43187 Rapunzel's Tower - Review and Comparison

 

Rapunzel's Tower has plenty to keep her busy, but she'll need to leave home to make her dreams come true.

This isn't the first time we've gotten to build a tower for Rapunzel, but I think this latest version is the best one yet. I will be sharing a comparison with past sets as I go through this review. 

Inside the box, there are 4 bags of parts, two instruction books, and a sticker sheet. 



The first bag of parts will be used to build the Snuggly Duckling. There are no new parts other than the mini-dolls, so let's take a look at those before we start building. 



Both Rapunzel and Flynn have been updated for this set. Even Pascal got a minor update.

Rapunzel has a new head, torso, and leg prints. The shiny pink details on the lavender top and medium lavender skirt are beautiful. I love that her dress has been shortened to give her bare feet. This is a much better representation of Rapunzel fresh out of her tower.



It seems like almost every time a Rapunzel set is released we get an update to Rapunzel's mini-doll. Sometimes it's just a torso change, but others it's a complete new look. There have been six different Rapunzels, including this newest version. From left to right we have:

• 41157: Rapunzel's Travelling Caravan (2018)
• 41156: Rapunzel's Castle Bedroom (2018)
• 43187: Rapunzel's Tower (2020) and it looks like the new 2021 polybag 30391: Rapunzel's Boat will use the same figure.
• 41163: Rapunzel's Petite Tower (2019)
• 41065: Rapunzel's Best Day Ever (2016)
• 41054: Rapunzel's Creativity Tower & polybag 30116: Rapunzel's Market Visit (both 2014)

The one consistent element through them all is the hair piece, plus you can always count on green eyes and some variation on purple/lavender for her primary dress color. 



Flynn Rider was included in 41054: Rapunzel's Creativity Tower (2014), but we haven't seen him since. Our new Flynn has the same legs as the previous version, but the rest of the mini-doll has been updated, including his face print and hair piece. The hair piece is new in dark brown. The dark turquoise vest is a better color match to the movie compared to the previous sand blue vest, and the printed details are much better. The facial details are also better with just a hint of "smoulder."



This is our third Pascal figure. The original Pascal from 41054: Rapunzel's Creativity Tower (2014) used a recolor of the Friends chameleon. He was then updated with a new mold in 2018 for 41156: Rapunzel's Castle Bedroom (not shown in photo). Our latest Pascal uses the same mold as set 41156 but with more detailed, dark orange eyes. 

Overall, this is a good looking crew and the updates are improvements on the past figures. Sure I would love to see a Mother Gothel figure included, but the most important characters are included. I'm not complaining.

Once we have the mini-dolls assembled, building starts with the Snuggly Duckling.



The Snuggly Duckling is definitely ... snug. It's much less foreboding than the pub in the movie, and there's definitely not enough room for a big song and dance number. Here's a few more photos to give you a better look.



The front has a cute little ducky sitting on the serving bar, and a sticker is used for the sign. On the right side, there is a large, round opening which allows light in while still giving the idea of a building wall. Its an interesting choice, and I like how it looks. The back is open providing access to a piano. Mini-dolls will have a difficult time balancing on the piano stool, but it is possible. I appreciate the sticker picture of Hook Hand over the piano realizing his dream. On the left side is a window with some foliage where you can imagine Mother Gothel or the Stabbington Brothers peeping in to see what's happening.

By itself, it's not much of a build, but it is nice to see a location other than the tower included. It's a decent side build and should inspire story-telling play or building a larger scene outside the tower. 



The second bag of parts builds the swing and the base of the tower. The 2 x 6 x 5 1/3 Friends swing is a new piece for 2020. Here it is bright light yellow. It otherwise only appears in white in the 4+ set 41398 Stephanie's House (also 2020). Surprisingly, the 2 x 4 x 6 rock panel has never been available in light bluish gray before. Seriously. It's usually in dark bluish gray. 



I didn't realize the swing was supposed to be made from Rapunzel's hair until I read the product description on the LEGO website. It's not very convincing hair, but it is a good swing. Rapunzel is secure in her seat, and the swing action is smooth. The 2016 set 41065: Rapunzel's Best Day Ever also included a swing, so let's compare. 



Both builds are referencing the same movie scene with Rapunzel swinging from her hair and declaring it the "Best! Day! Ever!" The support structure in both sets uses foliage pieces to convey her forest location, and the light yellow swing is supposed to evoke her hair. Both sets also have a wanted poster for Flynn Rider. I think the newer sticker looks better, even if they still got the nose wrong - haha. The new swing piece works much better, but the purple peak breaks the idea of her swinging from a tree in the forest. I also really like the painting sticker from the earlier set and have used it many times for other MOCs.

With that, we come to the end of the first instruction book ...



... but we still have a bunch of parts from bag 2. I was surprised that the instruction book and bag of parts didn't finish together. 

Now we turn to the second instruction book, where will build the base of the tower with the rest of the bag 2 parts. 



