LukeWarmTea

I really like this set, it's simple but elegant. The different figs aren't obtrusive and the clean colour scheme means while it's a busy set, it's not overwhelming. Well done!

I don't personally believe they ever will - but if they do - what's the problem? My kid would love a massive, Friend themed police station! But I agree it's unlikely. I'd love to buy some little ones - and a doctor's office could be very likely if Belleville is anything to go by. I still can't see a problem... Wait, what? Why does having a few Friend sets that feature something which also appears in another theme - City is the target of choice this time - suddenly mean City is ruined, oh sorry, "Friendizied"? I'm running with the last sentence here; while girls won't like a large police or fire station (incorrect in our house, where it's the second highest Xmas list item) boys on the other hand may actually express an interest in a Friends set - if they feature 'a city' style set, with male figures and let us not forget the vehicles. So I am surmising you think if TLC makes these sets and boys (or their parents, actually) buy them instead of City - City will become 'Friendizied' (I kinda love that word, thanks for that) and will be what, softer, maybe? Or is it the mini-doll (which is afterall the topic of this thread) that is the threat - do you think TLC will replace the iconic minifig in City sets with the new mini-doll? Again, what's the problem? To be honest - I'm a little cross with what you've said simply because of the assumptions you make about these kids based on their gender. Boys ARE buying Friends, and not just for the male dolls or the vehicles. And girls buy City sets, all the time, all over the world. I honestly do not believe City will be taken over by minidolls, any more than I believe minifigs will be brought into Friends. Boys will overwhelmingly continue to support City (and the majority of Lego) and girls will continue to consistently choose Friends over other themes. Which I think is a bit crap, but, and it's a big but - expanding the set ideas for the 'girls only' Lego will not interfere with other 'boy' Lego themes.

Thanks, I have!

^ Thanks Pandora, I'm sorry you haven't been able to open any new Friends lately - Christmas can't come soon enough!

Cheers Harmacy - I'll look up that thread ;)

^ I had to hunt Olivia's Workshop down on an ebay style site, so you're right there. And I agree, while the sets may seem 'the same' to us - to kids tiny changes make it completely different. I also think that the Friends theme has a massive scope for sets - the only thing separating this theme from the others is that it is targeted to girls. That's it. And, as a girl and mother of a girl, I know first hand that our interests are many and varied. While it's unlikely a crime-fighting set will appear in Friends- Emma's karate studio could well lead on to a self-defence style set - or the beach sets could easily become coast guard orientated etc etc. I have never thought that Friends will intrude on or take over ideas from City. I don't even think that the City sets becoming less violent and more 'Friendly' has anything to do with Friends - it's more likely that Lego have heard the reactions of hundreds of thousands of parents like myself who are sick of toys pushing boys towards aggressive, violent play. I read an article somewhere about the faces of Lego minifigs which TLG had responded to and said they were working on; that male minifig faces (to become more detailed) had become overwhelmingly angrier, while female figs remained lipsticked and smiling. City's 60003 Fire set is a prime example (which I bought for the female fire-fighter and was immensely disappointed by), and while this: http://shop.lego.com/en-US/LEGO-City-Fire-Accessory-Set-850618 shows that you can be hard-working man fig without looking intensely agro, you may note the female never sweats, struggles or concentrates too hard (perhaps it might smudge that dashing shade of rouge lippy). So where the idea Friends is messing with City comes from, I don't know - but if City is changing it's tune, then it's all for the better in my book.

Hi all, thanks for the welcome - taking up your advice on the Lady tag (so much cooler than Vassal, cheers for that Eurobricks) and also am doing the Lego fan quiz thing in your sig Shaydgrai, cause lolz. I'm in Welly Pizzareno, what Island are you on?

Gorgeous! Looks just like this new deli near me - same striped roof. I'd buy it in a second - those croissants! The meat stand - is that where a butcher could go perhaps? To serve customers cold cuts - which could then be bought on the right at the cashier? I'm assuming the blue strip is a bench? (Sorry, counter?) Also the shopping trolley is almost exactly how I have built my daughter a pram! Are there any new pieces/ideas for new pieces? Or is that not possible in LDD?

Hi all - NZer who just spent far too much at Toyco. I'm always on the look out for cheap bulk lots for myself and my 5yo girl, so City, Friends and Creator are where we're at. I'm keen to get into the modular Creators, but that'll have to wait till I have more work hours (and less playtime, woe!). Is lookout one word? Who knew?

Thanks Eurotrash! Yes, I have been on before (looking for Anna and Peter figs) and have found even Hong Kong postage is often cheaper than buying second hand here - Lego prices really hold their own at this time of year! Thanks Gnac - they are called car boot sales, or flea markets, but we don't have many. If any. Most common are garage sales, - which tend to include front lawns as well - that are just one private home selling from their home. Cheers all!

