Review: 42684 Unicorn Dream Cafe
Posted by MeganL,
So, I have to believe at some point in time the Friends design team was doing some brainstorming for the next wave of sets (as I expect they do several times a year). The challenge: design a set that will tick all the boxes that 5-year-old girls will love: unicorns, rainbows, and sweets.
The result? Clearly, 42684 Unicorn Dream Café.
Summary
42684 Unicorn Dream Café, 475 pieces.
£34.99 / $39.99 / €39.99 | 7.4p, 8.4c, 8.4c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
An ideal set for anyone who loves unicorns, rainbows, and sweets
- Interesting brick-built unicorn
- Unicorn plushie!
- Nice cloud effects
- Fire safety concerns?
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Inside the box there are five numbered bags, a 6x16 plate, and an instruction package with three instruction books and two small sticker sheets. One of the sticker sheets has a transparent background so clearly (pun intended) those stickers will be applied to window pieces.
Minidolls
Three minidolls are in this set: Iza, Aliya and Paisley. All three minidolls are dressed casually for their outing to the cafe. I like Iza's shirt with various coloured bows, and Paisley's shirt with a unicorn print is quite appropriate for the venue.
The completed model
There's nothing better than enjoying some treats outside, and the side build allows the Friends to do exactly that. A bench for two under a flowering tree is a lovely setting to enjoy one of the beverages from the café. A butterfly makes for a lovely touch.
It's so scenic, in fact, that others like to relax here as well. Or maybe it's just the cloud-shaped table that they like.
(Note: relaxing sloths not included in this set)
Having a look at the building, it's structured in three segments. The brick-built unicorn with its flowing rainbow mane over the door is very attractive. I love how curved pieces are used to give the effects of clouds on both the area around the door and the roof of the outer building segments.
Those outer segment can be flipped out, showing off more of the cloud formations and displaying more of the wares of the cafe.
The back view of the café shows there's a lot going on, and we'll take a look at each portion of the building separately.
The main section is, of course, dominated by the brick built unicorn. There are some interesting building techniques used in constructing the unicorn and its rainbow mane. It's noteworthy that the eyepiece is a printed piece, and not a sticker.
A rainbow walkway leads to the front door, and there's another bench with a cloud-shaped table to enjoy more of the treats. The large picture window shows some of the treats for sale. Additional details are provided through stickers, such as the menu board and the sign advertising cupcakes over the door.
The rearview shows yet another table with chairs for enjoying the treats that is just behind the large window displaying cookies, doughnuts and cupcakes. A check-out stand is on one side, while a unicorn plushie stands guard next to the door. This is just the second time we've seen the plushie, with the first being in 42674 Comic Book and Game Store.
Both side buildings feature large rounded windows. This side shows off an enormous fancy cake that is surrounded by smaller treats - toffees and waffles. Stars and translucent bricks show the treats to great effect. But I have to ask - if that candle stays lit, isn't that a fire hazard?
All the treats are on a turntable, so everything is easily accessed.
The other side of the shop is a juice and milkshake bar, though I rather thought one of the brick-built treats on the top was an ice cream cone! Regardless, in this section all the equipment a Friend could need is found here, with a blender, fridge with fruit ingredients, and cups ready to go.
The outside of this portion is decorated with stars and a flowering plant. A walk-up ordering window is featured here as well, for any Friends who don't want to make the long walk around to the front of the building and in the front door.
Overall thoughts
I mentioned at the outset that this is a set geared for five-year-old girls, as it checks all the boxes of things they love - how do I know this? Because I had a five-year-old visitor while building this set, and she absconded with it right after I took the pictures for the review. She had a wonderful time acting out stories of the minidolls getting treats for their Friends and sharing the unicorn plushie. She was also entranced with the cloud pieces on the roof, repeatedly taking them off and putting them on again (which would explain any building errors on those sections).
From an AFOL standpoint, there are some fun techniques in this build, and several parts colours that haven't been seen in many other sets. A complete parts list is found here. The rounded window pieces may be of particular interest. The price ($40) is quite budget friendly, which is a welcome change from some of the more expensive Friends sets we've had this year.
