American Girl Store/Doll/Chicago/ect.

[Tam1067]

Based on my own experience trying to get a lunch reservation there, Saturday is the toughest day to get. You should plan a few weeks (or more) in advance for that. Sunday is much easier.

If you do drive and park in the city, you are going to pay a lot for parking. An alternative to the South Shore trains is Metra. If you can get to a Metra station and park there, you'll get a $5.00 pass which is good for as many rides you want the entire weekend, and kids are free. These trains run at least hourly on the weekend, and sometimes more frequently, so they're a good train to take. If you can park at one of the stations on the University Park line (they're near I-57), you'll be on Metra.

My boys had no interest in doing lunch with DD and me, so DH took them to the Lego store and the Hancock observatory. Nike Town is also very close, and Navy Pier has a holiday fest going on if they wanted to go over there.

Also, a warning: there are unique items only available at the store. They're not in the catalogue.

 

[becca011906]

One more quick question... i'm pretty sure we are a go for tomorrow but not the cafe decided the kids would all around have a better time at Ed Bevics then there... but anyways if the girls get a 'Just like Me' Doll do thoes come with the outfit shown online or can you get a differant outfit at the store to come w/ the doll??? i'm guessing it comes standard with the one outfit and you have to shell out more $$$ to get a differant outfit i just know the girls won't want to have matching doll outfits ...

 

[mom2travel]

My DD has historical characters, but I believe the looks like me dolls all have the same outfits (that's how they are dressed in the catologue & AGP). There are TONS of outfits on display - your girls will definitely be begging to buy some!
We went to Ed Debevec's in Sept - was alot of fun!

Have a wonderful time tomorrow!

 

[tchrrx]

Can you order gift cards online & then spend them at the stores? We're planning to take DD on a surprise birthday trip this spring. I'd like to give her a gift card to tell her of the surprise so that we stay within budget! Thanks!

 

[ckrum]

Can you order gift cards online & then spend them at the stores? We're planning to take DD on a surprise birthday trip this spring. I'd like to give her a gift card to tell her of the surprise so that we stay within budget! Thanks!

Yes. The gift cards come in a really nice "folder" w/a cataloge. I did this for DD on her 8th b-day. You are able to add a custom message to the card. I said something like, "This card entitles you to a day at the American Girl Store." DD loved having her own gc to spend and really looked forward to that trip. BTW, the gc is an actual paper gift certificate not a plastic gift card.

 

[mom2princessj]

Just like me dolls come with the outfit you see on the doll. You can buy any outfit for sale but you dont' get to pick another outfit to get when you purchase the doll. It would nice if you could though!
Have a great time. I hope you are there for opening as its usually the least crowded time on the weekends (that and an hour before closing best two times on saturday or sundays). I love going to the AG store. My dd gets so wide eyed and she loves to look through all the sections. I'm sure your girls will have a fantastic time!

 

[mommytobug]

I was so excited to see this thread. We are going to Chicago in January to go to the american girl store. We will take a car from the airport but I have no clue where to book a hotel. Has anyone had any experience? We will have no car and only be there for the weekend. Would love for you all to suggest somewhere for us to stay!!

 

[Tam1067]

I was so excited to see this thread. We are going to Chicago in January to go to the american girl store. We will take a car from the airport but I have no clue where to book a hotel. Has anyone had any experience? We will have no car and only be there for the weekend. Would love for you all to suggest somewhere for us to stay!!

Welcome to Chicago!

In January, you will be very cold, so I hope you're prepared. I see you're from Mississippi, but the cold here is really tough in January, which is the least welcoming time of year to visit. But I digress.

There are many hotels in the general area of the AGP, and the prices can vary quite a lot. If you are doing searches, you want to stay either in the North Michigan Avenue or the River North areas. Do not stay in the Loop because though the hotels there are nice and it's safe, it's not very convenient to where you want to be, and if the weather is really cold and nasty, you're not going to want to walk all that much.

You'll find all the major names in the area (Marriott, Embassy, Intercontinental, Four Seasons, Ritz) and some local landmarks (the Drake is old Chicago, part of the Hilton group now, and very convenient to where you want to be).

Anything in the North Michigan or River North area will be within walking distance, close to restaurants, safe, and tourist friendly.

Have a great trip!

P.S. Try Portillo's while you're here. All of our out of town guests make us take them there.

 

[mom2travel]

I was so excited to see this thread. We are going to Chicago in January to go to the american girl store. We will take a car from the airport but I have no clue where to book a hotel. Has anyone had any experience? We will have no car and only be there for the weekend. Would love for you all to suggest somewhere for us to stay!!

My DD & I stayed at Four Points by Sheraton on N Rush and really enjoyed it. I booked the American Girl package. It came with milk and cookies the afternoon of check-in, a special doll bed to keep that is not available in the stores (DD loved that surprise!) and breakfast for the two of us in the hotel restaurant. The AG website lists which hotels offer the package.

