Best FE gifts for kids, Adults

[Switzert]

I wanted to start a thread so users could put pictures of their best FE gifts for Kids, Adults, Family they have ever received!

Doing my first DCL Cruise and wanted to see what the best things people have gotten for ideas.

What did the kids go crazy about! I think it will help make better gifts for everyone. Especially the newbies like me!

So let's here it! Or See it!

 

[Mmketeer]

Sorry I don't have kids and no pictures. I have only participated in one FE and I must say the best adult gift that I got were the ones that were given to me that were specific to my special occasion (Birthday) and anything from the home state of the folks I was exchanging with. Oh and my little plastic jar of Castaway Cay sand with a creative little hand made label.

 

[flygrl]

Great idea... We are new to cruising with disney and we are in the FE exchange, it would be nice to get idea's on what people give to adults and kids, plus keeping cost down, but you want to give something people would like and not throw away.... I have seen small things from where they are from like note pads etc or small halloween candy and homemade stuff, but I am not creative at all... so that is out

 

[kmitchel]

The best thing we ever got was a really nice metal water bottle with our cruise name on it. I still use it today.

The only thing that we don't really like are the stuff from oriental trading company (rubber ducks, trinkets, key chains...). We usually wind up giving all the stuff to my son's school for their treasure box, but I can't imagine what I would have done if I would have had to find room in a suitcase.

When in doubt, candy is always a favorite!

 

[It'sWDW4me]

I found something on clearance at AC Moore last week that I was thinking would be good for the 5-7 year olds on my cruise. It's a Jelly Belly plastic jelly bean filled with scented bubbles. It's about 4-5 inches long with a belt clip on the one end. You unscrew the end with the clip on it and the wand is attached to that end. I was able to get a few cherry, banana, and grape scented ones for less than $2 each. What do you guys think - good idea or should I take them back?

As a per family gift, I'm in the process of making magnets. I'm cross stitching a Nemo & Dory pattern and I plan to stitch on the ship name/itinerary/sail date then finish it off with a magnet backer. It'll wind up being about 5"x7". Cool or lame?

 

[redheadtove]

I'm so excited someone started this thread! I have been racking my brain with idea's for FE gift for our Cruise this New Years!! I have door hangers so far.. I want to do something for the family..1 per room, but what.. I have no clue......

 

[scrapbookmomma74]

IF YOU ARE IN MY FE ON THE OCTOBER 6 DREAM SAILING, STOP READING NOW!!! SPOILER ALERT!!!



















I'm sailing the Dream in a few weeks, and for the "Family" gift I am making a "Cruise Survival Kit"...It includes:
1 flat 4 drink carrier from Jimmy Johns, stamped with Mickey images (for carrying drinks back from the soda fountain by the pool...its hard to carry 4!!!)
1 small pack of Kleenex
3 quart sized baggies
2 gallon sized baggies
2 zip ties (to keep the FE from "Swimming away")
1 small Purel hand sanitizer
1 foaming Mickey head shaped soap (Cuz who likes bar soap at the sink???)
4 postcards I printed with a photo of the Dream at Castaway
1 magnet with our cruise date and Mickey
1 post it note pad
3 different colored highlighters that are decorated
4 hair bands
I might add a couple of more small things, but that's the bulk of it.


I got this idea off one of the other FE posts, and added my own "flair" to it. I think the families will love them!
I also have little things to give throughout the cruise, for pirate night, and for the kids. Candy is definitely included!

 

[scrapbookmomma74]

PS...Cross stitched magnets are COOL!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I found something on clearance at AC Moore last week that I was thinking would be good for the 5-7 year olds on my cruise. It's a Jelly Belly plastic jelly bean filled with scented bubbles. It's about 4-5 inches long with a belt clip on the one end. You unscrew the end with the clip on it and the wand is attached to that end. I was able to get a few cherry, banana, and grape scented ones for less than $2 each. What do you guys think - good idea or should I take them back?

As a per family gift, I'm in the process of making magnets. I'm cross stitching a Nemo & Dory pattern and I plan to stitch on the ship name/itinerary/sail date then finish it off with a magnet backer. It'll wind up being about 5"x7". Cool or lame?

I think bubbles are a good idea, however, I believe that DCL prefers no bubbles (especially on the pool deck) because of the possibility of spills and slippery deck surfaces. I know I have seen kids being asked to put thier bubble stuff away when I was at the pool.



ps, I don't mind the oriental trading co type stuff. I see no problem in handing it over to my kids teachers, if they can use it. It's just fun to get stuff.

 

[carmie3377]

IF YOU ARE IN MY FE ON THE OCTOBER 6 DREAM SAILING, STOP READING NOW!!! SPOILER ALERT!!!



















