Disclosure: Affiliate links within. Purchasing and/or clicking on some of the links in this post helps support Family Travel Magazine®. We purchased our own Disney Cruise fish extender, fish extender gifts, and paid our own way on the Disney Dream. We have been on other Disney cruises at no cost or minimum cost. All opinions are my own.
Disney Cruise Line Fish Extenders
If you are going on a Disney Cruise anytime soon, you may have heard about Disney Cruise Line fish extenders. Disney Cruise FE gifts are a fun way to share SWAPS with other cruisers – especially when traveling with kids. They are totally optional, but lots of fun when you are cruising with kids! Here’s everything you need to know about fish extenders.
Related: Disney Cruise Line Tips for First Timers
What’s a Disney Cruise fish extender?
With such a unique name, there’s no surprise that most people don’t know what a Disney fish extender even is! On the Disney Cruise Line, each of the staterooms has a small silver fish or seahorse to the right or left of the door. Usually, it’s used to hold invitations, receipts, and correspondence during your cruise, but those participating in a Disney cruise fish extender exchange hang a bag or special holder to the “fish” to serve as a mailbox. I’m not sure when the tradition started, but it’s something that some, but not every cruiser participates in.
If you want to participate, you sign up for the fish extender exchange, provide your information and stateroom number, and make little goodies for each person or each cabin. It’s really up to you!
How to get a fish extender.
While you can certainly just hang a bag from your fish or seahorse, many cruisers opt to make or buy a personalized holder. Looking for a Disney fish extender for sale (rather than making your own)? There are lots of options on for fish extenders on Etsy. (I got mine from Ava Baby Co).
If you are wondering how to make a fish extender, you’ll find lots of tutorials online. As you can see from the photo of the fish above, there isn’t the biggest space to hang your fish extender. It’s probably best to make it about 9 inches at the widest point (usually the hanger) and about 3-4 feet long. I’ve seen elaborate fish extenders that are sewn and embroidered, as well as some that are handmade with cardboard and glue.
The important thing is to have the right number of pockets for the number of people participating. Ours has three pockets – one for my husband and I, one for my daughter, and one for my son. You’ll want to label each pocket so the gift giver knows where to put the individual items.
How to sign up for a fish extender exchange.
Visit the DIS Boards forum page for Disney Cruise Meets (link here) and sign up with your names and stateroom number, or search on Facebook for the date of your sailing. Depending on the size of the group, you may break up into smaller groups or just stick with one group. Definitely continue to visit the forum to get more information on all of the cruisers – as you get closer to cruise time you can make a list of all of the names, ages, and staterooms.
When I first published this post, there were many Disney Cruise Meets on the DIS Boards. Now, however, many of these meets are happening on Facebook. Search Facebook for your ship and dates and you are likely to find a group. Do it early though, before the groups are already formed.
Fish Extender Gift Ideas: What to give for fish extender gifts.
This is the fun part – the sky’s the limit! We got so many fun Fish Extender gifts on our recent Disney Dream cruise – here are some ideas for the best Disney fish extender gifts:
- Minnie/Mickey hair accessories
- Little “nip” bottles of alcohol for mom and dad
- Magnets to decorate our stateroom door (some of these were personalized for our sailing and I still have them!)
- Bubbles for the kids
- Glow sticks for Pirate Night
- Calendars
- Pirate eye patches
- Games
- Nail accessories
- Beach items
- Flashlight
- Water bottles
You may wonder what the worst fish extender gifts are. While I don’t necessarily think anything is the “worst”, people seem to dislike things are that are cheap or impersonal. DON’T feel obligated to spend too much money though. Creativity is the key here. We absolutely loved the handmade magnets we received, so have fun with it! Also follow the guidelines for your specific cruise. If everyone is giving individual gifts, you won’t want to give just one small stateroom item.
When we participated in the Disney fish extender exchange, we made a bag for each stateroom – each contained specific items for each member of the family. Here are three of things we made:
I bought these luggage tags online. They are sold as wedding favors, but I removed the ribbons and thank you tags and replaced them with Mickey and Minnie ribbons. Each stateroom got one. (Note, these have recently been discontinued, but you may be able to find something similar).
I also customized hand sanitizer bottles for each room. I bought small hand sanitizer bottles at Target, along with Avery shipping labels. I bought the Avery Shipping Labels with TrueBlock Technology
that hide the label underneath, so I didn’t need to remove the existing labels. With a little Photoshop work with some ship clipart I found, I made labels, printed them, and then cut them down to size.
My kids also got in on the fish extender fun by making Mickey-inspired rainbow loom bracelets. Each of the kids on our fish extender list got one.
Do You Have to Participate in the Fish Extender Exchange?
You absolutely do not! We did it for our first cruise, and then haven’t done it since. It’s a lot of work, and takes up so much room in your luggage. We are so glad that we did it the first time, but haven’t felt the need to do it since then. It’s really up to you. If you enjoy crafting, it’s really a fun project, and a great way to meet other people. For our first cruise, my kids loved the opportunity to walk around the ship delivering the various packages.
Looking to decorate your stateroom door? Read this post. You can also find some great Disney products for your vacation online at the Disney Store (I especially recommend buying the autograph books before you leave).
For more information on everything Disney, follow our Disney Tips and Stuff Pinboard.
Pin for later:
If you are cruising out of Port Canaveral and flying into MCO, we recommend staying at the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport. Check prices and reviews here.
