MBM Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 My vote is for the Inspector Gadget which was created from various body parts handed out with meals. Each part could also function as something independently. Very cool. Which do you think has been the most ingenious? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 School supplies. Over the years we've come across a calculator, magnifying glass, teleidoscope (and a few other optical toys), leaf rubbing kit, etc. Also, if I remember right, LEGO! We've gotten all of this second hand. My kids know that if we eat fast food, I will not get the meal with the toy. Which means they have to decide whether they want the actual food. Which they usually don't. I frequently point out that the fast-food place has to offer the toy, otherwise no one would buy the food because frankly it isn't very good. The kids get it. (Now I did have a very nice bowl of oatmeal from a McDonalds in D.C. - highly recommended. And now and again I've had their yogurt parfaits - not bad, though I use non-sweetened yogurt at home. But these things don't come with toys.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluemongoose Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 I got the best one ever as a child! A live goldfish in a bag with my order of a filet of fish sandwich!:D My mom was not as happy as I was. She had not planned in the time to hit the pet store for a fish bowl and food for it.;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama Geek Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 I don't think these were from a happy meal, but I liked the smurf glasses from Hardees. I was a big smurfs fan.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 When my son was little, we loved it when they gave out Hot Wheels cars. He played with those toys, unlike the girl toys, which my daughters wanted but never actually played with for more than than ten minutes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 When I was a kid I LOVED the Berenstain Bears. Burger King had the figures in ther happy meals! I had collected everyone except for Brother Bear, which we couldn't find anywhere. My mom called all Burger Kings in the vicinity and finally found one that still had one. So she took me to get it! Since I've had children, the most played with toys have probably been either (A) the Halloween buckets that McDonald's has at Halloween time...my kids tote toys around when we leave the house and this is the perfect size to hold toy figures, or (B) the Alvin and the Chipmunks figures that McDonalds had a while ago. I know it has been at least a year and my girls still play with those. They love the Chipmunks. Most Happy Meal toys get tossed after a few months, but some are keepers....like the ones I mentioned above. Also any of the plush animals that they give away. Ones like the teeny beanie babies or the Hotel for Dogs dogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 My dds loved the pop-up/interactive Narnia books they had several years ago. My inlaws collected two sets and sent them. Dds played with them for a couple of years and they held up really well. They also liked the old ones that were shaped like McD's food and they each do something different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caterpiller Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 (edited) My favorite growing up was actually from taco bell, It was a microphone like the ones target sells now for $1. I loved it. LOL I loved it so much, DD got one for Christmas last year!! :) I also LOVED collecting McDonalds Barbie Dolls. We still have 1 left that my DD plays with now. Wish I had more she could play with. I got most of mine from thrift stores as a kid. LOL :) DDs favorite has been the My Little Ponys! I wish they would do those again so I could go buy some for her Christmas Stocking. We don't eat there anymore, so she hasn't gotten any new Mcdonalds toys in a while. Edited November 12, 2010 by Caterpiller added something, didn't erase anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katemary63 Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 My DD loved her cars from the movie Cars. She has had them for years and still loves them. We collected them all. Fun fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 For sure the Fisher Price Toddler toys. It is minuture versions of all the classic Fisher Price Toys - the stacking rings, the pull phone, the popcorn push toys and tons more. I am already a Fisher Price Little People freak so I was sold on these as soon as I saw them. My grandson plays with them now. Also the Dalmations were a big hit with the kids. They still get them out at Christmas and play with them. I think these are the only ones that I have kept. We have the My Little Pony ones for along time because my dd's played with them for a long time but the youngest is 11 and starting to outgrow toys so I think those went with the last purge. Oh, I do have several Halloween sets as well that we put out a Halloween decorations. Finally, Chick-fil-a always has good toys - usually books or other educational activities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolly Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 Most played with here were the Hot Wheels cars and miniature Ty beanie babies. Boy, they loved those beanie babies. I even let them take the tags off!:lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyFL Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 Most played with here were the Hot Wheels cars and miniature Ty beanie babies. Boy, they loved those beanie babies. I even let them take the tags off!:lol: Ahhh.... and I was one of the idiots running around town to various McDonalds, on the phone with a friend comparing what we had found.... unreal! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imprimis Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 My son, who was a big fan of the Spy Kids movies, loved the spy bug that was in the Happy Meals sometime back in the early 2000s. The Lego ones were also a hit with my kids, as were the Peter Pan toys that tied in with the release of Peter Pan on video back in the late 90s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 Well-I must just be a big 'ole geek. I'm rather partial to the Chick-fil-a prizes like books and audio book cds. But perhaps you refer only to McD. Sorry if so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabrett Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 My vote is for the Inspector Gadget which was created from various body parts handed out with meals. Each part could also function as something independently. Very cool. Which do you think has been the most ingenious? This is exactly what I was going to say. I have the entire Inspector Gadget! It took me FOREVER to get all the parts! I also have ALL the Star Wars kids meal toys.:leaving: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrixieB Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 My personal favorite is Huckle Cat (Richard Scarry character) in a little blue car. I