Getting Ready for a Disney Cruise

Getting Ready for a Disney Cruise

            There’s a lot to consider when getting ready for any Disney trip. But there’s even more to think about for a Disney Cruise. A Disney Cruise is different than cruising on other cruise lines.

Let’s start with the general things you will need for any cruise, Disney or not the obvious things like appropriate clothing for the climate you are going to, formal clothing if there will be formal nights on the cruise, passport and personal necessities such as medication and suntan lotion will need to be readied. Passports should be ordered 6 months in advance so you don’t have to stress about it.

Once you’ve decided to go on a Disney Cruise you’ll need to decide if you’re going to join a Fish Extender group and if you’re going to decorate your cabin door. (Look at the bottom of this post for a link to my posts about Fish Extenders and Door Decor)

If you desire to join a Fish Extender group start early looking for a group and/or create one yourself. You’ll want to start early making your Fish Extender goodies so you’re not spending a lot of money to purchase things just before the cruise or finding yourself short on time to make things. If you start 8 to 10 months early (at least) you can make a few each month spreading out the cost and your time making things easier on yourself. If you wind up with extras it really doesn’t matter. You can take them along and give them out to new friends made on the cruise that are not in your Fish Extender group or save them for your next trip if they don’t have the cruise date on.

If you choose to decorate your door you are going to want to pick a theme. Will it be an eclectic collection of magnets, the likes of which you might find on a home refrigerator. Or will you take a theme such as an event(s) you’re celebrating on the cruise or maybe a pirate theme. You can have a collection of magnets that you can change out. We did this one cruise! We had a standard eclectic group of magnets but then on the days we celebrated our anniversary and my birthday we added magnets for those events. We also added several special items for the Pirates In the Caribbean deck party night.

Whatever you decide, Fish Extender/Door Decor you’re going to need a good amount of time to plan it and make or find someone to make it for you.

You can look in ESTY shops online for Fish Extenders and maybe even some goodies you may want to put in Fish Extenders. For Fish Extenders you can also go to local party stores, 99¢ Store or look in the party sections of department stores such as Walmart.

Sites such as WaltsBasement.yuku.com (PansTinkerBell is a person to ask on Walt’s Basement) and DISboards.com have members that are willing to make graphics that you can print yourself for ether Fish Extender goodies or Door Decor. All you need to do is purchase magnet sheets at the office supply store or online to run through your inkjet printer at home. Most of the people that make these graphics for you to print at home are doing it just for fun and do not charge. (Technically it is illegal for them to charge as the characters they are using are copyrighted by Disney.) They do have a right to ask you to pay for postage and materials if they printed for you.

Whether you make your graphics yourself or as somebody else to make them you will need time! If you have someone else make them you need to give them a chance to do it sometimes they are busy helping others or just dealing with day-to-day life. It does take time to manipulate graphics to create something that is fun and unique.

Another thing that some people do that takes extra time when preparing for a Disney Cruise is similar to what some people do when they go to the parks. Some people will make special T-shirts or other clothing for the trip. Once again doing this takes time. Don’t wait to for the last minute start early make it easy on yourself.

I do play with graphics, I am PansTinkerBell on Walt’s Basement I’ve had people ask me for graphics for Cruise Door Decor and had to work very quickly to get it done as they only had a couple of weeks before their cruise! I was more than happy to help them, and even more happy knowing that their cabin door will not be plain when they cruise!

Fish Extender?? What the Heck is a Fish Extender?!?!

http://pixiepranks-panstinkerbell.blogspot.com/2011/05/fish-extender-what-heck-is-fish.html

Cruise Door Decor

http://pixiepranks-panstinkerbell.blogspot.com/2012/03/disney-cruise-line-door-decor.html