American Girl-Atlanta

[4MCMICKEY]

Can anyone tell me what the american girl place is like in Atlanta? Is it similar to the Chicago store? We are planning on making a detour on our way home to stop there. Is it worth it? Also has anyone done the American girl package at the residence inn? Is that worth the price? There are 5 in our party so I would need to book 2 rooms. Is the bed you get for the doll very nice?

We plan on leaving Disney on Friday late afternoon and driving to Alpharetta and then visiting American girl the next day before heading home. Looking for any advice in making my decision?

Kelley

 

[clarabelle]

I have never been to Chicago
My girls are older -and we ran into the one in Alpharetta when we were at that mall. We just wanted to look at the books.
I was a little underwhelmed. It just seemed like a really big store to me.Plenty of stuff-but nothing magical or special about it.
I suppose if your kids are really into it -and you are planning on buying it would be worth it?
I like that mall. There is a cheesecake factory nearby.

 

[lastminutemom]

I have been to NYC and ATL (I live in ATL actuallly-- ) and there is absolutely no comparison.

If you have been to the one in Chicago, I would probably skip it. If not, maybe it is worth a stop. It is basically a store -- with the cafe. If you plan to eat there, you need to make reservations.

The one in New York has a much more magical feeling about it and my friends who have been to both NYC and Chicago really prefer Chicago. In NYC, parts of the store seem like a museum to me -- not so much in ATL.

 

[DebMcDonald]

We just came back from the one in NYC. Yes, my kids enjoyed it, but if you've already been to one I don't know that I would drive out of my way. The cafe was nice, but I would not do it again. The food was good, nothing exceptional, but everyone is the same price, so we paid over $100 for breakfast and my kids barely ate. For me, the cafe was a one time experience and I felt that my kids got overwhelmed in the store, just too much stuff to chose from.

 

[Fairy Mom]

Hi, I visited the Chicago store July 07 for the first time, and the store there is multi-leveled with a cafe and theatre. Very cool store, we were completely overwhelmed. I didn't purchase a doll for my daughter, only the mini-doll and some books.

Meanwhile, I live here in Atlanta, and they built the store here. I would say that the store is very nice and it also has the bistro (make reservations). The store is kind of small. About the size of a hallmark store. And due to the space issue, not all items are on display. Both my daughter and I enjoy visiting the store and it is very special to us. My daughter recieved her doll for Christmas. And we eat at the Bistro for her birthday.

By the way, I see you are from Ohio. I am driving to Ohio next month to visit family, and we are going to Chicago again because it was so much fun. I have already purchased tickets for the AG musical revue there. It is not playing there much longer just to let you know. Consider a special trip to Chicago if you can work it in sometime.

Okay, that said. Sure, if it's important to work this into your roadtrip home, just go for it. As for the hotel, the bed is probably one of the AG beds (like you can purchase at the store. I think they cost around $65) (I purchase a very nice bed ($50) for my daughter's doll at Target. They have some 18 inch dolls that have accessories (like a bathtub) that work well with AG)

Two hotel rooms might be costly. Consider a hotel that offers suites. This area is very nice, there are lots of hotels near the mall.

Let me know if you have any more questions. I would be happy to help.

 

[CarolA]

Just a thought....
This is a fairly substantial detour. It looks like the OP will be coming up I-75.

You have to take GA 400 N to the Alpharetta and then come BACK south to get back to I-75. There's no real connection heading West to cut down on this mess.

Plus traffic can be a nightmare. You will need to work around rush hours both way.

The Residence Inn is a suite hotel. Ask about getting the bigger suite. It should do five.

 

[cinnamon-sugah]

Not sure about the residence inn but we did the American girl package at the Marriott this past weekend and my DD11 was very impressed. The room had pink bedspreads and towels and the bed was foam-not as nice as the ones at the AG store but considering it was free with our room, it was worth it. The breakfast that was included was VERY nice. As for the AG store, we enjoyed it because we had never been before. The food in the bistro was okay but it was more about the experience.

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/specials/mesoffer.mi?marrOfferId=316042&marshaCode=atlaw

 

[Fairy Mom]

Okay, if you need help getting from the AG Store on GA400 to I75, just go Highway 92. You can get from AG to I75 in about 40 minutes. It's a straight shot. I can give landmarks and specific details if needed. It's a 4 lane road. No big deal.

 

[mommytobug]

I cant get the Marriot link to work, can yall? I want to reserve a room but cant get it to work.

 

[cinnamon-sugah]

I'm not sure why the link won't work but you can go to marriott.com and then search for Alphretta then click on deals on the left side

 

[CarolA]

Okay, if you need help getting from the AG Store on GA400 to I75, just go Highway 92. You can get from AG to I75 in about 40 minutes. It's a straight shot. I can give landmarks and specific details if needed. It's a 4 lane road. No big deal.

You must be lucky. My brother has managed to spend two hours on that road several times. We no longer recommend it!