I'm sailing the Dream in a few weeks, and for the "Family" gift I am making a "Cruise Survival Kit"...It includes:
1 flat 4 drink carrier from Jimmy Johns, stamped with Mickey images (for carrying drinks back from the soda fountain by the pool...its hard to carry 4!!!)
1 small pack of Kleenex
3 quart sized baggies
2 gallon sized baggies
2 zip ties (to keep the FE from "Swimming away")
1 small Purel hand sanitizer
1 foaming Mickey head shaped soap (Cuz who likes bar soap at the sink???)
4 postcards I printed with a photo of the Dream at Castaway
1 magnet with our cruise date and Mickey
1 post it note pad
3 different colored highlighters that are decorated
4 hair bands
I might add a couple of more small things, but that's the bulk of it.


I got this idea off one of the other FE posts, and added my own "flair" to it. I think the families will love them!
I also have little things to give throughout the cruise, for pirate night, and for the kids. Candy is definitely included!

We did something similar, albeit with less stuff because we had 97 other cabins participating . In it I included bandaids of various sizes, small package of tissues, hair bands, rubber bands, safety pins, alcohol swabs, and antibacterial wipes and I called it Excursion Survival Kit . I was hoping to find a little zipper bag to include it all in but the couldn't find anything for less than about $1.50/each. Wasn't ready to drop another $150 on FE gifts so I just put everything in a ziploc baggy:

The kids each got a gift as well. I had designed a little activity book for the kids with word searches, crosswords, ect that DD and I made. Unfortunately, my printer crapped out on me a few days before the cruise and I couldn't finish Shouldn't have waited to the last minute. Ended up rushing to put something together for the kids which included using my Cricut to make Mickey head magnets with initials. This is just a few of them as I had over 50 kid gifts.

Some of favorites that we received were customized pins for our cruise, magnets for the door, and of course candy! Someone left plastic disposable cups and snack packs of Oreos for each member of our party. They included a little note to crush the cookies up, add them to the cup, top with icecream from the soft serve machine and mix. That was a great idea! We got so many great things it's hard to remember them all!

 

[PizzieDuster]

MAGNETS! Any kind. I love the ones we received on our Cruise to Nowhere (1/21/11). Book markers. Book markers can be made into magnets (I collect magnets from all the places we visit). Homemade key chains. I loved receiving post cards, anything "special" from a fellow cruiser's hometown (Cowboys Stadum!) We also got a wonderful Disney tote bag that folded down to a pocket sized tissue pack. Great ideas!

My DD12 said "any snacks, mints, candy". Anything she could open and eat basically.

I still have all my FE gifts, down to the little baggies they came in. Some are so adorable and so memorable, I can't get myself to open them. I like to get them out and look at them. If it came with a nametag, I taped the tag to the bag.

I'm not good at making stuff. I ordered special DCL M&Ms with our cruise name and date in DCL colors. Put them in little baggies with a poem.

Will try to post a picture later when my computer whiz gets home

 

[It'sWDW4me]

I think bubbles are a good idea, however, I believe that DCL prefers no bubbles (especially on the pool deck) because of the possibility of spills and slippery deck surfaces. I know I have seen kids being asked to put thier bubble stuff away when I was at the pool.



ps, I don't mind the oriental trading co type stuff. I see no problem in handing it over to my kids teachers, if they can use it. It's just fun to get stuff.

The spill factor is exactly what I was thinking, too. Hmmm, if I keep them to hand out then maybe I'll hold onto them until more towards the end of the cruise. Maybe the night before CC so the kids could take it to the island if they MUST blow bubbles.

I'm LOVING these ideas! Can't wait to see what my cruisemates will do.

 

[jrfaith]

We are cruising in 2 weeks and I have done playing card designed with the cruise date and a mickey pic for the adults. I made mickey hairbows for the girls.

 

[flygrl]

We are cruising in 2 weeks and I have done playing card designed with the cruise date and a mickey pic for the adults. I made mickey hairbows for the girls.

All these are great idea! I have been racking my brain yesterday about it. How do you do the playing cards???

 

[silence]

Our favorite was the photo album that was decorated with Disney stuff.

I truly enjoyed all the hand made items, and then the survival kits we got, as well as the hand sanitizer. We didn't have to go looking for band aids and we had extra sanitizer which all of us carried with us everywhere.

We made magnets for doors and did treat bags for the kids w/pirate stuff for pirate night. I had a whole suitcase full of just FE stuff, and still needed more room in another bag. This next trip, I am definitely thinking SMALLER.

Here are our magnets:

They are metal, so I just added magnets to the back and it worked perfectly

m magnet by silencerobinson, on Flickr


d magnet by silencerobinson, on Flickr


w magnet by silencerobinson, on Flickr

 

[mommy2tati]

On my 8/28 Dream sailing I gave personalized 187 mL bottles of white zinfandel to all the adults (that bag was reeeaallyyy heavy). Depending on the age of the children I gave different things. For the 4-9 y.o. girls I gave princess gift bags with a bunch of different princess stuff in them. For the 4-9 y.o. boys I gave gift boxes shaped like treasure chests. Inside there was a pirate bandana, eye patch, spyglass, playing cards & minibowling set. For the preteen girls I gave butterfly bracelet making sets. Teenage girls I gave an assorted set of nail polishes. Toddlers got stuffed disney characters. I had to ship all the stuff ahead to my hotel before the cruise.