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Jan 12

Fish Extender Tips For Your First Disney Cruise

Jan 12

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Make the most of your first Disney Cruise by participating in a traditional Fish Extender exchange. I’m sharing all you need to know and more!

Everything You Need To Know About The Fish Extender Exchange On A Disney Cruise

After spending a weekend aboard the Disney Dream during the summertime, we learned a lot about all that goes into making it so magical. From the spectacular fireworks show during Pirate Night to the hidden Mickeys scattered around the ship, you’ll find pixie dust in every corner. But before you embark upon the ultimate family vacation, here’s a few tips on how you can make your stay even more memorable for the entire family. Many cruisers participate in something called the Fish Extender exchange in which families swap surprises with one other during their voyage. This tradition has been around for almost ten years now and is a ton of fun. Here’s everything you need to get started prior to your sail!

Everything You Need To Know About The Fish Extender Exchange On A Disney Cruise

WHAT IS A FISH EXTENDER?

A fish extender can be just about anything, as long as it has pockets to hold goodies from your fellow shipmates. The majority are handmade and store bought. If crafty, sew your own together using Disney themed fabrics or order one from the talented sellers on Etsy. Keep in mind, it should be between 8″ long and 12″ wide, with pockets for each person in your cabin. Each pocket should include the person’s name so everyone receives something just for them. If you have a large family, it’s best to allow each child to have their own pocket while the adults share a pouch on the top. Those participating will hang their Fish Extenders outside of their doors on the signature pewter fish clip outside of each cabin. You’ll see many as you walk around the ship since this is a major tradition for repeat cruisers. It’s fun to see other people’s designs and stateroom decorations in the process.

HOW DO I FIND FAMILIES TO EXCHANGE WITH?

The best place to connect with participating families is on the DISBoards (The DIS Disney Discussion Forum), where you can locate your specific sailing date thread to chat with others on your cruise. Also, you will find that each sailing date has a Facebook group in which fellow cruisers can chat. Here is another place to find families interested in exchanging. Since you will be in contact with the families you are trading with, ask them a few questions about what they like or who their favorite Disney character is. That way, you can give them something they will truly appreciate and use on the cruise.

Everything You Need To Know About The Fish Extender Exchange On A Disney Cruise

WHAT GOES IN THE FISH EXTENDERS?

Fish Extenders can be filled with anything from store bought goodies to homemade loot. Think small and practical. Don’t try and stuff your suitcase with 27 tumblers and a pile of Mickey beach towels. The gifts are usually cruise themed and can be used during the recipients trip. Here are some ideas:  magnets, buttons, hand sanitizers, coloring books, crayons, packaged candy, specialty treats from the state or city you live in, koozies, tote bags, soaps, key-chains, autograph books, lanyards, Disney pins, luggage tags, glow sticks, eye patches for Pirate night, mini flashlights, stickers, bracelets, etc. Many of these are items you can find at the dollar store or online on Etsy. I always search in Target’s dollar section because they have a ton of cute Disney merch. You can practically add Disney magic to anything by personalizing it with stickers or embellishments. Don’t spend an arm and a leg buying things. You can participate with more families if you keep it affordable.

Also, bring a few extras because it’s not uncommon for others to go around and anonymously sprinkle a little pixie dust in your pockets. Spread the love and put a smile on a fellow cruiser’s face!

Everything You Need To Know About The Fish Extender Exchange On A Disney Cruise

DO WE HAVE TO PARTICIPATE EACH DAY?

No, of course not! Daily participation is optional and discussed beforehand. Prior to sailing, you should be chatting with those you will be exchanging with, even if it’s just two or three families. Whether you connect through a Facebook group created specifically for your travel dates or on the DISboards, you will notice that many experienced cruisers are comfortable swapping once a day. This is not expected & is something you can agree upon with those you are trading with. There are many newbies that are fresh to the Fish Extender game that would be more than willing to keep the process stress free without pressure. From experience, I found dropping gifts off once a day manageable, usually at night before we headed to dinner. That way, everyone returns to their cabins and are greeted with a small surprise to end the night. Remember, there is A LOT to do on the cruise so don’t over extend yourself. Keep it fun!

Everything You Need To Know About The Fish Extender Exchange On A Disney Cruise

WHY SHOULD WE PARTICIPATE?

Participating in the Fish Extender exchange is one way to connect with other families and also experience the true nature of your one-of-a-kind Disney cruise. The kids absolutely love coming back to their rooms to find goodies galore stuffed in their pockets. It’s all in good fun and a way to collect even more memories during your travels. A little magic can go a long way and this new tradition can be repeated if you decide to sail Disney in the future. Think of it as a “Secret Santa on the high sea!”

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Posted by youngatheartmommy
Filed Under: Disney, Travel Tagged: #DisneySMMC, Disney, Disney Cruise, Disney Dream Cruise, Fish Extenders, Why You Need A Fish Extender For Your Disney Cruise

Comments

  1. AnnMarie John says

    Jan 12 at 4:13 pm

    What a great idea! I think I might do this when we sail next month. Thanks for the info.
    • youngatheartmommy says

      Jan 13 at 1:05 am

      You're welcome! You will get to see the magic first hand next month. :)
  2. ELISE LANEY says

    Jan 12 at 6:00 pm

    This sounds like so much fun! I would love to do this someday.
    • youngatheartmommy says

      Jan 13 at 1:04 am

      It is! It's a lot of work to prepare the surprises if you're making them by hand but in the end it's totally worth it.
  3. Gay Pitalo says

    Jan 18 at 7:19 pm

    I LOVE THIS! Definitely will do this in May 2017 on the Disney Dream ! Please help with how I can reach out to others on the ship that will participating with the Fish Extenders! Thank you so much!
    • youngatheartmommy says

      Jan 19 at 8:04 pm

      First place to check are the DISBoards, link above. Here you will find the direct thread that corresponds with your sailing dates and others participating in the FE exchange.
    • Amber says

      Feb 10 at 7:40 am

      We are going in dream may 12th-15! I found a group on Facebook that has about 9 families doing this so far.
  4. shelly peterson says

    Feb 25 at 7:08 pm

    What a really neat and fun idea. This would definitely add some excitement to the cruise.
  5. CocoMom says

    Aug 21 at 10:35 pm

    Hi, Are there adult groups also? I maybe a kid at heart, but only traveling with adults. CocoMom
    • youngatheartmommy says

      Aug 25 at 11:39 pm

      Yes there absolutely are!!
  6. Julie says

    Aug 25 at 11:00 am

    Face book also has groups named by your cruise ship and date. They are also the best way to find FE groups. Have fun.
  7. CKelley says

    Mar 07 at 5:31 am

    Who made your extender... its adorable
  8. Leasa says

    Mar 07 at 5:53 pm

    Love fish extenders. So much fun. Oh Toodie sush a sweetie pie. Think of her hug often when we meet in the gift shop
  9. Amanda Panell says

    Nov 20 at 3:53 pm

    Just to clarify, do you get one gift for each person total, or one gift for each person per day? With 50 people in our group I am really hoping that we only have to get 50 gifts! :)
    • youngatheartmommy says

      Nov 20 at 3:57 pm

      Hi Amanda! It really depends on the size of your group and how you choose to do it. When we went, we had about five other families to exchange with so it wasn’t too crazy or costly. I would think that with a group of your size, one gift per person/per family would be sufficient. It’s completely your choice. It can get really expensive so I would definite space it out and not worry too much about giving something each day. Hope this helps!
  10. Tracy says

    Jan 31 at 10:21 pm

    This is our first time participating in a fish extender group and we just got all of our gifts at the Disney outlet. Lots of adorable things for affordable prices. My only question is do we put a little note saying from our family etc? Or do we just do it anonymously?
    • youngatheartmommy says

      Feb 03 at 11:18 pm

      Hi Tracy! It really depends on the group you are participating with. I put our names on the gifts we gave but I noticed many that we received did not. Totally up to you I would say!

Trackbacks

  1. The 2017 Disney Social Media Moms Share Their Tips On How To Make Your Disney Trip A Magical One – Adventures In Life says:
    Oct 27 at 7:13 am
    […] Perez who is The Young At Heart Mommy gives us some great and easy  Fish Extender Tips For Your First Disney Cruise and 8 Tips For Pirates […]
Hello there! I’m Jessica - just your everyday mom navigating through life with the help of iced coffee and frequent trips to Target. Follow along for yummy recipes, crafty projects, and family-friendly travel tid-bits.

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