December 11, 2011 Mexican Riveria

[Juney]

We just came off of the Magic Eastern Caribbean today and booked this cruise on-board. We were able to get a really great deal. Two years away, but really excited.

 

[IrishCowboy]

I have added your thread to the 2011 Wonder Cruise Meet list

 

[EnchantedPlayroom]

Hi, I am thinking of booking for myself and my DD who will be 4 at the time of sailing. This would be my 4th Disney Cruise and her 2nd. Well, her third if you could the time I was pregnant on the ship. I have sailed the Disney Mexican Riviera cruises twice. I am SO HAPPY to have the ship find a permanent home out here!!!!!!

Hope to see you on board!! Just gotta figure out who wants to come with me.

 

[MazatlanMonica]

Hello to everyone in this group. I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Monica and I live in Mazatlan, Sinaloa Mexico. For anyone on a future Disney cruise to the Mexican Riviera, I am pleased to make myself available to you for any questions about the city of Mazatlan or country of Mexico.

As for myself, I am a resident of both the United States and of Mexico. I speak both English and Spanish fluently and I have sailed on DCL numerous times and have been a lifelong fan of Disney. Let me say right upfront, I am NOT selling anything nor am I affiliated with any business or tour company. I am only here to help and give honest information and opinions in an attempt to make your time in Mazatlan or Mexico a positive experience.

I hope that everyone will welcome me to the discussion and that I can be of assistance to anyone who has a question about my city or country. I will attempt to check the boards once per day, but should I miss a question, please do not hesitate to send me a private message. I look forward to getting to know everyone!

Gracias,
Monica

 

[emilyann415]

Count us in as well. We are lucky enough to be staying in the Walt Disney Suite....but none of the kiddos know anything about it....plus my sis and her two girls are coming along too. There will be 9 or 10 of us in total...can't wait!!!!

Emily

 

[suesims]

My daughters and I will be on this cruise as well. This is our first Disney cruise, and we look forward to meeting all of you!

Sue in California

 

[dishdrops]

This is our first cruise! It's gonna be just me and my hubby, (our kids will join us in DL after the cruise). Looking forward to meeting you all!

 

[miry]

This will the third Disney Cruise for my son (13) and I. We've never really done a meet before but are looking forward to participate in FEs and meet new people.
Miranda

 

[bnalexander]

I am Barb. I will be coming on this cruise with my daughter and two grandbabies, 18 months and 3 years. I have been on one Disney cruise and my daughter and grandbabies have not been on a cruise yet. This will be their first! We would love to be included in the FE and meet everyone!

 

[marcemc]

Happy to report we will be on board with you guys

 

[marcemc]

Bump

 

[emilyann415]

Anyone interested in doing FE exchange? We have three rooms now and all are wanting to participate. Anyone interested in organizing this for us?

Emily

 

[bnalexander]

I participated last time but did not organize it and really have no idea how to organize one. I will do some research to see if there are some instructions on how to organize a FE list.

Anyone here have any knowledge on how to run one?

This seems to be the info they collect from each cabin wanting to be included:

Rules, we need rules!!!!

Please try to format your post in the following way:

Room Number
Screen Name
# of People - All adults and children
# of Adults
# of Children
Age(s) of Boy(s)
Age(s) of Girl(s)
Real Name - First name only
Comments - Allergies, connected to other rooms (etc.)

If you have a roomie who wants to participate in the FE exchange, be sure to note that in your comments, so when others are delivering you will get 2 gifts.

Any questions?

 

[bnalexander]

Thanks to jeanigor's post

The Fish Extender
What is a Fish Extender? Where did it come from? What does it mean to me? What if I am terrified of fishes? All these questions and more answered in this episode of SOAP.

Background
A fish extender is a “secret Santa” of sorts. The idea is that a group of DISers exchange gifts during a cruise. The first Fish Extender Exchange is said to have been started during a Panama Canal repositioning cruise. It is called a “Fish Extender” because outside of every stateroom there is a fish mounted on the wall. It was put there by DCL as a way to deliver notes without entering your room. Now DISers use it to hang their Fish Extenders. The actual extender is like increasing the size of your mailbox, if you will.

The idea behind fish extenders is: Share some magic with your fellow DISers.Also known as, its better to give that to receive.

Tell Me More
Fish Extenders have all sorts of looks to them, depending on the cruisers tastes, size of family, specific event, and character.

Important Details
Requirements for your Fish Extender are:
•you are able to hang it from the Fish in the hallway (size requirements and zip ties later)
•it has a pocket or pouch to hold the gifts you will receive
That’s it. Breathe. Relax.

