Nash, TN MIDNIGHT MADNESS April 23rd

April is upon us and you all know what that means. It means that the Episode II products will be coming out soon. Midnight madness is supposed to take place at both Toys R Us and at Wal-mart (that is if our local Wal-marts don't brain-fart and put out their stock early). There have also been reports that not all TRUs are going to be participating in Midnight madness, maybe only 200 around the country. As soon as this is confirmed, we can find out if any of our local TRUs will be participating. Toy Master, since you of course have an interest in this, would you mind checking that out for us sometime in the next couple of weeks please? Thanks

Let's use this thread to discuss all things related to Midnight madness/ toy mania

 

I'm on it!

 

Well as for the Cool Springs location, the manager told me this morning that she hasn't received any information on whether or not her store would be participating. She said that she would probably know something in about a week, so I'll be sure to bug her again next Thursday! I told her that I'd leave her and her staff alone if they would just let me buy everything now and just be done with it....for some reason she didn't think that would happen anytime soon..... [face_shocked]

 

Looks like Hickory Hollow might not be doing this either. The manager told me they need approval from corprate a month in advace for the overtime and they do not have it as of this weekend. Wal-Mart, your our only hope...

 

Doobus just posted an MS Excel spreadsheet HERE for the EP2 toys being released on April 23rd. If you have Excel, this would be a great way to budget your midnight toy run. Happy Hunting!

Any word yet on whether the TRU in Cool Springs will be participating? We have 2-1/2 weeks yet. If not, then there is alway Wal-mart , if they don't accidently put the toys out early that is.

 

Stopped by the Bellevue TRU today and enquired about the Midnight deal. As of right now they "have no idea."

They did, however, have in the Jedi Starfighter (4 of them), but they could not sell them yet. I told the guy that I thought they were supposed to be able to sell the Starfighter, but he said that they had received a memo that said not to. I assume they must have decided that the "OK to sell one thing, but not anything else" policy was getting too confusing, so they are now holding these until the 23rd also (my theory; NOT FACT).

They did, however, let me check out one of the Starfighters. Didn't the early pics of this ship have it in a window box? The one they had today was in a completely enclosed box.

Anyway, as far as what was on the shelf that they COULD sell, they still had 3 of the AT-ST/Speeder Bike sets (am I the only one that has bought one of these at that store???), and the basic figures were all $5.99, which unless I am mistaken is a buck or two cheaper then they have been.

 

I'll bring my starfighter to the meeting if you guys want to see it.

 

A link put up today on TFN lists the 200 participating TRU's for Midnight Madness---sadly TN isn't among them! I guess our best hope is that Wal-Mart will be prompt with putting their stock out on April 23rd, if not at midnight then maybe by the next day.

 

The TRU midnight list over at forums does not show any sites in TN.

 

I went to the TRU in Cool Springs today and asked. The girl called the supervisor for the Nashville stores and she said that they have not heard anything yet. The local store managers have no say either. It's strictly a corporate decision.

Perhaps we need to get an online petition going to get midnight madness at either the Hickory Hollow store or the Cool Springs store and send it to TRUs corporate office. Does anybody know how to do this or want to volunteer to get this going?

EDIT: I just called TRUs corporate office and asked if any Toys R US in Tennessee were going to be doing the midnight madness event. The person I spoke to said that a list was just released and if the store is not on there than they will not be participating. I asked if we got a petition together, how many names would it take to get at least one TRU in Tennessee to participate. she got real snotty with me and said, "If they are not on the list, they are not on the list. There is nothing you can do to change that."I went to the TRU in Cool Springs today and asked. The girl called the supervisor for the Nashville stores and she said that they have not heard anything yet. The local store managers have no say either. It's strictly a corporate decision.

Perhaps we need to get an online petition going to get midnight madness at either the Hickory Hollow store or the Cool Springs store and send it to TRUs corporate office. Does anybody know how to do this or want to volunteer to get this going?

EDIT: Evidently no TRUs in Tennesse will be participating in Midnight Madness.
I just called TRU's corporate office and asked if any Toys R US in Tennessee were going to be doing the midnight madness event for STAR WARS. The person I spoke to said that a list was just released and if the store is not on there than they will not be participating. I even asked how many names on a petition would it take to get them to have at least one store in the Nashville area to participate? She then got real snotty with me and said, "Sir, if they are not on the list, than they are not on the list! There is nothing you can do to change that. " What a bunch of bunk! I for one will be boycotting TRU for STAR WARS Toys opening day, mostly due to the fact that I will be working when they open.

