How much do people REALLY spend on fish extender gifts?

[KELLY]

We had plans to do this but after reading these posts we changed our mind and decided to do it amongst our group. We are four cabins in our party so we will just enjoy treating one another

That is a good idea!!

 

[Billinaz]

thanks! I saw sundae kits on etsy, but we prefer blizzards so went with that.

Can you share a photo of what you did ?

 

[Billinaz]

So thankful I came here and searched for fish extenders. I was one step away from signing up. Had all these crafty things planned...... I will toss the money somewhere else. Thanks to all who shared their experiences. So sad a high price and expectations have ruined a simple novelty.

More like a certain PERSON and her abusive controlling.

 

[disneylove69]

I purchased Disney pez dispensers or beach balls for our gifts. I then saw a comment on our fish extender Facebook post that no one wants dollar store items and people should be spending $10 to $30 per cabin. I am now debating going out and either doing Sundae kits or local hot fudge for each cabin because I don’t want to be cheap. I didn’t plan to be spending hundreds of dollars on this though and am wondering if this is one rogue person.

So really, what kind of gifts do you typically get? Am I being too cheap? What should I plan to spend?

I got a Pez and loved it. I have also received handmade items, store bought. Those who think it should be more doesnt realize what fE is.

 

[disneylove69]

It is absurd that they want to have a $$ minimum. I can't tell you how much we have actually spent, because largely our FE gifts are homemade. Like DW made everyone some little purses out of Disney cloth one year. It didn't take that much effort - the embroidery machine did most of the work. I think we had to cut the cloth, select the template and hit "go". In any event, I can't tell you how much those fat quarters that we purchased years ago that have been sitting in her drawer of "fat quarters that may fit a project some day" which actually did. She literally has DRAWERS of those. The buttons? Yeah, those were inventory - probably cost a few pennies. The thread was immeasurably small.

Another year we made ornaments. They were made from small clay flower pots - $.49 each, some cloth we cut out for the ears, some paint... a string. The total cost of the paint per item was probably in the $0.01 range. Don't ask me how much the felt and string cost. Altogether, they probably cost under a dollar. However, it took us MANY hours to make (not including the time spent cleaning out my airbrush).

You're going to tell me those gifts aren't good enough? I have a few choice words for where you can put 'em.

I want to see these flowerpots. Sound cute.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

Can you share a photo of what you did ?

I am assembling in board to save travel space, but I will share when I get back!

 

[NOLA_Tink]

We were planning to spend $10-15 per cabin, but I found most of my gifts on clearance at Target. So, we'll probably end up spending around $5 per cabin. They're all Disney-inspired fun, useful, or holiday-themed gifts. Lots of Disney Tsum Tsums for the kids, plush princesses, plush Star Wars characters' backpack keychains, Disney movies, Disney pins, and youth-sized Speedo swim goggles (for only 30 cents-$2.50 each!) I also love the idea of "All Hands on Deck" with the deck of cards, so we'll add that into the mix, too. To me, this is just another way to spread cheer and build camaraderie. I'm mainly participating because my DMom & kids would be tickled to be pixie dusted throughout the trip. They are super easy to please and anything would delight them. (As of now, I don't even have a FE pocket for myself & don't think I'll add one.) I'm also going to create a "Take One & Leave One" pin board because that's my favorite Disney park hobby. I've got a lot of Disney holiday-themed pins that I'd love to share. I thought about adding the hanging lollipop holder, but my kids & mom would want one every single time we leave/return to the room...and then there wouldn't be any lollipops left for others, LOL.

 

[TiggerBouncy]

I want to see these flowerpots. Sound cute.

I am surprised they are not still on my phone. I will see if I have them on my computer at home or if my wife has a picture of them.

 

[Billinaz]

my latest cruise the FE guideline is $15-20+ per cabin and no dollar store items. It's per cabin not per person but you're talking close to a couple hundred $$ to participate.

Sounds like narcissist Ali is running that. Ignore her and do what you want.

 

[Billinaz]

THAT is crazy..... and just weird. How and WHY would someone not even on the same cruise be calling the FE shots?? That's cuckoo for cocoa puffs!

I've only done FE's twice. Once when my 2 little princesses were cruising with us for a 4 night Dream cruise, and then on the 2015 Hawaii sailing. I made SURE to join either a "late-comers" or small group as I wanted to enjoy it and not be resenting having to spend so much time, packing all the stuff, etc. It was great fun each trip and we got all sorts of stuff, from candy to handmade stuff to some gifts that someone must have spent quite a few bucks on! Some were very thoughtful, and some very useful. But it was so much fun handing out our goodies and then seeing if there was something in our FE each time we came back to the room. My little ones LOVE, LOVED it!

I hesitate to even mention with all the around this FE gift topic, but one cruise I bought a nice bigger sized bag of Disney caramel corn and with it a popcorn scented Disney car freshener so it looked like a Disney park popcorn box. I hope people enjoyed it. We got fun little Disney things from on property at WDW (I live very close) for the kids in our group to go with the family gift. Now I wonder if they were well received or not.....

Sounds like Ali and her antics. She starts the groups then dictates who can say what, deletes comments, locks threads, and the worst is booting people... some only weeks from the cruise and alienating them from the group of people who are sailing.

Exactly what led to a FB group called Disney Cruise Line Junkies Exiled and Blocked!

 

[cadien]

Sounds like narcissist Ali is running that. Ignore her and do what you want.

