8/6/2012 - Mickey's Alaskan Adventure

[Calfan]

OK... I am a little confused - not hard to do - about the FE gifts. I did read the "rules/suggestions" and have a few questions. Am I responsible for getting gifts for just one other family during the cruise? Or do I give a different family a gift each day? What is the protocol/rotation?

Thanks!

Each family participating in the FE will be responsible for getting one gift for each other family participating in the FE (so every family should end up getting 8 gifts based on the number of families we currently have signed up --that could change if we have a few more sign-ups before the cutoff date). We haven't established a protocol for when you need to give out your gifts. So you can choose which day or days you would like to deliver your gifts (e.g., you can give out all of your FE gifts on Day 2 of the cruise, or you can spread them out and give to a few families on one day and a few other families on another day). It seems to work out that not everyone chooses to give their FE gifts on the first or same day, so they naturally get spread out a bit. That all being said, this will be my first FE. CaliforniaGirl09 has done at least one before and is just finishing up a cruise where she is participating in another. So once she is back on the boards, she can weigh in.

 

[DisneyLifeMel]

Cool, thanks for the clarification. I have gifts for the moms and kids. I am only moderately crafty, so the forums have come in quite handy. I still need to figure out what I am going to do for all the great dads on the cruise.

I also need to get busy with my door decorations. So much fun.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

I requested it from the graphics board. We'll see what they send us back and I'll post it then.

Very cool! Thanks for taking the reins on this and can't wait to see what comes back. The t-shirts for the cruise I did on the Fantasy last week were really fun. We all wore them on debarkation day, and it was a fun way of id'ing lots of DISers.

This is our third cruise and we are excited to go to Alaska. Is there a pirate party on this cruise. Also want to add our family to the FE list. I do not have enough posts yet to pm CaliforniaGirl09.

Hey Karen, sorry you weren't able to PM, but as Calfan mentioned, I was on a cruise last week (Fantasy Caribbean) without internet. Thanks to Calfan for posting the link, and I hope you were able to add yourself. If not, let me know...

Each family participating in the FE will be responsible for getting one gift for each other family participating in the FE (so every family should end up getting 8 gifts based on the number of families we currently have signed up --that could change if we have a few more sign-ups before the cutoff date). We haven't established a protocol for when you need to give out your gifts. So you can choose which day or days you would like to deliver your gifts (e.g., you can give out all of your FE gifts on Day 2 of the cruise, or you can spread them out and give to a few families on one day and a few other families on another day). It seems to work out that not everyone chooses to give their FE gifts on the first or same day, so they naturally get spread out a bit. That all being said, this will be my first FE. CaliforniaGirl09 has done at least one before and is just finishing up a cruise where she is participating in another. So once she is back on the boards, she can weigh in.

My cruise last week had THREE Fish Extender lists. The one I was on had over forty people--not sure I'd do that again, it was a lot of fun but a lot of time delivering, etc. I definitely like the smaller groups! As Calfan stated, there are no "rules" on when to deliver. Do what makes most sense in your schedule or whether you think your gift will be fun for the trip (i.e. some people do "survivor" type of gifts with sunscreen, band-aids, etc. that are meant for the trip). On my cruise last week, most of the gifts were delivered on the first sea day, although there were a few straggling in the last few days, LOL. It's nice to spread it out a little, so keep that in mind.

Cool, thanks for the clarification. I have gifts for the moms and kids. I am only moderately crafty, so the forums have come in quite handy. I still need to figure out what I am going to do for all the great dads on the cruise.

Just to clarify--it's fine to do one "family" gift per cabin--don't want people to think you *have* to do individual gifts for everyone. I personally do one big family gift--I find if much easier, LOL.

 

[Tracyvp]

My cruise last week had THREE Fish Extender lists. The one I was on had over forty people--not sure I'd do that again, it was a lot of fun but a lot of time delivering, etc. I definitely like the smaller groups! As Calfan stated, there are no "rules" on when to deliver. Do what makes most sense in your schedule or whether you think your gift will be fun for the trip (i.e. some people do "survivor" type of gifts with sunscreen, band-aids, etc. that are meant for the trip). On my cruise last week, most of the gifts were delivered on the first sea day, although there were a few straggling in the last few days, LOL. It's nice to spread it out a little, so keep that in mind.

Wow, THREE different groups! I've had the opposite experience. We've only done FEs 3x and every one of them had at least 100 Staterooms! We just chose to deliver them over several different days so it didn't take too much time. The first year we actually had some "groups" who went in together to come up with, pay for and deliver their gifts. That made it a little bit easier. Last cruise it was just me doing it all because my family was kind of bored with the idea. I'm kind of glad to hae a smaller group this time, but it seems SO tiny!!!

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

Wow, THREE different groups! I've had the opposite experience. We've only done FEs 3x and every one of them had at least 100 Staterooms! We just chose to deliver them over several different days so it didn't take too much time. The first year we actually had some "groups" who went in together to come up with, pay for and deliver their gifts. That made it a little bit easier. Last cruise it was just me doing it all because my family was kind of bored with the idea. I'm kind of glad to hae a smaller group this time, but it seems SO tiny!!!

The second and third group were added after the cut off date. I think the first group had over 100 staterooms--I would have passed on that, LOL. Too many for me! The first FE I did had about 18, which was a great number. I hope we get a few more to join before the cut off date, but the good news is that if the group stays small like this, my gift will have more goodies

 

[DisneyLifeMel]

I know our FE group is small, but as a first-timer, that takes a lot of pressure off. That being said, we definitely have room for some more families to join in the fun. 100 families, or even 40, sounds a bit overwhelming.

