I got dragged to CVS today by my dad, and I saw something that has been messing with my brain cells every fall/winter for the past 4-5 years. If you don't go to CVS around the holiday season, than I'll explain for you guys... there's always a bunch of terrible-looking AG knockoffs on the top of the toy aisle, for everyone to see, even if they're just getting some soda around then. Being an AG superfan, it's hard to not cringe when I see them. They're not your average AG knockoffs... I can deal with OG or My Life or Journey Girls, but these dolls are just super tall and with faces that are the definition of "bad choice for a face mold". After wondering about them for the past few years, I decided to do some research on them so I could stop pondering around about them.
There are two separate lines of AG knockoffs that are sold at CVS around the holidays. The first one (and the one I remember seeing the earliest) are called Wispy Walkers. (Not to be confused with WellieWishers ;)
There's one reason why these dolls can be seen from every corner of a CVS store: they're a whopping 32 inches tall. That's almost double the height of an American Girl doll. And it's kind of odd, to be honest.
Another thing I find strange is the entire concept of the doll. Apparently you have to hold the doll's hand and then it walks with you? Who'd even want to do that? And don't get me started on the face mold and rooted hair... ugh.
The other line is called Donna: Two of Us.
This doll is the same deal: 32 inches and can walk with you, but it comes with two outfits and has a less creepy face mold. (But Donna sounds like a name for a historical character, not a modern doll.)
They're both manufactured by the same brand, Uneeda. They've been around since 1917 and have produced oversized walking dolls since at least the 60's, but the older models looked like Chatty Cathys, like they look like AG dolls now.
It's pretty interesting but weird at the same time that CVS sells these... they're both kinda AG knockoffs, but not really, since they're older than AG. One thing's for sure: if someone got me one of these dolls instead of an American Girl doll, I'd be mad.
I have bought at least 6 of the Wispy Walkers at CVS over the years. I enjoy the pretty face and outfits they come with. They usually are there only during the Christmas season. Although they are very flimsy and their hair is very thin I just display them. Not a great play doll for sure, but good for just displaying if you collect them.
If you see these Wispy Walkers at CVS it’s a total rip off! They are the cheapest doll, and I know dolls, that I’ve seen yet. My granddaughters got a kick out of them until literally 20 min into playing an arm fell off. When you hold it it’s like holding the weight of a light stuffed animal. Very cheaply made! I would hate to see other kids be disappointed
Ohh .. they look horrid
The first doll definitely has some issues around the head and neck area, almost as if they jammed the wrong head onto the body.
I wouldn't call these AG knock-offs though. The standing child doll category has been around longer than AG, as you say. I mean, you could have called AGs knock-offs of Sasha dolls, which are a similar size and have been around since the 1960s, and AG dolls weren't original in their physical design because they started out as Gotz dolls. If a product is successful, others will spring up to compete but unless they pretend to be the original I don't think it's fair to call them knock-offs.
I want to add that I do think…
the donna one looks nice :)