A Fish Extender gift exchange can be a fun way to add a little extra magic to your Disney cruise! Check out these great Fish Extender gift ideas that everyone will be sure to love!
What is a Fish Extender (FE)?
Disney cruises have a cute message holder next to each stateroom…the majority of these being shaped like fish. Fish Extenders hang off these message holders…thus ‘extending’ them. At least as far as I’ve heard, Fish Extenders started when a group of guests on a Panama Canal cruise decided to have a little gift exchange and they needed a place to leave the gifts without disrupting the flow of traffic through the hallway. The practice was so successful that it has persisted!
Joining a Fish Extender Gift Exchange
It’s not quite as simple as just putting out a Fish Extender and waiting for gifts to arrive. You’ll need to join a Fish Extender gift exchange group for your particular Disney sailing.
Most of these are organized on Facebook. In the Facebook search bar type in ‘Disney cruise,’ the name of your ship, and your trip dates. Most likely there’s already a private group for people on your sailing. These groups are not only where you’ll find information about Fish Extender gift exchanges…but you can also ask questions and make friends before your trip!
Each Fish Extender gift exchange is a little different. These are created and run by guests, so there are no actual ‘rules.’ Every exchange has its own guidelines. In general, though, most Fish Extender gift exchanges will divide participants into groups of somewhere between 5 and 10 staterooms. Groups are often also divided into family groups, children only, and adults only. You’ll be asked to provide some basic information (age, favorite character, whether you’re celebrating anything during the cruise, allergies, etc) which will be added to a spreadsheet and provided to others participating in the Fish Extender exchange.
Some Fish Extender gift exchanges have minimal rules…others have a lot! Always read through the group’s guidelines *before* deciding if you want to join. It’s never fun to be surprised about a requirement after you’ve already signed up!
Fish Extender gift exchanges can be a lot of work. You won’t be missing out if you choose not to participate. You’ll still have a great cruise!
Still want a little Fish Extender magic…but maybe not the full commitment? You have options! If you just want to give a few small gifts, you can participate by ‘pixie dusting’ Fish Extenders that you find on your cruise (more about that later). Or, if you’re travelling with children, consider bringing some ‘secret’ gifts and just adding those to your Fish Extender randomly throughout your trip…they don’t need to know you were the one putting the gifts there. Or, if you’re travelling with a group, consider organizing your own Fish Extender exchange just among your group members. These are all great ways to participate in the magic of Fish Extenders without committing to a full exchange group.
First…you need a Fish Extender!
The first thing you’ll need is somewhere for people to put your gifts…a Fish Extender! These can be simple or elaborate…homemade or purchased…customized with your names or not. It’s really up to you! A quick Google search will give you lots of tutorials of how to make your own DIY Fish Extender (even for those people who aren’t ‘crafty’) or you can find tons of options to purchase on sites like Etsy. You can even simply hang a reusable bag next to your door. Do consider bringing a zip tie to help secure your Fish Extender.
Individual or Cabin Gifts? One gift or multiple?
For most Fish Extender gift exchanges, this is completely up to you. You can choose to give a gift for the entire stateroom…or individual gifts for each person. You can give one gift per sailing…or multiple small gifts during the trip. (Note that some Fish Extender gift exchanges do specify whether gifts are by stateroom or for individuals…as well as when and how frequently gifts should be delivered–check your group’s guidelines!)
Homemade or Purchased Gifts?
Both homemade and purchased gifts are welcome!
That being said, due to allergies and food safety concerns, you should avoid homemade food items and stick with those that are commercially packaged (and appropriately labelled).
Does a Fish Extender gift have to be Disney themed?
No! While Fish Extender gifts are often Disney themed, they do not have to be!
How much should you spend?
For most Fish Extender gift exchanges, there is no guideline as to how much you should spend. Spend what is comfortable for *your* budget. Some of the best and most useful Fish Extender gifts are inexpensive! This is not a competition. It’s supposed to be fun…not stressful. (Note that some Fish Extender exchanges do specify a spend amount…either a maximum or a minimum–check your group’s guidelines!)
When should you give out your gifts?
For most Fish Extender gift exchanges, you can give out your gifts whenever you want! Sea days are ideal as gifts will likely spend less time sitting in the Fish Extender before being discovered (which helps minimize the risk of items being stolen). Also, if your item would be useful for a certain event (such as Pirate Night), make sure you give it out ahead of time. Do make sure that your items are distributed before dinner on the last night of your cruise as people will be packing up after that time. (Note that some Fish Extender exchanges do specify when gifts should be delivered–check your group’s guidelines!)
(Hint: To help keep the budget low, plan in advance! Pick up small things that you find on sale throughout the year! You can often find great bargains, especially for out of season or discontinued items.)
Do Be Mindful of Allergies…
Most Fish Extender gift exchange lists ask participants to note any allergies…and you should keep these in mind when putting your gifts together. Don’t gift candies containing peanut butter to a stateroom where one of the guests is allergic to peanuts!
…And Follow Cruise Guidelines
Disney does not endorse Fish Extender gift exchanges…but they don’t discourage them either. Make sure you’re familiar with the cruise line’s policy on prohibited items before deciding what to gift.
Is this gift something you would like to receive?
The truth is, you’ll never come up with a gift that pleases everyone. One of the best ‘rules of thumb’ is to consider whether the gift you’re giving is something that you’d like to receive.
The best Fish Extender gifts are thoughtful and heartfelt…as well as small, lightweight, and easily packed. (Keep in mind that you have to take all these things with you onto the ship…and the recipients will need to take them home. Bulky, heavy, or fragile items can be difficult to fit into limited luggage space.)
