Klaus-Dieter

2019 Friends Sets - Rumors and Discussion

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That's a new 3x3 corner plate on top of the horse show set (white, holding the golden horseshoe), isn't it?

Anyway, some nice sets and a little less color clashing this time...

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7 hours ago, cimddwc said:

That's a new 3x3 corner plate on top of the horse show set (white, holding the golden horseshoe), isn't it?

Good point. Would be nice if it were, but I wouldn't bet on it. Otherwise it seems my initial skepticism is only confirmed. The sets are better than I had feared, but still just the same old topics in a different interpretation.

Mylenium

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Mia's house does work very well, not just great color palette but it tries to be different from all past three houses of the friends which share kinda similiar constructrue. If we're getting Andrea's house in the other year, hope that they can pull out yet another new design. Somehow I think this wave lacks a bigger building for Heartlake City, maybe we'll have to wait for the next summer wave.

As for the new Heart Box lineup, it reminds me of the pods. The boxes are lovely but curious how they will be useful in ways other than storage or accessory packs.

It's nice to include both Chloe and Zack from the cartoon to be in sets as well (to those who don't notice, they're the local commentator Hertlake City), but their poor resemblence with the cartoon design is yet another issue.

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Lots to love in the new Friends wave! Mia's House is great and really suits her outdoorsy interests with its rustic, cabin-like style (not to mention seemingly being one of the first LEGO Friends houses not to include a TV set). I definitely think the colors work nicely.

Did anybody else notice that Mia's also now using Bright Red as her hair color instead of Dark Red? It's a bit closer to how it is in the rebooted character artwork and animations, and I wonder if this will be a permanent change or if we might see an even more orangish color take its place.

The Talent Show set is a great design — while there's been plenty of stages before, this one recontextualizes that nicely by having a more competitive angle. I like that it has stuff to play out multiple sorts of acts/performances, like a magic show, a drum set, and a microphone for singing. That said, the drum set would probably feel more fitting if there were some other figures and instruments either in this set or sold separately, since I don't think I often see people whose whole act in a talent competition consists of a drum solo. Andrea's skirt in this set interests me and I wonder if it's a textile part or a molded one.

The horse show set is a nice variation from the previous riding camp, farm, and stable sets, but I do think that the actual stable structure feels very insubstantial with those tiny roof slopes. Even sets in other Friends and Elves sets that only have a facade to suggest their roofline don't tend to feel quite that paltry. I do really like the horseshoe motifs though!

When I heard the name of Olivia's Cupcake Cafe, I wasn't sure what to think. For one thing, we'd had cupcake cafes before, and not even that long ago. For another, I didn't know how they would make a cupcake cafe fit with Olivia's tech-wiz personality. The answer, it turns out, is automation. I love the idea of a cupcake conveyor almost along the same lines as a sushi conveyor or the automated food service at one of the LEGO House's new restaurants, and having Zobo as the waiter makes it even more charming! The machine that makes the cupcakes also feels like the sort of thing that Olivia would certainly invent to make things easier… but perhaps with a few glitches along the way! Overall, the most delightful thing about this set is how it immediately fires up my imagination with all the kinds of story potential that comes with Olivia, hardly presented as a highly experienced baker, trying to compete in foodservice HER way! If I have any gripes about this set, it's that the delivery trike feels really insubstantial compared to previous ones.

Emma's Art Studio is brilliant! As an aspiring artist, Emma is a character I've always related to quite a bit. Here we see a workplace very well suited to her, with some of her trademark colors, a lovely art nouveau cat mural, and really charming architecture. The water-activated "canvas" is a totally new gimmick but reminds me a lot of some of the more interesting gimmicks of the 90s like holographic, magnetic, or heat-sensitive stickers.

The set I'm perhaps least fond of is Stephanie's Buggy & Trailer. It just feels a lot less solid and coherent than a lot of previous Friends vehicles, particularly with the huge gaps created by those rear wheel arches. And the trailer seems very low in detail for its size. The campsite is nice but not enough to make up for the weaknesses of the set's main subject.

Mia's Forest Adventure, on the other hand, brings a lot of novelty to the table! We've never seen an off-road electric skateboard in a set, but it makes a lot of sense for Mia since she loves both extreme outdoor activities like skating and being eco-friendly. The scenery in this set is also really fun, with the observation deck, a somewhat precarious-looking bridge that reminds me somewhat of this classic Outback set, and a charming forest scene with a bear cave and beehive.

