Kids Stay Free, Play Free, Fly Free...

Ah, what shiny-bright words. But sometimes parents imagine more glitter in these deals than they'll find in real-life.

Read on, for the semantics of family deals...

Kids Stay Free: Means Nothing More Than That

Vacationkids.com sells lots of family holidays, and founder Sally Black has these words of caution:

"When a promotion says 'Kids Stay Free', parents often interpret this to mean 'kids TRAVEL COMPLETELY free.'"

But "Kids Stay Free" refers only to lodging. Nothing at all is being said about travel to the destination; ditto, nothing is promised about kids' meals.

Furthermore, "Kids Stay Free" deals usually have a few caveats: such as, kids stay free in same room as parents. Sometimes there's a further stipulation: kids stay free in same room as parents, using only the beds already in the room.

Kids Fly Free

- likewise, means only what it says; kids will still pay for lodging, etc. Also, get used to this phrase: One child is free, with one paying adult.

"Kids Stay, Play, and Eat Free"

This type of offer is usually found at an all-inclusive resort and is just another way of saying "Kids Are Free". Once you're at an all-inclusive, the activities and meals are included anyway, right? Don't forget, the kids still have to pay for the getting-there (airfare and ground transfers.) Also, don't expect the "motorized watersports" (such as boat trips) to be part of the all-included activities. And, that phrase again: "One child per paying adult."

If you find a "Kids Play Free" offer that's not at an all-inclusive resort, it will likely refer to a specific activity, such as golf. Typically, one child will "play free" with each paying adult. "Kids Ski Free (and rent gear free) promotions work similarly: one child, per paying adult.

Kids Eat Free: at an all-inclusive, kids can eat, drink, and snack freely all day and night. At other resorts or hotels,"Kids Eat Free" usually means that a child can eat a free meal ordered from the children's menu, when dining at the same time as a paying adult. Sometimes "Kids Eat Free" extends to room service too, but again, a paying-adult meal must be ordered too.

Who's a "Kid"?

If you've visited Walt Disney World, you may already have learned that your 10-year-old --who still gets tucked in at night-- is not an official child anymore.

At all-inclusives, you can usually count on your child being a kid until age 12. Some resorts extend the definition up to age 16; and a few stalwarts stretch the "kid" years even more.

The point of it all is that "Kids Free" deals can be terrific: just don't expect miracles; and be sure to check the fine print at individual resorts.

Finally, all this "one child per paying adult" can get problematic for single-parents...

• See issues for single-parent travelers.