AFOLguy1970

Please realize that there will be a lot of enthusiam here about all things Lego. It is after all a Lego forum. As for finances, we are talking about a $270 set. Indeed there are several posters here who can set aside that money without much difficulty. Unfortunately, there are many more or us who have to make some really difficult decisions when it comes to that kind of money. I worked a seasonal job in part to buy a plane ticket that costs about the same as this set, so yes, financial planning is a concern to me. If such posts bother you, it is best to skip the offending post and move on to the next one rather than ask people not to state their opinions regarding the cost. It might also be wrong to assume that people are going to just let the sets sit on a shelf and collect dust. Many people here build some excellent MOCs or MODs out of these sets. Some might share a little bit of the fun with their children. Others use Lego sets for photography. Anyway, I suppose there is no "wrong" opinion about the value of this set as everyone is going to assign a different value to it. Some are very avid fans and as they have indicated, will purchase it regardless of cost. Others are still deciding, and some know that it is beyond their reach. Whether it is a Lego set, a plane ticket, a new meteorite for my collection, or a home repair, I need to do some thinking and planning regarding a purchase of this amount. Regarding the set, I really like batmobile and the minifigs, especially that Cesar Romero Joker. It really looks like him too. Too bad they could not have given this the Ghostbusters Ecto-1 treatment and made one set with the car and some minifigs, and then made the collector's version of the batcave in another. I dont see a lot of kids wanting or buying this. If they want a batmobile and lots of neat main characters, they will find that in Jokerland for less than half the price of this.

It is a shame they could not have done just the Batmobile and some of the minifigs. I really cannot see justifying the cost of the set just to get those. Instead of <POW!> or <BAM!> inserts, how about <OUCH!> for the wayward price?

First MOC? I would be thrilled if that was my last MOC! It is certainly true to the Musee de Orsay and has some excellent details.

My guess is that Vader will get the same mold from Death Star Final Battle but maybe a new printing to make him "Rebels" unique. It would seem like a waste if they made a whole new mold for him and completely omitted Ahsoka. I do like the TIE Advanced and the A-Wing. They look like they might fit in with the OT versions well enough.

Very nice microscale rendering of the area, even with the original capstones! I too am amazed that the light tan color is not available for the corner parts.

I think it looks a lot better in the mods with the bank occupying the corner and having the laundromat right next door in its own building. While listening to the designer video, as part of the the storyline, Jamie explains that the original bank expanded upstairs, which would explain why there are two different architectural styles on the outside. Another thing I have noticed recently is that the bank and perhaps the DO (have not yet purchased) is they are less "stand alone" than some of the others. Parisian Restaurant is great when viewed from any angle. Even the sides and the back have some details like the outside seating and the dumpster. When you look at the two facades on the bank that are not the front or the side with the laundromat, they are not very attractive. Of course, the layering of colors are given over for the sake of interior details. This means you would feel compelled to display the bank from the front/side only or make sure you have other modulars to attach to the more unsightly sides. PR would not work to the left of the bank entrance, because you would still have the non-detailed side exposed. I may yet buy another one later in the year to do a mod just as these fine examples have provided. The only regret there is that the baseplate in the set is a single 32x32 rather than 2 32x16's, which means you have to look elsewhere for a plate if you are trying to build the laundromat as a separate structure.

I saw an article yesterday about the National Park Service submission on Ideas. Being an avid hiker and often going to the parks, I was interested in finding out more about it. After seeing the photos of it, I really was not "wowed" by it. Arguably, two of the three parks depicted are rather obscure for most people. I know the designer has in mind the park anniversary this year to help promote it, but perhaps they should have gone with more familiar features like Old Faithful, Half Dome, or a redwood tree. It also makes me wonder if Lego will always consider Ideas sets to be somewhat exclusive and largely limit their presence to a few stores like Toys R US and Lego stores? If the NPS set was to be approved, it would seem like these would be best sold at the park gift shops in addition to the usual places. I would think in this case especially, excluding actual parks from being able to sell them would hurt sales. Just my opinion of course.

http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=118342 This will provide some visuals as well

I hit the Dallas store first thing today. There were about 4 groups of us waiting as the store opened. Within 5 minutes, the 6 or 7 on the shelf were gone and I could see most people holding on to one. I got the bag ones completed today. So far, it looks good, and I look forward to building more of the Brick Bank tomorrow.

Not good for the people who live nowhere near a Lego store and this is the only viable option for them. I do plan on going to the Dallas store and being there before it opens tomorrow to get started on the Brick Bank.