The Hamster Playground is delightfully funny! Name aside, it almost feels more circus-like with all the crazy tricks Olivia is teaching the hamsters, from driving around an obstacle course in a toy car to jumping through hoops to driving a motorcycle in a hamster wheel or over a stunt ramp (which also seems like it'd work fine as a slide for a more relaxed playtime). Like the cupcake cafe, it speaks to Olivia's relentless creativity and love of building wacky contraptions. It'd be nice if the toy car could have working wheels, but overall it's a great low-priced playset.

The Heart Boxes are sort of what I expected, but I also am slightly disappointed with them in a few respects. The boxes themselves are well constructed, though they are not too varied except in color. And the contents feel less extensive than I might have liked… just a mini-doll, a few small accessories, and sometimes (but not always) a pet. While these have a better parts value than the Pods from this year, I feel like those managed to vary their contents more. And in terms of uniqueness these really don't measure up to the Bedroom sets which occupied similar price points this year. The most surprising is the Friendship Heart Box, which includes two totally different sized boxes than the other sets, an unusual choice of characters (Vicky and Olivia), and a more role-play/dress-up oriented play pattern rather than accessories geared to the interests of particular characters. Overall it's nice, but feels almost more like the kind of play I'd expect to see in a LEGO Education set.

So all in all, a bit of a mixed bag. Lots of stuff I really love, and some stuff that's mildly disappointing. Overall, though, it's nice to see that there are still so many new ideas that can be explored with this world and its characters! Curious what else might be in store for next year!

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On 11/18/2018 at 12:46 PM, Soupperson1 said:

Just2Good has stated that the new Friends line isn’t selling as well as expected. Why do you guys think this is the case? 

 

It should also be noted doll lines rarely last, I think Barbie and American Girl are the only two that have stood the test of time. (Not counting Disney Princess of course!) I think TLM2 will certainly give minidolls a boost. 

American Girl is struggling this year and last.

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Personally i think This wave is nice but nothing special. Outside of mia’s house and the art studio everything is pretty regular for friends especially the smaller sets.

i really like the house and its always nice to get new parents but i wish they had gone with andrea’s house since we  need more dark skinned minidolls :grin:

the art studio is nice but i wouldve wished for a new caracter. Same goes for the cupcake cafe

the horse set is mediocre and the only thing nice are those new horses

the smaller Stephanie and mia sets are nice parts pack but boring  as is

the hamster set is a cool way to get the hamsters and a nice new idea

the junior sets are really meh :sceptic:

the performance set is nice but it needs more caracters i do love the colors in it tho

 

the heart boxes are super boring and basically copies of the pods, but the vicky in the bigger set is a nice

 addition 

 

Edited by Rambo260

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19 hours ago, Aanchir said:

The Heart Boxes are sort of what I expected, but I also am slightly disappointed with them in a few respects. The boxes themselves are well constructed, though they are not too varied except in color. And the contents feel less extensive than I might have liked… just a mini-doll, a few small accessories, and sometimes (but not always) a pet. While these have a better parts value than the Pods from this year, I feel like those managed to vary their contents more. And in terms of uniqueness these really don't measure up to the Bedroom sets which occupied similar price points this year. The most surprising is the Friendship Heart Box, which includes two totally different sized boxes than the other sets, an unusual choice of characters (Vicky and Olivia), and a more role-play/dress-up oriented play pattern rather than accessories geared to the interests of particular characters. Overall it's nice, but feels almost more like the kind of play I'd expect to see in a LEGO Education set.

Well, for advertising reasons they won;t make Vicky a main Friend, otherwise they could just do another box with Vicky's theme. Ironically Vicky even gets a softer face expression, while the five main Friends still only have one face.

That reminds me if the boxes are able to add transformation gimmicks such as changing into bedrooms, piano or live stages, that they would not be useless in ordinary plays. Otherwise they're literally figure&accessory pack with a storage container if we don't just use the parts for other uses.

Edited by Dorayaki

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As is typical these past few years, I'm way more excited for the Friends sets than the City sets. An art studio, a cupcake shop, a riding stable, a campsite ... and what does the City theme get this year? Another police station, and another fire station. The City theme has officially become a parody of itself. 

That art studio is really sharp, and stands out for how different it is from the typical Friends architecture. It reminds me of the Friends grocery store from a few years back, which was itself a standout set. 

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41 minutes ago, Joebot said:

As is typical these past few years, I'm way more excited for the Friends sets than the City sets. An art studio, a cupcake shop, a riding stable, a campsite ... and what does the City theme get this year? Another police station, and another fire station. The City theme has officially become a parody of itself. 

That art studio is really sharp, and stands out for how different it is from the typical Friends architecture. It reminds me of the Friends grocery store from a few years back, which was itself a standout set. 

Not just a police station--a police "air base" with a two-dimensional design and less complexity than the police station from the height of the Town Jr. era in the late 1990s!

