New Journey Girls Doll!

 Alana, The New Journey Girl Doll From Brazil

Since Toys R Us declared bankruptcy and is all but gone away, there has been little activity in the Journey Girls arena.  Earlier this year Amazon released preorders for a new doll (at that time named Adriana) with photos and a promised release date in July.  July came and went, and the release was pushed back to October.  Another doll was released for preorder on Amazon at around the same time as Adriana.  The holiday special edition was a rendering, rather than a true photo.  Again, release date was July.  That doll ended up being canceled, for now at least.   I’m sure COVID and supply issues are to blame for the delay and the cancellation.  Either way it is a disappointment that we won’t see the holiday doll, but let’s focus on the good; we did get a new doll…and she is amazing!

The preorder doll received a name change on her final release.  Her name was changed from Adriana to Alana, which is strange, since the Journey Girls line has had an Alana doll twice before.   Originally Kyla’s name was Alana.  That was changed early in the Journey Girl’s release and has stayed Kyla ever since.  Then in 2015 a special edition 2 doll pack was released with Alana as one of the doll’s names (looking very similar to Kyla, but with different color eyes and a slightly different skin tone).   This third iteration of Alana is completely different looking.  With a new golden skin tone, freckled cheeks and nose, green eyes (similar to Kelsey’s) and light auburn hair with a pink streak, this Alana is a standout in the Journey Girls collection.  She come is a bright pink leopard print one-piece dress with a black and aqua jacket with flowers on it.  She has a small brown bag with a rainbow leopard print, and plastic pink sandals.

One of the things that has been an issue for the last several years has been the tightness of the joints.   They have been darn near impossible to move.  I have actually ended up breaking the plastic post in an effort to move the joint.  Alana’s joints are amazing!   Her arms move smoothly and easily, her legs are good (even though the still spread more than they should), and her neck joint is great, after a very careful first turn that was very stiff.  There doesn’t seem to be any change in the vinyl from years past, other than the beautiful tone of Alana’s skin.  Her green eye’s are very similar to Kelsey’s.  My doll’s eyes are not quite straight, which has been an issue for a very long time in the Journey Girl line and many other doll lines.  If the eyes are just a little off they look like they are looking in two different directions.  They aren’t bad, but it bugs me when I look at the photos.  

She has a matte pink lipstick that goes well with her outfit.  Her freckles cover more of her face than Kelsey’s do.  Alana has freckles up the bridge of her nose, under her eyes, and on her cheeks.   Since they are painted on and because of her skin tone, the freckles reflect light sometimes when photographing (does not matter for play).   Her wavy hair has a few bright pink streaks down her right side.  One complaint is her ability to stand.  Because of how the leg joints work, positioning the feet for the doll to stand is very tedious.   There is really only one position, straight across from one another, and even in that position she will tip over sometimes.  It would be great if there was a little more weight in the feet or the hips had a little more movement to accommodate other positions for the legs.  Honestly this is a very minor issue that only photographers will probably be annoyed by.  I am really happy with this doll.   Beautiful face, eyes, and skin tone.  The joints are great!  Awesome doll!

Alana’s outfit is super bright and fun, matching the bright streaks of pink in her hair.  The knee length dress is florescent pink, with darker florescent pink leopard print.  Made out of a fabric with some stretch, the dress is very form fitting.  It has a simple jewel neckline with no sleeves.  Like most Journey Girls outfits, a piece of Velcro on the back makes the dress easy to get on and off.   Although the dress is simple, it is fun, especially with its bright color.

Made with a shiny, silk like material, the green and black, tiger striped jacket is interesting.  Yellow and florescent pink flowers adorn the print also.  White and florescent pink cording around the sleeves and bottom of the jacket finish the jacket.   The inside is lined with a lighter pink material.  I love the bright colors of the print, but the design of the jacket has a few flaws.   The first is that the sleeves are not long enough.   They end in the middle of the forearm.  It looks kind of strange.   The other issue is a cost measure I am sure, but it is really annoying…no zipper!   Even though the teeth are there, the actual zipper is missing.   Which means, once you take off the I-fasteners that hold the jacket to the dress, the jacket will not close.  Beautiful jacket, just a little annoyed with these few things.

