MCM Benefit sale

[4 love of Tink]

Thank you, everyone for your input. 'Sounds like something I'll have to experience for myself, if just for the "Feeding Frenzy" (shopping a big sale). I'll have to bring an extra empty, expandable suitcase.

As I suspect many have, I started buying AG dolls for my oldest daughter. I fell in love with them every bit as much (if not more) as she has. I'd have been in heaven to have one of these dolls when I was a little girl. So... a little delayed gratification. I have 8 dolls and my 8 year old daughter has 16. I justify buying tons of AG stuff, with the expectations that my soon-to-be 5 year old twins will love collecting them (right now, they're just a bit too destructive to give them a AG doll). My dolls are in "Safe Keeping" for them (ha...well, maybe).

Anyway, I'm glad to have found you all, and look forward to learning more about this obsession.

<font color="#33CCCC" size="1">[ July 31, 2006 03:30 PM: Message edited by: 4 love of Tink ]</font>

[Kenshinchan]

Nice to meet you! Welcome to the board! [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

I've never been to the sale, so I don't know for sure, but I'd have to say, unless MAYBE if you're buying a lot of furniture and/or girls' clothes, you're probably not going to save any money at all. (And of course the shipping on furniture is pretty harsh.) There were pretty strict limits on dolls this year and VERY strict limits on clothes. And if you do the math, even if you could buy an unlimited number of dolls (which I believe you can on the second day, when they've all been picked over), you'd have to get about 10 of them to make up for the airfare and admission. (That's even if you bought one of the Limited Edition dolls--most likely Jess if you went next year--and if you really want Jess, you should just buy her now!) And the dolls you get at the sale are marked as seconds and if they have a defect, you're stuck with it. I contemplated going as well, but since I really would want MAYBE one more doll, and no furniture, monetarily, it wouldn't make any sense at all for me!

That said, if you count it as a vacation you were going to take anyway, I think it could be worth it! After all, you say you've always wanted to go! And you might be able to meet some folks from this board in person, which I'm sure would be lots of fun!

<font color="#33CCCC" size="1">[ July 30, 2006 07:44 PM: Message edited by: Kenshinchan ]</font>

[judiaci]

If I had to spend $500 to get to the sale, I don't think I would go unless I wanted to visit the area for other reasons. Middleton, Wisconsin is not that far away from Chicago so you could visit AGPC.

The best deals on on girl size clothes, dolls and books. Sometimes you can get retired furniture which you can't get anywhere else. I got the retired yellow trundle bed for $35. I was very happy because I have the rest of the set and our bed got broken.

It is fun to go to the sale and if you plan a vacation around it, it would be worth it. If you just go solely for the sale, you may come out even or behind financially.

[Jeanette M.]

Another expense I didn't consider beforehand when I flew out to the sale last year, was the shipping home of purchases. If you buy large items that you can't fit into a suitcase you can check on the plane, you have to take your purchases to the post office or UPS, pay for boxes and/or packing materials and postage/shipping. I got a lot of good buys when I went to the sale, but I'm pretty sure that after the plane ticket, the car rental, the hotel room, the eating out, and the shipping of purchases, that I didn't really save much money. However, I did get to spend wonderful time with dolly friends (who shared the car rental and hotel room costs), meet new doll board members I had not met before, go to the Oshkosh Outlet, spend an afternoon with my son and his family (who live in Wisconsin, about 1-1/2 hours from Madison), and visit AGPC. I feel it was time and money well spent!

<font color="#33CCCC" size="1">[ July 30, 2006 11:19 PM: Message edited by: Jeanette M. ]</font>

[dolllover]

Welcome to the board! [img]biggrin.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img] I've been to the MCM Sale before, I personally think it is worth the price for plane tickets, there are lots of great deals at the sale, especially early in the morning. I hope this helps. [img]smile.gif[/img]

<font color="#33CCCC" size="1">[ July 30, 2006 11:29 PM: Message edited by: AGfanatic ]</font>

[CaliGirl]

It's an absolute blast!! And well worth the expense as far as I'm concerned! But I think the key for making it worth your trip is to buy EARLY tickets for Saturday! If you're going to fly all the way out there, you may as well get early tickets and take advantage of as many great deals as possible!

[Polly Marie]

Welcome to the board! [img]graemlins/rose.gif[/img]
I don't know much about the benefit sale, but I know that you are getting the knowledge of others on the subject.
That's one of the reasons this is a good board to join. Hope you enjoy being here! [img]graemlins/coffee.gif[/img]
Polly Marie

[stebbarry]

As a person who has flown from Washington State to the sale twice now I certainly do not 'save' any money when I include the plane fair, hotel rental, shipping home purchases, etc. However, I can tell you that it is totally fun experience. I'm a person who loves garage sales and finding things at a 'good' price. I have still considered that I've gotten some great deals but I know that I have spent more money than I would have if I had just ordered everything directly from AG. I hope to return to the sale again in the next couple of years and would love to bring my DD to enjoy the experience with me! - Meg B.

[muppetquilter]

Does anyone know when they usually announce the date for the next year's sale? Plane tickets are cheaper between now and February. They go up in early Spring and this year stayed up until the weekend after the sale.

Thanks!