Where Do I Get a Fish Extender?
Some folks make their own Fish Extenders.
Some buy Fish Extenders from places like e-bay.
Others find creative things to use as Fish Extenders.


Here are some instructions for sewing your own 'traditional' Fish Extender: Sew it yourself Fish Extender.
Here are some instructions for people that don't/can't sew so well: No-sew Fish Extender

Specifications
The wall that the fish extender is hung on is roughly 8” wide. If you make your extender much wider, it will stick out into the hallway and/or hit your stateroom door.
The fish to hang your extender from is about 5’3” off the floor. When deciding upon a length for your extender, be sure you keep in mind that you will hang it from the fish, which will add overall length to your extender.

What’s With This Zip Tie Business
A zip tie (or cable tie) is a handy piece of equipment to secure your fish extender. We don’t want any fish extender nappings. Let’s face it, even on a Disney Cruise; there are people out there that have deviousness running in their veins. The zip tie helps to deter this. This is an explanation from a fellow DISer:
“If you look at the ribbon on any fish extender (that is what you place over the fish) that is how the "extender" hangs on the fish. It is very easy to just remove the extender by just un-hooking it from the fish. So, you take your zip tie and cinch it around both of the ribbons that are hanging from the fish on both sides... and you cinch the zip tie so that the two ribbons squeeze around the fish making it impossible to remove the extender.”
“The zip-tie goes around the ribbon or string that attaches to the fish... and you place it just under the fish... it actually scoots itself up to the fish as you tighten it... the trick is to leave it NOT so tight so that you can get your scissors or nail clippers thru it when you are ready to take it down.”

Think about it like a Club except instead of securing your cars steering wheel, it holds the strap your fish extender hangs from securely to the fish.

The Magic of Fish Extender Gifts
So what do people put in the Fish Extenders? How often do you deliver gifts? What about kids?
People give all sorts of stuff. Here are some pics of Fish Extender bootie.



Gifts can be regional in theme.
Gifts can be Disney related.
Gifts can be event specific.
Gifts can represent you.
Gifts can be almost anything.

Delivering your gifts can be a daunting task. The other people that signed up for the Fish Extender exchange will be all over the ship. Walking the ship isn’t too very tough. Walking the ship, carrying your gifts, trying to find specific staterooms—that’s a different story.

Gifts are delivered throughout the day and night, totally dependent upon your schedule. It did seem that there were a lot of deliveries on the first full day aboard the ship.

Some instances a gift is given to each individual. Sometimes it is given to the entire the cabin. Quite often children get special gifts just for them. If your cabin has a roommate situation, where you both are participating in the Fish Extender Exchange, but do not reside together in real life, please state that when you sign up. Each person would then be listed and each person would receive gifts of their own.

Some important things to remember about gifts:
•Some people have food allergies. (i.e. cinnamon, peanuts, coconut, etc.). If you do, please mention that when you sign up for the Fish Extender list.
•Be aware of how much space will be needed to transport your gifts to the ship (and then home again). I ended up shipping a box (15”x15”x15”) full of FE Stuff home.

Groups
Does the thought of purchasing, assembling, transporting and delivering a massive amount of Fish Extender gifts worry or frighten you? Joining a group may be just the solution to your concerns.

A Fish Extender Group is a group of DISers that pool their resources (money, time, creativity) toward a fish extender gift.

Groups do not need any formal association. They can be random DISers that want to join a group. They can be people from a certain state or country. They can be from a demographic (Redheads, Firemen, Teachers, etc.)

One person should act as a group leader, collecting and distributing input from the rest of the group. It is a good idea to e-mail everyone in the group about the group’s gift.

Once a group’s gift is decided upon, the total cost (don’t forget shipping) is divided between the members of the group.
Onboard, it would be easiest to divide up the total number of staterooms participating in the fish extender exchange between members of the group. For example, if there were 180 staterooms participating, and 12 members in your group, each person would deliver 15 gifts.

Miscelaneous
Signing up for the Fish Extender on your cruise should be relatively easy. Whomever is going to head up the task should be able to keep track of the changes throughout the thread and keep record of them, updating the list as necessary.
From time to time, peoples cabin number changes. If this happens to you, please post a note on the thread so the list can be updated. One of the first few posts of the thread should contain the list of participants, their cabin number, number of adults, number (and age) of children, allergies, and special notes.

