67 DAYS TO GO . . .

     TUESDAY FEBRUARY 15, 2011

     FE.  FE = A FISH EXTENDER.  NOW THIS TOOK ME A PRETTY LONG TIME TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHAT THE HELL FE MEANT AND WHAT THE HELL A FISH EXTENDER WAS!  AND I GUESS IF YOU'RE NOT READING UP ON YOUR DISNEY CRUISE, DOING RESEARCH AND READING CRUISE LINE "BOARDS", YOU MAY NEVER HAVE EVEN HEARD THE TERM.  THERE ARE TWO MAIN DISNEY CRUISE LINE BOARDS I'VE FOUND AND GOTTEN A LOT OF INFORMATION AND ANSWERS FROM.  FIRST IS THE "DISBOARDS" (http://www.disboards.com/) WHICH LIKE MOST ON-LINE COMMUNITIES, HAS MULTIPLE AREAS TO CHOOSE FROM.  YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO LOOK AROUND WHEN YOU GET THERE.  THERE ARE AREAS FOR DISNEY WORLD, DISNEYLAND, HOTELS, RESTAURANTS, CRUISES, TRIP REPORTS YOU NAME IT.  THE OTHER IS THE PASSPORTER COMMUNITY (www.passporterboards.com/forums).  THIS IS A BIT SMALLER THAN THE DISBOARDS BUT IT IS ALSO RUN BY THE SAME PEOPLE THAT PRINT THE PASSPORTER GUIDES AND CAN BE EVEN MORE EFFECTIVE AT GETTING ANSWERS FAST.
     IT WAS ON THESE BOARDS THAT I KEPT HEARING ABOUT FISH EXTENDERS.  OF COURSE I WAS TOO EMBARRASSED TO ASK WHAT THEY WERE, SO I JUST SEARCHED . . . AND SEARCHED . . . UNTIL I KNEW EXACTLY WHAT EVERYONE WAS REFERRING TO.  YOU SEE OUTSIDE OF EVERY DISNEY CRUISE LINE STATEROOM IS A FISH MOUNTED TO THE WALL.  IT ALSO IS A KIND OF BINDER CLIP.  DIFFERENT DCL STAFF OR THE LIKE MAY LEAVE YOU A MESSAGE OR PAPER OR SOMETHING SIMILAR THERE IF NEED BE.  WELL ALONG THE WAY FAMILIES AND FRIENDS STARTED USING THEM FOR NOTES AND MORE AS WELL.  BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, PEOPLE ON BOARDS WERE ORGANIZING GROUP ACTIVITIES USING THESE FISH.  BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A WHOLE FAMILY STAYING IN A STATEROOM, THE FISH CAN GET BUSY AND FULL.  SO EACH FISH NEEDED TO HOLD MORE.  SO THE CREATIVE "EXTENDED" THEM. (CHECK www.blog.suchthespot.com/2011/01/disney-cruise-how-to-fish-extender)  SO NOW PEOPLE HAVE WHAT LOOKS LIKE A POCKETED TABLE RUNNER HANGING BY A STRING OVER THEIR FISH WITH POCKETS FOR EACH FAMILY MEMBER. 
     WELL WHAT HAS BECOME SIMPLY KNOWN AS A CRUISES FISH EXTENDER IS A SIGN UP FOR A GROUP ON YOUR PARTICULAR CRUISE FOR EACH MEMBER OF THE GROUP TO LEAVE A SMALL GIFT OR SURPRISE IN THE FISH EXTENDER FOR EVERYONE THAT SIGNS UP.  YES, IT CAN BE BIG, AND I GUESS COULD GET EXPENSIVE, BUT YOUR RECEIVING FROM THAT AMOUNT OF PEOPLE SIGNED UP AS WELL.  PLUS IT'S VOLUNTARY.  YOU DON'T SIGN UP IF YOU DON'T WANT TO DO IT.  THE TRICK IS TO TRY AND GET YOUR GIFTS DELIVERED WITHOUT BEING CAUGHT.  KIDS REALLY GET INTO TAKING PART AND DELIVERING.  IT'S JUST ONE MORE ACTIVITY AND HIGHLIGHT WHILE YOUR ON-BOARD.  IT REALLY MAKES A WHOLE LOT MORE SENSE ON A LONGER CRUISE, PROBABLY 5-7 NIGHTS OR MORE.  PLUS IF YOU'RE SPENDING MORE ON A LONGER CRUISE, YOU'RE PACKING MORE AND PROBABLY THE EXPENSE OF THE FISH EXTENDER GIFTS AND THE SPACE TO BRING THEM ISN'T AS BIG A DEAL FOR YOU EITHER.
     THERE ISN'T A FISH EXTENDER GROUP FOR MY CRUISE THAT I KNOW OF YET.  I'VE CONSIDERED IT, BUT ON A FOUR NIGHT CRUISE, THAT INCLUDES MY SON'S EASTER SUNDAY AND HIS BIRTHDAY, HOW MUCH ROOM AM I GONNA HAVE IN MY LUGGAGE, YOU KNOW?  I WILL BE LOOKING TO SEE HOW MANY FISH EXTENDERS WE SEE WHEN WE TOUR THE SHIP THOUGH.  IF WE TAKE A LONGER CRUISE AT SOME POINT, I WOULD DEFINITELY LOOK TO DO IT.  IT'S LIKE BEING SANTA AND WAITING FOR HIM ALL AT ONCE, NO MATTER WHAT THE TIME OF YEAR!  HOW COOL IS THAT?!
     SEE YA REAL SOON!   ºOº