I really love the diversity that Friends brings. In addition to the amazing sets you mentioned, I'm also excited for Mia's house! It's not often that we get a rustic-looking home that's more than just a one-room cabin. I love all the design choices; it really looks unique.

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3 hours ago, Dorayaki said:

Well, for advertising reasons they won;t make Vicky a main Friend, otherwise they could just do another box with Vicky's theme. Ironically Vicky even gets a softer face expression, while the five main Friends still only have one face.

That reminds me if the boxes are able to add transformation gimmicks such as changing into bedrooms, piano or live stages, that they would not be useless in ordinary plays. Otherwise they're literally figure&accessory pack with a storage container if we don't just use the parts for other uses.

 

Honestly... I JUST bought the pods. I'd prefer the heart storage boxes (stackable!) so I'm thinking of returning the pods and waiting.

 

Edited by Sarah

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I'm tottaly buying Mia house! It is a lot better than I thought. Just look how cool it looks without that clashing purple:
https://imgur.com/a/UKzNvEp
Both Art shop and Cupcake shop looks great, but I personaly think they are oversusing same pets over and over now. :/

 

Edited by Lordofdragonss

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Thank you very much for the pics! :classic:

For me, this wave is much less interesting than former (winter) waves have been: The Cupcake Café looks horrible and the interior of the Forest House is unfinished. :thumbdown:

The only set I'm interested in is the Art Studio. I highly welcome it that it's only eight studs deep but therefore has two floors. Plus with the ancient architectual exterior design and the great interior details it's simply brilliant and will fit perfectly next to City and Creator buildings! :wub:

Edited by Klaus-Dieter

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Hi everyone,
I made a building review about Stephanie's Horse Jumping ( obstacle course ). 
So for who is interested here is the link Lego Friends Stephanie's Horse Jumping 41367 Building Review
Thanks for watching and I hope you enjoy it.  
Wish you all allready great holidays !! 
Bye bye


 

Edited by UnicornFunWithToys

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What is going on with those rear wheel arches in set 31064?  Someone at Lego must have reviewed this set and thought "That looks odd"

but loving the inclusion of a game of swing ball!

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Here’s the summer sets, or at least some of them:

  • 41362 Heartlake Supermarket - 140 pieces, 4+
  • 41371 Mia’s Horse Trailer - 216 pieces, 6+
  • 41372 Stephanie’s Gymnastics Spectacle - 241 pieces, 6+ 
  • 41374 Andrea’s Evening Pool - N/A pieces, 6+
  • 41375 Heartlake City Beach, 1251 pieces (2nd Largest Friends piece count), 8+
  • 41376 Turtle Rescue Mission - 225 pieces, 6+ 
  • 41378 Dolphin Rescue Mission - 363 pieces, 6+
  • 41379 Restaurant - 6+ (theres a chance it will be based off a real life restaurant, but don’t quote me on that ;P)  
  • 41380 Rescue Mission Centre - 602 pieces, 6+
  • 41381 Rescue Mission Boat - 908 pieces, 7+
  • 41382 Advent Calendar - 336 pieces, 6+
  • 41384 Andrea’s Summer Heartbox - 83 pieces, 6+
  • 41385 Emma’s Summer Heartbox - 86 pieces, 6+
  • 41386 Stephanie’s Summer Heartbox - 95 pieces, 6+
  • 41387 Olivia’s Summer Heartbox - 93 pieces, 6+
  • 41388 Mia’s Summer Heartbox - 85 pieces, 6+
Edited by Soupperson1

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On 12/31/2018 at 7:07 PM, Soupperson1 said:

Here’s the summer sets, or at least some of them:

  • 41362 Heartlake Supermarket - 140 pieces, 4+
  • 41371 Mia’s Horse Trailer - 216 pieces, 6+
  • 41372 Stephanie’s Gymnastics Spectacle - 241 pieces, 6+ 
  • 41374 Andrea’s Evening Pool - N/A pieces, 6+
  • 41375 Heartlake City Beach, 1251 pieces (2nd Largest Friends piece count), 8+
  • 41376 Turtle Rescue Mission - 225 pieces, 6+ 
  • 41378 Dolphin Rescue Mission - 363 pieces, 6+
  • 41379 Restaurant - 6+ (theres a chance it will be based off a real life restaurant, but don’t quote me on that ;P)  
  • 41380 Rescue Mission Centre - 602 pieces, 6+
  • 41381 Rescue Mission Boat - 908 pieces, 7+
  • 41382 Advent Calendar - 336 pieces, 6+
  • 41384 Andrea’s Summer Heartbox - 83 pieces, 6+
  • 41385 Emma’s Summer Heartbox - 86 pieces, 6+
  • 41386 Stephanie’s Summer Heartbox - 95 pieces, 6+
  • 41387 Olivia’s Summer Heartbox - 93 pieces, 6+
  • 41388 Mia’s Summer Heartbox - 85 pieces, 6+

41375 Heartlake City Beach, 1251 pieces (2nd Largest Friends piece count), 8+ 
That sounds very promising !!  
 

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Umm this list is very interesting. I’m very excited for the beach set but I don’t know what to expect. Some more boring heart boxes.I’m also interested in the evening pool and the restaurant(only if its a real life one). Im also surprised that the boat set has such a big piece count!

btw will lego bring the sets to toy fair this year?

