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Lego Disney Princesses

LostInTranslationLostInTranslation Member Posts: 5,572
in Collecting
Rumour has it, 2014 will bring a line of Disney Princess sets with Friends-style minidolls:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=23aPiZLhbT

According to the annoying man from the Brick Show, there are sets featuring Ariel, Merida (from Brave), Rapunzel and Cinderella - including Cinderella's castle!

I'm very excited for this, being a big Disney fan as well as a Lego fan (and a fan of Friends sets). I've tried to make minifigs of Disney characters and they just don't work that well in my opinion so I'm looking forward to getting some official figs.

I am interested by the choice of characters to begin with, a mix of classic and newer, and can only imagine the kind of scope this line could have. So many iconic characters to choose from.
I only pray the day comes when we get Sleeping Beauty and hence Maleficent ...

So what are others' thoughts on this?
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Comments

  • LostInTranslationLostInTranslation Member Posts: 5,572
    edited September 2013
    Hmm, not sure I posted the Brick Show video correctly. Try again!

    http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=23aPiZLhbTY
  • pd66pd66 Member Posts: 173
    My 3 (nearly 4) year old daughter would go nuts over this - particularly anything Rapunzel related!

    If it is true, I hope they are out before mid-June when we visit WDW so can pick them up Stateside potentially a little cheaper.
  • CCCCCC Member Posts: 20,556
    Read it on eurobricks instead, so you don't have to put up with him

    http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=82870&st=25#entry1680741

  • LostInTranslationLostInTranslation Member Posts: 5,572
    Ah, thanks. Here's the rumoured set list:

    41050 Ariel’s Secret Treasures
    41051 Merida’s Highland Games
    41052 Cinderella’s Enchanted Carriage
    41053 Ariel’s Magical Kiss
    41054 Rapunzel’s Tower of Creativity
    41055 Cinderella’s Castle Romance

    Little Mermaid sets should be cool. I'm hoping at least for Sebastian and Flounder, Triton is easy from the CMF Ocean King, Ursula (with Medusa tentacles) would be awesome...

  • khmellymelkhmellymel Member Posts: 1,314
    I'm disappointed if they go the mini-doll route again, but couldn't be more excited for real Disney Princess sets! I'm hoping Cinderella's castle is epic. I'm trying to be reserved until I actually see the sets, but I'm getting pretty stoked...
  • CCCCCC Member Posts: 20,556
    I think it is a bit of a shame if they just do princesses. Why not do a Disney animated movie line, and include Aladdin, Peter Pan, the Beast to go with Beauty, etc. Aladdin would be simple as we've already had a Genie. Peter Pan again wouldn't really need much (forestman, pirate), Beast could be Minotaur style. A Pinocchio would be great too.

    4-8 year old boys (rough target age group) like those films too. It would be an ideal series to market at both boys and girls, especially if they went with regular minifigs.
    icey117
  • LostInTranslationLostInTranslation Member Posts: 5,572
    edited September 2013
    I agree, Peter Pan and Aladdin would be cool. Since I heard the news (a while back, surprised there was no thread already), I've been imagining Disney mocs I could do - Agrabah marketplace, Never Land and Snow White at the Dwarfs' cottage are my top 3 at the moment!

    They already have parts from POP sets and the onion domes to recreate the Sultan's palace and Never land is easy, with a den for the Lost Boys, pirate ship, etc.. I should just get building!

    Everything I've heard suggests it will deffo be mini-dolls though, sorry @khmellymel...
  • andheandhe Member Posts: 4,001
    If they did mini-figs it would seem to go against everything they've tried to establish with 'Friends' (that girls prefer the mini-dolls, trying to seperate lego from being an exclusively 'boys toy' etc). Which is a shame, as some of those character's would have been pretty cool in fig form.

    That said, take out the dolls and I guess you'll have mostly minifig compatible playsets, pieces and accessories, so it may bring some good parts with it.
  • vwong19vwong19 Member Posts: 1,191
    I am not a Friends fan, but I am looking forward to collecting the licensed minidolls. Sounds like a fantastic use of those molds.
  • khmellymelkhmellymel Member Posts: 1,314
    Oh, well, I'll just be happy that they have the sets then! And I do hope they'll expand the line to other Disney, not just the Princesses... Thanks @LostInTranslation :)
  • XefanXefan Member Posts: 1,148
    Meh, my partner was going to buy these, but Friendsification = no purchase for us.

