The company sold more than 150 million units.īy the end of the decade, toy trends shifted from the in-your-face, action-packed tops and video game creatures to the cuddlier Zhu Zhu Pets, small plush, robotic hamsters that became a phenomenon in their own right.
Ultimate fans also added accessories like stadiums and launchers to their collection. The tops came with interchangeable pieces to customize the battle experience, with different weights, rings and disks determining how the toy would behave in the arena. The premise was simple: kids would battle it out with their friends to see whose Beyblade would spin the longest, and the first player to seven points won the match. With a new take on a classic spinning top, Takara Tomy spun its way to holiday glory in 2002 with Beyblades, which were inspired by a 1998 Japanese manga series. With 5 million sold in just six months, the Razor scooter helped even the balance-challenged shred the sidewalk after school. Kids begged for Game Boy link cables to battle their friends while adding trading cards to their list in the quest for an elusive holographic Charizard.Īfter ushering in the new millennium, kids around the country traded their iconic 90s-era skateboards for a new way of getting around: the Razor scooter.
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The Pokemon craze hit full force just before the turn of the century, boosted in popularity by the introduction of the Game Boy Color games, the physical trading card game, a hit animated television series and films that arrived on the shores of North America within a year of each other. The Furbish didn't always catch on, though - many a Furby had its batteries yanked out in the middle of the night when it wouldn't stop talking. In 1998 alone, Tiger sold 1.8 million Furbies.įurbies came in several different 'outfits,' and they all spoke Furbish, a simplistic dialect that slowly morphed into English as the creature got older. The toy retailed for approximately $35 and, like its furry red predecessor, fetched top-dollar on the internet. Both adorably cute and at times mildly frightening, the fuzzy talking robot produced by now-defunct Tiger Electronics was a cross between an owl and a rodent. Two years later, a new furry toy exploded onto the scene: Furby. Manufacturer Tyco said it sold a million Tickle Me Elmos over the course of just one holiday shopping season. In fact, the hysteria surrounding Tickle Me Elmo got so bad that a Canadian store clerk was reportedly trampled as fervent shoppers rushed to get their hands on the toy.īoosted by a series of endorsements and placements on television shows - Rosie O'Donnell called Elmo a "cute little monster" on her daytime talk show - the plush toy that retailed for less than $30 was suddenly fetching hundreds if not thousands of dollars on the then-nascent internet resale market. To get tickets and see hours of operations, go to /Tickets.It seems like Elmo has been around for ages, but it wasn't until 1996 that the lovable red furball really took the holiday shopping season by storm. This is a ticketed event and only a limited number will be sold per day and time slot. 25) and runs through January 2, but will be closed on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. There will also be a festive outdoor bar in the Botanical Garden and you can even ride a new train with onboard entertainment or check out the newly-added "snow" area.Ĭelebration in the Oaks begins on Thanksgiving (Nov. If you do want to get out and walk a bit, the Carousel Gardens Amusement Park will feature 18 rides and will include activities such as marshmallow roasting, hot chocolate, and dancing light shows. Bike Nights will be held every Monday night for visitors to experience the show on a bike tour. However, there's a new addition this year. Guests will be able to experience more than a million twinkling lights as they ride along. The month-long holiday lights festival, which serves as the park's largest fundraiser, features dazzling light displays and decorated live oak trees scattered throughout the 2.25-mile tour.