JellyCat Diner
Who: Any megafan of JellyCat
Time: An hour
Level: Special Occasion
NYC is home to many unique experiences and JellyCat Diner is one of them. If your little one watches YouTube at all, chances are they have seen clips of the JellyCat Diner and probably want to go. At the diner chefs “prepare” various treats and encounter some issues along the way. Your mega fan will delight with the antics and smiles will be had by all. Is it worth the $70 price tag? Only your wallet and mega fan can decide if being able to say you went is worth it.
Reservations
Located in FAO Schwartz at Rockefeller Center, Jellycat diner is so popular that reservations open 4 weeks in advance and fill up fast once they do. Getting a reservation is a little bit art, luck, and patience. Reservations open every Monday and are usually booked within the hour that they do. Here’s the important information about the reservation system:
• The time they open isn’t exact. It is some time after 3:00 pm EST.
• The time reservations become available is not consistent; it varies from week to week.
• The days don’t open all at once. It may take a quick minute for them all to appear so don’t get discouraged if you do not see your day immediately available.
• Once they open, you might get placed in a queue. Don’t get discouraged if you are #1,285.
• The timeslots are only about 15 minutes each so there are a lot of spaces.
The first time I tried to get a reservation I got discouraged when I didn’t see them open exactly at 3:00 pm EST and missed the window. The next time, I patiently waited and refreshed until the days opened up. I began at 3:00 and around 4:15 they began to become available. The first days to open were Wednesday and Thursday. I quickly grabbed a reservation, thinking that I had missed the mark already, but decided to go back in and saw that the other days had opened. Since Wednesday and Thursday were not my preferred days, I jumped in the queue to try for the Sunday we wanted. I kid you not, I was #1,285. I rode it out and when my window opened, to my delight there were still a good amount of time slots available for the day I wanted.
For giggles, I tried the following week(s) to get reservations and each time the block opened at different intervals. One time it was closer to 5:00 pm and another it was 4:30 pm. I am not quite sure why they do this as the slots still fill up in about an hour no matter what. Other important reservation information:
• You may book up to six people per reservation
• Reservations are not transferrable.
• Only one reservation per guest (I had multiple for the same day at one point so I don’t know how strict this policy is)
• Reservations are free. No deposit required.
Getting there
Chances are you are out and about with the rest of your day, so the train is your go-to. The best stations are as follows:
• 47–50 Sts–Rockefeller Center: Served by the B, D, F, and M trains (3-minute walk).
• 5th Ave–53rd St: Served by the E and M trains (5-minute walk).
• 49th St: Served by the N, R, and W trains (short walk west to 7th Ave).
Cabs and cars are tricky as they sometimes shut down the street in front of the entrance preventing the cab from getting to the front door. Parking is always a challenge in the heart of the city. Both of these options are not a hard “No”, just be aware of their limitations.
The Experience
When you arrive, please be aware that there is a special entrance for guests attending the café. It is located on 49th street, between 5th and 6th avenues. You will see the line and a guard will ask you if you have a reservation once you get in it. They ask that you do not get there more than 20 minutes before your reservation. You must have your reservation available to view and may or may not need a picture ID. They did not ask for ours. The line does move so do not be discouraged if it looks long.
When the hostess greets you she/he will view your reservation and ask for the names. If you are getting the plush for someone else, please give them that name. There is a personalized sticker that goes on the wrapping so you want the name to be right. Once the information is provided, you will get a menu and can begin to decide what you will order. The milkshake and cheesecake plushes are exclusive to Jellycat Diner.
After placing your order, you go to the waiting area where you wait for your name to be called. Once they call you, your order and names are confirmed, and you pay. Once you pay, you go to your chef and let the show begin.
Please film your experience. Smiles will be had by all even if you have heard the jokes before. The chefs speak with the heavy New York accent and directness that you would want and expect from a native New Yorker. The silliness of the show is contagious and is nothing but light-hearted fun. The show is short so it is worth the video.
Each experience includes a Jellycat, an enamel pin, sticker sheet, gift packaging, personalized sticker, and reusable tote bag. Not every plush is guaranteed to be in stock, but you will have plenty to choose from.
Packing List
• Your wallet.
ADA Information
FAO Schwartz is ADA compliant, but not ADA friendly. The place is crowded, it is loud, and it is packed to the brim with amusable. It is overstimulating. It is overwhelming. It is a lot of information processing all at once. Even Jellycat Diner, which is a small section of the store, may be too much if you are sensitive to loud noise. Jellycat Diner itself is wheelchair accessible. It is on the first floor and sectioned off enough that the crowds will not matter so much.
Summary
Our price tag was hefty for an experience that was 20 minutes at best. We took more time getting there and waiting in line than we spent at the diner. Was it worth it? In all honesty, probably not, but we each decided to purchase a plush. Had we kept it just to one person and all enjoyed the show then the price was not too bad. If you keep in mind that each Jellycat is about $30-$40 as is, then paying a little bit for the experience and the extras that come with it is not out of this world. Would I do it again, yes but only for a superfan who wants to have the bragging rights.
Agenda for the day
Jellycat Diner is definitely an activity for a choose-your-own-adventure type of day, but you can easily build a day around a visit to the store. You can expand the experience immediately by spending time in FAO Schwartz but that will only increase the price tag of an already expensive experience. See below for nearby places that you can use to build a day around your visit. Be sure to factor in the schlepping of your items when you are choosing your additional activities.
• Central Park – park and zoo
• Rockefeller Center – Ice skating or roller skating
• Bryant Park • Times Square • Radio City Music Hall
• Top of the Rock/The Beam • Paley Museum • Museum of Broadway
• MoMa
• St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Kid Specific
• FDNY Fire Zone
• American Girl Flagship Store
• Nintendo Store
• Lego Store NYC