If for some reason you cabin number changes close to the sail date, or you upgrade your cabin at the port, that information needs to be shared with the rest of the Fish Extender group. The easiest way to do this is to have an update list posted. Someone who signed up for the Fish Extender Exchange should volunteer to do this.
Now here are a few tips:
1) If you can ship your gifts ahead of time, do it - saves so much room in your luggage. Make sure you allow enough time for your package to arrive prior to the start of the cruise. You don't want to get to the ship and discover that your package did not make it to meet you.
2) Be sure you have room in your luggage for the goodies you will receive. I thought I would have so much room in my suitcase since I had given away the goodies I brought; however, I had just as much to take home!
3) If you are talented and can make your gifts - they are so appreciated. All gifts are awesome, and homemade ones are like icing on the cake! ((or the meringue on the pie!!)
4) Deliver your gifts a floor at a time - maybe one floor a day.
5) Plan your delivery - either map them or organize by number.
6) Trip personalized gifts are awesome - some of the coolest gifts were items that were personalized with our cruise dates or motto (pens, notepads, etc)
7) Fasten your Fish Extender to the fish with a zip tie - there was a report of a near Fish Extender napping on our cruise thread - I think personalizing the Fish Extender helps, too.
8) Make delivering the gifts a family affair. At one point I could hear a cute family whispering outside my door as they had the kids put the goodies in the Fish Extender.

Remember, when you do a Fish Extender you will be the envy of many on the ship! I was stopped a couple of times asking how we got one of those and how could they participate! Of course, those folks have now been informed of the Disboards!

 

[miry]

I participated last time but did not organize it and really have no idea how to organize one. I will do some research to see if there are some instructions on how to organize a FE list.

Anyone here have any knowledge on how to run one?

This seems to be the info they collect from each cabin wanting to be included:

Rules, we need rules!!!!

Please try to format your post in the following way:

Room Number
Screen Name
# of People - All adults and children
# of Adults
# of Children
Age(s) of Boy(s)
Age(s) of Girl(s)
Real Name - First name only
Comments - Allergies, connected to other rooms (etc.)

If you have a roomie who wants to participate in the FE exchange, be sure to note that in your comments, so when others are delivering you will get 2 gifts.

Any questions?

Thanks so much for being willing to do this. I have never participated before, but am super excited and more than happy to help organize or create spreadsheets or do whatever it is I can. Our information is as follows:

Room Number: 6634
Screen Name: miry
# of People - All adults and children: 2
# of Adults: 1 - Miranda
# of Children: 1 - Ryan, Boy age 13
Comments - none

Thanks again, and please let me know what I can do to help. Also, my screen name goes to my son's e-mail if you need to contact me I am at mirandaquintana@yahoo.com

 

[bgkpw]

We are traveling with friends(2 families) on the December 11th cruise. We are a family of 4, DS5, DD5. This will be the kids first cruise and our first Disney Cruise. We are so excited.

I have never been involved in a FE exchange, but would love to join in .

I look forward to meeting you all.

Gina

 

[emilyann415]

Hi again.....thank you for agreeing to organize this. We have two rooms for sure and another group I'll have to see if they want to participate. So far it's:

Room 1 #8030
Emily (me), Dh, Dd(5), Ds (10months), Dniece (10), Dniece (12)


Room 2 room not assigned
Laura, Dd (10), Dd (7)

 

[bnalexander]

OK...I will get going on the spreadsheet.

I will get it set up and started. Then, as we all figure out how we want to do the fish extender exactly, I may need to collect a bit of additional info per cabin.

Keep the info coming.

 

[bnalexander]

We are traveling with friends(2 families) on the December 11th cruise. We are a family of 4, DS5, DD5. This will be the kids first cruise and our first Disney Cruise. We are so excited.

I have never been involved in a FE exchange, but would love to join in .

I look forward to meeting you all.

Gina

Welcome! If you would like to give me your info for the fish extender I will be glad to add you to the spreadsheet! You can send me a private message.
Room Number
Screen Name
# of People - All adults and children
# of Adults
# of Children
Age(s) of Boy(s)
Age(s) of Girl(s)
Real Name - First name only
Comments - Allergies, connected to other rooms (etc.)

If you have a roomie who wants to participate in the FE exchange, be sure to note that in your comments, so when others are delivering you will get 2 gifts.

As you originally enter or send me corrections or changes, you can go here to make sure your record is correct.
https://spreadsheets2.google.com/sp...EJqVmZNdml5NEg5N0ktTTE0WnctT0E&hl=en_US#gid=0

 

[emilyann415]

Add another room to the list. Our other friends want to join in on the fun....
Their info

Room #1036
Kaarn, DH, DD (4), DS (1)

They are first time cruisers and first time experience with The Mouse! Super excited.