Why the Creator of American Girl Dolls Should Be President

American Girl Doll Store mytravelingkids.com

If anyone deserves to be the leader of this country, it should be the creator of American Girl Dolls because that person is an absolute genius! If you have young girls I’m sure you know all about these dolls because they are a cult for young girls in the US. I am not quite sure what makes this doll so special but they seem to have a magical power over the female gender that convinces you a doll needs a multitude of outfits and accessories. And if you think the company is just about the dolls, you haven’t hit the tip of the iceberg.

 

A little bit of background:
American Girl Dolls are 18’ dolls that were first released in 1986. At the beginning, the dolls focused around girls from various time periods in American history. Throughout the years the girls have changed to focus more on talents and interests rather than history. Here’s the big money maker… every year the company releases a Doll of the Year. For example, in 2015 Grace was a baker that loved France, in 2014 Isabella was a ballerina, and in 2013 Saige loved horses and art. These interests lead to a never-ending amount of available accessories.
The company also offers Truly Me dolls that allow you to choose them based on hair length, eye color, and skin tone. For the little girls, they created Bitty Babies that give them a taste of what’s to come.
The American Girl Company does a wonderful job promoting values and good morals to young girls and through movies and their magazine they try to be wonderful role models for girls. This is where they got me…well that and the memories of my Cabbage Patch doll Jennifer.
American Girl Dolls Store:
My first experience at an American Girl Doll was the eye opener of how unbelievably popular this doll is. My girls were given dolls and accessories from our amazing neighbor that had outgrown them and my girls were on cloud nine. When we were in NYC we decided to check out the 3 floor store. My mother-in-law and I left the place with our jaws hanging open. I had no idea! It is a fantasyland for little girls that love this doll. At the store the dolls have their own spa…yep… spa! Not just a spa, but a spa with a 45-minute wait time. What could they possibly offer at a doll spa?
Ear piercing
Hair style
Hearing aids
Spa deluxe package (scrubs the face, arms, and legs)

 

Cost:
People have different opinions on the cost of these dolls. Some find them crazy expensive but others find the price fair for collectables and compare them to big Lego sets. (I’m going to stay out of that argument…lol). The doll of the year costs about $120, outfits are about $30, and then there is furniture, luggage, pets…really anything you can think of. I will say that there are many times my girls will ask for an accessory and I have bought Journey Doll accessories that are about a third of the price since my girls could care less what the brand is.
American Girl Café:
I wish I could tell you about our experience at the café, but when we went to the Boston store there was a 2 hour wait to get in and there’s no way I would have ever waited that long for my doll to be able to sit in her own chair next to me. But we peeked in and it did look really cute. The Afternoon Tea looked adorable and I would like to take them there on a day without so many hungry American Girl fans.

 

DO YOU HAVE ANY AMERICAN GIRL DOLL COLLECTORS IN YOUR FAMILY?

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS CRAZE?

39 thoughts on “Why the Creator of American Girl Dolls Should Be President

  1. Robin Rue (@massholemommy)

    I have all boys, so this whole thing is completely lost on me. I am sure if I had girls, they would each have a few 🙂

  2. I absolutely love the fact that American Girl dolls are now changing to reflect all different sorts of girls in the world. I heard they are designing dolls with insulin pumps.

    • mytravelingkids.com

      I love that too. My daughter is saving up money to buy a bald AG doll and she’s going to donate it to a cancer patient at Children’s Hospital in Boston.

  3. Elizabeth O.

    I still have no idea how popular these dolls are. Maybe because my girls no longer play with dolls and are all grown up. I can’t believe dolls have spas and all that! Lol.

    • mytravelingkids.com

      I think we all have that special doll that we never forget! I know my girls will always remember theirs.

  4. What a fun post! I always loved American Girl when I was younger and I still love seeing the enjoyment that little girls get out of it. It is sort of expensive, but everything is great quality and girls are only little once – so I don’t see why going all out is bad! : ) love this!

  5. The price is rather steep for a doll. I know that these are really beautiful dolls, but I think they would last longer in the hands of older girls. I can’t even imagine that they have doll spas!

    • mytravelingkids.com

      I think it’s great that they created Bitty Babies because they are baby dolls and they are more appropriate for younger girls. I do think they need to be more responsible to own the actual dolls. I made my younger daughter wait for hers.

    • mytravelingkids.com

      I know lots of older girls that collect them and then put them away after they have outgrown them. They discontinue dolls so they will be collector items some day.

    • mytravelingkids.com

      Yes the stores are so pretty. They definitely draw little girls in with their adorable stuffed animals, pretty decorations, and fun accessories.

  6. I have three boys as well. I have friends with daughters and some like the dolls and some don’t. I think it is very neat to reach out and touch every girl out there. Very smart.

    • mytravelingkids.com

      I agree. My 2 daughters are completely different. For their birthday we brought them to the store and one of them bought a puppy, dress, and shoes and my other bought a skateboard for her doll. I love that they cater to all interests.

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