    The over inflated heads remind me of that old PC game Theme Hospital where your patients could get bloaty head:

    http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2248/5799002893_7035c7b9ff.jpg

    So every time I see a friends minifigure I assume it's ill.

    But then, AFOLs aren't exactly the intended audience of this line so I can see why they've gone this route. Apparently girls nowadays like people with abnormally large heads.
  • CCCCCC Member Posts: 20,556
    andhe said:

    If they did mini-figs it would seem to go against everything they've tried to establish with 'Friends' (that girls prefer the mini-dolls, trying to seperate lego from being an exclusively 'boys toy' etc). Which is a shame, as some of those character's would have been pretty cool in fig form.

    Presumably they have research data on sales for Harry Potter, SpongeBob, Toy Story, etc. Maybe they do want it to be girls only, with no male figures at all, or just the odd token male like Friends.

    It is a shame when you look how good some of the Duplo sets have been - there are princess ones aimed at girls where the princess is the major character, but with princes too. Then there are ones like the Jake and the Neverland Pirates, all within the same range.
  • LostInTranslationLostInTranslation Member Posts: 5,572
    edited September 2013
    ^ I'd assume "Ariel's magical kiss" features Prince Eric... :-)
    So there's your token male!
  • dannyrwwdannyrww Member Posts: 1,394
    Just a look at the names of the sets and only two of them would require princes....that would be the Ariel's magic Kiss and Cinderella's castle romance.... and this makes sense too because the princess from those movies would translate to friends type mini dolls better than say the beast (which would be cool to have if they are creative with it).
  • jdylakjdylak Member Posts: 281
    Xefan said:

    Meh, my partner was going to buy these, but Friendsification = no purchase for us.

    The over inflated heads remind me of that old PC game Theme Hospital where your patients could get bloaty head:

    http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2248/5799002893_7035c7b9ff.jpg

    So every time I see a friends minifigure I assume it's ill.

    But then, AFOLs aren't exactly the intended audience of this line so I can see why they've gone this route. Apparently girls nowadays like people with abnormally large heads.

    I don't understand the whole giant head thing either. I know there are other girl doll toys that have the giant heads as well. Where did they do this "market research"?

  • XefanXefan Member Posts: 1,148
    Perhaps it all stems from a misunderstanding?

    Q: "Who do you like from your favourite TV show the most?"
    A: "The girl with the big head because her arrogance is funny"

    Maybe someone took the phrase "big headed" a little too literally and it all carried on from there :)

    Oh well, when I was a kid we had drama about how girls were making themselves sick by getting too thin because they were trying to copy Barbie. Maybe the next generation of teenagers will be attempting to artificially inflate their heads.
  • cheshirecatcheshirecat Member Posts: 5,331
    edited September 2013
    ^ They already do with their facebook pouting portraits (no not dodgy, just a teenage niece).

    Actually if you look at the disney films they tend to have heads that aren't in proportion to their shoulders, let alone waists. They're eyes are also massively over sized.
  • andheandhe Member Posts: 4,001
    The big head/big eyes is no different to the male action figures with impossibly huge biceps and abs etc. That said, it probably isn't helping body image for either gender, but that's taking this thread in a whole other direction...
    Furrysaurus
  • JenniJenni Member Posts: 1,390
    @lostintranslation Aladdin is a Disney princess movie as far as princess marketing goes so you could see sets later on even if they don't expand outside the princess films. Even Hercules is included in the princess category according to their princess sing-along DVD. My daughter will be incredibly excited, she kind of wants the Duplo sets but at 9 she's not going to own up to it. If the Brave set is based on the tournament I would expect there to be male mini dolls, though they're not princes, involved.
  • MinifigsMeMinifigsMe Member Posts: 2,844
    So now along with storing up friends, Harry potter and duplo for my 3 month old, I'm now going to be getting princesses. She is going to be so spoilt!! ;)
    SirKevbagsgifinimhoyatables
  • LegoFanTexasLegoFanTexas Member Posts: 8,404
    I did say a year ago that if LEGO wasn't doing a LEGO line of Disney sets, then they should all be taken out back and beaten with large fluffy pillows. :)

    Cinderella's Castle is so badly begging to be done in LEGO it is just painful.