Great review Pandora - now I want to buy this set for myself instead of my daughter!Just wondering (I know this is a very old thread) but is this set still the same as it's initial release? We've got a variety of new and old wave Friends, and not a single set has come with ads for Creator in the booklet. Is this still a thing? Also, is it possible there are voters in the poll who don't actually own or have ever built the set? (Cause that's a bit sucky.) And finally, Pandora - I noticed there's no review up in the Heartlake City list of Emma's Horse trailer 3186, which is a set we own and love - although the colours are horrible. Is there a review somewhere I just haven't found yet? Thanks a bunch!

It works! I like the non-roof, makes it infinitely more playable for small people. Also, doesn't the Dolphin Cruiser set come with those curved corners? I think they're turquoise, but that could work with yellow and pink, no?

^ I've noticed that too, is that an official thing? 'Remake Belleville'? I had the camping set as a kid, and my daughter (5) will get the campervan set for Christmas.

Hi all! I'm Alexandra, a mum from NZ and I'd love to meet other NZ lego fans. I loved Lego as a kid and collected Basic stuff, the Robin Hood series and Technics, but we couldn't afford the motorised stuff. I'm still in the same boat moneywise, I work part time as a cleaner and my partner Sara works on the lumber yard so Lego has always been a bit out of reach. My daughter is now 5 (and a half, the half is important!) and she's been given Friends the past year or so, which is slowly taking over from her Duplo which she still sometimes plays with. It has Bob the Builder stuff, so that's an incentive for her. She loves City and had some pretty neat sets which we've cannibalised (along with the Friends parts - those lovely colourful flat pieces are the best) into baby cots, change tables, high chairs and buggies, bunk beds and go-carts - all that stuff little kids are into. I want to build with her, for her and for myself too. For the longest time I was into Sylvanian Families and I should've been buying Lego! I would love to own a big modular building like the Parisian Restaurant - all those mod builds remind me of times in Europe and the UK (where my family is) and look nothing like NZ - I'd be keen later to take on the challenge of a NZ building, maybe a weatherboard villa or two. So that's it really. Oh, and I support those trying to address gender imbalance in toys, it's a bit of a thing for me I guess. I don't want my little girl to think she can't play with Ninjago, and I don't think her friends who are male should be unable to play with the Friends figs. I'd also like to see more advanced builds targeted to girls - like a motorised Friends range or something. Anywho, it's nice to meet you! Alexandra

Easy question - what's the cheapest way to buy a lot of Lego? Harder bits: - I live in New Zealand, so anything bought overseas comes with a whopper price for postage. - I want to build a few MOC's to create a town for my daughter's Friends and minifigs to cohabit, and as a new AFOL and KFOL (she's 5) we're starting from a very limited resource pool of bricks. I'm looking for navy roof tiles, tan coloured bricks etc - the kinda thing you don't get in bulk lots from Mum's-getting-rid-of-their-now-grown-up kid's toy collection. - I am pretty damn poor. Any help would be appreciated! Cheers Alexandra

I'm impressed too! I have yet to attempt a large MOC after being in the DA just as yourself - my daughter is just 5 and loves City and Friends, mostly for the animals. I love that it is playable - like you, anything I do build has to be completely child-proof. I find the expense hard too - I'm a cleaner in New Zealand and we don't have any big stores competing with sales or anything, so the idea of buying 'all the modular sets' is a pipe dream. How did you find the scale, building with minifig set bricks for a Friends house? Are the doorways OK?

Is it just me, but I thought the set was an OK price?! In NZD it comes to $180, which is a lot for us, when I normally buy Lego for my daughter and aim to spend $80 or under. But it has 1261 bricks, 9 minifigures (and more females than males!) and the moving parts in the carousel which we don't have any of - 5yo DD not yet at the age for technics. I was planning on buying Olivia's House for $150 or the Creator family home for $130 which have half the parts and far fewer minifigures. I know I am comparing apples with oranges, mind. The only issue for me is once Xmas is over, so will the playability. I'd assume, anyway?

^ Thanks! My daughter would also love the 'control' aspect of flicking the switch and enjoying the chaos. Is this Cuusoo also? I've been voting, but like other commentators I wonder if this is perhaps too complex for the Friends theme. Maybe if there was a Friends Gold or something - a more advanced sub-set of the theme, for electronic and motorised sets for older girls - then this would be amazing. And I would buy it! Did you know Friends have a fun-fair in their storyline? It's called 'World Petacular' and features a dog show and other pet-related stalls and things. A carousel very much like yours was in the background in one shot - will have to take a pic for you.

This is amazing, my daughter would go nuts! Do the Friends ever fall out of the cars? And what piece is the steering wheel? Such a better scale than the one Friends vehicles come with.

Hey does anyone know if TLC have a plan regarding how many sets each Friend is assigned? We seem to have a million Stephanies, and I know Emma doesn't have many sets. Are they addressing the balance in the new series do ya think? Also, yay more men/boys! Oh and I agree with above - the Disney series will probably give us a 'prom' (I'm hoping they call it a 'ball'!) cause you know, we have a high school now. Maybe it'll be in the gym?! So exciting!

http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=85699&st=0 Plenty of ocean/beach goodies, and probably will continue in that vein for awhile. Nice to see some 'farm' sets as well, making a slight stab towards gender neautrality there. I'd love it if some farm sets had long pants and boots and long sleeved shirts - even gloves - so they are compatible with any skin toned minidoll. Also the mountain range is super exciting - BURP anyone?!