Journey Girls accessories are often times not that great.  Alana’s bag is really cute with a rainbow lion printed on one side of it.   The tan fabric is a nice difference from the bright colors of the rest of the outfit.   Where the issue comes in, is the size….specifically of the strap.   Like so many JG bags, the strap isn’t long enough to be a shoulder strap, but it’s too long to be a wrist strap.   So the bag doesn’t really fit anywhere.  The bag has very little function, as it is basically flat.  It would be great if it was a little bigger or had some depth to it. 

The last piece that comes with Alana are her sandals.  With white bottoms and a thick pink plastic strap across the top, these sandals look like they were made for the beach.  They are different than many of the other sandals that Journey Girls has released.  Even though there isn’t a strap across the back, they stay on better than expected.  

 

Results

All ratings are out of 10

Poseability - 9 – Alana’s hips are the only place where the joints aren’t great.  As has been the case for years with the Journey Girls, her legs sprawl out when she sits.  The hip joints are not quite straight, making it difficult to stand her.

Quality - 8 – Hopefully Alana is a sign of the future of the Journey Girls as her joints are really good.   No creaking.  No catching.  Nice and smooth.   As mentioned, the hip joints still spread the doll’s legs out way more than they should, but that is a pretty common issue with 18 inch dolls.  My dolls eyes are a little off, but you will find that in AG dolls also. The quality of the dress is good, but nothing amazing.   The jacket is made extremely well, other than the missing zipper.

Adorableness - 10 – I forget how much I love the old face mold. It is so darn cute!  I love Alana’s hair.  Her skin tone is gorgeous.  Her outfit is very cute.   A great new doll to the line-up.

Compatibility - 4 – Alana’s dress is tight on her and downright impossible to get on other 18 inch dolls.   Plus, as with all Journey Girls shoes, these don't fit other dolls as the Journey Girls have much narrower feet.  The jacket kind of fits.   It is a struggle to get on and takes a long time to get on and off.  The bag can be carried by other dolls, but it’s definitely tight on the arm. 

Overall Score – 9 – Other than the compatibility, which we know is an issue with Journey Girls, Alana is a really great doll.  Her outfit is fun, cute, and well made.  The doll itself is well made with just a few small quality issues (joints and the eyes).  Hopefully Alana is not the last Journey Girl dolls made, because she is awesome and a great step in the right direction for this line.   Look for her on Amazon along with the other Journey Girls available.

 

Journey Girl's 2019 Special Edition Dolls

Journey Girls Releases the Japan Special Edition Doll

As Toys R Us continues re-establishing themselves, they also have begun investing in their brands, including the Journey Girls.  This year there are two versions of the Special Edition doll.  One is the standard blue eyed, blonde haired doll that permeates the Journey Girls line. 

The second is a brunette with hazel eyes and dark skin.  It's really nice that TRU gives us a doll other than the blonde haired blue-eyed dolls that out sell all of the other dolls. 

Both dolls have Callie's face mold.  The doll has no name, allowing for you to name her yourself.  She comes with a beautiful red dress, gold sandals, a matching necklace, bracelet, and barrette, a fur stole, and a hand purse.  As this doll is a special edition, she costs a little more.  Compared to the standard dolls, at $34.99, this doll is slightly more at $49.99.  Is she worth it?

The doll comes in a brown cardboard box that opens from the top.

The standard Special Edition box is inside.  Curved plastic shows off the beautiful new doll inside.

Getting her out is a challenge and will ultimately destroy her box.

Cut the top loose of the sides (there are tape circles and glue around the top of the plastic handled top).

Pull it off, and then you can pull the backer cardboard with the doll attached out of the box.

There are pieces of string holding the dolls hair to the cardboard.  Cut it, as well as the I-fasteners that are on the back of the cardboard.

You will also have to undo the twists around her ankles.  One the front of the cardboard, release the dolls arms by cutting the plastic straps.