    How about a HH size building that splits in half into a doll house for girls, done up like Cinderella's Castle?

    Or is that just way, way too obvious? :)
    murphquake
  • dougtsdougts Member Posts: 4,110
    its way to obvious, but I think it's also way too unlikely unfortunately. the set is called "Castle Romance". i expect we are looking at a vignette piece. but man, we can hold out hope for a $200 UCS style castle at some point
  • LostInTranslationLostInTranslation Member Posts: 5,572
    Purely by the ascending set numbers, I'm putting Cinderella's castle as the largest set in the wave, probably from £80-100. So probably not on the scale of HH but hopefully more than one lame vignette.
  • LegoFanTexasLegoFanTexas Member Posts: 8,404
    dougts said:

    its way to obvious, but I think it's also way too unlikely unfortunately. the set is called "Castle Romance". i expect we are looking at a vignette piece. but man, we can hold out hope for a $200 UCS style castle at some point

    For what it is worth, a $200 HH size Cinderella's Castle would clearly be a day 1 purchase for me. I have 5 year old daughter that I'd LOVE to build it with her. The Friend's sets are a tad on the basic side for my own tastes (she loves them, built the Dolphin Cruiser almost all by herself).

    *smacks whoever at TLG is responsible for these product planning decisions*
  • BumblepantsBumblepants Member Posts: 7,728
    Princesses do tend to skew younger so I am not holding my breath for a ton of complexity in these sets. I expect they will be aiming for the 5-12/6-12 age range. I hope subsequent waves bring us Aladdin and Mulan among others
  • LegoFanTexasLegoFanTexas Member Posts: 8,404
    How about a Genie fig similar in size to Hulk and Rancor? How cool would that be? :)

    Lion King, we need that of course as well. Frankly, they could do a multi-year series of all the movies...
  • CCCCCC Member Posts: 20,556
    I'm still holding out for this ...

    http://www.bricksetforum.com/discussion/comment/61732#Comment_61732
    chromedigi
  • vitreolumvitreolum Member Posts: 1,406
    ^ That's impressive. Wish I could see something like that here. Are they glued?
  • chromedigichromedigi Member Posts: 344
    CCC said:

    I'm still holding out for this ...

    http://www.bricksetforum.com/discussion/comment/61732#Comment_61732

    Around my house we have a standing joke for exactly this effect, based on some toy or other which had packaging saying that it "plays a cheerful tune."
  • monkey_roomonkey_roo Member Posts: 1,411
    I told my daughter that freinds lego style princess sets were due out next year and she literally started shaking with excitement, both of us can't wait to see the first up images.
    Disney princess is one of the largest selling IP's in the toy world right now so I predict this will be a slam dunk of a hit and could become a giant running theme for lego, so many possibilities with 11 official princess to pick from, and surely if this flys we are only a sprinkle of pixie dust away from Disney's other jugganout of a girls IP...
    chromedigiLostInTranslationlilbirdsLegoFanTexasCoolsplash
  • lilbirdslilbirds Member Posts: 4
    My daughter will go nuts for this. Consider all the possibilities for female minifigs and Friends minidolls: new hair styles (short or up-do's) with holes for accessories (crowns and headbands), sparkly capes or skirts, Disney-style animal friends. And if I had my wish, fabric fairy wings that work with long hair pieces! Not like Belville or CMF series 8.
  • LegoFanTexasLegoFanTexas Member Posts: 8,404
    monkey_roo said:

    I told my daughter that freinds lego style princess sets were due out next year and she literally started shaking with excitement

    lilbirds said:

    My daughter will go nuts for this.

    :) Like I said, it is so obvious that whomever is in charge of theme development at TLG needs to make sure that they do it right.

    Many people will say that a 2,000 part Cinderella Castle (HH style) is overkill for younger girls, but that isn't the point. It is a halo product, much like Barbie's Dream House. I'm sure they don't sell tons of that either, but they still have to make it.

