FE disapointment?

[ASchwa]

THAT, and I believe it is obvious, is what I was saying. How can anyone have hurt feelings if I apply my no adult parameter evenly?...to the adults, it's as if I wasn't on the ship. Personally...I said "personally" here....I don't know when or why the adults got so involved and invested in the FEs...

People can do whatever they want...that's what I think. Give, don't give, don't participate...who cares? It seems that I have hit upon a hot topic here. It never was nor shall ever be do as I say..my way or the highway. I would NEVER tell someone not to participate..as others have. I am not exclusionary. U can give penny candy or hand-crafted chandeliers and I and my DGK will be grateful.

By the way, i don't give adults candy on Halloween, either. So don't come a-knockin'

You did say my way of thinking is the way everyone should be thinking. As I said before the poster who I answered wants everyone to give something for her children but she won't give to everybody. That is what I object to. You sign up, you give at least something for each cabin that is on your list. If you don't want to give something for every cabin on your list then don't do it. Don't sign up. I think that when you make a choice to participate in anything you participate fully not piecemeal. Sometimes you can't pick and choose. Oh, by the way, my sister when she was about four years old gave me a penny that she got out of a toilet in a restaurant for my birthday. She went to the bathroom and then came out with the penny. I laugh and smile because of the thought behind the giving, totally felt the warmth and sentiment. It was one of her most memorable presents to me.

 

[Dug720]

You did say my way of thinking is the way everyone should be thinking. As I said before the poster who I answered wants everyone to give something for her children but she won't give to everybody. That is what I object to. You sign up, you give at least something for each cabin that is on your list. If you don't want to give something for every cabin on your list then don't do it. Don't sign up. I think that when you make a choice to participate in anything you participate fully not piecemeal. Sometimes you can't pick and choose. Oh, by the way, my sister when she was about four years old gave me a penny that she got out of a toilet in a restaurant for my birthday. She went to the bathroom and then came out with the penny. I laugh and smile because of the thought behind the giving, totally felt the warmth and sentiment. It was one of her most memorable presents to me.

Excellent points.

Perhaps since the other poster is so adamant on doing things by HER parameters, she should set up her own alternative FE group - ONLY for people traveling with kids. ONLY kids get things, and no one is to give any gift to anyone not a child. (And where do you cut that off? 12? 16? 18?) If she sets up her group, she can set the parameters and make them known in advance of people signing up. That way they have a choice.

Seems the much better way to handle wanting your own parameters than joining a group that has established parameters and saying "I don't care what rules you set. These are the rules I'm playing by."

 

[MommyMeNDisney]

Oh, by the way, my sister when she was about four years old gave me a penny that she got out of a toilet in a restaurant for my birthday. She went to the bathroom and then came out with the penny. I laugh and smile because of the thought behind the giving, totally felt the warmth and sentiment. It was one of her most memorable presents to me.

How sweet!!! Do you still have the penny?

 

[wcw57]

that cent must have a scent....

 

[MouseMomx2]

I see Fish Extender Exchanges as, simply, a gift exchange between passengers. I don't see them as Pixie Dusting kids or as a who-can-make/give-the-bigest/"best"-gift. I sign up for them because I want to give a gift and participate in a fun activity. I put a lot of thought and effort into my gifts, but they don't cost a lot and if someone doesn't like them I'm okay with that. I understand that people have different tastes and that one gift will never please everyone. I make something that I think it nice and give it out. I love getting things in our FE but I don't care if they are handmade/store-bought, costly/cheap or time-intensive/on-the-fly. For me it is about the exchange itself and the gifts are secondary. And I love Adult-only exchanges. Our kids are grown and have been since before FEs were a thing. They now participate with us as adults and have a great time with it.

I have never participated in an exchange with a lot of rules. I've seen some where delivery days were scheduled, but only rarely. The exchanges in which I have participated ask for favorite character, etc. but do not force you to use that information. I never have. My gifts are the same for every cabin and itinerary-specific. Again, if someone doesn't like that, that's fine with me.

All that said, I do think it is rude to sign up for an exchange and not give anything (as some have reported not getting anything from some "participants"). I also think it is rude to give only to some unless you have explained this up front and it is acceptable to the group. To me, signing up for an exchange means you will exchange with every other cabin that has signed up.

 

[AquaDame]

As an adult I would have been very sad to not receive anything. Disney is for all ages, said by Disney himself:

“Laughter is timeless. Imagination has no age. And dreams are forever.”
"Growing older is mandatory, growing up is optional."
"You're dead if you aim only for kids. Adults are only kids grown up, anyway."

Disney meant for the company to cater to FAMILIES, and not just children. He didn't like that he couldn't play with his girls at the amusement parks so he created his empire that he could play WITH them. Why anyone would want to cut out adults is, frankly, beyond me. I hope that person made it known what their intent was prior...if you can't give me anything for some reason thats fine, I'll still give to you, but if I'm snubbed because I'm over 18? I'll snub you and your kids right back since I'm not worthy of your consideration.

 

[markuehl]

we participated on our first cruise and it was fun we got some really cute things and are participating again i purposely signed up for a small group 12 cabins i am not crafty i did design a magnet and had it printed up from vista print and a few other things about 20 dollars per cabin i don't expect everyone to spend that much i just had fun finding cute things and delivering is fun but also takes a lot of time so i would recommend small groups.

