Britain’s biggest family is living it up in Florida with a lavish £52,000 getaway to celebrate mum-of-22 Sue Radford’s 50th birthday. But while they’ve been soaking up the magic at Disney parks like Epcot, not everything has gone smoothly behind the scenes.
Sue Radford has whisked her super-sized family off to Florida for a magical Disney getaway to mark her 50th birthday — and couldn’t stop raving about one unexpected highlight: a giant drink for just £1.50!
But the birthday buzz took a slight dip when Sue was left dismayed by the “never-ending” queue for the Guardians of the Galaxy ride.
Sue Radford took to Instagram to vent about one major downside of their Easter holiday adventure — the massive queues at Disney.
She revealed:
“95 minute wait for Guardians of the Galaxy. Not liking the fact they removed the virtual queuing system. Anyone else wish they’d kept that system?”
Disney previously allowed guests to reserve spots in a virtual queue, sparing them from hours of standing in line. But now, it’s back to the old-school standby queue — and Sue, for one, isn’t thrilled.
Still, not everything left her fuming. One Florida perk got a big thumbs-up from the birthday mum.
Sue posted a snap of a giant plastic cup, filled to the brim — presumably with Coca-Cola — and joked:
“Look at the size of this take-out cup (bucket)! How much would one of these be at a service station in the UK? It was £1.50 equivalent here!”
It seems the Radfords’ luxury US adventure didn’t exactly start on a high note — and things took a stressful turn when Millie Radford and her children were unexpectedly separated from the rest of the family.
✈️ Millie’s Travel Drama
Millie Radford — the third eldest daughter of Sue and Noel, who became a mum at 19 — shared the chaotic start to her trip on Instagram. Now 23 and a mum-of-three, Millie revealed that she and two of her kids were “rejected” from boarding the flight to America with the rest of the family.
The reason? A travel blunder involving out-of-date ESTAs — the electronic travel authorisation required for visa-free entry into the U.S.
The mix-up left Millie stranded and scrambling while the rest of the Radfords continued their journey stateside.
Sue and Millie Radford have branded the beginning of their Easter getaway to the US as the ‘absolute worst start’ — after a series of travel mishaps threw their family holiday into chaos.
Mum-of-three Millie’s travel nightmare saw her, along with little Ophelia and Chester, left stranded at Gatwick — after being ‘rejected’ from their flight to the US.
✈️ Jet-Setting Radfords
Sue and Noel Radford have gone all out this Easter — not only jetting off to Florida with their own children, but also bringing along their grandchildren for a mega family adventure during the school break.
The sun-soaked escape marks the start of yet another travel-packed year for Britain’s biggest family. Last year alone, the Radfords clocked up 14 trips, including a jaw-dropping £3,800-a-night Disney cruise, a glitzy Dubai getaway, and dream destinations like Lapland, New York, Legoland, and the Maldives.
And while they admitted to “feeling the pinch” financially in a chat with The Daily Mirror, Sue and Noel are clearly sparing no expense when it comes to making memories on this once-in-a-lifetime holiday.
Sue has been giving fans a glimpse into their lavish £50,000 Florida getaway, sharing sun-soaked snaps and magical moments from the family’s epic adventure.
This isn’t the Radfords’ first trip to Florida — the family’s love affair with the Sunshine State continues to shine bright.
The Radfords are no strangers to Disney, with the big family frequently jetting off for epic trips to the magical parks.
Sue and Noel Radford’s Holiday Style
Sue and Noel have previously shared their approach to holiday accommodation, revealing on This Morning that they often opt for a villa to keep costs down and ensure the whole family can stay close together. Last September, they even gave fans an exclusive tour of their Orlando villa on Facebook, showcasing their luxurious family getaway to their 944,000 followers.
This Florida trip is just one of many celebrations for Sue’s milestone 50th birthday. The couple has also revealed plans for a romantic getaway, just the two of them. Sue shared:
“But we are going to do a holiday just the two of us as well. That will be nice.”
How Do the Radfords Afford Their Big Life?
With 22 children and seven dogs, it’s no surprise that many wonder how the Radfords manage their hefty bills. The family’s main source of income comes from Noel’s bakery, The Radford Pie Company, which has been serving the people of Heysham and Morecambe since 1999. The family has expanded their business to cater to online orders across the UK, with the older kids pitching in part-time.
Sue and Noel also run a reality TV show, 22 Kids and Counting, which has had four series so far. While they don’t rely on benefits, they do make money from brand partnerships on social media, with expert estimates suggesting they earn around £5,000 per episode of their Channel 5 show. Brand expert Andy Barr explained:
“The typical fee per episode is going to be in the thousands, rather than the tens or hundreds of thousands that people often think.”
In addition to the bakery and TV show, the family shares their life through social media, giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at their family adventures, often traveling in their van and sharing snapshots on Instagram.
A Family Affair
Noel and Sue’s children also contribute to the family business, with the older ones helping out at the bakery or paying a small amount of board to live at home. As their daughter Chloe explained in a YouTube video:
“Us older ones do pay a little bit of board. Granted it’s not a lot, but I’m also trying to save up for my own house at the moment.”
Sue added:
“We’ve always said if you want to buy somewhere, renting is a bit of dead money, so we’d rather you saved that money up and stayed at home a bit longer.”