Now how do we get instructions? Or is that what you meant by mentioning atkinsar? :P

What do they normally come in? I won't have a Lego Store anywhere near me until spring, so I've never been to an event of this sort. And Huw, what hapened to "stridspacket" or whatever in the Ninjago section?

I hope that is a good news for Spain, if they have enough money for polybags, maybe they think about open a store in Spain. At least I will can buy monthly mini models easily if they are in polybags

The instructions given to the stores state that customers may not take the polybags and leave, they must be opened and built in the store. Then they can take the completed model plus one of the picture cards home. The instructions sheets are also to remain in the store (though you can look up the instructions on the LEGO website).

So if you are hoping that this will make getting your build faster, it wont. There also are new building trays that the models are supposed to be built on (an employee will open the polybag and empty it into the tray for you). So there are likely a limited number of people who can be building at one time.

Overall, I think this is great because it means no more missing parts, and that there are now set numbers to go with these.. but it really doesnt make it easier/better for collectors.. assuming employees at every store follow policy/procedure.

^^ More than that, he's a dedicated polybag collector, and has the lot, except for a few Brickmasters that you mustn't mention in front of him, as they 'don't exist' :o)

@LegoCoastGuard: Polybag collector?! O_o Good grief. :P

@dither - If that's true, and the employees will be completely procedural in the effort to not let a sealed bag out of the store, that alone will drive up the collector-ness of these sets in a black-market kind of way. I hope it's not like that.

He can try and be like my cousin, who lied and said she was 15 so she could get me this baseball bat for free. My cousin is awesome. :P

I think we need to wait & see what happens next month; the 'cobra' is a special MMMB model, a promotional item to link in with the 2012 'Ninjago' sets. The store staff will appreciate the change if it is permanent; I know some of the stores have got into the habit of pre-sorting the loose parts into 'service pack' zip-lock bags to make the workload on the day much lower & get a better flow of kids through the build process. Some of the stores still have the loose bricks in tubs for the kids to pick from on the day ...

When people call atkinsar a polybag collector do they mean he collects polybag sets or just the bags?

^ the sets. Still sealed in their bags.

^ Thanks. Thought so but just wanted to make sure :)

^ I gave out a big sigh when I read this new article! Looks like we'll just have to up our game and reach for the Weetabix!!

I'm in agreement with bluemoose on this one. I can't recall another MMMB that was related specifically to a theme, so I wouldn't be surprised if this new polybag method is one and done. In fact we aren't going to the build tonight because my son said he didn't want to since it wasn't a "real monthly mini model build."

Our store pre-sorts all the parts into plastic cups.

My local shop told me of this this past Friday but I didn't know it was an official polybag. My buddy over there made it seem like it was just a regular plain plastic bag. But for the employees, this really helps them. They don't have to sort all the parts into those Dixie cups anymore.
I'm hoping he'll save me one or two for my collection. Can't make it to the build...kid's a little under the weather.

@avoiceoreason...I think though not a 'true' month/weather/holiday theme, the snake is themed for this month since they're doing a lot of Ninjago Year of the Snake promos and stuff in Jan. like some Spinjitzu training and tips for the kids, plus a free Kendo Jay booster pack thingie(w/$75.00 purchase?)...and they have the whole snake line on the shelves and what not.

@DrD I'm hoping they might introduce them for all LEGO.com orders between, say 4 and 7 pm on whatever day they do them in the stores? That's when the stores do it I think.

EDIT: - Or what about for Club members? (I get 3 of each magazine - 1 to keep MISB (I'm strange like that), 1 to look at, then dump in a box somewhere, and 1 to put in my BL store, (someone just bought the lot), so I'd be happy bunny if that was the case. (LEGO think there's a Matthew Butler, Matt Butler and Mr M Butler all living at my house :o) )

Just got back from the mini-build (Cobra). The bags that were distributed were just clear cellophane with a little printing. no pics or color. They wouldn't let any leave the store unopened, but they did say that any left-overs would be given away the next day to anyone who asked for one. They were sealed when the kids got to a table, then opened. It was a slow build because the little kids had trouble with all the tiny pieces.

I wish that there was a Lego store near me I live in Utah. But these mmb are nice when I went to Disney world I went to one it was a sailboat. Good luck atkinsar

My husband and kid just got back from an aborted first-ever attempt at the mini-build. The store employees reported that the line was longer than normal (1 to 2 hour wait today) and that they were doing a new procedure where instead of allowing you to build at your own pace, they were going to go step by step. That all pointed to -- abort mission! Next month is a hockey player...

Interesting.... Never got one before.

my local lego store had no such bag. each set was pre-sorted into a small translucent Tupperware-esque Lego branded container, and the employees said they came this way. many of us builders were oohing and aahing over the stackability of these new containers, and the employees were hoping that they'd never have to sort into ziplocs or Dixie cups again.

anyone else see these containers? they would fly off the shelves if they were sold.

I'm a LBR "Brick Specialist" and I can verify that we used to have to sort all of the pieces into the Pick a Brick cups before each build. To have them arrive at our store in prepackaged bags was very exciting for us! And we got a shipment of those tupperware style containers last week- I assume for use in these type of mini builds.

Went to the mini build at the local LEGO store with my daughter.
The staff knows me( from my numerous visits).
My daughter and I both received a cobra!
She built her set, I did not open my polybag.

Just a reminder that it's the MMMB event in the European stores today, Thursday 5th Jan ...

I don't have an child under 14 to bring with me to the store, BUT, I have found that sometimes the stores still have sets, and that an adult, who gets to the store early in the day, can sometimes beg for a sets left over.

I did have to build the set without instructions, just using the model in the store.

Remember to bring your camera to these builds, as they don't usually have instructions that you can take away.
[Or get the instructions on-line]

Hello, I live in France and there are no Lego brand store in my country at the moment : so no Monthly Mini Model Build. However I have access to building instructions every month at this address : http://shop.lego.com/fr-FR/Miniconstruction?CMP=EMC-VIP2011DecemberNLFR&HQS=minibuild_txt_2
If this can help you...

Yeah atkinsar I feel really bad about him

Having both seen how labor intensive sorting the pieces is for the employees, as well as being on the receiving end of sets with missing parts, I see the bagged parts as being a move for the better.

However, these will not be collectible, as few will be leaving the store. Only way to get them will be by buying them from unscrupulous employees. These builds are popular, though. Most stores run out the day of the build.

Adult collectors should leave these to the kids, and enjoy building them from the posted instructions.