Live Like Polly Pocket-- Literally!
Book a stay in a real life Polly Pocket Compact starting August 21st, 2024 in the newest collaboration between Airbnb and Mattel!
Polly Pocket is turning 35! In honor of her anniversary, Mattel and Airbnb are offering a once in a lifetime experience where you can book and stay in a life size replica of the Polly Pocket compact, Slumber Party Fun.
This 42ft compact is located in Littleton, MA and, referencing Polly’s 1989 debut, costs $89 a night. It’s decked out with a plethora of fun touches, including a stocked vanity filled with clip on nails and butterfly hair clips, iconic outfits to try on, a picnic table with everything you need to create the ultimate friendship bracelet and a pantry stocked with Ring Pops, Push Pops and Baby Bottle Pops. Just outside the compact is the Action Park Tent, ready for four guests to camp out under the stars and the shadow of Polly’s enormous compact.
For those who are not in the know about Polly Pocket, here’s a quick rundown. In 1983, Chris Wiggs created a compact doll house for his daughter. Fast forward to 1989, English toy company Bluebird Toys licensed the concept and the first mass produced sets hit store shelves. According to one source, by 1994 three-quarters of Britain's 2 million girls aged between three and eight were estimated to own a Polly Pocket.
Due to their success, Mattel made an agreement with Bluebird Toys to distribute Polly Pocket in the United States in 1995, where they quickly became one of the most iconic toys of the 1990’s. Bluebird Toys itself had a bit of a rocky history. Their success ebbed and flowed during the 18 years they were in business. While they were riding high in 1995, by 1997, they were yet again in dire straits. Mattel gave them an ultimatum: they reorganize and reformat the brand or they would no longer distribute stock to the US. This would have been a huge blow, as Polly Pocket was 50% of the company’s profits at the time.
The impending reduction of sales caused the share prices to dip lower than they were already, which resulted in an unsolicited bid from another company to buy the brand in 1998. That company was outbid by Mattel, who purchased the company and brand and closed the home office of Bluebird Toys in England, effectively bringing to a close this chapter of Polly Pocket history. Some of Bluebird Toys other products of note include Mighty Max, Lucy Locket, Disney’s Tiny Collections and, according the the wiki page, the invention of the plastic lunch box.
Under Mattel’s ownership, Polly Pocket would be revamped, made bigger and end her run around the year 2000 in miniature form. They’d be released again in 2010 with Fashion Polly, a much larger, doll like Polly, then discontinued for US distribution in 2012. Interestingly enough, were you in South America, you would have been lucky enough to pick up a Polly Pocket long after most countries had stopped selling them, as Brazil sold them through 2018, right up to the rebranding that happened that year that brought Polly back to a similar size to her Bluebird Toys days.
Now, truthfully, I’m a purist when it comes to Polly Pocket. The Bluebird Toys sets are the ones there were out during my childhood and I do have quite a few. I wish I had more, honestly, as the prices for Bluebird Toy’s Polly Pocket sets are a bit crazy! It’s because of this love for the original iteration of Polly Pocket that I would love to visit this Airbnb. (You can actually see some of my Polly’s in the two videos embedded here. I’ll have to put more together since it’s such a special anniversary year!)
How neat would it be to walk in Polly’s shoes in a huge 42ft compact? Believe me, if I had money enough to fly to Massachusetts for a couple nights, I’d hop on a plane, book a photographer and have some pocket sized fun in this ginormous Polly Pocket compact. Honestly, all it’s missing is a life size version of Polly herself. Then it would be perfect.
If you’re interested in learning more about booking this spectacularly creative Airbnb, visit the booking website. It is also available for daytime “playdate” tours. Do you have any Polly Pockets in your collection? What’s your favorite? Let me know in the comment area!