got it pre-kids. Dh rolled his eyeballs when I went into McD's to buy it. We have some Legos from happy meals. A relative got duplicates of the Lego sets and gave them to us. They are now mixed in with the rest of our Legos so the bricks are getting used in some structure or vehicle. I think the only happy meal toys my dds didn't dispose of right away were the American Girl sets from a year or two ago. They don't get played with, but they are in the house somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PineFarmMom Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 We always enjoyed the beanie babies and the Madame Alexander dolls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scuff Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 Yes, the mini-beanie babies. They are the cheapest, most loved toys evet around here. They each have their own personalities, families and sub-culture built around them. We could probably get rid of all the other toys in the housr as long as we kept those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baseball mom Posted November 13, 2010 Share Posted November 13, 2010 Favorites here were miniature Fisher Price toys cars from the movie Cars Hot Wheels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillary in KS Posted November 13, 2010 Share Posted November 13, 2010 I don't know if it was ingenious, but ds 15 still talks about the joy of receiving Legos in his Happy Meal when he was 4. (spring or summer of 2000) They were small lego sets with normal Lego pieces. (None of these 2 or 3 pieces of fused Lego contraptions, or Bionicle-shaped action figures they've given out since then.) There were several small sets: a car, a plane, etc. Ds LOVED them, and they were his first introduction to real Legos. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EthiopianFood Posted November 13, 2010 Share Posted November 13, 2010 They also liked the old ones that were shaped like McD's food and they each do something different. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted November 13, 2010 Share Posted November 13, 2010 My vote is for the Inspector Gadget which was created from various body parts handed out with meals. Each part could also function as something independently. Very cool. Which do you think has been the most ingenious? Chick Fil A has often given out small format but complete books like Click Clack Moo or Duck for President. Jack in the Box gave out small tubs of Play-doh with a cutter or mold Wendy's gave out cds of Arthur chapter books. Best McD's toy was when we were in Germany and they gave out small video games (the type that were just a little led display). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawna in Texas Posted November 13, 2010 Share Posted November 13, 2010 Wow that's big. I craved fries when I was pregnant. It was the only thing I could stomach during the earlier months. I'd ask for them without salt so they had to make them fresh. I'd get a happy meal for the protein :tongue_smilie:. PotC was coming out with the 3rd movie I think, so I have about three Captain Jacks. Incidentally, it was the baby's favorite toy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delaney Posted November 13, 2010 Share Posted November 13, 2010 Years ago, like 1996 I think, they had these little plastic chicken nuggets that came with dress up pieces to make them into monsters. Here is a link to an ebay auction that shows them. My mom still has them and the kids all fight over them! http://cgi.ebay.com/LOT-OF-15-MCDONALDS-FRY-GUYS-CHICKEN-NUGGETS-FIGURES_W0QQitemZ150518692481QQcategoryZ767QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4340.m263QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DSIC%26its%3DI%252BC%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%26otn%3D10%26pmod%3D280563252006%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D4922627845704439978 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom0012 Posted November 13, 2010 Share Posted November 13, 2010 The only McD's toy that we ever got that I thought was worth keeping were the little Madame Alexander dolls. Loved those! We missed the lego sets or I'm sure they would be on my list as well. Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TN Mama Posted November 13, 2010 Share Posted November 13, 2010 I remember years ago Sonic had gears as kid's meal toys. They were magnetic and on our fridge for years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted November 13, 2010 Share Posted November 13, 2010 Years ago, like 1996 I think, they had these little plastic chicken nuggets that came with dress up pieces to make them into monsters. Here is a link to an ebay auction that shows them. My mom still has them and the kids all fight over them!http://cgi.ebay.com/LOT-OF-15-MCDONALDS-FRY-GUYS-CHICKEN-NUGGETS-FIGURES_W0QQitemZ150518692481QQcategoryZ767QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4340.m263QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DSIC%26its%3DI%252BC%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%26otn%3D10%26pmod%3D280563252006%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D4922627845704439978 Yes, I have three sets of these. The only thing is, you definitely need the pictures if you want to put them together correctly. Some are obvious but others not so much. Anyway, these are the Halloween ones that my kids love to put together for Halloween. Also, one year we had a bunch a single piece items that were Halloween theme-y. I can't quite remember what they were other then the fact that some glowed in the dark. Anyhow, we gave those out for Halloween and the kids loved them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kebo Posted November 13, 2010 Share Posted November 13, 2010 Our house favorite Happy Meal toy is a set of Monsters Inc. figures. I actually bought them on eBay because I liked them so much. Roz is my favorite :001_smile:, but they are all cute. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outdoorsy Type Posted November 13, 2010 Share Posted November 13, 2010 Probably the Lego sets, but they also play with the mini Beanie Babies a whole lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted November 13, 2010 Share Posted November 13, 2010 The mini Beanie babies (when they had 30 different ones a summer or two ago). Some spy gear. They had a laser that you turned on and when someone walked through the laser beam, an alarm would set off. How cool was that?!?