American Girl weekend

[ndgqccmiller]

Just wondering my daughter has asked for an AG doll for Christmas. My husband and I have decided to take her to the new store in Atlanta. I'm not sure if we should buy the doll and give it to her or just wait till we go and let her get everything while we are there. We are staying near the store and we will do lunch there and dinner somewhere in Buckhead. Any suggestions on how much we should give her to spend or how to surprise her? I think we will let our littlest daughter get the little AG doll to, once were there I'm sure she will want one to.

 

[lastminutemom]

Hi. First, I want to make sure you realize that the store in Atlanta is nothing like the stores in NYC, Chicago or Los Angeles. When do you plan on going?

Use the catalog, either in paper or online, as a guide to what you want to give her to spend. Be aware, that they have been selling out of some things, so if she wants a particular doll, I might order that up front.

We just went last weekend -- it is a lovely STORE, but nothing like the big ones. We ate lunch there and it was good, cute and fun.

They do have the doll hair salon, which is fun -- costs about $20.

 

[ndgqccmiller]

Hi. First, I want to make sure you realize that the store in Atlanta is nothing like the stores in NYC, Chicago or Los Angeles. When do you plan on going?

Use the catalog, either in paper or online, as a guide to what you want to give her to spend. Be aware, that they have been selling out of some things, so if she wants a particular doll, I might order that up front.

We just went last weekend -- it is a lovely STORE, but nothing like the big ones. We ate lunch there and it was good, cute and fun.

They do have the doll hair salon, which is fun -- costs about $20.

Thanks for the heads up. We have not been to the other stores. We live in TN only about an hour away, so it is very close. I guess I will go ahead and buy her doll and then take her for clothes and extras plus lunch. we thought the the day after Christmas. I know that sounds silly, but my husband is a firefighter and works Christmas day so we really want to do a little overnight after Christmas. I think there is a ice skating rink near by and we will just shop and eat and hang out. Thanks. I'm scared it will be bare!

 

[eeyorefan74]

I think your idea to give her the doll ahead of time and then let her pick out her own accessories is a good one. Maybe get an idea of prices from the catalog and then print up your own "gift certificate" with how much she can spend. We took DD6 to the Atlanta store recently and almost every girl in that mall was carrying around an American Girl doll. We were there to buy the doll she had picked out in the catalog for her birthday, so of course she wanted it out to hold immediately. If you want to eat in the bistro or get the doll's hair styled, definitely make reservations. The store is pretty small and cramped when there are lots of people there, as I'm sure will be the case the day after Christmas. It's a nice mall with Build a Bear, Disney Store, etc. and there's a really pretty carousel upstairs, too.

 

[CharmedLife]

Does anyone know anything about the new store in Dallas? We will be in Dallas for Thanksgiving and were thinking of going... BUT we live near Chicago and DD has been to that store a few times. Would she be disappointed in the Dallas store, or is it comparable to Chicago?

 

[lastminutemom]

No, the Dallas store is like Atlanta -- and she very will may be disappointed. Unless you need to shop for AG stuff or just want to eat there -- I don't think it is worth the trip.

To the original poster, make your reservations now to eat... otherwise you won't get in.

 

[Texasmomof3]

The store in Dallas opens Nov 3-4. We have been to the L.A., Chicago and New York stores so I am sure my daughter will be a little disappointed when we go to the one here. But maybe not, at least it is closer and she can have her dolls hair done a little more often. How is the food at the cafe to anyone who has been?

 

[ndgqccmiller]

I think your idea to give her the doll ahead of time and then let her pick out her own accessories is a good one. Maybe get an idea of prices from the catalog and then print up your own "gift certificate" with how much she can spend. We took DD6 to the Atlanta store recently and almost every girl in that mall was carrying around an American Girl doll. We were there to buy the doll she had picked out in the catalog for her birthday, so of course she wanted it out to hold immediately. If you want to eat in the bistro or get the doll's hair styled, definitely make reservations. The store is pretty small and cramped when there are lots of people there, as I'm sure will be the case the day after Christmas. It's a nice mall with Build a Bear, Disney Store, etc. and there's a really pretty carousel upstairs, too.

Thanks for the advice. I know the store isn't as big, but it will be good for her. My nieces have been to the one in Chicago many times and loved it. We are going next year for a visit and hope to go to the store , but this will be a good start. I think she will be very excited.

 

[stczt]

We went to the one in Atlanta last night for dinner. Dd got Elizabeths hair redone. In my opinion huge waste of money. We have been so careful not to yank her hair when we brush and the girl there just pulled and yanked on it. Its not how I imagined it would be I could have done what she did and saved 15.00. Then she cut her hair mostly the flyaways but she did it in front of all the kids, I am glad Dd is old enough to understand not to do it. we bought Nikki so I spent the night carying 2 dolls around. And we had them both sitting t the table with us. This one little girl everytime she walked buy she pulled Nikki's hair.
The one in Chicago is way better not so crowded. Dh decided we are going to start planning vacation around where stores are. I looked at him ;ike he was crazy.

 

[ndgqccmiller]

Hate to hear you had a bad experience. Is it the store or the resturant or both? We have nothing to compare it to my daughter is only 7 and just he idea of having a weekend about her is thrilling. We travel out of town every weekend (about 5 months out of the year) for baseball for my son. So for us to get away for girl stuff will make her happy. Again I'm sorry it wasn't a good time

 

[F1Julie]

DD7 and I had lunch at the Alpharetta AG store. There is a store and then a small restaurant. The food is decent, but not worth the almost $40 it cost for the two of us. The doll hair salon does not take reservations. When we tried to go, there was a 2 hour wait at the salon and that was at 11:00.

 

[lastminutemom]

I didn't think the food was bad at all.. while it is pricey, especially for the kids, the quantities are decent. Our waitress was lovely and we had a great time eating. We have eaten at the AG store in NYC and the food was pricier but about the same quantity.

You must have a reservation.

The store is small for the number of people.

We have done it once and I can't imagine just going to the store without an occassion as it would bet expensive.