Like most 90s kids, Sister and I have many happy memories of Polly and her friends. Whether it was tiny Polly in her compact, or Fashion Polly with her colorful rubber dresses, those simple figures entertained us for hours on end. Even trips into town couldn’t stop our playtime. We’d just pack up our favorite characters and take them with us while our mom ran errands (my favorite was Lea).
Sadly, Mattel discontinued Polly in 2012, and I had to find another brand of mini dolls to enjoy. Any guesses who?
While I’m tempted to revisit my childhood and buy every Polly Pocket at Walmart, I’m going to maintain some level of self-control and review just one.
Since the relaunch, Polly Pocket is everywhere. You can find her and her friends at Walmart, Target, and (of course) Amazon.
I picked up this Secret Slumber Party compact at Walmart for $4.97.
On the front of the package is a picture of Polly and the Polly Pocket logo. There is also a paperboard cutout in the center with “Polly Stick” printed across it and an arrow pointing to the compact’s floor.
I’ve never heard of Polly Stick. A blurb on the side of the box gives you a vague idea of what it is, but Google does a better job of explaining it. Polly Stick
On the back is a picture of the compact, an invite to check out the Polly Pocket website, and a variety of warnings and logos.
The Secret Slumber Party compact comes with:
- A micro-sized Polly doll.
- A pizza box (with pizza inside!).
- A pink teddy bear.
- A table.
- A minuscule bedroom inside a blue heart-shaped compact.
While Polly has changed a lot over the last 30 years, she’s still utterly adorable. This particular Polly stands just over one inch tall.
She is wearing a pink polka-dot jacket, a pink and white shirt, pink shorts, and pink shoes.
If you look closely, you can also see a heart-shaped locket around her neck. Even though she’s small, Polly has a ton of character. I especially love the pink streaks in her bright blonde hair!
The original Polly Pocket had a single hinge at her waist so she could sit (like a Cabbage Patch Little Sprout). When Mattel released the three-inch version of Polly, they gave her more articulation. The larger doll can move her head, shoulders, and legs (like Tinkerbell).
These micro dolls, though, don’t have any joints or hinges. Instead, they have soft, rubbery legs.
Since her legs are flexible, Polly can sit but not as well as she used to. Unless she is pinned down by something, her legs snap straight again.
This itty-bitty Polly has a blue, heart-shaped compact.
The compact comes with a pink key ring that hooks to a backpack or tote bag making it easy to take Polly with you.
Hidden inside the compact is Polly’s bedroom.
This bedroom is full of tiny details. Inside the top half are a TV and a bookshelf. The drawers and doors on the TV stand are nicely outlined, and a few trinkets and books decorate the bookshelf.
What’s really cool, though, is that the TV’s screen slides down so Polly and her friends can watch a movie.
It looks like they’re watching a ballet!
The bottom section holds a purple and pink sofa, lots of pillows, a remote, and a couple of gaming controls.
The sofa doubles as a bed. When the party is over, just flip the sofa seat up to reveal a bed, blanket, and pillows.
Thanks to the compact’s Polly Stick floor, Polly stays put when you set her on it.
While the dolls can balance without the help of Polly Stick, the stickers make things a lot easier. They also make sure Polly stays put even in extreme circumstances.
Polly comes with some teensy accessories. First up is her table:
The table is tan and has a board game sculpted on the top.
Polly also has a pink teddy bear and a pizza box.
The pizza box comes open so you can see the pepperoni goodness inside. However, you can also close the box if Polly isn’t ready to eat yet.
Finally, everything can be tucked inside the compact and stored for later play–at least that’s the idea. Honestly, I had a hard time closing the compact with Polly and her fun extras inside. I had to try several different configurations before finding one that worked.
The compact will close if the pieces are situated just right, but it’s tight. I was worried the pressure might warp Polly, so I took the table out leaving only Polly, her bear, and the pizza box inside. Without the table, the case clicks shut easily.
Final Thoughts:
Opening this compact took me right back to my childhood. I got all nostalgic remembering the fun games Sister and I used to invent with our Polly Pockets. I could see these being very popular with millennial moms.
Despite Polly being such a simple doll, she is as adorable as I remember. In fact, I think these 2019 Polly Pockets are cuter than some of the older versions (I was never a fan of the Polly dolls released after the 2010 reboot).
The only downside is that these compacts might be addicting for someone like me! Their small size and affordable price tag make them easy to collect. When are we going back to Walmart? I wonder which one of Polly’s friends I would get?
The fairy has spoken! I guess I better keep my eyes peeled for a pocket-sized Lea!
