We were disappointed with the quality of the castle even while assembling it. Afterward when things began breaking and the flimsy structure popped apart, we were even less impressed. However, my daughter LOVES this castle and has so much fun playing with it. The details in each room are well thought out and I only wish more attention had been spent in creating a quality product. That said, when I contacted Mattel about my concerns they were incredibly helpful, friendly and willing to offer a full refund. When I explained my daughter would be very upset if the castle went away, they were able to find replacement parts for the items that were broken or falling apart and I had the parts the very next day. I am beyond impressed with their customer service. They made this a very positive experience. While I am disappointed with the castle, I am a big fan of Mattel and would happily buy their products in the future.
My three year old received this as a gift and it is one of the worst gifts ever. The staircase falls apart with the slightest touch, as do the chairs and other furniture. The magic carpet is anything but as it is difficult for an adult to move up and down, let alone a child. The castle as a whole is wobbly and feels like it is always about to fall over. It is cheaply made, although not cheap to purchase. Our three year old is very gentle and is constantly frustrated by the pieces breaking and falling off (the bed barely fits). We will be getting rid of this as soon as the newness wears off!
My 3 year old daughter received her dream castle for Christmas. It was the one gift she asked for from Santa, over and over. Well after assembly and the first part of playing, I wish "SANTA" would have kept it. The furniture and steps fall apart when they are barely touched, as well as the the tower tops. They don't snap on securely; they fall off with the slightest little nudge. The small heart pieces that are on the tips are very easily lost because they don't stay in place either. I really expected a better product for the amount that "SANTA" paid. Unfortunately we can't return it, because regardless of these factors my daughter enjoys it. She just has to stop playing several times to ask..."Mommy, will you fix my stairs?"
We can usually depend on Mattel for a good product. This castle is an exception! The product is poorly constructed. The assembly instructions are difficult to follow. The castle is made of plastic and many of the pieces did not fit well together. The staircase popped apart with even a gentle touch. Neither the flying carpet nor the turning dance floor were child friendly. An adult had difficulty using them. My grandchild (age 4) cried because she was so frustrated trying to make them work. I called Mattel to discuss the issues. They were quite understanding and sent me a return label. Both the castle and the furniture are "pretty" and very appealing --they need to reconstruct this product!