There is a clear rubber band around her neck that can be cut, or pulled off of the holder.

A piece of clear plastic is under the front of the dress.  Find the I-fasteners to release the dress from the plastic.

Finally there are I-fasteners holding the dress pleats and the stole to the doll.  Once you find these you should have a doll free from her backing!

I am going to make a few comments on the doll itself before moving onto the dress.  It is wonderful to get the Callie mold as a new doll.  I really like the darker skinned doll, but the blonde works really well also.  As with most of the Callie dolls, her eyes look a little off.  This has been an issue with the Callie dolls for years, mostly because the shape of her eye sockets make it very noticeable if the eyes are even a little bit off. 

It isn't anything that would make me second guess buying the doll, it's just something to note.   When Toys R Us was open I would search through their entire stock to find one Callie doll with both eyes looking straight ahead.   Right now that isn't an option unless you are in the New Jersey or Atlanta area.

The bigger issue is still the joints.  My blonde doll has one arm that moves incredibly easy, while the other one is very hard to move.  Still, she is okay.  My brunette is not.  When I went to turn her head it snapped off. 

Her arms are also very tight.  When my second doll arrived, I slowly turned her head.  It became loose, and then fell off.   The same area of the joint snapped off.  Although it's not very difficult to fix the joint and make it work better, it shouldn't have to be done on a brand new doll.   

Journey Girls reached out to me and assured me that they are working on the issue.  If you buy the doll for a child, move the joints before giving the doll to them.  Just in case!  If the joint does break, check out this YouTube video on how to fix the joint. 

Okay...on to the dress.   As frustrated as I was with the joints on my doll, I was also just as much enamored by the quality and beauty of her dress.  The bright cardinal red satin dress has a high cut in the front and a flowing train on the back. 

Large pleats at the front of the dress make it possible to see the gold design on the underside of the dress. 

Part of the reason this dress feels so well made is because of the red and gold satin fabric on the inside.  The Australian line dolls also have a beautiful satin dress, but the fabric is thinner, because it is a single layer, compared to the double layer on this doll's dress.   Because of the pleats on the front, the dress can stick out and ride a little high on the doll.   On the top, the material is gathered, creating waves or wrinkles. 

A fabric flower made of the same material as the underside of the dress is on the right side of the waist.  Thick straps lead to a short v-neck that is accented by a small fold over collar. 

There is a small amount of tulle underneath the dress (almost like a tutu) to help fluff the dress at the dolls waist. 

Like most Journey Girl's dresses, this one has Velcro from the waist to the neckline on the back of the dress. 

Although this dress is fairly simple compared to some of the past Special Edition dresses, it is one of the most well made dresses, and the feel of it is awesome!

Toys R Us has done a great job of adding elements to make the Special Edition doll...well..special.  Since the release of Giovanna with the Italy release, all the Special Edition dolls have had pierced ears.  It's a really great feature that differentiates the dolls from the main line.  Along with the earrings, other matching jewelry is included with the Special Edition dolls.  This years doll has earrings that look similar to a flower, with a "diamond" in the middle and gold petals surrounding it.  

Continuing with this theme, the doll wears a gold necklace with on of the flowers as a charm.  The necklace is closer to a choker so that it shows above the v-neckline.  A bracelet with the same flowers also features "pearls" in a flower, two pearls, pattern.

She also has a barrette that is decorated with three of the flowers. 

The addition of the jewelry really makes the doll look elegant.  It is a great addition and can be used with many other outfits.

It's nice that Toys R Us has gotten away from the plastic flats that every doll used to come with. 

Although the basic design of the shoes that come with this doll is very familiar, they are enough different that they feel new.  The sandal bottoms are the same as many other we have seen in the past.  As I have said in the past, the only issue I have with these is how slippery they are on the bottom. 

A thick gold fabric strap goes across the top of her foot.  On my doll's shoes there is some minimal fraying along the edges of the fabric.   Nothing horrible.  Identical fabric goes around the ankle and is attached to the back of the shoe at the heal.  Two small gold fabric flowers are on the strap that goes around the ankle....a little off to the side, on top of the area that has Velcro.

