American Girl Doll question

[luckey-lasvegas]

Get it you won't regret it ! I got DD the Target doll when she was 5 because I didn't want to spend the money for an AG doll. DD didn't get her first AG dolls (she got 3 last year between birthday presents and Santa) until she was 10 but she plays with the nearly every day, and you can't compare the quality and customer service. You should tell you SIL to send her DD's doll to the doll hospital and they will fix it for her I believe for free. I would much rather buy her an AG doll than the $80+ worth of Bratz that she never looks at. The book are awsome also, DD was almost as excited to get the set of Julie book as she was to get the doll.

 

[KitKate]

Is there anywhere to get 18" outfits with a Disney theme, especially somewhere at the parks?

 

[cancer_survivor_06]

Yes, They are labeled as my disney girl as I said in a pp that we just got cinderella minnie ariel and jasmine. I was able to get snow white off of ebay. We also have tink and belle but we have been having them since 2003 when she got the my disney girl so we are going to get new ones for her ag doll. As for places that you my find them and the gift shop in toontown (I can't think of the name of it right now but where you do the character meet n greet), World of Disney, grand floridian gift shop and the contemporary gift shop are the places that I am aware.

ETA: I will post some pics tonight.

 

[bord1niowa]

My family has taken another view on the "American Girl Dolls." Since they are fairly expensive and carry the name "American Girl", they assumed they might be made here in the good old USA. Not so. The company received a letter asking why they are not made in the USA and the response was that no company wanted to make them here. My belief is no company may have wanted to make them for the same price as a Chinese company, yet the price seems high enough. Oh that's right, it's all about profit. I'll find a more appropriately priced doll or toy at a more reasonable price. It's all in the marketing.

 

[tjmw2727]

My family has taken another view on the "American Girl Dolls." Since they are fairly expensive and carry the name "American Girl", they assumed they might be made here in the good old USA. Not so. The company received a letter asking why they are not made in the USA and the response was that no company wanted to make them here. My belief is no company may have wanted to make them for the same price as a Chinese company, yet the price seems high enough. Oh that's right, it's all about profit. I'll find a more appropriately priced doll or toy at a more reasonable price. It's all in the marketing.

The name American Girl signifies the dolls and their historical origins not the place of mfg. They were originally made in Germany = famous for beautiful dolls, then when that became to expensive they moved mfg to Hungary and finally China. Alot has to do with Mattel acquiring the company from the original Pleasant Girl Co.

We like the dolls and the books enough that we will continue to purchase them regardless of the mfg as long as we think the value is worth the price, for now it is. I think introducing girls to historical fiction at the 8-9 age group in a way they can understand and identify with is a good thing.

I found this interesting:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Girl_(company)

TJ

 

[TXTurtles]

It SO depends on your DD. My best friends and I all got our first AGs when we were between the ages of 8 and 10. Both because of age and personality we all loved and took good care of our dolls and all still have them. I think all of us took those dolls with us to college and our various apartments. Their little sister, on the other hand, got one at age 4 and ... well, it survived her treatment. Barely. I think a lot of it was her age, a lot of it was her not getting how special it was (since, well, it wasn't to her) and her Tasmanian devil personality. I was part of the first wave of girls to get AGs and I knew some who treasured them, some who trashed them, some who ignored them. So a lot of it is which type your DD falls into. For what it's worth, my family didn't have the extra money for expensive doll parts so I made do. Her clothes were genuine AG stuff, received one at a time for Christmas and birthdays, but all her accessories were scrounged up from other stuff. I got my first AG accessories when I was in college. I lived. I would have enjoyed all the accessories my best friends got or the trips to stores and special parties and teas but I also knew it just wasn't in the family budget and that I'd have to buy those things myself. Funny, I didn't want them THAT much! My friends and I put on our own teas and parties and we had a lot of fun with it. So a lot of the expense is what you make of it and what the child understands. Again, I was older so I understood just how expensive the extras were. A younger child might have a harder time. Could you start her off with a less expensive 18" doll and see how she likes it? Granted, it's possible that a girl could love an AG and not another, knowing it's a second-best. So it's still a gamble. Either way, this is one more positive testimonial towards AGs. Hope this helps!

 

[disneymac]

Another thing to consider when thinking about the expense of the doll is resale value. I am amazed at how much some of these sell for on Ebay! Especially before Christmas!! Just as much as if they were new. Good luck - I hope your DD enjoys her new doll.