 

[tchrrx]

We'll be going to the Dallas store. I found a hotel that does the special bed and milk & cookies, but only on weekends. We'll be there during Spring Break. Do you think there's any chance that I could get this special during the week?

Any hints/tips for the Dallas store?

 

[momofbcs]

I took my daughter to the cafe for her birthday, it was a big deal, but we live near the store. I didnt have reservations, I thought it wouldnt be important for a party of 2 to slip in. NO SUCH LUCK. My dd missed out on her birthday lunch. Boo Hoo. Dumb mom will call ahead, months in advance next time.

Oh and when they get there, they may see another doll and just fall in love with her.

 

[becca011906]

Well we made it up there. We got a late start out of town as he is a volunteer fire fighter and it was snowy and wet so there for icey that monring so he had a few calls before we finally got out of town at 10:00 our time so we didn't get there till around 12:30 there time, we really wanted to take our own car and not mess with the bus this time with out doing more research on it ect.

so we drove and paid $24 to park for 4-6 hours eat down town at weber grill (eat there before in chicago and in Indy) great food, we love it. AND we will NEVER go on a weekend middle of day again i was warened but we had to go ! LOL next time middle of the week early or late will be better!!! The kids did great walking around we didn't take a stroller we walked about 10 blocks or so went down to the lego store too for ds. then went out to Navy Peir to see Santa and spent some time at the winter fest hey had there it was a lot of fun and very fun day~

the girls love either dolls and are really hoping that santa will bring them some clothes but i'm pretty sure grandma's already got them covered there!! Oh and they were sold out of some of the Just like Me dolls so be careful if you are going in the next weeks before chirstmas. we had to really look for the short hair blond with light skin and blue eyes luckily we found her!!!

 

[PrincessTigerLily]

Great thread! We're in the Chicago burbs, and still haven't gone yet, but have been very curious. Could someone comment on about how much lunch in the AG Cafe costs? I would greatly appreciate it!

 

[PrincessTigerLily]

OK, I answered my own ? by actually visiting the website!! But I will post here in case anyone else is interested!
Brunch $19/person + tax (seating time approx. 9:30)
Lunch $21/person + tax (seatings at 11am, 12:30, and 2:30)
Afternoon tea $17/person + tax (4:30p)
Dinner $22/person + tax (seatings at 5:30 and 7:30 pm)

What kinds of foods were you served if you ate at the cafe?

 

[tanyaandallie]

We'll be going to the Dallas store. I found a hotel that does the special bed and milk & cookies, but only on weekends. We'll be there during Spring Break. Do you think there's any chance that I could get this special during the week?

Any hints/tips for the Dallas store?

Can you tell me what hotel you found? We want to go in the summer!

 

[atksn]

Well we are down around Lafayette, IN and it looks like we'd hav eto take Amtrak out of there and it'd be $80 to get there and then $120 to get home not cheap at all... way more then we'd spend in gas and parking. I do have family up north close to South shore train lines we might see if we can stay with them a night at go that route but i just can't believe it's that much for a train... how can that be...

I haven't read through this whole thread, so I may repeat something someone else has already said. Sorry, if I do. Having lived in downtown Chicago, with my office being in Water Tower Place, I would HIGHLY advise taking the train vs. driving. Driving in the city is a pain, parking is horrible (both to find and to pay for). From Lafayette (we are in Champaign now--- boy do I miss living in the city though, so I am fairly familiar w/ where you are), I would drive to a far ourlying suburb, and take the Metra into the city. On weekends it is $5 all you can ride. Then I would use Chicago public transit to get around. It is sooooo simple, and avoids the headache of driving. (No offense to anyone, but the traffic is all from other tourists that don't know where they are going, what they are doing. LOL)

If you go to www.metra.com you can see the maps of all of the lines. Then you can also use www.transitchicago.com to map out how to get from point A to B. There is a nifty "trip planner" tool on there that will tell you exactly what you need to do. Also, if you take the Metra into the city, you will either be dropped off @ Union Station/Ogilvey (sp?) transportation center, or right on Michigan Ave. ALL of these places have free trolleys that run to all of the places of interest.

Have fun, and if you have any questions, please feel free to PM me

 

[atksn]

Guess I should have continued to read before posting---- seeing as you have already gone.

Oh well- anyone else planning to go to Chicago might find those sites useful......

 

[mom2travel]

What kinds of foods were you served if you ate at the cafe?

When we went for lunch at the end of September we were served:
-appetizer plate with fruit, veggies, cheese, soft pretzel nuggets
-choice of lunch (I had a salad and DD had mini burgers & hot dogs)
-dessert sampler with chocolate mousse, sugar cookie and white cake

I thought there was a menu accessible from the AG website (I have a recollection of having some idea of what our lunch choices were before we went)
All of the food was very good - and very filling!

 

[tchrrx]

Can you tell me what hotel you found? We want to go in the summer!

Here's the info that I found. I'm not positive that it's up to date or accurate. Hope it helps though!

http://www.budgettravel.com/bt-dyn/content/article/2008/01/29/AR2008012902107.html