was ready to bite the bullet on the Parents dollhouse....

[firsttimemommy]

but it's gone! Not available! I was waiting for this month for $ and it's gone!!! Waaaah! Should I wait, should I pick another? I can't find it anywhere but Amazon/Target and it's not available.

(I'm sooooooooo bummed!) If I hadn't waited and bought it, then it would just be on sale now...Murphy's law, right?

ETA: just found it at sensational beginnings - for $299 - only $100 MORE!

Ronda
Proud Mommy to 2 adorable munchkins - 1/03 and 4/04

"Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes........that way you are a mile away and you have their shoes."

[firsttimemommy]

I found this one - a lot cheaper, but does anyone know anything about it?

http://www.etoys.com/genProduct.html/PID/4729613/ctid/17?cpncode=10-28800353-2&srccode=cii_10043468


Ronda
Proud Mommy to 2 adorable munchkins - 1/03 and 4/04

"Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes........that way you are a mile away and you have their shoes."

[annasmom]

I am so sorry, I know how that feels. I just went to order the Battat treehouse from Target.com the other day only to find it out of stock. I *knew* it was a hard to find item, and Target.com had them in stock at the end of the Summer.

Anyway, I wouldn't dwell on it, there are so many nice dollhouses out there (although the Parents one IS really cute). The new one you found looks really cute, and it comes with a ton of stuff. For the money it seems like a good buy, but I have no idea who makes it.

I will definitely keep an eye out for you!!

[dules]

I THINK that's the PLAN Toys Terrace dollhouse. And if so that's a fabulous deal. I saw it in the eToys catalog and was tempted to return our RR house and accessories (which altogether cost $200, ack).

http://www.kidsurplus.com/bri389710800.html

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/kidsurplus_1920_19103919.jpg


Mary

[redhookmom]

The very same thing happened to me last week. I entered my email to be notified when they became available. I got an email the next day. You might want to give that a try.

[dules]

Bumping this up - this house is now on sale (the eToys/Plan toys one) for $79.99 furnished, with dolls, and with free shipping!!! Argh I am wishing now that I had waited - the house alone is $99 on Kidsurplus.

Anyway, hope this helps someone else!

Mary

[snp624]

Target has the dollhouse in stock right now! (nov.15 - 11:20am)

[mainepotato]

I just got a notification from Target that the Battat treehouse is back in stock. Good luck!!! ;-)

[firsttimemommy]

whoever said it might be available again the next day was right!

but now I am still looking at that $79 house from etoys. do you think the Parents one is worth over twice the price??? I do think the colors and the people/furniture are ALOT cuter on the Parents one, but the etoys one is also cute...

Here are the two.....

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/sr=1-3/qid=1163607253/ref=sr_1_3/601-5215856-7402524?ie=UTF8&asin=B000AVK73O

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/36524.jpg



http://www.etoys.com/genProduct.html/PID/4729613/ctid/17?cpncode=10-28800353-2&srccode=cii_10043468

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/36525.jpg


opinions?

Ronda
Proud Mommy to 2 adorable munchkins - 1/03 and 4/04

"Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes........that way you are a mile away and you have their shoes."

[emmasmama]

Hmmm, that's a tough call... value wise the eToys one is such a great price and in all honesty your child probably wouldn't know the difference.

That said, I do prefer the colors and accessories of the Battat/Target house. The accessories seem a little more imaginative and interesting, esp for an older child. I also really like how open the sides are on the Battat one. My mom has a ryan's room house for my DD at her house and the only thing I didn't like about it was how it was difficult to reach into some parts of the house and it has these sliding partitions that were confusing for my DD (only 3 at the time though). I think it's really nice on this one how it seems super accessible for little (and big!) hands. Heck, I'd want to play with it!

If they were close in price, I'd definitely get the Battat one, but it's such a huge price discrepancy.

The only other thing I notice though is that the Battat one is 5 1/2" wider and a little bit deeper. The 2nd floor is also full size, whereas the eToys one, the 2nd floor is set back, so you're actually getting less play area there in addition to it already being not quite as deep. There are also fewer accessories on the eToys one, but you could always add onto it. Looks like it's missing the outdoor furniture and cleaning stuff on the Parents one. Not sure all that is worth another $120 though!

If you think your child will play with this obsessively than I think the cost difference might be worth it to get the Battat, but if you think it might be a fun toy, but not the "favorite" toy, than I'd go with the eToys one. I know that's hard to figure out though.

[dules]

I think the EToys one (Plan toys) has removable walls and doors, so can be totally open. I'm not 100% sure but if you look at the pics and descriptions on Oompa, Kidsurplus and others they do show different configurations. (ETA the reason I remember this is because we eliminated the RR house with the sliding doors because it couldn't be accessed as easily, and chose the 3 story RR house instead...but I wanted the PLAN one, lol).

I swear, if it were not going to be a total PIA to return the house and furnishings that I bought, I would totally jump on this....it doesn't help that this was my first choice house in the first place (nixed by DH for some reason that he could not voice).

Mary

[firsttimemommy]

thanks ladies...

my DD never really has obsessed about any one toy. She never had a favorite stuffed animal or blankie or anything like that.

I realized after tax and shipping, I could buy THREE of the etoys house for the parent/Target one. Even though my heart LOVEs the parent one best my brain is telling me I'd be nuts to pay three times more for pretty much the same toy (quality/design) that DD will likely play with intermittently.

Thanks so much!

Ronda
Proud Mommy to 2 adorable munchkins - 1/03 and 4/04

"Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes........that way you are a mile away and you have their shoes."

[annasmom]

Ronda, I *know* someone around here has that dollhouse. Do a search for dollhouse - there was a pretty lengthy thread this past Summer. I recall someone talking about that particular dollhouse.

[holliam]

Yea, so I showed my DD the Parents one and she loved it. She has never shown an interest in a dollhouse. I showed her it compared to the one I love from Hearthsong, and she said she liked this one...

Holli

[annasmom]

Oh Holli!! You SO want that dollhouse don't you?! LOL!! It IS beautiful!

Ronda, Here is the link to the dollhouse discussion:

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=12&topic_id=55098&mode=full

[dules]

Wait, she wants the Parents one? Oh no, WHERE will you put two? One for you, one for Miss M.? ;-)

Mary

[sdbc]

We have the Battat one--an older version with different colors. DD absolutely loves it. I can't compare it against the other, though, since I don't have it.

That said, given the price diff, I'd go with the etoys one if I were looking now, as long as the back wall can be removed in order to enter from either side.

Sue, mommy to Aurora (Rory) born 5/13/04

[greatcanuk]

Hi,

I think I know who makes the eToys dollhouse--it is Maxim, not the Plan Toys' terrace dollhouse. I have almost the same one, but only 2 floors instead of 3, and not as much furniture. I got mine on deep deep deep clearance at Target for $12 (I think there are some old threads on it) after the holidays about 2 years ago.

My review is as follows--I'm quite happy with it, for the price I got it for. That said, I would give it to a slightly older child, because everything comes apart quite easily. Everything is removable and shiftable, not with bolts locking everything together. The furniture is a little basic, but I guess young kids don't care. However, the glue dried up between the dining table base and the tabletop, but one could easily glue that back together. DD also broke the armchair side off, by throwing it (also could be easily glued back together). Nothing's really chipped or anything.

Sometimes I'm envious of all the beautiful (and expensive) dollhouses discussed here. I actually already had the Plan Toys basic house, which I got at Marshall's for $30, that is nicely made and sturdy as a rock, but with no furniture or people and kind of boring, but probably better for a younger child.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions.