Review: 41167 Arendelle Castle Village

Explore Arendelle with Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff. There's plenty of things to do in the market and the castle. 



The box front shows our set sitting along the Arendelle wharf with the mountains rising in the background. The overall feel is a pastel sunset in autumn. Like the other Frozen II sets there is an aspen and snow overlay which highlights the Disney Frozen II logo on the lower left and the movie versions of Anna and Elsa on the lower right. 



The pastel background from the box front is continued on the right edge of the box back. The aspen overlay continues into a wider aspen pattern behind images of the set. The main image is the back/interior of the castle, and five more inset images are displayed around it. These images have a Nordic style border. Four images highlight various play scenes and the fifth image shows how the castle is stacked together in 3 layers. The Disney Frozen II logo is centered on the bottom, and Anna and Elsa in mini doll form mimic the movie illustration from the box front. 





The box top shows the three included mini dolls - Kristoff, Anna, and Elsa. Also included are two small white birds (which first appeared with Jasmine in the Disney Collectible Minifigures Series 2 released earlier in 2019), and a sand blue cat (this is the same cat from LEGO Friends known as Chico).

Elsa is used for the actual size image in another Nordic bordered inset. 

The box top also has product manufacturing and distribution details, while the box bottom has the UPC bar code, trademark details, and recycling information. 





One box end shows the same image of the set from the box front only in a Nordic bordered inset, along with the set name and choking hazard warnings in French and Spanish. The other box end has the LEGO Life logo. Since this is a large box, both ends have a punch out tab that can be used to reclose the box. 



Inside the box are 8 plastic bags. One bag has the instructions and sticker sheets. There is no cardboard insert to keep them flat, but bagging them together does keep them from getting curled up as they do when left loose in the box. Of the 7 bags of parts, six are numbered and the the seventh is a softer plastic bag with the larger parts. 



The instructions are divided into two perfect bound booklets. Book one covers bags 1 - 3, and book two covers bags 4 - 6. There are two sticker sheets. One is printed on a white background, and the second on a glittery, metallic background - so shiny!



Here's a quick look at the larger parts included in the soft plastic bag. The tan 3 x 6 x 5 ornamented arch is fairly rare. It only appears in 3 other set including 41065 Rapunzel's Best Day Ever (2016).



Bag 1 includes an orange brick separator, a bag of smaller parts, and the pieces for building both Anna and Elsa. We'll take a closer look at them in a little bit. 

There are several newly recolored pieces in this bag. 

• The 1 x 3 x 2 curved top arch brick in sand green has only appeared in set 70840 Welcome to Apocalypseburg! (2019).
• The 4 x 1 double curved slope is new in dark turquoise. It first appeared in set 70838 Queen Watevra's 'So-Not-Evil' Space Palace (2019). It shows up again in 2020 in set 41390 Andrea's Car & Stage (2020).
• The 1 x 3 x 2 inverted arch brick first appeared in dark turquoise with set 41623 Ariel & Ursula (2018), and then in set 70830 Sweet Mayhem's Systar Starship! (2019). In 2020 it has showed up in 3 more sets so it's starting to get more common, but was still rare when this set was released.
• The 6 x 5 plant leaves in bright light orange is a new color for 2019 appearing in 5 other sets including set 41165 Anna's Canoe Expedition and set 41166 Elsa's Wagon Adventure.

I was surprised to learn that the dark bluish grey 1 x 4 modified brick with masonry profile (brick profile) has only appeared in set 10760 Underminer Bank Heist (2018)

Finally, the dark blue round road sign on pole first appeared in 2017 in set 41323 Snow Resort Chalet, but hasn't been used in dark blue again until this set. 



Taking a look at the bag of smaller parts, we get the rest of the pieces for Anna and Elsa and the fist of our two little white birds. The only pieces of note are the two orange 1 x 1 round plant plates with 3 leaves. This was a new color for 2019 but not rare and appears in several of the Frozen II sets. 

Let's take a closer look at Anna and Elsa before we start building. 

 

Elsa is wearing the same lavender dress from the polybag set 30553 Elsa's Winter Throne. Its very regal and the diamond patterns really tie into the Frozen design. 

Anna has a brand new look for this set. Her hair is the same that appears in several earlier Frozen sets, but both the torso and skirt are new. The torso shows a white shirt under a tan jacket. The jacket and shirt have gold and dark purple patterns. She is also wearing a gold and purple necklace. Purple waist trim with gold patterns is only printed on the front and doesn't continue onto the back of the torso. The long white skirt has an elegant pattern of gold grain and purple berries. This is a great royal look for our adventurous princess, and so far it is exclusive to this set. 

Let's get building. 



First we make a small rowboat. It's a straight forward build with the standard reddish brown boat. It comfortably seats two mini-dolls on beautiful cushions, represented by matching stickers. 



Getting oars to fit into mini-doll hands isn't as easy as it is for minifigs, but this design works well. The oars to not sit securely in the oar locks, but I don't think it really matters overall. 