 

[4MCMICKEY]

Thanks for all the tips and suggestions. My husband and I have been to Chicago store and I was Wowed. We are taking our daughter in Oct as I have a conference to attend in Chicago.

We are traveling 75 all the way. I am not a good map reader but I did not think it looked to far from 75 am I wrong?

 

[If U Had Wings]

I work near the NYC store. We brought my niece into the city for her birthday this year. She already has the doll, so I let her pick out an outfit for her birthday present, and my mom treated her to the show. We also had a great meal at the cafe. We paid a bit extra for the birthday package, and they had a pretty pink cake ready for her. It was really a great day.
Here were a couple of pics I had posted in my pre-trip report. It's post #68.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1762433&page=5

The shows at the NY and Chicago stores are closing on Sept.1. The LA store has already shut down their theater. It's really a shame. The show was my niece's favorite part of the day. She was singing all the songs for days. It was a wonderful way for kids to get exposed to theater. My younger niece wasn't old enough to be allowed in (she's only 4 - need to be 6). Sadly she won't get the chance now.

 

[rhiansmom]

I took my DD to the Atlanta store last week. It was nice but not exactly what I was expecting. We did lunch and the food was good and very reasonably priced. However it wasn't "magical" just fun and since DD didn't have anything else to compare she had a blast and we dropped about $300 on stuff !!! (it was a once in a lifetime thing so i just let her shop)

I do want to say that the MARTA system rocks! We were staying downtown and had NO PROBLEMS taking the train to the bus to the mall and back to downtown!

 

[lastminutemom]

Thanks for all the tips and suggestions. My husband and I have been to Chicago store and I was Wowed. We are taking our daughter in Oct as I have a conference to attend in Chicago.

We are traveling 75 all the way. I am not a good map reader but I did not think it looked to far from 75 am I wrong?

I would wait until Chicago.. but that is just me.

It is a far distance... and in Atlanta traffic can be so bad that even a short distance can be unbearable.

What day of the week and about what time would you be coming though?

 

[Fairy Mom]

4MCMICKEY,

So glad to hear the you guys are going to Chicago in the Fall. And to answer your question, it is about 40 minutes from I75.

Going from Orlando is pretty simple. You go up I75 for about 8 hours. When you get to Atlanta, you have to take the downtown connecter (I75/I85) and continue up to GA400.

To head back home, I would personally go across (WEST) the state for about 40 minutes on GA92. It is only 40 minutes. A straight shot.

In fact, GA92 is exit 277 on I75. You will pass this exit about 35 miles north of Atlanta on the way down to FL.


AG GA is a nice store, but it is very small. I am so glad that there is one here.

 

[Dancemom03]

The bed offered in the other hotel AG packages is cute but not one of the catalog ones. It is pink, made of foam like the convertible chair/bed for JLY that is in the catalog and has a pink satin spread and pillow.

I want one but not enough to pay lots more for the room. I have seen them on ebay before and plan to look for one when I go to the MCM AG benefit sale in July.

If the revue is closing though, maybe I should try to get tickets in Chicago and make it an overnight stop on what has now been dubbed our "AG crazed girls only shopping spree adventure drive-by" by DH. We could even book the package with the bed there at the Sheraton. Hmmm, headed to AGP site to check on tix now...

 

[mom2threecuties]

While the Alpharetta store is definitely smaller than the Chicago and New York stores, it's still great for little girls. My daughter (6) and I have been there three times since last August. She still talks about that store almost every single day. Just seeing the dolls and outfits in person is special for her. It might even be better that it's not as overwhelming as the Chicago store.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

We were there Sunday for Samantha's Birthday Party, which was really nice for the money. I have never been to any of the other stores, nor have I seen pictures. It is a small store (Boutique) and the Bistro is really cute. We were in a seperate room in the back, since we paid extra to participate in the party. The food was wonderful and I think I want to go back just to eat at the Bistro again. For the price, the food is a really good deal and it was really good food.

I spent $238 and got Julie and the Bitty Twins (2 girls), Julie's pet rabbit, Samantha's little bowl and pitcher for my mom, she collects things like that, and a hairbrush for the doll (Elizabeth) my little cousin got. Boy was DH mad.

It was about 2 hours from our house to the store and so worth it. Once you go off 85 onto GA 400, there wasn't much traffic, but there is a toll plaza and for a car it is $0.50.

There is also a dinky little Disney Store close by.

Suzanne

 

[crazelion]

I took my DD to the Atlanta store last week. It was nice but not exactly what I was expecting. We did lunch and the food was good and very reasonably priced. However it wasn't "magical" just fun and since DD didn't have anything else to compare she had a blast and we dropped about $300 on stuff !!! (it was a once in a lifetime thing so i just let her shop)

I do want to say that the MARTA system rocks! We were staying downtown and had NO PROBLEMS taking the train to the bus to the mall and back to downtown!

Good one if figure out the MARTA transient system. Because I barely can make heads or tails of it.