The tower is built on a rocky base with a cave-like ground floor. Stickers are used for another wanted poster and some butterflies around the rocks. Flynn's nose is wrong again, and different from the poster on the swing. I always appreciate these little nods to the movie. 



The butterfly rock hinges away to the side to reveal a secret entrance. Inside is a lantern, a barrel, a chest, and two candles. A gem is hidden in the barrel, and a sword is in the chest. This is clearly a storage area. I wonder if Rapunzel even knows what's down here.



Here are the completed builds from bag 2 parts. 



Like bag 1, there are no new parts in bag 3, so we can just keep building. This bag will add two more levels to the tower. Each section is built as a separate assembly and then stacked on top of the growing tower. These levels are not designed to be removed for play as they are fully attached with studs rather than jumpers. This makes sense for a dollhouse style design where access is from the open back.



First we add a cozy sitting room. There is a fire place, and a clip on the mantle to hold Rapunzel's hairbrush. Stickers are used for the floor rug and the painting of the floating lanterns. The shaping of the chimney rising behind the mantle is nice, but I don't like how it forces the painting to be split between two stickers. I guess you can't have everything. 



Next, we add a small bedroom. The bed fits the space nicely, even if it doesn't leave room for anything else. Another sticker is used for the bedding.



The final parts in bag 3 adds a cupboard and frying pan. A flower for Rapunzel's hair and a gem are hidden inside the cupboard. The tower is flared out slightly at this point to support the larger balcony room that will be built with bag 4.

On the outside of the tower, we add some stickers and foliage pieces for detail. The brick built support for the next level adds a nice bit of detail. It's not a complicated technique but it looks good.



The 4 x 4 x 6 cylinder quarters have a new, exclusive print of shutters and railing. I'm so happy this is a print rather than a large sticker. It will be useful to add quick details for a castle or cottage MOC. The only other new pice, is the 1 x 6 x 7 door frame with rounded pillars and top arch with notches, which is now available in reddish brown for the first time. 



The hobby room at the top of the tower also includes a small balcony. There is a small table set for tea with a cupcake and teapot, but no teacup. On the other side is Rapunzel's easel with a painting in progress. There are clips to hold both the paintbrush and palette, so you don't have to worry about them falling out of the tower. The balcony is just big enough for Rapunzel to get some fresh air, as she dreams of the world beyond her tower. I'm sure this is where she spends most of her time.



Under the pointed, purple roof is what I'm calling the attic. There is a bed for Pascal which uses the printed 2 x 2 white plate with center stud that we have seen in many of the other 2020 Disney Princess sets. The ceiling is decorated with stickers of stars. Above that, hidden in the very top, is Rapunzel's crown. 



The exterior of the finished tower looks great with the printed panels. It's wonderfully tall and slender and is instantly recognizable as Rapunzel's tower. The side and top finials add height and elegance. 



The leftover/extra parts are what you would expect from this set; however, there are extra stickers that were not placed during the building process. These can be used to decorate the tower, or not. I think the interior spaces look rather plain, so I will add the extra stickers to the complete the tower interiors.



While I'm not the biggest fan of stickers, I do think they add a lot of needed detail to this set. The yellow walls are very plain without them. I appreciate that the instructions allow the builder the freedom to decorate, or not, at their whim, but it would be much easier to add the stickers before the build is complete. If you wait to place the stickers at the end, you will probably want to remove furniture from the rooms for easier access to the walls. Just keep in mind what space will be visible once the furniture is put back.



Here is the completed set with both side builds. It's a very nice tower. The play spaces are small, but there is enough room to move Rapunzel around the tower. The side builds add extra playability and help set the scene. I really enjoyed building this set. 

Before I start comparing the finished tower with past sets, here's a quick look at the box.



The box is very typical of the Disney Princess line. The front shows the exterior of the set in a lovely woodland glade, with a waterfall behind and a hint of water to the side. An illustration of Rapunzel is shown in the bottom right corner along with the swoosh of magic that accompanies the Disney Princess logo. 

The tower is a great fit for the image on side of the box. I like how the magical sparkles shooting from the top give it even more height. 



The back of the build is shown on the back of the box, along with call-out images to highlight different parts of the build, such as the swing and the various tower rooms. There is even an image from the movie of Rapunzel swinging on her hair. How could I have missed this reference when I first saw the swing? 

The top of the box shows Pascal, Flynn, Rapunzel with her frying pan, and the tip of the tower. Rapunzel is also shown at actual size. 

So how does Rapunzel's Tower stack up to previous builds? In my opinion, very well.



It is definitely the most elegant when compared to the previous three towers. From left to right in the photo above there is:

• 41163: Rapunzel's Petite Tower (2019) - which is very small indeed. I think of it as a portable tower.
• 41054: Rapunzel's Creativity Tower (2014) - which was the first tower build. It is a good play set, but feels rather wide for the height.
• 43187: Rapunzel's Tower (2020) - which is the newest tower and the feature of this review. It's got much better proportions. It captures the look of a cottage perched at the top of a narrow spindle while still providing good play areas.
• 41065: Rapunzel's Best Day Ever (2016) - which is a modest tower. The proportions are better than the Creativity Tower, but lacks the height to really feel like a tower. It is also the only set to incorporate a side build with the original hair swing discussed above. It is also the only tower set to include Maximus (he also appears in set 41157: Rapunzel's Traveling Caravan).

