With the release of Courtney coming up, I thought it would be fun if I talked about my stories from American Girl doll releases of the past! I’ve been a fan since October 2013, so from Isabelle on I remember the releases. Here are my memories from all these releases!
When Isabelle released, I was actually in LA with my sister! She was there for her music career, and it was the first time I tagged along. We went to the AGP in LA the day before, and I remember that the Saige section was pretty much wiped out, though the TV was still playing her movie. Anyways, I regret not going on January 1, but I’m afraid of crowds (and wasn’t obsessed enough to combat that fear back in 2013-14) and was waiting for Christmas to ask for her (when I normally got dolls at the time). I eventually got Isabelle from my nana for my birthday a few weeks later!
By 2015, there was an AG store in town! I still had that crowd fear, so I didn’t go for Grace‘s release on January 1. I remember having a party with Madison (remember her, AGDN readers since 2014-15?) the night before her release and happily anticipating Grace before going on AG at 1 am! It was the latest I‘d ever stayed up at the time, so it was fun. I eventually got Grace the week after her release.
Maryellen was the first historical character that released when I was an AG fan. Her, Tenney, Logan and Z are pretty much same story, different doll. In a nutshell: school was that day, my dad went to pick the doll up at AG, I opened them up after school.
Lea was the first time I went to AG on January 1. I wasn’t planning on going, but my dad said that Maryellen’s release wasn’t that crowded, so I put my fears away, went and was very happy that I got the Girl of the Year on January 1. (Fitting, considering Lea‘s story.)
Melody’s release was one of the last days of summer, and I was, surprisingly, the only person in the Charlotte store for her release! (Well, besides my dad.) I saved up enough money for Melody’s recording studio so I could buy it on release day, and I did. I remember live-streaming the store for an hour before it opened, too. I think the video‘s buried on my YouTube channel.
Gabriela was the first time I went to the AG store on the morning of January 1. I waited in line for 90 minutes and talked to AGDN readers and then, bam! Gabriela (and my 54, Hope) were both MINE! (The night before was also the first year I did Lea Clark's New Year's Eve, a tradition on my YouTube channel.)
For Nanea, I got her with the AG Rewards pre-release! Three weeks before her release, I visited the American Girl store and picked up a box with some of her things and the doll herself in it. I was so excited that I opened her in another store!
Getting Luciana was exciting, considering American Girl gave her to me for free. On December 29, a day after her Good Morning America reveal, a package was at my doorstep- Luciana herself! I also went to the American Girl store on the 1st to get her collection, and everyone was confused that I already had her and thought I was on Good Morning America. (Nope. I was about to turn 13- a little too old to be on the GMA reveal.)
Blaire and Joss both had AG Rewards events on New Year's Eve for their releases, and I went to both of them! For Blaire, it was at the Bistro, but to accommodate more people for Joss's, the whole Truly Me section was Joss's party. For both of them, I ran out of the Blaire breakfast/horde of girls opening Joss dolls and rushed to pick up the items from the collection I wanted!
Do you have any stories from AG releases of the past?
Speaking of releases, all the talk has been about Courtney. Any leaks/updates about the girl of the year for next year?
I went to the Nashville AG store on January 1st to get Lucianna and on the 4th and 3rd to get Blaire and Joss! I'm really hoping to go again next year!
I've never made it to a release. I was hoping to make it to Joss's release but something came up. the doll releases have always been confusing for me. I would love to make it to one someday though.
I never got a doll growing up, they were just too expensive for me to ask for, but I have and continue to love dolls in general! when my daughter turned 2 and my husband deployed we made enough so I could afford a truly me for our daughter! it remained mostly in its box until this year my daughter is now 6! She just started to get interested so now I'm so excited and looking forward to flooding the christmas tree with AG gifts for my little girl!!
also my husband bought me the beforever Samantha for me a few months ago for our anniversary. ❣️really excited to see new AG dolls and what we can do now that…
i barely remember when julie came out, but i don't have any specific memories of her release or mia's (and all i have for chrissa is thinking 'oh she has a movie!'). but when rebecca debuted, my grandpa bought her first book for me and we read it together. that was my last memory of him, but it's the sweetest one by far! the last character i remember releasing in my old ag days was saige, but besides liking how colorful her collection was, i didn't really care for her.
lea was released when the scottsdale store opened and i wasn't into ag at all, but i remember thinking that some of her collection was cool. maybe that trip is…