American Girl in NYC - worth the sacrifice?

[The Nice Family]

After reading a couple of mentions of American Girl in the East Coast Departures board I, a Canadian, got curious and decided to take a look. My 9 year-old DD has Brianne, a Maplelea doll - which is the Canadian equivalent of AG (same composition, size, looks). Since the top items on her Christmas list were a couple of new outfits for Brianne I thought how wonderful a treat it would be to have a "day at American Girl". We're going to be in NYC for 2 full days pre-cruise and now it seems that with AG one day and Radio City Christmas Spectacular the other - this trip is turning into a little girl's fantasy. Can someone please reassure me that we're all (dd, dh and me) going to enjoy these things. Well, dh won't be joining us at AG but I just want to hear from parents out there that the AG experience is going to be a great mom and daughter thing (I AM going to be missing the museums, Central Park, et al) and that this will be a NYC trip of a lifetime for her.

[CloudyDae]

Hi,

 

I live in NJ and did a day at AG doing the lunch and show when my daughter was a similar age (9 or 10) and we both loved it! Also, you don't have to take a full day to do AG, you can do breakfast and get it over in a morning, check the store out after you have a full day. Also remember, the prices are high, so you might want to set a limit (she can pick out 1 outfit or get the doll's hair done) before you get to the store. The show was good, but amateur, and there are so many other good shows to see w/ a child that age. Check out www.broadwaybox.com to get discounted tickets for Radio City or other shows (Mary Poppins and the Grinch are on it now). And remember, you will be eating like kings on the cruise, so pizza should do just fine while you're on land!

 

Have a great trip!:)

[mcfam5]

We vacationed in Chicago a couple of years ago and did the American Girl store there. It was a lot of fun but, the one mistake my daughter and I made ~ bringing dad and brother to the store! It was like some cruel form of torture to them, which did effect our shopping experience! :rolleyes:

 

One bit of advice I have is ~ be prepared! It is a whirl wind of many, many very excited little girls and lots of high priced, but very cute, dolls and accessories. They even have an American Girl beauty salon complete with mini salon chairs, where girls can take their dolls and have their hair done, they even have fancy up-do options. Too cute! Ahhh, to be eight years old again, I would have loved that stuff! :)

[Warm Breezes]

We did both AG and the Rockettes in Chicago last year. At AG I would agree, do not bring DH. DD(10) and I had Afternoon Tea with her AG doll and she had fun exploring the store. I don't think you will need all day, 2-4 hours should cover you. DD loved the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular. She dances jazz and tap competitively so it was great for her to see professionals dancing like that. I think she is aspiring to be a Rockette when she grows up.

[abba_dabba_doo]

You and DD will have a great time at AG and good idea not to bring DH. And I agree w/other posts, you definitely don't need a full day at AG, go in the morning or afternoon, so then you can go do something you and DH will enjoy the other part of the day.

 

You will all enjoy the Christmas Spectacular....I went when my DD was 5 and both she and I loved it.

 

Have Fun!! :)

[gerif]

I agree - 1/2 day should do it. With the remaining half, consider the Museum of Natural History - our 10 year old granddaughter adores dinosaurs and loved it this summer.

[The Nice Family]

Thanks for all your input! There is absolutely no WAY I'd ever consider taking DH. He's a fantastic man and a wonderful father but, gets antsy at even the mildest forms of shopping, never mind a full on girly girl type place.

 

There were only a few tables left at a few different sittings for the 27th December so I had to act fast. I've booked us into the 12:30 show and the 2:30 tea. That should get us out by 3:30. I'm thinking of walking up Fifth Avenue to Central Park afterwards and taking in the Zoo - I've read it's small but charming.

 

I guess if we get to the store at around 10:00-10:30 we'll have plenty of time to fit in the shopping and the photo with her Brianne before we go to the show? Yes, we're doing the whole shebang - A Day at American Girl - magazine cover photo, show, meal, gift certificate. As I said, living on the West Coast of Canada, this is not an experience we'll be able to get anywhere else and I think that DD will soon be too old to really love it so, it's now or never.

 

So, here's the plan - subway up from downtown (where our hotel is) at around 9:00, take a look at the Rock Centre Christmas Tree and skaters, see some holiday decorated windows, then into AG at around 10:30. Out at 3:30, then to Central Park for a quick look at the Zoo and subway back downtown for a burger and Guinness (for my DH) at Moran's.

 

Sound good to you locals out there?

[Onessa]

We vacationed in Chicago a couple of years ago and did the American Girl store there. It was a lot of fun but, the one mistake my daughter and I made ~ bringing dad and brother to the store! It was like some cruel form of torture to them, which did effect our shopping experience! :rolleyes:

 

My DH claims that Mattel/Pleasant Company is missing out BIG time -- that if they opened a sports bar on one of the floors of their stores, that they would make a fortune!!

 

AG does check out GameBoys for use by "non participants" while mom and daughters are shopping.

 

One bit of advice I have is ~ be prepared! It is a whirl wind of many, many very excited little girls and lots of high priced, but very cute, dolls and accessories. They even have an American Girl beauty salon complete with mini salon chairs, where girls can take their dolls and have their hair done, they even have fancy up-do options. Too cute! Ahhh, to be eight years old again, I would have loved that stuff! :)

 

The NY, Chicago, and LA stores have a cafe (reservations are recommended) and shows (again reserve ahead) - so it can stretch on for at least a half day. Have DD bring her doll with (if you can afford the packing space!) - the resturant has special chairs for the dolls for example. They are opening smaller stores (no theatre) in Atlanta and Houston

 

The prices are high, but the attention to detail in the outfits and stuff is just AMAZING! We live near the AG Outlet in Wisconsin so DD and I go bargin shopping often (and her girl cousins particularly look forward for her b-day and xmas gifts).