From the exterior, this newest build towers over the others (pun intended), but what about the interior play spaces?



Looking at the interior play space, it's easy to rule out the Petite Tower. It doesn't offer much other than a hair brush. The other three have more to offer, so let's compare them room-by-room. 



Starting at the bottom and working our way up, we have a basement/kitchen. In the Creativity Tower the ground floor is dominated by the spiral stair case leading up to the next floor. It's the only set to include a way to move between levels, even if it doesn't cover all the levels. There is also little side build of a stove that doesn't really fit anywhere in the tower. It can be attached outside the stairs, but it doesn't function well as a kitchen unless removed from the tower. So the ground floor is basically unusable except for walking up the stairs. 

In the Best Day Ever tower, the ground floor is the kitchen/dining area. There is a small stove top and table with a croissant. It's a tiny but useable space. This is probably the best kitchen space of the three towers, even if it is the smallest tower. 

In the new Tower set, there isn't really a kitchen. The ground floor is a storage area with a secret entrance. There isn't much room for posing a figure, but we all know how crowded storage spaces can get, and the items in storage provide additional storytelling ideas. There is a cupboard and a clip for the frying pan further up the tower, but no oven or stove. 

The Best Day Ever tower doesn't have much else besides the nice kitchen. The top level is just a balcony space. For the rest of the room comparisons, I'll just be looking at the two larger towers (the oldest and the newest).



In the Creativity Tower, Rapunzel's paints are set up where she can work on the mural over the fireplace. It's a nice space with plenty of room for her, but there are no clips to hold the paintbrush or palette when she isn't using them. The paintbrush sits loose in a goblet, and the palette is propped on the grill tile in front of the fire place where her paints are going to dry out. However, I do like the paint cans made from a simple 1x1 round brick with a 1x1 tile on top. 

In the new Tower, Rapunzel has an easel set up in the large balcony room. There is also a table, so she has a place to eat even if there isn't a proper kitchen. The easel is simple and effective. Plus, it has a clip for both the paint brush and the paint palette. I also like the painting in progress sticker. This is a much better space even if it is more crowded. 



Both of our two main towers have a fireplace with Rapunzel's painting of the floating lanterns over the mantle. In the Creativity Tower this painting is a single, rectangular sticker, whereas the new tower uses two trapezoidal stickers for the painting. I dislike having the painting split between two pieces in the new tower, but I can't say I enjoyed putting the sticker on the inside of the panel piece in the original tower either. This would really benefit from a printed piece in either set. 

The fireplace itself is more ornate in the newer tower. You can really see how much more detail is avaiable with the expanded parts that LEGO has to use. There is a stickered tile for a rug in front of the hearth in the new tower, but no studs to attach the mini-doll securely in this room. 

With hair like Rapunzel's, a hairbrush is necessary. In the Creativity Tower, Rapuzel also gets a mirror. This is a really nice feature of the tower; however, the hairbrush does not balance well on the bar provided in front of the mirror. 

In the new tower, there is a handy clip on the fireplace mantle where the hair brush can be securely stored when not in use. Unfortunately, there is no mirror. Maybe she doesn't really need one with hair that long.



Rapunzel is known to pack a lot of activity into her days, but everyone needs a little rest. In the Creativity Tower, this is accomplished with an elegant chair. The mini-doll fits well in the chair, but there is nothing to hold her in place. There is also no place for Rapunzel to actually sleep. 

In the new tower, there are no chairs, but Rapunzel has a bedroom. It's a small bedroom, but I like the bed design and how it fits into the space. Unfortunately, there is nothing to hold Rapunzel in place, so don't move the tower around while she's sleeping. I personally like being able to secure my figures in place, but that is just me. 



Finally, we reach the top of the tower which I'm calling the attic. In the Creativity Tower, Rapunzel has stashed a treasure chest filled with more paints. There is room for Pascal to sit on top of the chest, and you could fit Rapunzel up there if you removed the chest. 

In the new Tower, there is a little bed for Pascal and Rapunzel's crown is hidden above. The walls/ceiling are covered with star stickers. They are very similar spaces, but the stickers add a lot energy in the new tower. I also prefer the conical shape of the roof, and the finials are more elegant on the new tower. 



So there you have it. Thanks for reading through this long build and comparison. While I really enjoy the original Creativity Tower, I prefer Rapunzel's new Tower. It's fun to see how LEGO's designs have changed over 6 years. While new parts add to that change, I think there has also been a shift toward more detail at the expense of larger play spaces. In the case of Rapunzel's tower, I think it is a change for the better. I love all the detail, and there is still enough room to pose Rapunzel throughout the tower engaging in different activities. 

The only thing left to do is use the pieces from all the towers to make one super tower. But that is a project for another day.

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.