I take it there is brisk New Years activity in Europe right now. You know the site cannot handle more than 5 people trying to buy something It seems to routinely crash when several new sets come out and/or a VIP special is on.

Pet Shop is still featured in the new winter catalog, although I must admit that does not ensure it will continue to be available for the whole time period the catalog covers. This modular has been quite popular due to the fact you can split it into two buildings, and it is cheaper than the three most recent ones. I really like the brownstone, and can see the appeal of having more than one on your block. It also makes an excellent parts pack given the price.

The absence of Goofy would give me a feeling that there would likely be a round 2. If they could go two rounds with the Simpsons, then surely Disney with its vast following could pull at least two rounds. I would have to agree with others and think that Mickey and friends will get a fully molded head. It is hard to imagine any other way to make them look good.

-Sigh- Not that I am likely going to change anyone's minds, but....... (1) Some people have certain character preferences. It is the same as in any other Lego minifigure series. Would it make you feel better if my kids were not totally excited by getting a carpenter, yet they would love an alien or a spaceman? I dont teach them what/who to like. When they have a little extra money to spend, they are free to use it on City, Star Wars, Friends, Elves, Duplo, or anything else they can afford in the store. In this particular series, I would like to get Mickey, Minnie (gasp!), Peter Pan, and Hook. Ursula, Lilo, and Stitch, not so much. Blind bags going for $4 can be significant money for a kid and it is even annoying for an adult to get duplicates of something they do not want because the more desired figures have been picked over. Alas, I will not launch into a debate whether or not the blind bag is the best way to go. (2) Four bucks for one pack. Eight bucks for both kids to get a shot at this. While we are not destitute, we are not necessarily free of the economic cycle either. (3) By the way, what does "think like this" mean exactly? I dont think it is sad that people have preferences for one character over another. I do think it is sad that other people want to dictate how they think children should feel about a product.

This will certainly be one of those series where feeling the packs is going to be absolutely necessary. Imagine having your boys getting Minnie while the little Disney Princess comes up with Captain Hook.

Just got the January catalog in the mail today. The January offer is a free Nexo Knights intro pack with any purchase. I see nothing about a polybag that will go along with the BB

I do not own a CC but would not be bothered if they did or did not release it again. If they did, it will probably be like the Winter Village Toy Shop with some updates. That means, you can expect an interior, a storyline, and a significant price increase. My guess is that we will get something new. Keep in mind that Cafe Corner is of course a corner building, and we just got one in the form of the bank. I highly doubt we would get two corners in a row.

Awesome job! I might buy a battle pack or two and try my hand at it.

They must have made a lot of excess printed tiles with that headline. Maybe they chose the laundromat portion of the Brick Bank to represent it as a tabloid headline since those type of magazines sometimes find their way into a place like that. No normal magazine or newspaper would have a headline about a tree coming to life.

That's a shame. I was planning on grabbing at least 2 out of 3 between Droid Escape, Carbonite Chamber, and the Hoth Battle set on Jan 1. Guess it will be the Brick Bank then.

BB-8 is going to be a big hit among SW fans, especially kids. The droid really needs to be in a less expensive set than $80 as there are going to be a lot of children (mine included) that want him and cannot afford the more expensive sets. Hopefully the next wave will include a cheaper way to get him.

Looks good! Keep us posted as you attempt the torso. It appears that masking tape is very beneficial.

Highest priority: Brick Bank SW Droid Escape Pod SW Carbonite Chamber Considering: Creator Lakeside House Jokerland SW mini Ghost w/Hera Detective Office Big Bend (if it is really being made)

In the US, Lego has not posted even a coming soon for the Droid Escape Pod, Carbonite Chamber, or the Hoth set. Brickset has them in their database but did not indicate prices. Does anyone know what the prices will be on those? I would like to set a little bit aside and maybe pick up one or two at the new year.

Mine is more of a forum thing. It happens when there is some criticism regarding a set, and there are obviously a fair number of people who share the critical point of view. It could be the cookies in the DO, the battle damaged stormies in the new Empire Battle Pack, the purple Mystery Mansion, the stickers on the Ghostbusters HQ, etc. Then someone inevitably comes along and posts: :"I dont get all of the hate for the.............." So the critics are now "haters" because there is a certain feature we do not like about the set. It is not that I necessarily think battle damaged stormies are bad per se, it is just that a normal one thrown in the mix would have been nice. But, yeah, the cliche "I dont get all of the hate" is getting old. Maybe I should go back and post "I dont get all of the love for the....."