LEGO Disney Mini Castle Set 40478

Product Information

It’s been a huge year for Disney fans, with LEGO pulling out all the stops to celebrate Disney’s 100th anniversary, and die-hard Disney devotees have been spoilt for choice. It’s the second mini Disneyland attraction at this scale, and apart from the very clunky name (why couldn’t they just call this the Mini Haunted Mansion), marks an exciting signal that LEGO are beginning a cycle of these pint-sized Disneyland attractions that suggest a yearly release. For those on a budget or those short on space, this set is just perfect, and I think in many ways, is superior to the big Disney Castle. For context, I own the large Disney Castle but it’s still in the box because I don’t have the space.

The mini LEGO Disney Castle is hands down going to be one of the most popular LEGO sets of 2021, striking the right balance between a price and display presence. Oof*. Having been about 2 when the film came out and thus having it be one of the Disney tentpoles I grew up on alongside Beauty and the Beast and Lion King, this comment made me feel my not-so-old-age *hard*. It’s absolutely brilliant and just one of those neat little flourishes that makes this model extra special. The perfect gift for the Magic Kingdom fan of any age out there, light and display your Mini Disney Castle today!Here’s a look at the entrance and the doors – you can see golden spikes inside the arch which is a nice touch. Measuring over 8 in. (21 cm) high, 5.5 in. (14 cm) wide and 5.5 in. (13 cm) deep, this LEGO® | Disney Mini Disney Castle makes a striking display piece standing on a mantelpiece or shelf in your home or office.

One thing I was surprised about when I opened the set was how many bags it contains. There are nine in total, which feels a lot for how big the finished build is. But due to the microscale nature of the building, it does use a lot of small elements. You build the set from the base upwards, with the plate the Mansion sits on being the same style as the Mini Disney Castle. This is a really nice touch as it makes both sets feel like they are part of a series of sets. Plenty of repetition is employed using these sand green windows to mimic the ironwork that envelopes most of the facade. With so many large-scale releases in 2021, the year has actually been an excellent year for LEGO fans on a budget, or if you’re like me, with little to no room left for massive 4-digit piece sets. To pay homage to the classic animated film Aladdin, LEGO have decided to go small with 40613 Mini Palace of Agrabah, a pint-sized but utterly delightful scaled down version of Agrabah. To better fit the Disney Princess theme, I also would’ve liked a Jasmine, Aladdin or Sultan minidoll, but nope. It just seems like LEGO forgot to put one in.The architectural details are stunning, and it really captures the Southern manor aesthetic well at this scale, with some clever use of repetitive elements for the facade. The build was surprisingly long, and kept me engaged throughout, and I had fun seeing the Castle come together. It followsthe Mini Disney Castle(2021) and Mini Haunted Mansion(2022) as this 2023’s miniaturised Disney setting and is a great set save for one fatal flaw with the set’s design.

A great gift idea for ages 12 and up, this 567-piece building set makes a unique addition to any Disney collection. Most interesting of all are the Cinderella glass slipper tile and a 2×3 tile of 71040 Disney Castle which is just a brilliant nod to the original castle. Here’s a look at the instruction manual, which has a new (and a little odd) booklet shape which is new to me. Which is not a statement against your view on it, since Disney has not really gone in this direction in years (several decades of war in the Middle East makes it a much touchier subject to open fantasy worlds into) and they certainly lean in other ways now, but Aladdin for Disney was a standard bearer through the 90s, with a TV show and two sequels. To see its perception and place in Disney’s cultural-awareness zeitgeist having fallen so far really makes me question a lot of my own preconceptions of what folks think is “Disney” now.

Summary

In a nod to the movies, Aladdin’s Magic Carpet and the Genie Lamp is also included, and it’s placed so that it looks like it’s darting through the air, heading towards the tallest tower.

Here’s a look at the completed Castle, and it is a beauty – perfectly capturing the iconic silhouette of Cinderella’s Castle. Coolness [3] – A great slice of Aladdin in microscale, however a minifigure would’ve made this way cooler Disney Parks have a large number of iconic attractions and one of the oldest and most beloved is The Haunted Mansion. Located in the New Orleans Square area of Disneyland, Anaheim, from its exterior, The Haunted Mansion doesn’t scream spookiness. It was originally designed as the quintessential haunted house, falling apart and left to ruin, a perfect place for ghosts to dwell. But Walt Disney didn’t want a rundown building sitting in his new theme park. So the building which contains the ride looks as perfect as the day it was built. Once inside things are very different, visitors take to Doom Buggy as they journey through the Mansion and meet some of its inhabitants. The ride has also inspired a movie, a Muppets Disney+ special and versions in other Disney Parks. It’s the original Disneyland version of The Haunted Mansion which has inspired this new set. And here’s a look at the Dining Room, which includes 3 more portraits, some white statuettes (which I believe represent the moving busts), as well as a long banquet table, complete with a large cake, and candles. Coolness [2] – If you’re a massive Disneyland devotee, you’re going to love it, but I couldn’t connect to the set

What's in the box

What do you think of 40521 Mini Disney The Haunted Mansion? What other mini Disneyland attractions would you like to see next? August marks the release of 40521 Mini Disney The Haunted Mansion, a follow-up to 2021’s excellent 40478 Mini Disney Castle. I’d just remove both tiles during the build, or else you’ll have a hard time accessing them after – you literally have to break the castle to retrieve them. I’d say the designers really did a great job adapting the Agrabah we know from Aladdin to a tidy LEGO display model.