The rest of bag 1 builds the fishmonger's stall and a small dock. It's small, but effective. A sticker is used on the blue sign, and there is just enough room for a crab and a fish for sale. We also add Chico to the dock (I'm going with his Friends name since the cat isn't named in this set). Where else would a hungry kitten go? I love the use of the printed 1 x 1 round wood-grain tiles on the tops of the dock posts; it's just a nice little detail. 

We have several small pieces leftover including an oar, hair bow, and printed tile. Let's move on to bag 2. 



Inside is another bag of small parts, plus lots of fun recolors worth mentioning. 

• The light aqua 3 x 4 33° slopes are so far exclusive to this set.
• The 2 x 8 basic reddish brown brick was a new color for this set, and has only been used in 2 more sets in 2020. I'm always surprised by things like this. It's not a rare brick. It's not a rare color. But the combo of brick and color is, strangely, rare.
• The 1 x 4 modified plate with 2 studs in new in dark purple for 2019. It is also used in set 41165 Anna's Canoe Expedition and several other sets.
• The 1 x 6 x 7 door frame with rounded pillar, top arch and notches is not a common part. It was new in tan for 2019, and has since appearing in set 43183 Moana's Island Home (2020) and set 41431 Heartlake City Brick Box (2020).
• The 8 x 8 lavender plate was new for 2019; first appearing in set 41161 Aladdin and Jasmine's Palace Adventures. It shows up again in two DOTS sets in 2020.
• The 1 x 1 x 6 support pillars in dark turquoise first appeared in set 41194 Noctura's Tower & the Earth Fox Rescue (2018), but has not been used in any other sets.
• The 1 x 8 modified plate with door rail first appeared in medium nougat in set 70657 Ninjago City Docks (2018). This is the only other set to have this piece in medium nougat.

There are no new or recolored pieces in the bag of small parts. Just bright, useful things like flowers. The 1 x 1 quarter round tiles in magenta are still new enough that I'm excited about getting more, but they aren't rare anymore. 



Bag 2 builds the basic structure for the first floor of Arendelle Castle. The doors are not added yet, and there are more details to come. 



Looking at the back of the castle, we can see there are several places where furniture will be added later. We also have three spare parts from bag 2. 



Here's one more photo before we move on so you can see how the tan door frames are used on the ends of the castle. 



Bag 3 includes a new Kristoff mini-doll, which we will take a look at after the rest of the parts. 

The dark purple train roof (slope 45 6 x 4 double / 33) is an exclusive recolor for this set. So is the dark turquoise 6 x 8 wedge with pointed cutout and the dark turquoise 2 x 2 x 2 quadruple convex 75° slopes. 

The dark turquoise 2 x 2 45° slopes and 2 x 8 plates are a new color for 2019, but are also used in several other sets. 

The orange pumpkin and the tan brackets 2 x 2 - 1 x 2 centered are also new for 2019 but not exclusive to this set.

The 1 x 6 brick in medium lavender is not new. It first appeared in 2015, but has only been used in four other sets. 



In the bag of smaller parts, we get our second little white bird. They are so cute. These will be great for future MOCs. 

Other parts of note include:

• The minifigure spear tip with fins which was exclusive in pearl gold for 2019, but now is also available in set 43177 Belle's Storybook Adventures (2020) and one other set.
• The technic pin with friction ridges and pin hole is new in white for 2019 and also appears in set 41164 Enchanted Treehouse and three other sets.
• The 2 x 2 cut corner wedge plates are new in magenta. They also show up in set 41366 Olivia's Cupcake Café and set 70837 Shimmer & Shine Sparkle Spa! 

The sand green 2 x 2 inverted modified tile first showed up in set 21042 Statue of Liberty (2018), and only appears in 1 other set so far. 

 

Here's that closer look at Kristoff with the pumpkin and apple barrel. This is an exclusive torso and legs. Kristoff is wearing a black coat over a dark orange long sleeves shirt. The coat has orange and brown details. The "skirt" of Kristoff's legs give extra length to the coat and is tied with an dark orange scarf. He is wearing dark brown pants tucked into dark tan boots. 

The new outfit is a great match for Anna's new traveling wardrobe, which appears in sets 41164 Enchanted Treehouse and 41165 Anna's Canoe Expedition. In this set she is wearing the new white dress, so we avoid that matchy-matchy look for the couple. 



Bag 3 continues to expand on the first floor of Arendelle Castle. We add side towers and complete the front doors. Metallic, glittery stickers are used for the door decorations and the crest over the door. It is definitely looking more royal than it did after bag 2. 



In the back, we have added a bird house behind one of the castle towers. 

 

Bag 3 also includes a couple of side builds. We add a bakery stall to our village. This uses another sticker for the sign. We also build a lamppost with more stickers for the Arendelle banners. We have the typical assortment of leftover pieces. 

We are halfway done and move to the second instruction booklet with bag 4. 



The first thing that will catch your eye in bag for is the gold lattice pattern glass for the 1 x 6 x 7 door frame. That is an exclusive print for this set and not a sticker. Yay! 

The 2 x 6 45° slopes are also exclusive in light aqua for this set. 

The 1 x 2 modified bricks with studs on 2 sides in reddish brown first showed up in set 10762 Belle's Story Time (2018), but are only in four sets including this one, two of which came out this year (2020). 

Bag 4 also has another 1 x 6 x 7 door frame with rounded pillar, top arch and notches in tan, and more 1 x 4 modified plates with 2 studs in dark purple. 



Nothing new in the bag of small parts. The 2 x 2 round corner tile (macaroni) in medium lavender first came out in 2018, but it's nice to get more (especially since I don' have many). Of course more flowers are always welcome, right?



Bag 4 builds the second floor of Arendelle Castle with one leftover white round tile. It's not very exciting by itself, but that window is lovely.



The back uses several stickers for portraits, and we also add connection points for more furniture. 



This section looks great sitting on top of the first floor. It nestles between the two side towers and behind the peak over the front gate. 



Bag 5 has two exclusive, printed 6 x 6 tiles in dark turquoise with black and white shingle outlines. 

The 6 x 1 x 5 55° slopes that will sit behind those roof tiles have been around in tan since 2009, but only appear in 3 other sets. 

Dark turquoise was a new color for the 1 x 6 tiles in 2019. The also appear in set 41384 Andrea's Summer Heart Box (2019), and only 2 other sets in 2020. 

We also get one more dark turquoise 2 x 2 x 2 quadruple convex 75° slope. 



In the inner bag of small parts, we get tan ingots. These were new for 2019 and also appear in set 10267 Gingerbread House. They have since shown up in 3 sets in 2020. 

Another minifigure spear tip with fins in pearl gold is also in this bag. 



Bag 5 builds the third section of the castle. The front is the roof with a central tower. Those printed roof tiles look great. There are two extra pieces included. 



From the back we see there is an attic space, and a telescope is located in the central tower.



When we add this third castle section on top of the second floor, the castle exterior is finished. It looks grand. 



But when we turn the castle around, it's a pretty empty place. The last bag will build some furniture and turn this barren castle into a busy home. 



Bag 6 might be our final bag, but it's still full of new/recolored parts. The 2 x 4 tile in light aqua is a new color for 2019. It also appears in set 41385 Emma's Summer Heart Box (2019), and again in 2020 in set 41255 Pop Village Celebration.

The 1 x 2 x 1 modified brick with curved top and no studs in new in both light aqua and dark purple. Light aqua appears in three other sets in 2019 including set 41159 Cinderella's Carriage Ride and 2 other sets for 2019. The only other set that has them in dark purple is 70825 Queen Watevra's Build Whatever Box! (2019).

The bright light orange 2 x 2 x 1 top opening container is new for 2019, but also shows up in sets 41166 Elsa's Wagon Adventure and 40361 Olaf's Traveling Sleigh.

The 1 x 2 jumper arch brick is only in white in two other sets: 41379 Heartlake City Restaurant and 21320 Dinosaur Fossils.



In our final inner bag of small parts, the 1 x 2 modified plates with handle on end are new in sand green for 2019 but not exclusive as it appears in two other sets. 

While there are a lot of other nice pieces here, that wraps up the new and rare pieces, so let's finish up this castle. 



On the first floor, we add a throne in the center. A sofa is placed on one side and a table on the other. The table has a bar of chocolate, a goblet, and a bottle of water (or wine). The sofa and table can be easily popped out and swapped. 



Moving up to the bedroom on the second floor, we add a bed, a wardrobe, and a gift box with a dark purple bow inside. These use more of the stickers and have some extra details, so let's take a closer look. 



The wardrobe uses three stickers: one on each door, and another to illustrate everything stored inside. The stickers are really needed to turn this small build into a wardrobe and give it that Nordic Arendelle look.  



The bed is actually built so that a mini-doll can sit under the comforter. The glittery, metallic sticker creates a beautiful covering. 




Moving up to the third floor attic, we add a family painting, a marble bust (possibly of their mother?), and a chest with a sword. 



Now the castle looks more like a home. Among the extra parts, we get an extra sword. With two swords you could have Anna and Elsa practice combat in the main hall if you move the throne out. 



Here is our completed castle and village. In terms of a village, it's pretty small with just two shopping stalls, but it gets the idea across. The castle looks great and makes a good play set. 



All the furniture is easy to pop out and rearrange. The rooms aren't very large, especially for adult hands, but they provide enough space to pose the mini-dolls. The first floor is probably the most difficult to get into because of the support pillars. 

It may not be a big as the movie village, but there is enough here to get your imagination going for your own stories. 



When the fishmonger is away, the cats will play. 



A romantic boat ride is the perfect time to let Anna know how you feel, Kristoff.



How about a game of Charades? 



It's been a long day so Elsa's off to bed, while Anna reminisces about all the fun they've had together. 



Overall, I really enjoyed building this set. The castle exterior looks great. The side builds give a good start for the village. More buildings would be nice, but then the set would get too large and pricey. Instead this gives enough for play, and a good start for creating your own larger village. 

Happy building!
~prrbrix

Disclaimer:
This set was purchased by me, and was NOT provided by The LEGO Group.
Opinions provided here solely mine.
Photographs are mine and are not directed by TLG in any fashion.