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satori Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 We loved our How To Train Your Dragon dragon set. Whenever I visit my parents, my daughter gets plenty of trips to McDonalds (enough to collect entire sets), as well as a steady stream of SpongeBob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Princess Peach Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 We collected the Finding Nemo toys when they came out. We still have Nemo, Squirt, and Pearl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 In France we got the cutest wind-up zoo toys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jyniffrec Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 Does anyone remember a long, long time ago that McDonalds had Playmobil people in their Happy Meals? They were recalled, but I loved them! They were the only Playmobil I had as a child. Last year Thing 3 really wanted the Madame Alexander bride and groom. I broke her heart and told her no but secretly went back and got them for her and Thing 4's Christmas stockings. She was over the moon when she saw them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reeciecup Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 My kids favorites were the neo pets. They had the best time collecting those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2att Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 We have a number of toys from when McD's had a contract with Disney and had Happy Meal toys that came out when new movies were released. Our favorites were Monsters Inc and Toy Story. I love these toys--they are very playable and my kids have spent hours with them. I was sorry when that relationship ended (either by McD's or Disney, I don't know), but they still do DreamWorks and some of the other kid movie franchises. What I hate is when they put toys in a happy meal that come from movies generally not appropriate for young children. Can't think of any off the top of my head right now, but I know it has happened. On a recent note, the surf toys have been really cute! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nd293 Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 There was a really lovely set that included a compass, weather vane and rain gauge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Princess Peach Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 What I hate is when they put toys in a happy meal that come from movies generally not appropriate for young children. Can't think of any off the top of my head right now, but I know it has happened. Yes!! This is a pet peeve of mine, even in the stores. They put out all sorts of merchandise (I'm thinking Dark Knight, Iron Man, etc.) that my boys love, but then the movies are not appropriate to watch at their ages (esp. the youngest). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 The lego cars, which were a couple of pieces and worked with other legos, still get used several years later. The My little ponies were also a hit. In college, I collected all the looney tunes characters dressed up as DC-Comic characters (Daffy as Batman, Taz as the Flash)-I just found those hilarious :). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwjx2khsmj Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 Our favorites are the Madame Alexander dolls, the 101 Dalmations and the mini Beanie babies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WishboneDawn Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 My kids favorites were the neo pets. They had the best time collecting those. Same here. Close seconds are the Hot Wheels toys and the Littlest Pet Shop toys that my daughter discovered can be removed from their base with a steak knife and then played with like the regular LPS toys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber in SJ Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 I second (third? fourth?) the Madame Alexander dolls. We loved the Wizard of OZ set. Before I had kids and worked in a huge daycare I would go into McDs & buy just the toy. I have no idea if you can do that now. I would buy the figurines that went with whatever Disney movie had just been released. This was before the figurines did anything. I kept them in a bin and when it was nap time I would have the kids come and choose a couple toys out of the bin to take back to their cot. This kept the non-nappers quiet & just busy enough that they didn't get in trouble from the teacher I privately thought of as the sleep police. Amber in SJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 ...Incidentally, it was the baby's favorite toy. Oh gosh! What a cute picture! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 Dd loved the book series about ancient cultures (Egyptians, Vikings, etc...) from Chick-Fil-A. She read those books so many times (& still has them). She also loved the 'What Shall I ...?' (Make, Do, etc...) book series from Chick-Fil-A. Someone mentioned Huckle cat in a blue car. We have him, but I don't remember how we got him. I'm a huge Richard Scarry fan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenpatty Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 LOL, my kids are really enjoying the Smurfs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eloquacious Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 I had two favorites growing up ... the only two times I had a complete collection. We went to McDonald's maybe once a month, or once every other month, so it was a huge treat. Twice my parents knew that I loved the toys so much that they went back to McD's independently and got the toys/meals so that they could surprise me with the toys. The first was a set of Christmas-dressed Muppet dolls, the second is the one I still own (and which my boys play with), a set of little plastic cars in the shape of vegetables driven by the Fraggles. And hey! What do you know? My Christmas muppets made this best of list: http://thetangential.com/2011/03/23/ten-best-mcdonalds-happy-meal-toys-ever/ Incidentally, I also had a couple of those happy meal transformers - they were cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eloquacious Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 These are the cars, which I still have in my kitchen to this day: http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Fraggle_Rock_Happy_Meal_toys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 (edited) The ones that lasted the longest in our house without me throwing them away were the little "Barbies around the world," mini bionicles, Winnie the Pooh figures, and Adventures in Odyssey tapes from Chik-Fil-A. I think we still have 3 playmobile monks floating around too. Edited August 26, 2011 by Onceuponatime Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunD Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 I don't mind the Smurfs since we've been watching the cartoon and I enjoyed it as a child. They're car toys right now. Several Madame Alexander dolls live in the dollhouse, forced to pretend to be the children. :lol: The best recent ones have been from Chick-fil-A, though. The 3yo loves all the "If You Give ..." books she collected, and lovingly put them on her bookshelf. The toddler loves the abridged little Beatrix Potter board books. She always wants to "read Peter Rabbit like sister". So we get out the real Tale of Peter Rabbit to read, and she holds her little board one. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abacus2 Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 Muppet Babies from the '80s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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