M&D Folding Castle $48

[elbenn]

Amazon has the Melissa & Doug folding castle for $48. This is a great deal for anyone interested in this.

http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-Deluxe-Folding-Medieval/dp/B000NV9FR0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1357662428&sr=8-1&keywords=melissa+doug+folding+castle

[missym]

This is such a great castle. The girls were just playing with theirs over the weekend. It's really held up well over the years.

[nrp]

We have the pink version (wish I had gotten this one, but the pink was on sale when I ordered) and it is great. DD1 uses her playmobil royal/fairy figures and furniture in it.

[wellyes]

So, I bought this castle LAST Christmas at Kohls for the kids, decided to hold off on giving it til a birthday, then FORGOT about it in the basement. I went to take it back to Kohls yesterday but the kids saw it and freaked out, and are now playing with it frantically, they love it so much.

I really wish I'd waited one more day so I could have gotten this gender neutral version!!!!

But I will say it's a great toy. We use Disney princess and Papo/Schleich figures with it.

ETA: my daughter informs me that ours has some features that this one doesn't and ours is "way way way better" LOL http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-Deluxe-Folding-Princess/dp/B000NKH0E6/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1357672741&sr=1-1&keywords=melissa+and+doug+castle Still, long term, wouldn't been nice to have this one for our son. Plus I personally think a trapdoor is slightly cooler than extra balconies and turrets and flying buttresses.

[elbenn]

But I will say it's a great toy. We use Disney princess and Papo/Schleich figures with it.

ETA: my daughter informs me that ours has some features that this one doesn't and ours is "way way way better" LOL http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-Deluxe-Folding-Princess/dp/B000NKH0E6/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1357672741&sr=1-1&keywords=melissa+and+doug+castle Still, long term, wouldn't been nice to have this one for our son. Plus I personally think a trapdoor is slightly cooler than extra balconies and turrets and flying buttresses.

We have some Papo/Schleich figures also. The castle is pretty cool--the trap door gets lots of play!

[belovedgandp]

Thank you! So did not really need this, but DDs 3rd birthday will be here before I know it.

[ang79]

What age group is good for this? My girls have a pink Little People castle which gets a lot of play from my girls (ages 4 and 6). They use both with the Little People figures and the little Disney Princesses with plastic clothes. But its a bit small for all the dolls they use with it, and my 6 year old is starting to outgrow the Little People (my 4 year old loves them though and will probably want to keep them awhile longer!)

[Tinochka]

I don’t know what DH will think but I used last $$ from GC, kids received from their uncle for a casle. I hope my boys will like it. Thanks, elbenn.

[Dream]

Thank you, I placed an order.

[Minnifer]

Moms of boys, are your boys into this? I love it and am *so* tempted, but even though DD (4.5) is into imaginative play, she barely touches her FP Loving Family dollhouse or mini M&D fold & go dollhouse. So it would be a buy ahead for DS, probably for next Christmas when he'll be 2.5. He's so young it's hard to know what kind of stuff he'll be into (for now it's balls, balls, balls) and he's a pretty rough and tumble sort of guy. Guessing I could kit it out with knights and dragons, etc, lol.

[twowhat?]

Wow, great price! We have the pink version. I'd snap it up if you think your DC will enjoy it! Santa brought this for the girls for Christmas. It was a BIG HIT on Christmas Day and has barely been touched since :/ Though to be fair, every time we get a new toy, it gets 2 days of love and then it is abandoned. Our girls just don't seem all that interested in toys once the novelty wears off. Magnatiles are collecting dust...folding castle is collecting dust...dollhouse collects dust, kitchen collects dust, train set collects dust....

My only beef about this castle is that the Disney figurines do not fit in all the spaces (for example, Rapunzel's puddle of hair doesn't allow her to really fit into the tower windows). Various extensions (arms, etc) often don't allow the figurines to fit into the smaller spaces. But, the "jail" is pretty roomy, and the "courtyard" when the castle is opened up is of course roomy.

[wellyes]

Moms of boys, are your boys into this? I love it and am *so* tempted, but even though DD (4.5) is into imaginative play, she barely touches her FP Loving Family dollhouse or mini M&D fold & go dollhouse. So it would be a buy ahead for DS, probably for next Christmas when he'll be 2.5. He's so young it's hard to know what kind of stuff he'll be into (for now it's balls, balls, balls) and he's a pretty rough and tumble sort of guy. Guessing I could kit it out with knights and dragons, etc, lol.

My 2.5 year old boy adores this castle. I have a bunch of knights and horses for him:
http://di1-1.shoppingshadow.com/images/pi/a2/e2/74/103900915-260x260-0-0_Papo+Papo+Box+Set+of+Knights.jpg

I'll also say that my 4.5 year old ignored the wooden dollhouse I bought her, but is in love with this castle. Absolutely in love. I think it is because she is more in princess play (in other words, all girls) than family play.

[wellyes]

My only beef about this castle is that the Disney figurines do not fit in all the spaces (for example, Rapunzel's puddle of hair doesn't allow her to really fit into the tower windows). Various extensions (arms, etc) often don't allow the figurines to fit into the smaller spaces. But, the "jail" is pretty roomy, and the "courtyard" when the castle is opened up is of course roomy.

Yeah, you're right. If I was starting from scratch, I'd probably aim for Playmobil or Imaginext figures.

[123LuckyMom]

Schleich and Papo figures fit, though? I really love the Papo figures, and DS is getting into knights and dragons big time.

[wellyes]

They fit most but not all parts of the castle, but, they "work" with it in a way that makes sense. I first heard about this castle from a Papo figure fan - a lot of people use those figures with it.

[ang79]

How tall are the figures that you ladies are using in this castle? Just wondering if our Disney Princesses will fit.

[Minnifer]

Thanks for the info everyone. I'm still pondering, but now I'm leaning towards holding off for an Imaginext castle since thus far my experience has been that no matter how much I love the wooden stuff, my kids prefer the plastic, lol!