Fish Extender Gift Ideas for Babies/Toddlers
- Sippy or snack cup
- Bib
- Bath or sand toys
- Disney themed soft or board book
- Stuffed toy
- ‘1st cruise’ ornament or frame
- Baby wipes
Fish Extender Gift Ideas for Children
- Glow sticks/bracelets/necklaces
- Bubbles
- Playdough
- Coloring books and crayons
- Stickers
- Travel games
- Reusable crazy straws
- Stuffed animal/toy car/character figurine
- Disney themed Pez dispensers
- Hair bow/scrunchie
- Packaged hot chocolate
- Sand toys/beach ball/blow up floatie
- Age appropriate books
- Build your own cruise ship Lego set (you can find these pre-made on Etsy)
- Swim goggles
- Small containers of ice cream toppings (sprinkles, candy, etc)
Fish Extender Gift Ideas for Tweens/Teens
- Nail polish
- Spa items (face masks, bath bombs, etc)
- YA book/comic book (did you know that Disney publishing has a YA division?!)
- Journal
- Build your own cruise ship Lego set (you can find these pre-made on Etsy)
- Disney themed or fluffy socks
- Lip balm
- Reusable straw
- Makeup/toiletry bag
- Travel games
- Pop socket or card holder for phone
- Phone stand
- Small containers of ice cream toppings (sprinkles, candy, etc)
- Vinyl stickers (for use on water bottles, laptops, etc)
- Packaged hot chocolate
- Lanyard for cruise key card
- Waterproof phone holder
- Reusable tumblers/water bottles
- Charm/beaded bracelet
- Postcards for people to mail home (to themselves or friends) while on their trip (Don’t forget to include postage! For Alaskan cruises, US postage will do. For Caribbean cruises that stop at Castaway Cay, you’ll need Bahamian stamps to mail postcards from the island–you can get these at Guest Services on the ship. Postage requirements for other itineraries will depend on the ports of call.)
Fish Extender Ideas for Adults
- Laundry bag/collapsible hamper
- Laundry kit (travel size laundry detergent, fabric softener sheets, a small magnet to identify which machine is yours in the ship’s laundry room, clothes pins for hanging up wet towels in the cabin, etc)
- First aid kit (Bandaids, small travel packs of anti-inflammatories/allergy meds, antibiotic ointment, etc)
- An ‘oops’ kit (sewing kit, tide pen, safety pins, glasses repair supplies, etc)
- Build your own cruise ship Lego set (you can find these pre-made on Etsy)
- Small battery powered nightlight for the cabin
- Manicure set (nail clippers, nail file, etc)
- Spa items (face masks, bath bombs, etc)
- Books on Disney history, behind the scenes, or trivia
- Reusable bags (canvas totes, cinch bags, shopping bags, etc)
- Makeup/toiletry bag
- A beach necessities kit (sunscreen, lip balm, aloe vera gel, baby powder to help remove sand from legs/feet, etc)
- Luggage tags
- Hand warmers (for cruises to cold climates!)
- Reusable tumblers/water bottles
- Reusable straws
- Disney themed or fuzzy socks
- Bottle opener
- Wet bag
- Bowl cozy made from Disney fabric
- Mickey shaped hand soap
- Small flashlight
- Disney themed tie
- Adult coloring book and colored pencils
- Tea/hot chocolate/instant coffee/water flavoring/electrolyte packets
- Disney themed cookie cutter (don’t forget to include your favorite cookie recipe!)
- Magnetic hooks for use in the cabin
- A magnetic ‘light card’ (if cruising on a Disney ship that requires a key card to be inserted for the lights to turn on)
- Glasses cleaning cloth
- Journal
- Lip balm
- Postcards for people to mail home (to themselves or friends) while on their trip (Don’t forget to include postage! For Alaskan cruises, US postage will do. For Caribbean cruises that stop at Castaway Cay, you’ll need Bahamian stamps to mail postcards from the island–you can get these at Guest Services on the ship. Postage requirements for other itineraries will depend on the ports of call.)
Pixie Dusting
Pixie dusting is randomly adding a gift to the Fish Extender of someone who is not in your particular gift exchange group. This can be completely random and you can drop items in any Fish Extender you come across…or you can use the Fish Extender sign up list for your sailing to identify cabins (outside your specific group) that you might want to pixie dust.
Themed Nights
Some Disney cruises feature themed nights such as Pirate Night on Caribbean cruises, Frozen Night on Alaskan and Norway cruises, Star Wars Day at Sea, Marvel Day at Sea, as well as cruises featuring Halloween or Christmas themes. These can be fun to work into your Fish Extender gifts! For instance, ideas for Pirate Night might include blow up pirate swords, eye patches, bandanas, chocolate coins, temporary pirate tattoos, etc.
What not to gift
There are a few things you should avoid gifting. These include:
- Small, single serve bottles of alcohol (bringing these on the ship is against the cruise line’s policy)
- Bottles or other containers for bringing home sand (removing sand or other items is prohibited on most beaches)
- Old/outdated food items (don’t recycle last year’s Halloween candy)
- Promotional items for your own company/business (there may be a few exceptions for those that are specifically Disney or vacation related…but, in general, try to avoid promo items that advertise your business)
Other Exchanges
Your cruise may also have other organized exchanges that you can participate in. Common additional exchanges include magnet exchanges, snack exchanges, ornament exchanges, recipe exchanges, postcard exchanges, and more! You can find out about these from your specific cruise’s Facebook group.
