Toy Fair 2014: Friends & Disney Princess

[Hapori Tohu]

While not everyone may be interested in Friends and the Disney Princess lines, they're still very popular in the market. They also tend to include pieces in colors you wouldn't normally find, and introduce plenty of new elements too. So why don't you come check out what LEGO has in store for fans of the mini-dolls!

 

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[xccj]

You missed the Andrew fig in the Heartlake News Van set.

 

There are certainly some nice looking models here, and the whole jungle adventure seems to be what some people have wanted with a girl's theme. I definately want to grab a few of the animals, like the penguin or dolphin, but overall these sets aren't quite at the top of my list. Still, looks like Friend's is going strong... potentially another Evergreen line.

 

[Hahli Husky]

I have the Penguin's Playground set already and it's my favorite of all the polybag sets so far. Still need to pick up the tiger one sometime. The wave after that doesn't particularly appeal to me, but these sets are fun and inexpensive so I'm glad they're continuing them. I really want the Heartlake Juice Bar, and the outdoor theme for the summer wave looks awesome! The jungle setting is very good to see.

 

I'm disappointed to hear there's only one wave of the Princess sets this year, but hopefully there will be more in the future (we need some Jasmine and Tiana love in here!)

[Black Six]

You missed the Andrew fig in the Heartlake News Van set.

There's an Andrew fig? Now there's another set I have to buy...

 

I'm disappointed to hear there's only one wave of the Princess sets this year, but hopefully there will be more in the future (we need some Jasmine and Tiana love in here!)

Yeah, and Frozen seemed like it would have been a no-brainer to make sets for.

[Lyichir]

 

You missed the Andrew fig in the Heartlake News Van set.

There's an Andrew fig? Now there's another set I have to buy...

 

Interestingly enough he's a recurring character of sorts! He also appeared in last year's Dolphin Cruiser. He's almost the same in the news van, right down to the polo shirt, which is a little odd—characters wear the same clothes all the time in other themes, of course, but in Friends the girls at least wear different clothes for every occasion and you'd expect Andrew to do the same!

[JAG18]

 

 

You missed the Andrew fig in the Heartlake News Van set.

There's an Andrew fig? Now there's another set I have to buy...

 

Interestingly enough he's a recurring character of sorts! He also appeared in last year's Dolphin Cruiser. He's almost the same in the news van, right down to the polo shirt, which is a little odd—characters wear the same clothes all the time in other themes, of course, but in Friends the girls at least wear different clothes for every occasion and you'd expect Andrew to do the same!

 

Perhaps, LEGO is perpetrating some stereotype that guys don't care if their seen out in public with the same outfit twice.

 

Just saying.

Edited February 22, 2014 by JAG18

[Vorahk1Panrahk2]

 

I'm disappointed to hear there's only one wave of the Princess sets this year, but hopefully there will be more in the future (we need some Jasmine and Tiana love in here!)

Yeah, and Frozen seemed like it would have been a no-brainer to make sets for.

 

 

Apparently, because the line is based on the official Disney Princess franchise and Anna/Elsa aren't technically part of that yet, no sets could be produced based off it. Admittedly I have no idea if that's true, but it sounds reasonable.

 

Anyway, I'm hoping that any future Princess sets have better faces. They just look very generic to me and not like their film counterparts at all.

Edited February 22, 2014 by Vorahk1Panrahk2

[Tilius]

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Edited April 27, 2021 by Tilius

[Aanchir]

The LEGO Friends lineup for this year is fantastic. It's still unapologetically "girly" in its chosen color palette and a lot of its subject matter. But nobody will ever again be able to complain that the girls in LEGO Friends don't get to go on real adventures like the people of LEGO City. Rockslides, dirt bikes, helicopters, waterfalls, collapsing bridges, zip lines, and a jungle outpost light on the theme's typical luxuries (no plush beds here!) go a long way to demonstrate the theme's versatility. The animals in the jungle sets are not particularly ferocious-looking, but they are definitely wild animals, not pets. And the slide that empties out into a boat may not be realistic, but it looks like quite a fun way to add a sense of action and movement to the set.

 

Even the Heartlake Shopping Mall, as typical as it might be for girls' toys, offers a lot of variety in its subject matter. There are two restaurant counters (can't tell if they're a part of the same restaurant or not), a photo booth, an event stage, and, yes, a beauty salon. Furthermore, what you identify as a "clothing store" actually seems to be more specifically a sports apparel shop. There is sports equipment inside, outside, and on the sign. The beachwear in the window does contrast a bit from the rest of the wares. I somewhat wonder if the pants and/or shirt from Stephanie's Soccer Practice might have been more appropriate — the outfit included is nice, but the open-toed shoes are what bother me.

 

The animal packs, again, step outside the realm of "pets" and into the world of wild animals (or perhaps zoo animals, in the case of the penguin). The only one that seems like it's likely a pet is the Macaw. Tiger's Beautiful Temple is my favorite architecturally, but Turtle's Little Paradise and Brown Bear's River also feel wonderfully outdoorsy and exotic.

 

In contrast, the Disney Princess sets are fairly disappointing, with a thick haze of domesticity drowning out the excitement of the actual source material. Cinderella's Dream Carriage is the best in terms of faithfulness to the source material, but kind of a shame that the Fairy Godmothers couldn't be included in any way, shape, or form. The Duplo version of this scene at least had them printed on a brick. The sets also don't do a good job with multiculturalism. It would be great to see a set of Agrabah Palace from Aladdin, though given the emphasis on fairy-tale romance, I'm afraid a Magic Carpet Ride set might be Jasmine's only avenue into this theme. Then again, I guess that's at least a bit more adventurous and less domestic than another palace. And maybe TLG might surprise me.

 

Overall, it's nice to see the girls' category expanding, and I hope we continue to see that in future years. LEGO Friends is versatile, but it can't cover a whole lot of historical fantasy or sci-fi content. Disney Princesses cover some of that ground, but it'd be fantastic to have a non-licensed girls' fantasy adventure theme as well. Perhaps a theme for older girls could draw inspiration from fantasy franchises preteen and teenage girls love, like Twilight and Harry Potter, and bring in a more advanced level of building in the meantime. Not that LEGO Friends and Disney Princess are simplistic, but they're essentially on par with LEGO City as far as age range is concerned, and it'd be cool to see something more on par with BIONICLE, Hero Factory, Ninjago, or Legends of Chima... you know, some sets for ages 8–14. Fashion doll franchises like Monster High and My Little Pony Equestria Girls have certainly found success capitalizing on older girls' love of magic and fantasy, so it'd be cool if LEGO could do the same.

Edited February 25, 2014 by Aanchir: Rachira of Time

[fishers64]

The jungle bridge rescue set photo doesn't seem right. How did they manage to get a helicopter and a car and a jungle scene in only 365 pieces?

 

I guess if it was just the car and helicopter, it would make some degree of sense, but that's starting to feel like too many pieces...

 

I continue my general dislike of this theme (too many loose structures argh), but the turtle and lion look decent, so I might pick them up.

Edited February 25, 2014 by fishers64