Local councils and schools issue these fines, and courts determine the final penalties.
The Radfords fund their lifestyle through their family bakery, Radford’s Pie Company, alongside TV earnings and social media partnerships. Older children also contribute financially by paying board to live at home. Sue has emphasized they are “definitely not secret millionaires” (per LADBible).
Meanwhile, Disney has made headlines with pricing changes across its American parks. Single-day tickets at Walt Disney World will surpass $200 for the first time, alongside increases for hotels, dining, and merchandise.
Analysts suggest the hikes are strategic, balancing economic realities with visitor behavior—charging more during peak times while offering discounts for slower periods. Comparatively, a one-day, single-park ticket was $97 in 2015, and by 2026, the same ticket will cost $119—a 22% rise, slightly below overall inflation over the decade.
Walt Disney World Resort is also offering some of its largest discounts in years through early 2026, leaving guests weighing the best times to visit.
Do you think UK families should face fines for taking kids on vacations? Share your thoughts with us below!
No, as long as a child is current in their studies and their grades are in good standing and the parent has a child make up any and all school work that is missed during their time away, I don’t see a problem with it. Ultimately is the parent’s decision at least here in the United States they have some of those rules too but, as long as the child is not behind in their studies, and their grades aren’t suffering most places will let it go. I mean if a parent pulls their child out to do a trip, or if they’re in the hospital or something prevents them from being in school during that time, as long as they’re responsible enough to get the lessons and things that they missed and make sure they’re done either before they leave or are turned in when they return. I think that should be up to the parent of when they wanted to pull their child out.