 

[Dug720]

As an adult I would have been very sad to not receive anything. Disney is for all ages, said by Disney himself:

“Laughter is timeless. Imagination has no age. And dreams are forever.”
"Growing older is mandatory, growing up is optional."
"You're dead if you aim only for kids. Adults are only kids grown up, anyway."

Disney meant for the company to cater to FAMILIES, and not just children. He didn't like that he couldn't play with his girls at the amusement parks so he created his empire that he could play WITH them. Why anyone would want to cut out adults is, frankly, beyond me. I hope that person made it known what their intent was prior...if you can't give me anything for some reason thats fine, I'll still give to you, but if I'm snubbed because I'm over 18? I'll snub you and your kids right back since I'm not worthy of your consideration.

And "families" come in all shapes and sizes. Some have one mom and one dad and one or more kids. Some have two mommies or two daddies and one or more kids. Some have one mom or one dad and one or more kids. Some blended families actually get along with the other parents and travel together.
And some families are just two adults - different genders or same gender. Some families are ALL adults. And some families are solo.
And there is a place for ALL of us at Disney and on DCL!

 

[MunFam]

We participated in a "Pixie Dust" FE on our recent cruise. It was super casual. You added your name and SR to the list and pretty much added gifts to the SRs on the list as you saw fit. No parameters, no one gift per kid, no adults only...it was so much fun and we got a really cool collection of items. Our DD loved leaving treats for others as well. It was a great lesson on giving and not just receiving.

 

[MousseauMob]

I had always thought of FE's as an exchange, but I found out recently that not everyone see's it that way. We had a cruise where people requested group size, the people that requested a small group were given a group of 11 cabins, the people that requested a medium sized group were given a group of 17 cabins, and the people that requested a large group(or everyone) were given a group of 12 cabins and told we would only receive from the 12 cabins in our group, but that we should give to all the other cabins.

 

[southerngirl528]

and the people that requested a large group(or everyone) were given a group of 12 cabins and told we would only receive from the 12 cabins in our group, but that we should give to all the other cabins.

Wow. That is……wow. I don't know what I think about that, MousseauMob. I can't imagine packing for a really large group, much less shopping and deciding for them. And then to be told you'd only get from 12? I mean, it is about the giving, but that just seems well, odd. What did you do?

 

[MousseauMob]

Wow. That is……wow. I don't know what I think about that, MousseauMob. I can't imagine packing for a really large group, much less shopping and deciding for them. And then to be told you'd only get from 12? I mean, it is about the giving, but that just seems well, odd. What did you do?

I and a few others tried bringing it up in the hopes that we could re-arrange a bit and fix things, but it was painted that there was only a few of us that were being difficult and not adhering to the "spirit" of FE giving. The thing is, I always bring extra's to give to late comers or others as pixie dust, so it's not like I expect to receive from everything I give, but how do you explain to a 10 year old that has been working so hard and will spend a fair amount of time delivering, that her FE will have so few items? So, I really feel for the poor boy that only received 2 after giving to 19. Finally they agreed to a vote about re-arranging, but the majority of the other people were fine with their groups, so it was left as is. So we gave to our group of FE 12 cabins and a few of us formed additional exchanges between ourselves to make up for it.

 

[the1irisghirl]

I just hope to be able to participate in an exchange! I promise to be nice and we will all be super grateful for whatever we receive. We can't wait!

Cruising Fantasy Caribbean 11-14-15!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I just hope to be able to participate in an exchange! I promise to be nice and we will all be super grateful for whatever we receive. We can't wait!

Cruising Fantasy Caribbean 11-14-15!

Have you checked on your Cruise Meet thread as to whether there even is a FE exchange?

 

[the1irisghirl]

Have you checked on your Cruise Meet thread as to whether there even is a FE exchange?

Yes, it's a little shaky looking though... :-/

Someone sort of volunteered, but I don't see any strong commitments.

 

[Julylady]

So wcw57, I get that you do want to give or get gifts from adults. Do you make that clear when you sign up for FEs? If yes, I have no problem with what you are doing. My next cruise is adults only. If you were in our FE group, I would probably just pass altogether on your cabin. Or, I might decide only to give to your kids, depending on my mood.

 

[taniahappy]

No gifts from/to adults?! Why? Is it sick? On our cruise it would only be my husband and myself... whats wrong with that?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

No gifts from/to adults?! Why? Is it sick? On our cruise it would only be my husband and myself... whats wrong with that?

Not a thing. FEs started as a fun, little, gift exchange. For all participants, not just a few. We've traveled mainly as adult-only parties, and have participated in 4 FEs. We like getting gifts, also.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

It just needs to revert back to its humble beginnings. No expectations and no rules. Some need to remember their manners that hopefully their parents taught them. The idea of kids only shocks me. I've participated in more than I can count (since it's inception in 2005) and it saddens me the turn it has taken.

 

[lacylillyaddy]

My family is preparing to go on our 1st Disney Cruise and are so excited!!! I have been looking into the FE and wanted to thank everyone for all of their thoughts and ideas. I really didn't have any idea how this worked.