[Rachel4daughters]

Sorry, didn't read all the replies but...

 

Took my 11 yr old for her b'day w/her friend and mother. We spent 3-4 hours in AG. Afternoon, had tea---make reservations way in advance for that but...we were able to get a sitting! Apparently, if it's not a busy time of year, then you can get a walk-in sitting. If it's her b'day, make sure to order the cake in advance. I couldn't, obviously and it was fine, but the cakes adorable and fun.

 

My dd got her doll's hair done, about $20, I bought one outfit and she bought another.

 

Do not take men/boys/other girls who can't take the whole AG experience. Meaning, all dolls, all craziness, all girly. My oldest dd would have HATED being there!

 

We didn't see the show but friends told me it was very good and worth it. So, if you're not seeing a Broadway show or off-Broadway, check out the one at AG.

 

Also, I wouldn't want to have my 9 yr old w/me for hours at a museum. Mine would only have been able to do a shorter time. I'd save museums and other stuff like that for adult time in NYC.

 

My mom took the girls in the family to Radio City Holiday Show last year, kids were ages 5 and up. They LOVED it. So worth seeing. My mom even had us all wait in line to see the storefronts which were awesome but I would skip it to do other stuff, especially if it's cold. Radio City is beautiful in and of itself, too.

 

When I took my dd for her b'day, we did the Empire State building and rented the audio tour. One hand-held audio for 2 people and they gave us a deal. Definitely worth getting those. I LOVED this. It was one of the coldest days of the year so being outside was nearly unbearable but the air was clear so views were spectacular. The audio, kind of hokey, but tells you what you're seeing. The building is another beautiful example of Art Deco, like Radio City. (Love that stuff) We did not pay the extra heavy expense of going to the very top.

 

I greatly enjoyed and am so very glad that I got to do AG w/my daughter before she outgrew it. Her joy in being a little girl gave me so much pleasure!

[The Nice Family]

I greatly enjoyed and am so very glad that I got to do AG w/my daughter before she outgrew it. Her joy in being a little girl gave me so much pleasure!

 

Your post gave me goosebumps. The lovely time you had shines through and that is exactly what I'm looking forward to sharing with my DD. I know it's a shop, I know it's commercial, but it's also a fantasy and a wonderful treat so, we'll AG'on!

 

I'd love to do the Empire State Building (I, too, love architecture, especially Deco) but I'm afraid I'm claustrophobic and the elevator ride would just about kill me! Maybe this is something my DH can share with DD after our AG whirlwind . . .

[Onessa]

. . . I know it's a shop, I know it's commercial, but it's also a fantasy and a wonderful treat so, we'll AG'on!

 

Have fun - and rather than focusing on the "commercial" aspect -- think about the positives:

1) the historical girl products and books are pretty accurate. One of the authors of some of the Kit books visited my DD's school last year and I was impressed with her discussion of the research she does for each story. When DD visited Colonial Williamsburg the docent commented that the girls always knew the history better than the boys because most of them had read Felicity's stories.

2) The AG stuff is all so age appropriate -- that's hard to find these days! The AG magazine is one my DD REALLY looks forward to receiving - she reads it multiple times cover-to-cover. There are no ads trying to convince her that at 8 or 10 or 12, she should be dressing and acting like an 18YO. The articles are positive and age-appropriate - no movie stars, no boy talk, etc.

3) As your DDs mom you can experience all this stuff too! I've never REALLY grown up and like looking at the stuff with her and don't even mind being asked to help dress Felicity while she's redoing "Julia's" hair when she is playing!

 

Have a GREAT time!

[The Nice Family]

Have fun - and rather than focusing on the "commercial" aspect -- think about the positives:

1) the historical girl products and books are pretty accurate. One of the authors of some of the Kit books visited my DD's school last year and I was impressed with her discussion of the research she does for each story. When DD visited Colonial Williamsburg the docent commented that the girls always knew the history better than the boys because most of them had read Felicity's stories.

2) The AG stuff is all so age appropriate -- that's hard to find these days! The AG magazine is one my DD REALLY looks forward to receiving - she reads it multiple times cover-to-cover. There are no ads trying to convince her that at 8 or 10 or 12, she should be dressing and acting like an 18YO. The articles are positive and age-appropriate - no movie stars, no boy talk, etc.

3) As your DDs mom you can experience all this stuff too! I've never REALLY grown up and like looking at the stuff with her and don't even mind being asked to help dress Felicity while she's redoing "Julia's" hair when she is playing!

 

Have a GREAT time!

 

Since DD's doll is the Canadian Version, a Maple Lea doll, the history thing will be less appealing. Maybe some day Maple Lea will cotton on to this AG-style experience and expand but, in the meantime, they are still a great company that provides a limited amount of extras once you've purchased their dolls. They have 4 girls in all and each comes from either a city or country background and has different interests. My daughter chose Brianne because she, like my DD, lives on a farm, takes ballet, has blond hair and is a bit of a tom-boy. There is also a city girl (the one I would have chosen for myself!), a Canadian Indian and another. They all come with a really extensive binder full of their thoughts. These are in the form of diaries and have space for DDs to add their own adventures, thoughts and feelings. Each new outfit comes with a package of new diary pages detailing what was happening when this outfit was worn/purchased etc. It's really wonderful - check it out - www.maplelea.com. Maybe get your AG's a Canadian friend!

 

You are right on about the great influence these dolls have on our DDs. They are just simple, normal, 10 year-old kids/dolls - no boyfriend trouble, no make-up tips, no body-shape issues. I can't wait to meet the American Girls!