Yup! In New Zealand you can drive and work at 16. I always imagined them at high school girls, some with after school jobs etc - it's how my kid plays with them! Thoughts of the limited functionality of the mini-doll, especially with the age range and longevity in mind: - The connected legs really disappointed me, but when younger kids are playing, either with minifigs or minidolls, I've noticed the characters 'hop' along, so don't need to have split legs. The leg splitting only matters when you want to pose the characters, something we AFOLs, movie makers and older kids tend to do. - The hand/arm thing is a total pain as well, but it's pretty much the same as above - 5 year old's don't care if they're not holding the steering wheel, if they're in the drivers seat, they are driving. Also, I have numerous handless Lego minifigs from my childhood. In a sense, I'd say the minidolls are more durable because of their simplicity, and far less likely to lose parts. - The biggest problem I have with them function wise is their inability to sit on studs, or pretty much anything, unless they put their arms at their sides to steady themselves. Total pain! - Finally, a point to consider is the TLC claim that there are 'thousands' of combination for the minidolls - but that's not totally true. Because of the varying skin tones, darker skinned minidolls are often limited because of the bare armed, short skirted nature of the minidoll outfits. Legs can be found that cover the skin (like the riding jodhpurs and boots), but I don't think there are any tops with long sleeves and gloves which completely hide the skin. I'd love to see more outfits like that! I'm pretty sure we are agree with OP - minidolls will stick around, especially because TLC says so; but they need to be equated with minifigs somehow. Maybe another girl friendly minidoll range or something?

Oh agreed - looking at these sets makes my pockets feel lighter already. On the Creator houses front - we've had a bit of a struggle with how 'playable' those sets are. As has been mentioned, there's not much detail and not much room! We've got 31009 (for the skateboard mainly) which is for sure a smaller set (she's only 5) but I wish perhaps more thought had been given to how the space was used. The colours could go more neutral - neither brights nor pastels so they could appeal to City or Friends collectors. I love the beige bricks that made me think of holidays in Bath and beautiful sandstone columns! All these sets seem to summery, what's the expected release date? I figured we'd see winter wonderland snow themes for early 2014 - is this a mid year range? Lastly - does "mission on the beach" relate to that Friends TV episode with the sonor? Cause Bella loved that to bits, and it would be awesome to see more 'sciency' sets!

I fully agree! To all the things! - 'baby' or 'toddler' minidolls are vital - I'll put some pics up soon of my 5yo's attempts - and would create so many amazing opportunities for expansion. The City Hospital is fine as a Hospital, and instead of such a big set why not make a medium-ish one (like the Vet maybe) and make it a doctor's office, and for the NICU thing - why not offer a midwife clinic attached? We could have a male GP and female Midwife, make it an open two or three rooms with lots of the new 'mini-minidoll' accessories. I know for sure we'd buy it - we might even have to buy two with my DD being so baby mad! As for the other sets, I think we're all on the same page with wanting TLC to leave 'shops' and 'girl-centered' themes to the background - the colours and existing themes are pretty girly already, now we've got those girl-buyers hooked surely we can expand the options a bit? (Not that they aren't already, but you know?) The sports complex/grounds sounds fantastic - so does the gymnasium (which is a bit girly) but why not make it one big set so that Emma's Karate studio and Steph's football, ballet etc can all work into it? A big, gym themed set that would also have (gasp!) a large 32x32 or similar plate to be the 'field' next door? Ditto on the Zoo, bikes and mall - a little corner dairy (sorry, grocery store? drug store? shop?) would be sweet - and the Library! Oh my, why was this not suggested first?! Imagine an awesome, mid-range library set that came with a modern wifi hub, bean bags for the girls to lounge in and books and books! Surely that would be Olivia's after school job? Or Emma's? The hairdresser is something I've been working on for Cuusoo - it's an awesome opportunity to unite minifigs and minidolls - by their hair! Extra hair pieces for all the minidolls that came with built on helmets is a must have - and the shorter hair pieces are great for turning them into 'grown ups'. Finally, someone above mentioned building in PF controls and getting girls into motorised building - brilliant, absolutely brilliant. Love the idea of a train (or monorail, anyone?!) and the ski-lift sounds darling! My idea was an elevator (I'm working on an apartment building) which could be bought separately - so the set comes with a stairwell that could be replaced with the electric lift - though I think integrating it into a ski-set is a sneaky way to get reluctant 'pinky' type mums into buying mechanics based sets! Now we've all seen what direction the '14 sets are heading in, any new thoughts?

Nice review, just bought this set can't wait for the laptop and MP3 player! I agree with pinioncorp though - the height thing in Friends is weird - any lower and her massive feet wouldn't fit under the desk! Has this issue building cots/change tables/prams etc with my 5yo - to make them able to function and not look totally out of place is hard!