    I'd also like to see a UCS Cinderella's Carriage, that would be really nice. :)
  • tamamahmtamamahm Member Posts: 1,987
    Not only that, you can do what was done with Monster Fighters. You make the $99 set for kids, and the more expensive set for collectors.
    chromedigi
  • flecskiflecski Member Posts: 83
    andhe said:

    The big head/big eyes is no different to the male action figures with impossibly huge biceps and abs etc. That said, it probably isn't helping body image for either gender, but that's taking this thread in a whole other direction...

    Yes, and we dont need another direction, we all know girls like one direction.

    Oh dear, I'll get my coat.

    Flec
    LostInTranslationcarlq
  • YpresYpres Member Posts: 200
    I think a Princesses theme would make great use of the minidolls, and so long as the sets are done my the same designer who did the Friends ones, I'll certainly have my hopes up for something cool.

    In a perfect world though, Lego would've used this chance to make a Kingdom Hearts theme. I now it's a fairly niche game among Lego's target audience, but they'd still know most of the characters and understand each story that goes along with it. Oh well, I guess Sora, Donald, and Goofy won't see the light of day any time soon.
  • Peter1975Peter1975 Member Posts: 166
    Maybe they will look like these:

    http://www.sluban.nl/producten/girls-dream/sluban-open-prinsessen-kasteel-m38-b0251.html

  • monkey_roomonkey_roo Member Posts: 1,411
    To be honest that stuff doesn't look too bad. I susspect a lego designers will do a better job and tied to the Disney IP it will be nice, but I do wonder if that is the competition in this area of girls construction toys how far above that very reasonably priced items will lego go.
  • LegoFanTexasLegoFanTexas Member Posts: 8,404
    Re: Disney Princess. I'm just hoping they do a nice 2,000 part Cinderella's Castle, similar to Haunted House. My 5 year old daughter would be over the moon for that! :)
  • TheLoneTensorTheLoneTensor Member Posts: 3,937
    LegoFanTexas said:

    Re: Disney Princess. I'm just hoping they do a nice 2,000 part Cinderella's Castle, similar to Haunted House. My 5 year old daughter would be over the moon for that! :)

    I think she'll have to have the 646 piece #41055 suffice for now.
  • tmgm528tmgm528 Member Posts: 457
    One must wonder why they felt the need to throw "Romantic" In the Name I may never know.
  • tamamahmtamamahm Member Posts: 1,987
    edited November 2013
    tmgm528 said:

    One must wonder why they felt the need to throw "Romantic" In the Name I may never know.

    Thank you.
    This has been bugging me, since I noticed it last night, but I was trying to determine the best place to put this.

    I really think Lego must have some very stupid marketing people. (or brilliant...take your pick)

    After the Friends publicity mess last year, why, why would anybody decide that

    Ariel's Magical Kiss
    Cinderella's Romantic Castle
    Cinderella's Dream Coach

    would be good names for construction sets for girls?

    Ariel's Magical Boat Ride, Ariel's Boat Ride, Cinderella's Charming Castle, Cinderella's Majestic Castle, Cinderella's Castle.... Really any name would have worked. Even Cinderella's Magical Coach over Cinderella's Dream Coach.

    To me that becomes very obvious fodder for the same bloggers upset over Friends.

    First, I would think by default that Lego would realize that they were already going to get some negative publicity and blogger comments going, along the lines of
    "Wait, Lego released another set focused on girls, and this time it was....princess. Now your girls can aim to style their hair at the Friends salon or be a Princess." (NOT agreeing with that statement, that is simply an example of what I would not have been surprised to see.)

    Lego could have simply written that off as "We are excited to be partnering with Disney again to bring an entirely new magical product line."

    Second, there have already been a few comments in regards to the 'large' pieces in the Disney sets, so comments over them being 'easy' builds would have also been there. (I speculate that it isn't valid and the larger pieces are really no different than other castle sets like Hogwarts or Vampyre's Castle.) Of course Hogwarts has almost 1,300 pieces. Vampyre's Castle has over ~950 pieces. King's Castle has ~1000. A 'girls' line gets a castle and it is only ~650. Again, one would think from a marketing side, they would know this was another potential hole they would have to defend themselves against. It may have simply been about the license/pricepoint, and I think they could have made a reasonalbe argument on that, despite the fact that the comparison seems a bit glaring.

