American Girl Place Chicago

[erinmomof2]

My husband is going to Chicago for work and I'm considering tagging along with my 5 year old daughter and taking her to American Girl Place. I'm hoping you all can answer a couple of questions for me. We'd be staying at a hotel attached to Ohare Airport (his conference is there), does anyone know how difficult it would be to get to AGP from there? Is there a bus, train, ect? Also, how much time can you spend in one of the stores? And we'd being going in January, is it too cold to be in Chicago without a car? We'd only be there 2 days, one day just at the hotel and the next day at AGP. My daughter and I would be alone, so I guess I also need to know how safe it is. And lastly and the only question remotly budget related, is how much can I expect to spend if we go there? Are the prices the same as they are online? Is there a sale or clearance section?

Okay, I think this is it. Thanks for any help!

Erin

 

[maggiew]

It will be very easy to get to AGP from O'Hare airport by the train ("L"). You can take the blue line train (catch it in O'Hare) to Jackson and transfer to the Red Line train going north (towards Howard). Get off at Chicago Ave. and walk north about a block.

http://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/maps/ctatrainmap.png

It is $2.25 per ride (you need one for going and one for returning). Children 7-11 are reduced fare and get to ride for $1. Kids under 7 ride free with fare paying adult. The transfer from Blue to Red line is free because its at the same stop, you are just getting off of one train and getting on another. You can load up the $5.50 on one card. I suggest you do this all at O'Hare so you don't have to mess around when you are coming back. I'm not sure how you can get the reduced fare for the child. I would ask a clerk about that. Because if you just add $1 x 2 to your card, I don't know how you can tell the turnstile that its a child fare vs. adult fare. My kids are too old for reduced fare, so I never had to deal with that.

It will be cold, but you can bundle up and you don't have to walk far.

Prices are about the same as online, as far as I can tell.

You might want to schedule a time for the dining. You can choose brunch, lunch, tea or dinner. We never find the food that great, but the experience makes up for it. You can bring your doll and she gets to "eat" too. You MUST make reservations for this ahead of time or you might not (probably won't) get in.

Be prepared. There is a doll hair salon too!

You could spend a couple hours in there looking around plus any time you would spend eating.

Other recommendations for food if you don't want to eat at AGP is the Cheesecake Factory at the bottom of the Hancock Center. Or Giordano's for Chicago Deep dish pizza which is on the corner of Rush and Superior (one block south of Chicago Ave. and one block west of Michigan Ave.)

Maggie

 

[figment41]

PP gave great info. I only have to disagree with the food. We have always enjoyed our food but were worried we would go home hungry and never do. They even give you a booster chair for your doll. AGPlace is now actually attached to the water tower place mall so you could spend time indoors.

The Disney Store is only a couple of blocks down Michigan Avenue.

You could also go up to the top of the Hancock building for the views and that is right across the street for AG.

There are 2 other mall type stores both on Michigan Avenue just in different directions but only 1 or 2 blocks. Bloomingdales is one and the other is 900North shops which is Nordstrom related.

You will have a blast I just spent the day down there with my 2 year old while my husband was working down the street and we did fine. Have fun

 

[erinmomof2]

Thank you for your help! Is the area safe? I've never been to Chicago and I know nothing about the area. Would the train and the area be safe for me and my daughter? Also how easy is it to get lost? I'm kind of bad with directions.

 

[KarenC]

While random bad things can happen anywhere, the blue line, the red line and Michigan Avenue are all safe. As is the case anywhere where they are large numbers of people, make sure you keep your purse zipped and close to you and hold your daughter by the hand.

 

[maggiew]

Yes. The area is safe. Its right in the middle of Michigan Ave. downtown shopping. The place will be loaded with Christmas shoppers!

We made the mistake of going one year on the day of the Lights Parade (when they have the Christmas kick off parade and turn on the christmas lights on the street, etc.) Anyway, there was a queue to get INTO the American Girl Store!! I felt like we were at Disney.

Maggie

 

[robinb]

Just so you know ... the AG store recently moved to a new location. It's now in the Water Tower Place.

 

[DisneyAndRedSox]

Just an FYI, I once bought a ton of items in the Chicago AG store, with all the taxes it would have been cheaper to order on-line! At the time there was no AG store in Mass and it would have been tax-free to order on-line!

 

[lilmissdisney216]

I was just here in October and I LOVED it!! DF and I went to AGP for dinner when we were in Chicago for AGT auditions and he loved it (mind you, he's a leather jacket wearing rock n roll type guy and he loved it!!) I didn't have my own doll (I brought one of my build a bears) and they let my bear and a doll that they had at the restaurant that I picked sit at the table with us. The food was delicious and absolutely bunches of fun. We stayed outside of the city (we stayed at the Holiday Inn Express Chicago O'Hare hotel) and the commute wasn't too bad (the traffic was terrible on the expressways but once in the city it wasn't too bad). They had plenty of kid friendly food and something for the more I guess mature set if you will. Here's a picture from our trip:

 

[erinmomof2]

Thank you all so much! I knew this was the right place to post my questions. I went ahead and made reservations for lunch, they asked about food allergies and seemed great when I told them I have Celiac Disease and eat gluten free... so hopefully that works out. It seems like the biggest problem will be hauling all my packages back to the hotel. I'm not planning to bring my youngest daughter (2 1/2) but I do plan to buy her a bitty baby and stroller.

Thanks for all the replies!

