There is a lot to do in New York, but many activities turn out to be quite expensive. When you travel with kids, you often have to prioritize if you want to stay within the budget.
Pushing the door of an NYC toy store often means discovering a world with a magic atmosphere. It also means having a great time for free! Whether you are in Times Square (M&M’s, Disney Store), Rockefeller Center (Nintendo NY, LEGO World, FAO Schwarz), or near the Flatiron Building (Harry Potter Store), here are 6 toy stores you will love!
M&M’s World New York
M&M’s World New York is impossible to miss with its giant screens that broadcast M&M’s entertainment 24 hours a day, right in the heart of Times Square.
Opened at the end of 2006, the 24,000-square-foot store, spread over three floors, is entirely dedicated to the famous little chocolate-coated peanuts. Here, you will find M&M’s with various flavors and colors (cherry, almond, puffed rice, coconut,… in red, blue, green, pink,…), a lot of brand products, and a printer that allows you to personalize your M&M’s with an image or text of your choice. It is very difficult not wanting to buy everything but you might be surprised once you get to checkout 😅
➜ Whether you love M&M’s or not, the giant wall of 72 candy-filled tubes is worth a look!
Good to know
- M&M’s World New York is located at the corner of 48th Street & Broadway, right in the middle of Times Square.
- The store is open Monday to Sunday from 10 am to 10 pm. Times are subject to change, please check.
Disney Store
Also in Times Square, the New York Disney Store spreads its 20,000-square-foot over 3 floors. Opened in 2010, following the closure of the World Of Disney NYC which occupied 3716m² on 5th Avenue, the store offers costumes, figurines, stuffed animals, board games, comic books, and other Disney brand products. From Winnie the Pooh to Star Wars, from Disney Princess to Pixar (Finding Dory, Coco, Soul), and Marvel’s Avengers, you can find it all!
➜ The interior decoration is as expected from Disney, magical and colorful. On the second floor, it is difficult not to be impressed by the magnificent princess castle. In terms of buying, there is something for every budget. We fell for the adorable Minnie Liberty 🙂
Good to know
- Disney Store Times Square is located at 1540 Broadway.
- The store is open daily from 9 am to 9 pm.
Nintendo NY
Opened in 2001 under the name “The Pokemon Center”, the store changed its name for the first time during renovations in 2005 (“Nintendo World”). After further renovations in 2016, it reopens as “Nintendo NY”.
Located in Rockefeller Center, this 10,000-square-foot store, spread over two floors, offers a wide variety of Nintendo video games and merchandise, including exclusive apparel, gear, and accessories. There is a Pokémon dedicated section but also kiosks to test various Nintendo Switch games, a giant screen to play the Wii, and a video game museum presenting old Nintendo game systems. As a flagship, the store regularly organizes tournaments, screenings, and events for the launch of new games.
➜ Video game addicts surely can’t miss the Nintendo NY store. If you are not a big fan, then the store alone isn’t worth the trip. But, if you are near Rockefeller Center, you can visit this store alongside the LEGO Store and FAO Schwarz.
Good to know
- Nintendo NY is located at 10 Rockefeller Plaza, 48th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues.
- The store is open Monday to Thursday from 9 am to 8 pm, Friday and Saturday from 9 am to 9 pm, and Sunday from 11 am to 6 pm.
FAO Schwarz New York
In 1862, Frederick August Otto Schwarz, a German immigrant, founded FAO Schwarz in Baltimore. In 1870, he opened his first store in New York, between the 8th and 9th streets. The store moved several times before settling on 5th Avenue. This 50,000-square-foot store was then one of the largest toy stores in the world (behind Hamleys in London).
Bought in 2009 by Toys’R’Us, the store closed in 2015 following the group’s bankruptcy and the exorbitant rise in rents on 5th Avenue. Bought by a new group in 2018, the brand reopens at Rockefeller Center. Even though this store is three times smaller, it is still a New York institution!
People go to FAO Schwarz for the multitude of toys they can find but also for its gigantic stuffed animals, the big piano on the floor on which they can walk, the doll adoption stand (from $130), and the various workshops that allow them to create and personalize stuffed animals, Barbie dolls ($75) or remote-controlled racing cars (starting at $50).
➜ When you had the chance to visit the old FAO Schwarz on 5th Avenue, this new location is rather disappointing. Nevertheless, it remains a must-see when visiting New York with kids!
Good to know
- FAO Schwarz is located at 30 Rockefeller Plaza.
- The store is open daily from 10 am to 7 pm.
LEGO Store
Opened in 2021, the LEGO Store Fifth Avenue is located at the foot of Rockefeller Center. This is the second LEGO store in New York (the other is located near the Flatiron Building) and by far the most experiential.
As in all LEGO Stores, there is a huge “Pick a Brick” wall and giant creations related to the city where the store is located: Statue of Liberty, giant yellow cab, the Empire State Building, etc. With its 880,000 bricks, the “Tree of Discovery” is impressive, to say the least.
The LEGO Store Fifth Avenue offers 3 new customization workshops:
- the Mosaic Maker turns your photo into a pixelated version made from LEGO bricks;
- the Minifigure Factory lets you create a custom mini figure from LEGO bricks;
- the Lego Brick Lab combines a physical LEGO construction with innovative digital technologies to transform it into a virtual element that can be animated on a touch screen.
➜ If customization workshops are aimed at real LEGO fans, a LEGO store is always a safe bet, and this one is no exception. In terms of buying, you won’t get better deals here than buying online.
Good to know
- LEGO Store Fifth Avenue is located at 636 5th Avenue.
- The store is open Monday to Thursday from 11 am to 7 pm, Friday and Saturday from 11 am to 8 pm, and closed on Sunday.
- The Lego Brick Lab is a paid activity ($15 for a child ticket including an adult) that must be booked in advance.
Harry Potter Store
A few steps from the Flatiron Building, between Broadway and 5th Avenue, the Harry Potter Store is a 20,000-square-foot store, spread over two floors, entirely dedicated to the wizarding world. Opened in 2021, it is the largest sales area for franchise merchandise.
With 15 different themed rooms and seasonal installations, the Harry Potter Store is more than a store, it is an immersive experience!
From the first steps in the store, everything is done to transport you to Hogwarts: brick walls to remind Diagon Alley, a replica of Fawkes, Dumbledore’s phoenix, hanging from the ceiling, a Ministry of Magic telephone booth, a magic door leading to Dumbledore’s office … The sets are spectacular, you really believe it.
In addition to the classics (chopsticks, clothing, chocolate Frogs, etc.), which can often be personalized, the store offers exclusive items and a unique House of MinaLima space. And why not finish the visit by tasting the famous Butterbeer that sorcerers love?
➜ If you are among Harry Potter fans, visiting this store is an experience not to be missed. If you want to push the experience even further, go see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway! It is sad that the two VR experiences initially offered, “Chaos at Hogwarts” and “Wizards Take Flight”, are no longer available today. Despite their price ($34), they were undoubtedly an experience to live. During our visit, it was impossible to get places in 5 days’ time!
Good to know
- Harry Potter Store is located at 935 Broadway.
- The store is open Monday to Saturday from 9 am to 9 pm, and Sunday from 9 am to 7 pm.
- It is advisable to register in the virtual queue system via a QR code but we entered without having done so.