So people aren't too scared away, there are always FE groups on FB for each cruise that are not run by her in addition to the inevitable one that is.

 

[YawningDodo]

I have always kept my FE gifts under $10 closer to $5. I don't get individual gifts for each person I give a cabin gift. Usually, it is a magnet or two specific to the cruise and a Perler bead magnet of a favourite character for each person in the room. I like the gift to be small because we fly in and so it is easy for the recipient to pack to take home. I also don't want to spend too much money so if it does end up in the trash I didn't waste too much money on it lol. I mainly do the FE exchange for my daughter.


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I love these!! That's a fantastic way to personalize it with the favorite character info without going overboard. Small is good!

What's funny in reading this thread is that despite a lot of the post confirming my reasons for not wanting to do FE...I kind of want to do FE. Knowing myself, though, it's kind of a toss-up whether I'd enjoy crafting and preparing gifts or if it would just stress me out. Really depends on how far in advance I manage to get on top of it. The other issue is that we're trying to be a lot more mindful of the things we accept into the house (big Marie Kondo converts) and I'd feel bad tossing gifts if they didn't suit us. Some of the things people have described in this thread would be absolutely darling and I'd love to have. Some I wouldn't keep longer than it took to pack them home. That's not a judgment on anyone's quality of gifts; it's just an inherent issue in buying presents for strangers.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

We're doing a 3 stateroom family FE for the first time. Reading all the comments back and forth about the open exchanges determined we would keep it within the family. Got some great ideas about dollar store gifts for the 7, 5, and 4 yo.

 

[Princess_Iliana_of_Avalor]

So people aren't too scared away, there are always FE groups on FB for each cruise that are not run by her in addition to the inevitable one that is.

Yup! There's a FB group for our cruise with an FE and no restrictions! It all depends on who is running it.

 

[n2mm]

Sounds like Ali and her antics. She starts the groups then dictates who can say what, deletes comments, locks threads, and the worst is booting people... some only weeks from the cruise and alienating them from the group of people who are sailing.

Exactly what led to a FB group called Disney Cruise Line Junkies Exiled and Blocked!

I’ll have to find that group. I walked away and found another group. Couldn’t take the BS anymore.

As for FE subject. My daughter is an Etsy FE seller (not an advertisement) but she finds most family or cabin gifts range between $10-$20. She cruises with us sometimes and participates in FE groups with her daughters, but doesn’t let people know that she’s a licensed seller. She finds most people pretty much stay with a single cabin gift.

 

[remlap]

I just discovered that the admin on our Fb group for our cruise next month isn’t sailing on the cruise. To give credit I believe she was and had to cancel. It is a little strange she hasn’t handed off the duties at that time. Also she isn’t the person named many times in above posts. That said there doesn’t appear to be any strange FE rules or minimums. However we aren’t participating due to cross country luggage issues.

 

[Billinaz]

I just discovered that the admin on our Fb group for our cruise next month isn’t sailing on the cruise. To give credit I believe she was and had to cancel. It is a little strange she hasn’t handed off the duties at that time. Also she isn’t the person named many times in above posts. That said there doesn’t appear to be any strange FE rules or minimums. However we aren’t participating due to cross country luggage issues.

That's the MO of the junkies minions.

If you are not on the cruise, transfer admin to someone who is.

 

[mousefan73]

I invest about 15-20 per cabin. Some much lower if I find that perfect, but on clearance character gift. Dollar store items is a tricky topic. I understand in some way when groups will say not to use DS items. As some dollar store things are simply junk. Though I have used dollar store items as part of a gift package. The best thing a FE can do is just give a ballpark budget per cabin. For example between 10-20. Especially as a Lotta new people have no idea what is expected. One group had a family that seriously thought they had to invest $100 per cabin and we’re very relieved to find out that this is not the concept. Especially as a Lotta new people have no idea what is expected. InGranted if you’re creating your own thing it’s really hard to put a dollar value on that and that shouldn’t matter anyways since in the end it’s the thought that matters. Most of a groups I have seen our maximum of 10 cabins including yourself. The one I’m in now is actually only eight cabins per group. So my total invest will be for sure under $200. Actually more around 100 which I think is not bad considering the joy i get back in return.

 

[TestingH2O]

The best thing a FE can do is just give a ballpark budget per cabin.

I disagree. I would much rather have people participate at the level they are comfortable than feel like they have to spend some preordained amount. I always appreciate every gift we get, even the ones I know we won't use. DD would be thrilled with just ice cream toppings, candy, and lip gloss. Ha!

I always emphasize in the groups I run that there is no minimum budget required. I only ask that people give gifts they would enjoy receiving themselves.

 

[Sarahraegraham]

I think what you should spend depends on many factors. My *personal* opinion is that if it’s a family FE then skew cheaper, and if it’s adults only then skew higher. If you’re getting only one gift per cabin, make it a darn good one. Unless it’s that perfect gift that you are sure the whole family would want, I don’t see the point in giving it, makes more sense to give one for each person.

We are participating in our first FE later this month and it is adults only. I don’t give to get, I give because it makes me happy to do so. But knowing that, I would also be ticked if I got a $1 Mickey hat from the dollar store or pez dispenser. Give me something useful in my daily life, on the cruise or at WDW. A personalized magnet, a tumbler, a mug, a nice hat or shirt, etc. We probably spent $150 on ours for 5 other cabins total.