For 35 years, Polly Pocket™ has always been pocket-sized—until now. This summer, Polly’s iconic home from the ‘90s is now available for a life-sized adventure on Airbnb.
To celebrate Polly Pocket’s 35th birthday, the pocket-sized doll is becoming an Airbnb host. She is opening her vintage-themed, two-story Slumber Party Fun compact, creating a tiny world where imagination knows no bounds. The space is filled with nostalgic surprises that transport guests back to their childhood while experiencing the pocket-sized life.
“I can’t wait for you to visit and help celebrate my birthday in my most epic compact ever,” said Polly. “Let’s have some serious slumber party fun in my hometown of Littleton, where we make the ordinary extraordinary. There’s adventure to be had from my closet full of nostalgic fashion fun to the surprises I’ve left hidden around the compact. The fun is endless!”
A life-sized purple Polly Pocket compact sits open in a lush green field with a forest in the background, with a life-sized Action Park Tent 10 feet away.
The closet area of the Polly Pocket compact with colorful clothes hanging on a bar, a full-length mirror, and a dresser.
The upper level of Polly Pocket’s compact includes a room with a vanity with 4 stools and stairs leading up to a kitchen.
Polly Pocket’s living room area with a pullout couch and faux television.
Front view of Polly Pocket compact decorated in shades of purple, pink, and blue. Living room and closet are on the lower level. Kitchen and bonus room are on the upper level.
Nighttime view of Polly Pocket compact lit up, with purple up lights at the edge of the forest beyond.
About the stay
Located in the charming town of Littleton, Massachusetts, Polly’s 42-foot-tall compact takes “tiny but mighty” to a new level. Guests can book one of three one-night stays from September 12 to 14 for up to four guests each, at $89 per person—a tribute to Polly’s debut in 1989. During their stay in Polly’s world, guests can:
- Explore every corner of the iconic compact, with a few hidden surprises along the way
- Get ready at Polly’s vanity, equipped with nostalgic hair and nail accessories in her favorite colors. Who said press-on nails are out of style?
- Check out the retro fridge and create the ultimate snack-filled picnic every ‘90s kid dreamed of
- Try on outfits in Polly’s closet, featuring her most iconic throwback looks in vibrant colors and glossy textures
- Relax in the living room with some popcorn, a movie, and plenty of pillows
- Sleep on Polly’s pullout couch or cozy up in her life-sized Action Park Tent, just 10 feet away from the compact after an evening of slumber party fun
- Craft custom, Polly-approved charm bracelets to match with your best friend
How to request to book
Ready for an adventure? Those eager to experience a day as a doll can request to book a one-night stay at Polly Pocket’s compact starting August 21 at 6:00am PT at airbnb.com/pollypocket through August 28 at 11:59pm PT when the request period closes. Guests are responsible for their own travel to and from Littleton, Massachusetts.
But wait, there’s more! For any dolls and ’90s fans who are unable to book the stay, there’s another chance to experience Polly Pocket’s life-sized compact. Polly is also hosting 21 daytime experiences for up to 12 guests each from September 16 to October 6. Those interested can request to book this experience starting August 21 at 6:00am PT at airbnb.com/pollypocketplaydate through August 28 at 11:59pm PT when the request period closes. Guests are responsible for their own travel to and from Littleton, Massachusetts.
The history of Polly Pocket
Polly Pocket was first created by Chris Wiggs in 1983 for his daughter Kate. Using a makeup powder compact, he crafted a small house for the tiny doll. Bluebird Toys of Swindon, England, licensed the concept, and the first Polly Pocket toys hit stores in 1989. Mattel had a distribution deal with Bluebird Toys for Polly Pocket items in the early 1990s. In 1998, amidst slowed production, Bluebird Toys faced multiple hostile takeover attempts until Mattel finally acquired both the brand and Bluebird Toys later that year. The sets made by Bluebird Toys are now valuable collectibles.
The original Polly Pocket toys were plastic cases that opened to form a dollhouse or other playset with Polly Pocket figurines less than an inch tall. The dolls folded in the middle, like the case, and had circular bases that fit into holes in the case interior, allowing them to stand securely at specific points. This was particularly useful for moving parts in the case. Because the dolls were so small, sometimes they came enclosed in pendants or large rings instead of the more typical playset cases.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, a collection of rubber clothing and larger dolls was produced. In 1998, Mattel redesigned Polly Pocket. The new doll was larger with a more lifelike appearance than the original dolls. She had a straight ponytail, rather than the curly bob hairstyle used previously. The following year, Mattel introduced “Fashion Polly!” which used the same characters from the new Polly Pocket (Polly, Lea, Shani, Lila, etc.), but they came as 3¾ inches (9.5 cm) plastic jointed dolls. They put a new spin on fashion dolls by using unique “Polly Stretch” garments, created by Genie Toys, which were rubbery plastic clothes that could be put on and removed from the dolls. There were also some boy dolls (Rick, Steven, etc.). Like Barbie and Bratz, Polly Pocket expanded into a media franchise, including DVD-exclusive animated films, books, and a website, now a section of the larger Mattel website.
In 2002, Mattel stopped producing the smaller Polly Pocket playset range but continued to produce the larger fashion doll.
In 2004, Mattel introduced the Polly Pocket “Quik Clik” line. Instead of having rubbery clothes, the dolls had plastic clothes that clicked together using magnets. On November 22, 2006, Mattel recalled 4.4 million Polly Pocket playsets after children in the United States swallowed loose magnetic parts. Affected toys had been sold worldwide for the past three years. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has flagged the use of magnets in children’s toys as hazardous, leading to many significant injuries in children, and has announced numerous recalls.
Mattel relaunched Polly Pocket in 2010, making further changes to the dolls, including increasing the size of feet, heads, and legs, although the height remained roughly the same. Fan reactions were mixed. Mattel also introduced the Cutants, non-articulated figures of hybrid animals.
In 2012, Polly Pocket toys were discontinued in the U.S. but remained available in Europe and South America, eventually being sold only in Brazil. The dolls continued to be sold exclusively in Brazil until the brand’s 2018 reboot.
On February 12, 2018, Garrett Sander announced on his Instagram page that Polly Pocket would be making a comeback, with a relaunch of the dolls. The new toys are miniature dolls in playsets, like the original 1990s Polly Pocket, but slightly larger. Instead of slotting into holes in the case, the new Polly is made of flexible plastic that sticks to certain surfaces and bends to sit in a chair.
In addition to the 2018 reboot, Hot Topic and Unique Vintage clothing brands have created merchandise inspired by the vintage Polly Pocket brand, including handbags, makeup, and clothing items for adults.
