You may remember the old Toys ‘R’ Us in NYC… But have you visited the new location, inside Macy’s? Come and take a look around with me!
The old Toys ‘R’ Us was the home of childhood nostalgia in NYC. Located in the heart of Times Square, the epic store has a giant ferris wheel inside, and was a magical center to the chaos of Times Square.
I remember being 18 and visiting the Times Square Toys ‘R’ Us, for a second, I wished I was younger again, so I could’ve really dived into all the toys and games.
Now in NYC, the Toys ‘R’ Us is found inside Macy’s – on the 7th floor to be precise.
I paid a visit recently to see if this new location for Toys ‘R’ Us captured the same magic, and if it was worth recommending to visitors and friends. So, let’s get into it.
Important information about Macy’s & Toys R Us
- Website: https://www.macys.com/
- Location inside Macy’s: 7th floor
- Address: Herald Square, 151 W 34th St, New York, NY 10001, United States
- Phone: +1 212-695-4400
- Opening hours: 10 am–9 pm daily, (extended to 10pm on Friday and Saturday)
First of all, the store isn’t a stand-alone store anymore.
The biggest difference between the old Toys ‘R’ Us location, and the new Toys ‘R’ Us location in Macy’s – is the fact that the new Toys ‘R’ Us is no longer a stand-alone store.
It’s a section of a much bigger store – Macy’s.
Immediately, this kind of took the shine off the experience for me. There was no grand entrance, no overwhelming sense of nostalgia when entering, and no drastic environmental change (like the smell, music, noise, etc).
There is a big sign to mark your arrival into Toys ‘R’ Us land – but it’s not quite the same as entering a completely stand-alone store.
It doesn’t really have the wow-factor
In a very similar way, I don’t feel like the new Toys ‘R’ Us inside Macy’s has the same wow-factor that the old location used to have.
The wow-factor has been lost a little, which was to be expected, I guess – when joining a much bigger store, and with fewer capabilities to expand and build upon the structure and design of the store floor.
Walking around the Toys ‘R’ Us inside Macy’s is fun (no doubt!) and it’s super nostalgic too – but it’s not a wow experience. It’s very much just a toy store, and not ‘an experience’.
There are efforts for immersive aspects
Despite the Toys ‘R’ Us inside Macy’s feeling a little bit underwhelming, I did appreciate the efforts that they had made to make this section of the store a little more exciting and immersive than other parts of Macy’s.
- For example, there were ‘Ready Set Play’ areas scattered around the store—little tables with sample toys on, for kids to get involved with and explore.
- There were also some photo opportunities scattered around the store too – for kids to pose and play with their favorite characters and toys.
- There is an indoor playground in the center of the Macy’s Toys ‘R’ Us. It’s not overly complex, but it’s a great place for kids to blow off steam for sure.
- There are some really fun exhibits to look at in the Macy’s Toys ‘R’ Us. Such as a Lego replica of the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade.
Here are some of the photo opportunities inside Toys R Us in Macy’s…
The play area inside Toys R US, NYC
The ‘Ready Set Play’ areas inside Toys R Us
The variety of toys is great
There are some positives to the new Toys ‘R’ Us locations in NYC.
If you’re going to the Macy’s Toys ‘R’ Us purely for the shopping – and you’re not too fussed about the experience and immersive elements – then you’ll likely be really impressed with it.
There are lots of toys on sale here, and it’s one of the best toy selections in NYC, hands down.
You’ll find all kinds of toy brands, characters, TV show merch, etc. I’ve listed a few here; Barbie, Lego, Paw Patrol, Nickelodeon, Baby Shark, Thomas the Tank Engine, Hot Wheels, playmobil and so much more.
The store is pretty easy to navigate (and it’s not too overwhelming)
Another positive to the Toys ‘R’ Us location in Macy’s, is how easy it is to access and get around, this is particularly important if you have mobility issues, or will be visiting with a pushchair or pram.
- It’s all on one level (easily reached by elevator or escalators)
- The walkways in Toys ‘R’ Us are wide
- There is plenty of space for pushchairs and wheelchairs
- Different sections of the store are clearly sign-posted and easy to see
One last benefit… There is a McDonalds right next door!
One last positive about visiting the Toys R Us inside Macy’s, is the Mcdonald’s restaurant, literally located right next door.
If you didn’t know about Macy’s secret McDonald’s – now you do! And you’ll find it right next door to Toys R Us on the second floor.
If you’ve spend an hour or so wandering around Toys R Us with your kids, and they’re now super hungry and grouchy – McDonald’s is literally the perfect solution!
So, would I recommend visiting?
You know what, if you’ve got kids who need entertaining, or you need to do some toy shopping – then yes I do.
It’s not the most unique toy store in NYC (however, I wrote a list of amazing toy stores in NYC here!) it does have plenty of stock, it’s easy to explore, and there are lotsof little parts of the store build especially for kids.
It’s not the most exciting activity in NYC, and it’s certainly not as exciting as the previous Times Square location – but it does have it’s merits. And the McDonald’s right next door, has to be one of them!