62 likes
21 comments on this article
I'd love to see someone convert this design into a whole modular building. So much character and whimsy!
Interesting, but it feels like a $32 set.
It's perfect--as usual, the Friends design team nails it!
Tall Cupcakes look appetizing
Why are some bricks not pushed tightly?
@merman said:
"Why are some bricks not pushed tightly?"
I am looking at these pictures and I am justing vibrating with confusion
I think the candle flame might be plastic, so it’s not too dangerous in this context.
@merman said:
"Why are some bricks not pushed tightly?"
I was thinking the same thing, it's not even an OCD thing, it just looks badly built
I didn't know pink was a color in the spectrum.
@dylanwho said:
" @merman said:
"Why are some bricks not pushed tightly?"
I am looking at these pictures and I am justing vibrating with confusion"
Could have been worse... could have been shivering with antici...pation!
@sjr60 said:
" @dylanwho said:
" @merman said:
"Why are some bricks not pushed tightly?"
I am looking at these pictures and I am justing vibrating with confusion"
Could have been worse... could have been shivering with antici...pation!"
Megan already explained:
"I had a five-year-old visitor while building this set, and she absconded with it right after I took the pictures for the review. She had a wonderful time acting out stories of the minidolls getting treats for their Friends and sharing the unicorn plushie. She was also entranced with the cloud pieces on the roof, repeatedly taking them off and putting them on again (which would explain any building errors on those sections)."
Would this fit Cloudcuckooland?
@Rimefang said:
"Interesting, but it feels like a $32 set."
Friends is genuinely the last Lego theme I've been keeping my eye on with all the price increases, sadly it seems all current Friends sets are at least 25% to expensive. Luckily for now we can still get used sets for cheap, but it's been sad to slowly be priced out of everything but polybags and cmf.
It's probably one of those newfangled LED candles. No fire safety concerns here!
@Autoboty said:
"It's probably one of those newfangled LED candles. No fire safety concerns here!"
Also no worries about wax getting in the frosting.
"Fire safety concerns?" is my new favorite negative comment for a Lego set review.
This set is better than expected, but imo for this price it could have been somewhat bigger on inside.
@Darth_Dee said:
""Fire safety concerns?" is my new favorite negative comment for a Lego set review."
Instead of just scrolling through the review as I don't have any interest in the set, that comment at the start made me deliberately read the whole thing just to find out what it was!
@Darth_Dee said:
""Fire safety concerns?" is my new favorite negative comment for a Lego set review."
Oh, absolutely.
@lordofdragonss said:"This set is better than expected, but imo for this price it could have been somewhat bigger on inside."
I don't care if you're from Poland, I automatically hear "bigger on the inside" in a British accent.
@TheOtherMike said:
" @Darth_Dee said:
""Fire safety concerns?" is my new favorite negative comment for a Lego set review."
Oh, absolutely.
@lordofdragonss said:"This set is better than expected, but imo for this price it could have been somewhat bigger on inside."
I don't care if you're from Poland, I automatically hear "bigger on the inside" in a British accent."
Oh, which one? (You can name the character if you can’t identify the specific accent.)
@Hiratha said:
" @TheOtherMike said:
" @Darth_Dee said:
""Fire safety concerns?" is my new favorite negative comment for a Lego set review."
Oh, absolutely.
@lordofdragonss said:"This set is better than expected, but imo for this price it could have been somewhat bigger on inside."
I don't care if you're from Poland, I automatically hear "bigger on the inside" in a British accent."
Oh, which one? (You can name the character if you can’t identify the specific accent.)"
No specific character, except maybe for Capaldi's rant when River didn't know who he was.
"Oh... my.... GOD! It's bigger!"
"Well, yes."
"On the inside!"
"We need to concentrate."
"Than it is!"
" Yeah, I know where you're going with this, but I need you to calm down."
"On the outside!"
"You've certainly grasped the essentials."
"My entire understanding of physical space has been transformed! Three-dimensional Euclidean geometry has been torn up, thrown in the air, and snogged to death! My grasp of the universal constants of physical reality has been changed... forever. [beat] Sorry. I've always wanted to see that done properly."