Mantis77
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Mantis77's Stats
Mantis77's Stats
- 5Average Rating
- 4Helpfulness Votes
- 0Featured Reviews
- 2Review Count
- March 23, 2021First Review
- March 23, 2021Last Review
Mantis77's Reviews
Posted:March 23, 2021
Mantis77
Age:
45-54
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Intermediate LEGO builder
Overall:
5
/
5
Charming and Imaginative
" I got this set as a Christmas gift for my Harry Potter fan spouse as her first Lego set. She spent a couple weeks in January with our toddler son building it with him and telling him Harry Potter stories she remembered from the books. They bonded very well over this time and it was a very special experience for them both to share.
The set is huge but fits nicely on a mantle piece. It offers good play similar to a doll house or action figure compound. There are a few play features with staircases that move and a top hat figurehead that can raise his cap to customers below. There isn't the type of dynamic action you see in Batman sets, but that is not what these scenes are meant to convey.
My toddler played at buying things in shops, particularly ice cream and books. The ceilings were high enough to move figures in and out.
The build itself uses sophisticated techniques that are great to learn and use in other settings. The form of the facades is beautiful. There is a noticable upward tick in difficulty as you proceed, allowing less experienced builders to warm up as they proceed. If this was intentional, the designers should be commended for their foresight. It is substantially taller than the previous Diagon Alley and additional bricks and modifications for that will be necessary if you want to bring them together in the same style and feel.
For this new set, we had a little trouble getting the first and second stories to line up correctly and there are a few cracks. Pushing down on the top of the model does not close these gaps, so you have to be careful as it is very difficult to correct these later.
The color combinations are great. It reminded me of the shops you find in Italian and Dutch cities. They add a lively appearance that brightens the room with the sort of energy you would expect from a bustling street. I am happy to see it every day, and it causes us to smile. My one-year-old gazes up at it in wonder pointing. He loves to be carried over to it, hands just out of reach. Some day, little one.
"
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Stamford
From:
United States
State:
Connecticut
Age:
45-54
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Intermediate LEGO builder
Purchased For:
Friend
Build Time:
11
days
Play Experience (Optional):
3
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
3
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Challenging
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+1point
1of 1found this review helpful.
Posted:March 23, 2021
Mantis77
Age:
45-54
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Intermediate LEGO builder
Overall:
5
/
5
Great Family Build
" The build techniques for this model are great. There is a great use of space and character and much of the design can be used in other creations for a rustic look or ancient architecture.
I love these non-licensed models where you get more for your money, more pieces, and grander designs.
I built it with my toddler who was excited about the figures and their weapons. He was able to build from the directions for most of the model and only some of the finishing decorations he needed some help.
The style of directions is a huge improvement. The designers have found a great balance and the yellow highlights help with identifying the correct positioning. The colors are improved so that the directions more closely match the color of the bricks themselves.
My toddler was engrossed in playing with the bottom smithy level and had lots of questions about how the finished model would work. His interest was sparked so much that we watched several black and sword smithing documentaries for both modern and ancient methods. For this reason alone, the model was a complete success.
This was an instant classic and I look forward to more of the same, either in sets or making my own.
"
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Stamford
From:
United States
State:
Connecticut
Age:
45-54
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Intermediate LEGO builder
Purchased For:
Son
Build Time:
14
hrs
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Average
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+3points
3of 3found this review helpful.