 

[budbeerlady]

1: Its VERY safe! Dd and I go all the time on the commuter train.

2. We spend the afternoon, have tea there. Usually we arrive and get the doll registered to get her hair done. This can take a bit if its really busy. We have waited an hour or 15 min, just depends on how busy it was. Dd and I shop after we drop off the doll at the salon, keep checking back, they do start early and last time we didnt get to see Mia get her hair done. We have gotten the dolls ears pierced, washed up, etc. The tea is all that wasnt booked when I called the day before we went down.

There is so much to do I would walk around Michigan ave in addition to American Girl place. Maybe do a hand treatment next door at lush?

It will be cold (and most likely windy) but fun!


Hair was 15-20 each time, earrings I think were 15. The clothes are the same $ as the catalog.. The tax is a killer, 10.25%. I let dd buy some but if its something big it might be cheaper to buy online and ship it to you.

Sample Afternoon Tea menu
Approximate seating time: 4 p.m.

Price: Chicago – $17 per person, plus tax; Los Angeles – $20 per person, plus tax; New York – $20 per person, plus tax

Warm Welcome
Cinnamon buns

Savory Treats
Kaya’s Blueberry-Lemon Scones—served with fruit preserves and Devonshire cream
Cranberry Bread
Lemon-Poppy-Seed Bread
Kit’s Garden-Party Sandwiches with vegetable cream cheese and cucumber
Josefina’s Favorite Chicken-Salad Boats with cheddar-cheese sails
Kirsten’s Farm-Fresh Egg-Salad Tea Sandwich
Felicity’s Patriotic Roasted Turkey with cranberry mayonnaise
Sweet Surprises
Samantha’s Fruit Tartlet
Addy’s Linzer “Love” Cookie
Molly’s Victory-Garden Chocolate-Mousse Flowerpot

Dd didnt like the food much. She loves tea at the Gf, so I thought she would love it here. We had fun but she didnt each much.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

It seems like the biggest problem will be hauling all my packages back to the hotel. I'm not planning to bring my youngest daughter (2 1/2) but I do plan to buy her a bitty baby and stroller.

Thanks for all the replies!

Perhaps you could order YDD's doll (*I prefer the twins ~ and you can purchase just 1 instead of a set - but perhaps you can only do it in the store(s)?? ~ you could always call & ask 1-800-360-1861) & stroller online (you wouldn't necessarily have to get the AG stroller) ~ have them shipped to your home and give them to her when you return home so you don't have to haul them *I assume you're flying?? We have family in Chicago for a couple years (law school) I'd love to go visit them and take DD to the AG store while we're there!
Have fun ~ DD and I visited Chicago several years ago (just before her 2nd B-day) we had a great time!

 

[PixiePlanner]

Granted, I was there three years ago but, a friend of mine had seen something online on special. She asked me to pick it up for her. I got to the store and it was not marked down. I had to request a pricematch and was given it after the girl looked it up to verify. They also had instore specials on different outfits. So, the moral of the story is to look online before you shop!

 

[erinmomof2]

We're driving down, we're from Michigan and only 5 hours away. I didn't realize tax was so much. I'll have to see if it makes sense to order my youngest DD's things online. I don't need them right away, so time isn't an issue. I just thought I'd buy them while I was there and save on shipping. I had no idea tax was 10%, that's crazy.

 

[erinmomof2]

Also wanted to ask... you can purchase just one of the twins at the store? My oldest DD wanted one of the twins, but she doesn't want both... and of course my younger daughter only likes the babies. If I could purchase just one that would be awesome. I already told my daughter that we're not buying a doll, but if I could get the 1 twin I'd let her do that.

Thanks!

 

[sunlover13]

Usually we arrive and get the doll registered to get her hair done. This can take a bit if its really busy. We have waited an hour or 15 min, just depends on how busy it was. Dd and I shop after we drop off the doll at the salon, keep checking back, they do start early and last time we didnt get to see Mia get her hair done. We have gotten the dolls ears pierced, washed up, etc.

Yes, if you plan on getting the doll's hair done, go there first to make an appt. We had wait an hour and 1/2 once for our appt. You can keep the doll with you and not drop it off at the salon so you don't miss it. You just go back at your scheduled time or 10 minutes before and check in. They can take your doll then so you don't miss it.

I think the earrings were the best deal there. Your doll gets earring and then you get a box with 3-4 more sets of earrings.

DD enjoyed getting her doll's hair done and learned to only brush it with an American Girl doll brush and with water. DD was brushing her doll's hair dry which is not good.

Have fun!

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Check out this thread ~ for buying just 1 Twin - http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2314804

 

[tink fan]

When I took my daughter to AG in June 2008, you were able to buy a single twin. It was a little more than half the price of the twin set.

 

[AndreaDM]

What a timely post as we are also going in January (brrrr) for my daughter's 7th birthday instead of having a party. We had planned to stay right around Michigan Ave (driving from Ohio) but hotels there are expensive plus about $40 more a night for parking! So for all you experts, would it make more sense to stay out by the airport area where hotels are cheaper and parking is free, and take public transportation into downtown? I've been to Chicago before and always stayed downtown, but we didn't drive so we didn't have the parking issue to deal with.

 

[Psychodisney]

I'd stay downtown if you can. Sure, you would save some money but the convenience and the experience of staying downtown is a lot of fun! Try Hotwire for Hotels.(I like the Streeterville location...Sheraton, Intercontinental) Are the hotel prices out by O'Hare that much cheaper?