Updated Info on Madame Alexander Costco Dolls and AG Pets

Okay, I had to run to Costco today to get some groceries (bummer, huh?), ;) so I got a chance to check out the Alexander Girlz dolls and American Girl Pet Sets there for myself.

First, the Alexander Girlz dolls.  I was mistaken in the price.  They are actually retailing for $28.99 (I've since corrected my information in my previous post).  The good news is that there is an actual reason for the price jump.  Each doll this year comes with an extra outfit!  So really, $3 more for an extra outfit isn't so bad. :)

There do appear to only be 3 different dolls this year, and unless they change things, it looks like there will not be a variation of each hair and eye color in each outfit.  A bit of a disappointment, but from a marketing perspective I can kind of understand.

I was able to snap some closer pics with my cell phone.  Sorry they aren't the best...the glare from the plastic on the boxes was really strong! :{  At least you'll get a better idea of what's available, though.

First, we have this lovely blonde-haired, blue-eyed darling.  She is dressed in a pretty princess dress with a bodice that reminds me of Rapunzel's with its laces.  I love her cute pink bow, too. :)  She comes with a lavender tutu styled skirt topped with silver ribbon, a sparkly white shirt, and a golden tiara.  The tiara was my youngest daughter's favorite part.  It is made of cloth. 

Here's a close-up of her pretty face.

Next we have this little cutie, who comes dressed in her equestrian outfit, which includes a riding hat.  Her extra outfit is a dress and tights ensemble in purple.  I guess she doesn't mind being a girly girl when she's not riding. ;)  The only thing I'm unsure of with this gal is her odd little topknot on her head.  It's basically a sort of bun with long strands coming out.  I think this hairstyle would come out as soon as she came home, if she was going to be at our house. 

Here's her close-up.  Sorry for the glare on the box! :(  Her eyes are blue and her hair is a nice light brown shade.  I must say, I really appreciate the fact that they did a brown hair/blue eye combo.  My oldest daughter has light brown hair and blue/green eyes, and loves it when dolls look like her.  It's really hard to find a less expensive play doll with brown hair that doesn't also have brown eyes.  I have a feeling she'll be really excited to see this one (although she'll wish she was wearing one of the "prettier" outfits). ;)

Now we come to my favorite one of the group.  I don't know what it is, but there's something with this mold about the brown hair, brown eye combo.  And of course, her white ballet outfit is so adorable that it definitely helps. :)  Her extra outfit looks like an extra dance outfit with tights, a black bodice, and a pink tutu.  It also has a purple short-sleeved hoodie that really doesn't match at all! ;)

Here's her close-up.  These pics really do not do the dolls justice, but I just wanted to give you at least an idea of what they were like. :)  As you can see from the pic, her hair is a darker shade than the blue eyed brunette.  Sigh...if I had more space and lots of spare cash, this one would sooo be coming home with me!!

These dolls tend to go pretty quickly, so if you're interested in getting one, I'd suggest buying one sooner rather than later.  Although, if you're willing to risk it, they usually have a pretty amazing sale price after Christmas if there are any left.  I think one of our acquaintances got one for $10 one year!

As far as quality, these dolls are not up there with AG (I mean, you are only paying $29 after all!).  But for a play line doll in the less expensive category, they are one of the best.  Heaps better than the hideous Springfield Collection dolls at Michael's (sorry if I'm offending anyone who owns them...I just REALLY don't care for their faces!).  

The main downsides to these dolls are their hair, which is pretty icky quality, and the fact that they have a different body style than AG dolls, so you can't restring them in the same way.  Neither problem is all that tragic, though.  They can be rewigged very easily (like my Maggie doll), and even though you can't fix them the same way you fix an AG doll, they hold up pretty well. 

My 3 daughters all have Alexander Girlz dolls.  They received them at the ages of 4, 2, and 18 months.  All three dolls are still in great shape.  Their legs are looser than they were originally, but all three can still stand.  Their hair is pretty bad, but I figured I'd wait to rewig until the girls were a little older. :)  And just in case you're wondering, my middle daughter is gentle with her toys, my oldest is gentle with them now (but wasn't as careful when she was younger), and my youngest is not very gentle with her things.  She isn't abusive or careless with her toys, but she's three and is still learning how to properly care for her dollies (which is why she does NOT have an American Girl doll yet!). :)

Here is what there dolls look like today, 3 years later:

Not too shabby, considering the life they've had! ;) 

If you want to hear more of my thoughts on these dolls, I reviewed them in both of my Doll Comparison Posts, HERE and HERE.

Now, moving on to the American Girl pets! 

Here are some pics of the ones my mom picked up:

Sugar (for my middle daughter)

Sugar comes with a book called "Sugar's Super Sweet Postcard Set".

Ginger (for my youngest)

Ginger comes with "Ginger's Spice of Life Crafts".

Honey (for my oldest)

Honey comes with "Honey's Guide to Puzzle Fun".

I tried really hard to get pics of their faces, but the way they were packaged, they were looking right in the corner of the box.  It made it pretty much impossible to get a good head shot! :{  So, after Christmas, when the girls get to open them, I promise I'll do a more comprehensive review! ;)

I've never purchased an AG pet before, but I was reading some of the reviews on the American Girl website.  There were a lot of people commenting on how hard and un-poseable these pets are.  Good to know, since they look all squishy and cuddly.  Like I said, though, I'll give you a fuller review when they're opened.  

I found myself falling in love with Pepper, the husky.  Hmm, maybe my dolls need a pet! ;)   

Hope you enjoyed the post.  Be sure to check back later this week for a post on the new Madame Alexander Friends Boutique dolls in Walmart for this year! :D