Whitney P. says
Jodi, one of the things I liked best about participating in the fish extender crew was that it made me explore the ship, and not just the common areas like the pool. On my trek to deliver my gifts, I got to “peep” into rooms that were being made up and get a general feel of the different levels. Loved your luggage tag.
Wandering Educators says
Who knew? This is a great idea!
Katie says
I admit that I haven’t been on a Disney Cruise but I’ve also never heard of these from any Disney Cruise post I’ve ever read!
Anna Skamarakas says
My kids have always enjoyed the Fish Extender gift exchange. Even the least expensive items are such a wonderful surprise when you arrive back at your stateroom! It’s also so nice that people put so much thought into them. Your hand sanitizer came in super handy several times on the journey home!
It’s definitely a great way to add a little pixie dust to your cruise!
Angelica says
Can you help me sign up for the fish extender activity? I am so lost:) Thanks so much in advance:)
Jodi Grundig says
Hi Angelica,
There are directions in this post (under the category – How to Sign Up for A Fish Extender Exchange. Essentially, you need to go to the link posted in that section and find your cruise to sign up.
Have fun!
wendy says
I have never been on a cruise but as a crafty person been asked to help out making small gifts and making fish extenders for cruisers
Travelogged says
I had never even heard of this… Good to know if I ever do a Disney cruise!
Suzanne holland says
This is a great explanation! I read it aloud to my daughter to get her excited for our upcoming cruise in October!
Wendi Porretti says
Thanks so much for this explanation! Our family is going on our second Disney Cruise in May and we really want to participate in a Fish Extender Group this time. We’ve already gotten our extender. I also posted on the thread back in the fall, but I can’t figure out how you know that you’re in a group. Did you literally just troll through the thread and list out the different families and ages? I’m worried about investing in a lot of gifts and then it ends up that we’re somehow not in the group!! I find the whole thread really confusing.
Jodi Grundig says
Hi Wendi –
There’s usually someone in the DISBoards thread that will take over as leader of the group and create the master list. You should make sure that you are on the master list so you know that you’ll definitely be in the group.
Sandy Stobaugh says
So do you choose how many familys you do ..and do u leave them a gift everyday
Jodi Grundig says
It’s really up to your group – usually you give gifts to the whole list although sometimes they are broken up into groups if there are too many.
Christine says
Hello I was just wondering if you had the mickey rainbow loom bracelet pattern that you have pictured. I’d really like the pattern for them thanks
Jodi Grundig says
Hi! My kids just made the standard rainbow loom pattern with Mickey-inspired colors!
Heather (Baby Bump & Beyond) says
I have never heard of this! I’m planning a Disney Cruise and am so happy that I found your post on Pinterest!
Hunter Forstchen says
I love this article! I’m heading on my second cruise later this year and find the Fish Extender program to be so much fun! I’ve even posted this article on my website where I sell items that could be used as FE gifts to help others that are new to the world of FE! Take a look and let me know if you are ok with it being there!
Jordan Brecht says
Is this something you do every night? Or just one specific night?
Jodi Grundig says
Jordan, It’s really up to you and your Fish Extender group. We only did one set of gifts for the whole cruise.
Tangela Gibbons says
We have been on 4 Disney Cruises and we are scheduled for our 5th in April 2015…I am so doing this! I always saw the magnets and gifts on the doors, but I never knew anything about this until just recently. I am so excited to participate.
Lori Burton says
We leave on the Magic May 30, 2015, and can’t find a FE group for the cruise. The Disboards seem to be having membership issues due to competition with Facebook groups, from what recent threads suggest. I can’t find one on Facebook, or anywhere else. I’d love to be a part of a group, so if anyone has an idea where I’d find a group, please contact me. I think my kids would love to participate.
Jodi Grundig says
Lori – Here is a link to the DIS thread for your cruise.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3254879
If that doesn’t work, try searching Facebook for your cruise date and ship to see if there is a group.
Marcia says
I’ve seen these on a Disney cruise and it looks like lots of fun. Is this only a Disney thing? We’re looking into going on a river cruise and it seems to me it would be a fun way to meet other like minded people. Of course river cruises have much fewer people on them.
Jodi Grundig says
I haven’t heard of them on other cruises – they are fun though!!
Sarah Chaiban says
Hi! Do you know if there is a FE group for November 25, 2016 Disney Wonder? Thanks!
Lynn Wilson says
Jodi , where did you buy the luggage tags.? Am going on a cruise but thought these might be so cute for christmas gifts. Have looked for them but haven’t found them . Thanks !!
Jodi Grundig says
Lynn, They are now discontinued, but you can still get them on Amazon (much more $ than I paid though).
http://amzn.to/1IHrOwn (affiliate)
Patti says
Hi Jodi.
Trying to start out joining fish extenders saw your thread and appreciate all your ideas. Signed up on the site and trying to enter into the thread but can not seem to find how to post or enter a thread…duhhh… Any tips you can give? Never heard of fish extenders and this will be our 5th disney cruise. We are doing a short three day one on the Dream 2/12/16
Any advise would be much appreciated
carol zschunke says
please someone tell me how do we sign up for the fish extender and group on disney cruise Magic we are going on jan 29 2016 i can’t find help anywhere!!!please someone some kind soul help us!!
Rochelle Malliett says
I can not figure this out looks like you already went on your trip. I go May 18 2016 dis Wonder. If you have figured it out could you tell me what to do. Thank you so much Rochelle