We have such a long cruise that I hope the gifts are spread out naturally. I am tempted to deliver mine on the "at sea" day, but I think many others will as well.

If the group stays small, I may deliver the kids' gifts one day, then the parents' gifts on another day. With 9-12 families, that is certainly possible.

 

[Calfan]

Looks like we are up to 10 families participating in the FE. Just a few more days until the July 6 cut-off date.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

It would be nice if we get a few more families, but 10 is good. I know there were a number of people who posted early on that they wanted to participate (before the FE was started), but I suspect they are not subscribed to the thread. Getting excited . . .

 

[ayumac]

Please count us in to your FE group.

ayumac, DH, DS10, DD8 from Tokyo, Japan.

I am thinking about bringing some stuff from TDR, if you guys are OK with the accepting items from Japan. At least, they would not be any food items.

I will go back a couple of pages to find out the "official way" to sign up with FE group later.

Ayumi

 

[DisneyLifeMel]

To join the FE group, just PM CalFan or CaliforniaGirl09... they have done a fabulous job getting the list together and keeping us all on the same page!

 

[ayumac]

Dear DisneyLifeMel,

Thank you so much! I will do so right away.

-Ayumi

To join the FE group, just PM CalFan or CaliforniaGirl09... they have done a fabulous job getting the list together and keeping us all on the same page!

 

[Calfan]

Ayumac:

Welcome to the cruise! Just sent you the link to the FE list by PM. Please go ahead and enter the information for your family.

Happy 4th of July, everyone.

 

[diznefan76]

Just sent a PM to CaliforniaGirl09, Mickeyfan66 & I would love to join in the fun with the FE's. We did it on our last Disney cruise and it was alot of fun. We only had about 12 staterooms so our group was small last time.....I can't even imagine what a 100 stateroom list would be like! Yikes!!

So excited for the cruise!!!!

 

[ayumac]

Dear Calfan,

Thank you, thank you, and thank you!!

Thank you for organizing this. Now, I will get to my craft work for FE knowing that we only have 32 days to go!!

12 families are good. I can spend more money on each. Last time, it was not 100, but 80 on a East Caribbean which was shortened by a day due to the weather. Very busy.

Yes, Happy 4th of July to all of you. Be sure to save money for the cruise! "7/4 sales (hint, hint)."

Ayumi

Ayumac:

Welcome to the cruise! Just sent you the link to the FE list by PM. Please go ahead and enter the information for your family.

Happy 4th of July, everyone.

 

[Calfan]

Diznefan76: I just sent you the FE link by PM (CaliforniaGirl09 can't access it at the moment). My computer was acting up on me a bit when I was trying to send it, so please let me know if you have any trouble receiving it or with opening the link. Welcome to the group! If you and Mickeyfan66 join, that should bring us up to 13 families. Friday is the last day to sign up, so we can all get busy putting our gifts together.

 

[Calfan]

Dear Calfan,

Thank you, thank you, and thank you!!

Thank you for organizing this. Now, I will get to my craft work for FE knowing that we only have 32 days to go!!

12 families are good. I can spend more money on each. Last time, it was not 100, but 80 on a East Caribbean which was shortened by a day due to the weather. Very busy.

Yes, Happy 4th of July to all of you. Be sure to save money for the cruise! "7/4 sales (hint, hint)."

Ayumi

Ayumi:

Did you enter your info on the FE list? I just opened it and don't see you. Maybe you haven't done it yet, but if you did, maybe you didn't share afterward? Just checking.

 

[diznefan76]

Diznefan76: I just sent you the FE link by PM (CaliforniaGirl09 can't access it at the moment). My computer was acting up on me a bit when I was trying to send it, so please let me know if you have any trouble receiving it or with opening the link. Welcome to the group! If you and Mickeyfan66 join, that should bring us up to 13 families. Friday is the last day to sign up, so we can all get busy putting our gifts together.

Hi Calfan... Yes I got your message and we are added to the list! Thank you so much! Now we just need to figure out our FE's!!! LOL

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

Hi Calfan... Yes I got your message and we are added to the list! Thank you so much! Now we just need to figure out our FE's!!! LOL

Diznefan76: I just sent you the FE link by PM (CaliforniaGirl09 can't access it at the moment). My computer was acting up on me a bit when I was trying to send it, so please let me know if you have any trouble receiving it or with opening the link. Welcome to the group! If you and Mickeyfan66 join, that should bring us up to 13 families. Friday is the last day to sign up, so we can all get busy putting our gifts together.

Awesome! Thanks for passing on the link, Calfan, and welcome to the group, diznefan! We seem to be really chugging along now, should be fun!

 

[Mickeyfan66]

I am Diznefan76's roomie on this cruise. I am just getting back on the boards. I can't wait for the cruise. The meet and greet as well as the FE should be fun. I saw something about a shirt for the meet and greet. Anything decided on this that I missed? For our last cruise we didn't do matching shirts, everyone wore lime green so we were easy to spot.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

I am Diznefan76's roomie on this cruise. I am just getting back on the boards. I can't wait for the cruise. The meet and greet as well as the FE should be fun. I saw something about a shirt for the meet and greet. Anything decided on this that I missed? For our last cruise we didn't do matching shirts, everyone wore lime green so we were easy to spot.

Welcome back! Nothing decided on the shirt yet. I think Pinkandproud is waiting for a graphic from one of the sites.

Just wanted to remind everyone who hasn't already signed up for the FE that today is the last day to do so (and one month before our cruise ), so if you want to join make sure to PM Calfan or me today!