The stole wraps around the dolls shoulders and clasps in the front.  It can be difficult to get the clasp undone, but once you figure out the angle for yours, it's pretty easy.  

A light tan faux fur on top, while underneath is a silky, light gold material.  

There is nothing fancy about the stole, and in my opinion, the dress doesn't need it.  That being said, it is nice and well made.

Last we have the little hand purse.  With fabric matching the dolls sandal, the little gold purse goes well with the outfit.   It is a simple pouch with a fold-over top.

A small piece of Velcro on the pouch makes it so that you can close the purse.  Instead of having the Velcro attach to another piece of Velcro, the entire inside of the purse is made of a soft material that sticks to the Velcro.

It makes it much easier to close the purse.  On the right side of the purse is a red tassel, tying in the color of the dress.   The purse is cute and the doll can hold it with no real problem.

Actually...one more last.  Normally I don't really talk about the dolls underwear.  Since (some of) the dolls have been being released with underwear (dolls with skirts get underwear, but one's with pants do not) they have been about the same.  Although the Japan release has seen some improvements in the quality of the underwear, there hasn't been much to note.  This doll comes with some fancy underwear.

A light gold silk material, like the material on the underside of the stole, makes up the majority of the underwear.  Looped lacy material adorn the openings along the waist and legs.   Since the dress has a higher cut in the front these fancy underwear sometime peek out, so it's nice that they were included.

Note - As I mentioned before Toys R US and Just Play reached out to me about the joints.  They have been working on a solution to the issue.  A doll was sent to me with the new/improved joints.  When I first moved the new doll's arms a familiar clicking feeling greeted me.  As I slowly and gently moved the arm up and down the joint became smoother.  There is still a small amount of clicking or getting stuck, but nothing like my other doll.  The neck joint also stuck a little at first, which made me really nervous, but with very little force, I was able to turn her head.

This joint is AWESOME!

There is enough resistance that the head stays in place, even when it is tilted.

Not enough resistance that the head can't move.

There is no clicking in the joint.  It moves smoothly and stays where it is left.

I hope that Toys R Us and Just Play are able to consistently replicate this joint as that has been a concern.  If this doll is any indicator...Journey Girls fans are in luck, because it is a great improvement!

All ratings are out of 10

Value 7 (10) – Why two scores?  Because of the joints.  With the old joints, this doll makes me nervous.  Even though my blonde doll's joints are better than my original brunette, the joints are still stiff and click into place.  The new doll has amazing joints that work perfectly.  As with most of the Special Edition dolls, Toys R Us puts a little more into the outfit and accessories than with the main line dolls. This dress is one of the best made dresses that they have released.  The necklace, barrette, bracelet, stole, and purse are all great accessories.

Fitment 9 – The dress fits perfectly, although the cut of the dress is a little high in the front.  All the accessories fit well, although the necklace is tricky to latch and the stole can be difficult to hook.  Otherwise there are no issues with fit, unlike some of the other Journey Girls that have recently been released.

Versatility 7 – As with Special Edition dolls of the past, the dress has very little versatility.  It is always going to be a fancy ball gown, which is fine, as it is an awesome gown.  The other accessories are all able to be used with many other outfits.

Cuteness 9 - If you can't tell I like this dress!  It is awesome! The design is unique, with the long train and high cut up front.  It's made of great material.  And the color is beautiful.  The dolls themselves are also extremely cute.  I love the Callie mold with the new skin and eye colors.

Overall 7 (9) – Without the joint issues, this new Special Edition doll is a 9.  With the joint issues, it's a seven...maybe below.   It's hard to give a great score when the doll breaks or has the potential to break.  However, if Toys R Us has changed the tooling and was able to fix the joint issue than this doll is amazing. The dress is so well made, designed, and pretty.  All of the accessories are beautiful.  Really a great doll.   And if you are one of the unfortunate ones to get a doll that has some joint issues, here is how to fix it.