American Girl Doll Care Center
Location not stated
Mattel's own repair service for American Girl dolls, renamed in 2026 from the Doll Hospital to the Doll Care Center. Three tiers, from a refresh through to replacing two of head, body, torso or limbs, and every treatment comes back with a certificate of good health, a gown and socks. Their own dolls only.
Getting hold of them
- Their own site
- You can walk in at 75 Rockefeller Plz, Fl 1, New York, NY 10019
They work from their own form, so start there.
If it gets lost
Not stated
This is a blank on their page, not an answer from them. We have never asked anybody in this trade the question. Of the 185 businesses we have read, 4 have written anything down about losing an item: 2 say it is insured, 2 say the risk is yours. The other 181 are silent, and silence is not a policy either way.
If you would rather not have to phrase it
“Before I send it, can I ask what happens if it gets lost or damaged while it’s with you? I’m not trying to catch you out, it just can’t be replaced. Whatever the answer is, could you put it in an email so I’ve got it in writing?”
“No, we don’t cover it” is a fine answer to get. It tells you to insure the mail yourself for the full amount, both ways.
Nobody has told us who covers the outward leg. Ask, because that is the half people forget.
If it is lost or damaged
Their website does not say what happens if your item is lost or damaged while they have it.
Ask before you post anything you could not replace. Only four of the businesses we hold publish an answer to this.
What they take on
- Full restoration and rebuilds
- Mending and seams
- Cleaning on its own
- Eyes and noses
- Joints
What they won’t do
The part every other directory leaves out. None of this is a criticism. It is how you avoid three wasted weeks.
- Restores to as-new unless you say otherwise
- Only takes american girl toys. Anything else is turned away at the counter
Their exact words on what they refuse
Quoted from their own pages, unedited, because a paraphrase of a refusal is the kind of thing you find out was wrong three weeks in.
- “They only repair their own branded dolls. The Doll Care Center is Mattel's service for American Girl dolls and takes nothing else.”
- “Limb tightening or reattachment – For 18" dolls only”
Getting it there
- Takes work by mail
- You can bring it in
- Comes back standard
Money
- Fixed menu of prices, so you know before you send it
Anything else they say
- Due to special procedures required for a Create Your Own doll, expect an additional one to two weeks.
- High volume in December.
- The only national-scale doll repair service in the United States, and it only takes its own brand.