    Instead, though, Lego decides it would be a great idea to put 'romantic' and 'kiss' in lines aimed at 6-12 year old girls....when they have already have had to defend themselves about being too stereotypical.

    I will be shocked if bloggers do not have a field day with this. It seems like such an obvious thing for Lego to not go with those names. (Unless they purposely put the names there to create that sort of publicity, because all publicity is good publicity...this truly is the only logic I can see to make such a move)
    tmgm528jadeirene
  • tmgm528tmgm528 Member Posts: 457
    @tamamaham
    Exactly! When i first saw friends a few years back I remember thinking something along the lines of "These are the most stereotypical things I have ever seen." Its not that I don't like friends (I would never buy a friends set but that's a different issue) it's just they are too girly girl. And yes the Lego Verse has an over abundance of men and they are trying to improve it (Nya, Pixel, Some More Female City Workers. This is where The Female Minifig pack succeeds on Cuusoo.) And this is where I find the Lego Movie Sets succeeds, Those are a PERFECT Cross between boys and girls. SO my little rant is over...for now. (Side note I always thought a second Cinderella would be hilarious if it was more like an ordinary household.)
  • CCCCCC Member Posts: 20,556
    Their research tells them that the average little girl likes girly stuff. They've provided that. I don't see parents refusing to buy these as they have words like romantic in.

    My daughter is too young for them, but I'll pick up a couple for later. I showed them to my non AFOL brother who has a 7 year old Disney princess mad daughter that won't touch Lego and she now wants them. If she still likes them in six months I'll get her one. If she builds it and still wants the rest then Lego have done a good job, getting a child that doesn't play with Lego playing with Lego.

    Just because it is a set for girls it does not mean all girls have to like it. In my experience, little girls that like the Disney princess range like things pink and covered in hearts.

    It's the same for boys, not all sets have to appeal to all boys. And the same for less gender stereotypical sets, they don't have to appeal to all children.
    binaryeyegmpirate
  • bortan88bortan88 Member Posts: 19
    I've just seen the pictures of these sets on the database and I'm excited. That coming from a 40 year old man. Some of the parts are amazing, the wheels on cinderellas carriage, the ornate arches, the colours, the grass piece. Even if I didn't have a 7 year old daughter I'd be buying them. Have to start budgeting now next year will be a killer on the wallet with these sets, the lego movie sets and no doubt many more that will catch my attention.
  • tamamahmtamamahm Member Posts: 1,987
    I am not saying that parents will not buy it @CCC. (in fact I think it has the potential to be a very large seller) I am saying the names were not a bright move on the part of Lego. They are inviting the sort of publicity they received last year with Friends. (As said, though, the naming may have been a genius move on their part as well to gain such free publicity... Depends on how one interprets publicity, but they will probably just net more sales via such publicity.)

    Anyway, I maybe completely wrong, and this may not become a big tadoo. They could have avoided some of the potential, though, with a basic vetting of the set names.


  • CCCCCC Member Posts: 20,556
    But why should they change them? There is nothing wrong with them as they are. Disney princess stories are about magical and romantic things. I doubt if most people will care if feminist bloggers write negative things about the names of the sets. They seem to be against anything that is aimed at girls and pink anyway. Using the word romantic is pretty minor.

    What would sell better to girls - a pink castle or a tan castle. I reckon the former.
    DougoutTrenthgmpiratedougtsicey117Furrysaurus
  • monkey_roomonkey_roo Member Posts: 1,411
    ^ Totally. These look fantastic, I love the use of 'Friends Mini-Dolls', I think they suit the line perfectly my 6 year old is very excited, for me the smaller Arial set and the Rapunzel set stand out. Great colours and parts, I predict these will fly of shelves...
  • TheLoneTensorTheLoneTensor Member Posts: 3,937
    As long as Lego doesn't release a pink train, I'm happy. I think my head would explode from the internal conflict.
    juggles7carlq
  • LegoFanTexasLegoFanTexas Member Posts: 8,404
    TheLoneTensor said:

    As long as Lego doesn't release a pink train, I'm happy. I think my head would explode from the internal conflict.

    Hmm, didn't even think about that one...

    Now we MUST have a pink train!!! :)
  • BrickDancerBrickDancer Member Posts: 3,639
    ^A Friends Trolley set would be a smash I reckon!
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