Journey Girls Outside Table Review

New Journey Girls Table: How Does it Stack Up?

Toys R Us is beginning to release new accessories for the Journey Girls.  This accessory has nothing to do with the traveling that the Journey Girls do.  The table is reasonably priced at $29.99.  Keep your eyes out and you may be able to get it for 20 or 30 percent off!  The question is, "Is it worth $30?"  Yes…if you get a complete one.

The table comes in a nice box that shows Kelsey and the new Kyla on the front and back.  The box is kind of strange.  There is the top flap that is being held shut by two pieces of tape, and a side flap that has tape and a small flap holding it together.  It looks like you could open the box either way…but the side is glued, the top is not.

Cut the tape to open the top of the box (in the red circles).  There is a foam piece that is on top of all of the table pieces, take this out and then slide out all of the pieces.

Here are all of the pieces for the table (minus the purple cushions and placemats…Toys R Us forgot those for this package).  Each of the wood pieces is in a foam bag, protecting it from getting scratched.  That is nice.  It stinks when you get home and your new item is already scratched.

The table is really easy to put together.  Take the legs and screw them into the holes on the tabletop.  All of the legs are the same, so it doesn't matter where you put them.  The legs thread nicely into their holes and are very sturdy once they are twisted all of the way in.

It's surprising how big the table is…almost 12inches square!  Some of the doll tables are so small they can't really fit anyone at them.   This table is large enough for four.

Now the chairs.  There is a little bit more involved with the chairs.  You'll need a Philips screw driver to put these together.  The instructions are very good and easy to follow, but here are some tips. 

The first step is to connect the skinny flat piece (E) to the seat bottom (A) with two screws.  Do not over tighten these screws.  Just tighten them enough to keep the piece on the seat.  The screws are just a hair too long for the pilot holes in E and will go through the top of A if you tighten them too much.

If you tighten the stews to much they will crack through the wood.  Just enough to snag doll clothes!

Next  add the back of the seat.  There is one screw in the middle.  You can tighten this one as tight as you'd like.  I waited until I had the sides on to tighten it all the way.  I think it made it easier to connect the sides.

The next step involves attaching the sides (C and D) to the seat and back.  There are two stews on each side to attach, one at the back and one on the side.  Start with the one on the side make sure that the larger hole in the wood is on the outside of the chair.  Check to make sure that you don't have all the same sides. (One of the three sets that ended up coming home had all of the same sides).  Put the screw through the hole until it is poking out, then find the hole in part E and connect them.  Tighten this just until the part is held on.

Now go to the back of the bench.  Insert the screw into D or C (depending on which one you are doing first), then try to find the hole in B.  This can be tricky.  Before you put the screw in the hole look through it to find the little pilot hole in B.  Line them up, then put the screw in.  Tighten this one all the way, then go back and tighten the screw on the side.

Once both sides are on, tighten the bottom screw that goes from A to B.  Once everything is tight, this is a very sturdy seat.  The seat is nice and wide.  It could have a little taller back, but it's okay.

The set above is missing the purple cushions and placemats…because they weren't in the box.  So after taking everything apart, the set was returned to Toys R Us.  After exchanging for a new set and checking to make sure the set had all of the linens, I took it home to build it.  Once the pieces were out of the box it was clear that there were four C pieces, but no D.  So back to Toys R Us…for a third set.  This one was dumped out at the store to make sure that everything was in it.

The cushions have an elastic band at the back so that they stay on the chairs and don't slide off.  The band goes around the back of the chair easily and does a great job of preventing the cushion (and your doll) from sliding on to the floor.

The completed outdoor table set is great.  The table is sturdy and big!  It's easy to get two dolls at the table with plenty of room for food and things on the table.  The chairs are nice and sturdy.  They look nice, except for the screws on the sides.  Maybe they can be painted.  It's nice that the set comes with the cushions and place mats.  The cups and picnic basket feel goofy with the set.  The cups are perfect size for the Journey Girls doll's hands.  And the picnic basket is really cute…but it feels like it's missing some other pieces.  Apparently on this picnic the girls only get water.  It wouldn't be that big of a deal if Toys R Us had food accessories that could be purchased (like the Our Generation line does at Target).  But they don't…so the girls just get water.  The set would have been fine without the water cups and picnic basket.  It's nice that they are there though.

The bigger issues on this set are the screws that go through the seat and the missing pieces.  Both seat bottoms on the first set had issues with the screw cracking the surface.  That is going to disappoint a little girl when her new chair is already cracked.

It is understandable that sometimes things are going to be missing from a set of toys.  However, major things missing, is not a good sign.  After taking out all of the foam and looking through all the packaging, the cushions and place mats were no where to be found on the first set.  Although there was an extra screw.  Then to have the second set have all one side rather than two of each side for the chairs…not good.  If this set was given as a gift, that would have been horrible!  I have not run into this issue with any other company yet.  Bummer, because it is an awesome set!

Overall, the set is worth the $30…as long as everything is there.  Hopefully you don't run into any problems with your set, but it may be worth a peek in the box to make sure everything is there.   I can't wait to use this set outside.  I know that there will be lots of fun parties had at it!