I guess we will be having Midnight madness at Wal-mart this year!!!

Wow! Is everybody trying to be disagreeable with us STAR WARS fans here in Nashville this week or what? I guess we just have to laugh and roll with it.

 

Feeling repititious, Scott?

 

Unfortunately YES!

Maybe I should have just stayed home today and away from any computer . Gee, I was so happy this morning.

 

Well I know this isn't toy related, but I have found something of interest to SERIOUS collectors-and by that I mean collectors who want ANYTHING related to the Saga!
Franklin (Cool-Springs) Wal-Mart now is selling Episode II ........cereal. Yeah. Anyway there are some pretty cool graphics and if anyone wants to munch on some Jedi Starfighters and Lightsabers I encourage you to get shopping right away.Yum!

 

Really this is kind of working out for the better. All E2 stuff is coming out on the 23rd and TRU would only have toy related stuff. So if you want the soundtrack or some of the other related stuff you will have to go elsewhere anyway. I bet that WM will be setting out the Tie Bomber that night too. Also keep in mind that Target opens at 8am and they will have everything out, so that could be an alternitive to the late night Monday.

 

FYII wouldn't depend on Target for all your AOTC toy needs. Only if you need an action figure or two that you couln't find at Wal-mart. They have a policy of only allowing each customer TWO of each "type" of item. This means, two beasts, two ships, or two action figures period, and not two of this figure, two of that figure. They cannot stand collectors. I think they actually go out of their way to dent the boxes of their exclusives, because the boxes are almost always are beat to death or instensely creased. One of their managers is a tall, thin, blond woman that is extrememly difficult and will enforce this rule if given the chance. She sometimes works the cash register. Avoid her if you can. Another one to avoid is a middle-aged heavy set woman with dark brown hair and glasses. Find one of the younger cashiers that looks like this is just a job and they could care less. Just about all of the guys that work the cash register could care less too. Many actually scope out the figures as they are ringing them up.

 

I say, to hell with all TRUs then.

I was at Wal-Mart in Columbia last night and they had ALMOST ALL the lego Episode II stuff out... that's right, almost ALL!! I nearly had a cow right then and there.

So you see, Wal-Mart just might be the ticket then.

OT, what is the deal with TRU these days? They used to be so cooperative with the Star Wars effort in the past. Beats me.

 

Unbelievable. Here's the Official list, according to TF.N.

Here's the story

Not a single Toys R Us in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex is participating, either.

I may boycott TRU, as well. If a store can't have any fun with an event like this, then they can't have any of my money...

 

Wal-Mart will likely be cheaper on stuff too. I was going to use Target as a grab something I missed at WM resource. Well no wonder WM is at the top of the Fortune 500 list, all of the rest of these retailers are shooting themselves in the foot. BTW, I think TRU is pissed that collectors were too smart to plunk down $80 on the dewback last year. They probably though that they had a cashcow on there hands.

 

I was surprised to say the least.

These are the legos they had:

Jango Fett
Darth Vader
Pod Chase (Zam/Ani/Obi)
Ani, Swoop Bike and Tuskens
Yoda and Dooku

... And I'd say about 5 or 6 others that I can't remember.

 

I just spoke with the manager of the toy department at the Super Wal-mart in Cool Springs and asked her if they had any Episode 2 toys. Her answer was just what I wanted to hear, "We won't be putting any out for sale until 12:01 a.m. on April 23rd." She doesn't know whether they are going to rope the area off the evening of April 22nd, or if they will be just bring them out on a large pallet yet. Either way, there will be a lot of them. Wal-mart is the ticket this year my friends. TRU will definitely be kicking themselves after this. Perhaps, they don't even care. It's just poor business if you ask me. They're loss , and our gain

 

Anybody want to plan on meeting at Cool-Springs Wal-Mart for our own "Midnight Madness"? I will be there for sure, probably around 11pm just to be ready. I doubt I'll be the only one-there are a few figures that I'm sure will appear in quantity now and then dissapear for a while.

 

I'm definitely going to be there!