 

 

Edited by Rambo260

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Thank you very much for the list, @Soupperson1! :classic:

4 hours ago, Rambo260 said:

Umm this list is very interesting. I’m very excited for the beach set but I don’t know what to expect. Some more boring heart boxes.I’m also interested in the evening pool and the restaurant(only if its a real life one). Im also surprised that the boat set has such a big piece count!

I completely agree with you, Rambo260!

4 hours ago, Rambo260 said:

btw will lego bring the sets to toy fair this year?

For sure TLG will bring all regular sold 2019 sets to the toy fairs this year. The only question is whether they will let the visitors take pics of them or not.

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On 1/2/2019 at 11:51 PM, Rambo260 said:

Umm this list is very interesting. I’m very excited for the beach set but I don’t know what to expect. Some more boring heart boxes.I’m also interested in the evening pool and the restaurant(only if its a real life one). Im also surprised that the boat set has such a big piece count!

btw will lego bring the sets to toy fair this year?

 

 

Don’t bet on it being a licensed reastraunt! It’s just that the set was called “Restraunt”, while all the other sets had full names. Additionally there was a number in the description that was only found in licensed sets descriptions on the place I found these from. :P 

Im glad we’re all excited for the beach! I would’ve expected a resort for that large piece count but obviously we got that last year, so who knows what could show up! 

The HeartBoxes aren’t actually bad sets for older fans as they have various parts in new colours. I am curious to how these will be different from the winter ones apart from colours?  

Yes the boat set does have a huge piece count! It’ll probably just have large sidebuilds (another lighthouse?) and be about the same size as the Dolphin Cruiser and Summer Boat from two years ago.

I’m very excited to see how many new minidolls we’re going to get. I think Mia and Emma for sure will be in the beach set. I expect a boy with darker skin to appear in that one too shirtless and I guess Manson’s torso will be used in Andrea’s Evening pool on a different character. Zach’s legs from the Carwash also would fit a pool setting. The beach will definitely feature four minidolls, perhaps even five if we’re lucky. The only other set I see having new characters are The Rescue Mission sets. We got an additional girl and boy in 2016’s, 2017’s and 2018’s subthemes so hopefully that trend will continue!

Oh and hopefully the Rescue Mission sets will feature new animal recolours!

 

 

 

 

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Surely  a new caracter will make an appearance and they will reuse masons torso for sure. New animal recoulors are expected and maybe even a new one like a whale lol it’s so unrealistic but I  would love it. Well I hope the restaurant is licensed but I will be nice either way. Maybe for the beach set they could do two medium sized buildings a little boat some sort of dock and at least two animals 

 

Edited by Rambo260

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8 minutes ago, Rune Haako said:

The 41375 beach set is actually an Amusement Park.

Interesting! Given the previous "beach" rumor I wonder if this will be more of a boardwalk-style amusement park (Coney Island, etc) rather than a more fairground-style amusement park like the earlier subtheme. That certainly seems to be what the packaging art for Emma's Bumper Cars would suggest! And on a side note, that polybag now makes more sense in the broader context of this year's sets.

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A small rubber duck along with a small turtle different from the current one have just leaked. Could these be from any friends set cus they sure look like they could. The duck seems to be a toy rubber duck which could be in one of the multiple amusement park sets across friends and city and the turtle seems like a smaller version of the current one but it too looks like a toy so maybe a plushie reward? Or maybe it’s tied to the turtle rescue mission set that was in the leaked list? Tbh idk but they look very interesting and cute

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On 2/11/2019 at 1:55 PM, Rambo260 said:

A small rubber duck along with a small turtle different from the current one have just leaked. Could these be from any friends set cus they sure look like they could. The duck seems to be a toy rubber duck which could be in one of the multiple amusement park sets across friends and city and the turtle seems like a smaller version of the current one but it too looks like a toy so maybe a plushie reward? Or maybe it’s tied to the turtle rescue mission set that was in the leaked list? Tbh idk but they look very interesting and cute

where are you seeing this? I cant find it anywhere..

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