Review: LEGO 10780 Mickey and Friends Castle Defenders

November 10, 2022 | 3

It’s been a BIG year for LEGO Castles but one set which I think has been overlooked by many this year has been 10780 Mickey and Friends Castle Defenders, a small but charming Disney set that offers a cute Disney-flavoured Castle experience.

It’s primarily designed for younger builders with its 4+ label, but if you like Disney, and you like Castle, the set also contains the most solid lineup of minifigures this year!

In Australia, it’s a LEGO.com exclusive , but you can also order one from I’m Rick James Bricks. In the US, it’s currently on sale on Amazon.com.

Read on for my full review of 10780 Mickey and Friends Castle Defenders!

Special thanks to LEGO for sending this set over for this review.

110780 Mickey and Friends Castle Defenders Set Details

Name: Mickey and Friends Castle Defenders
Set Number: 10780
Pieces: 215
Price: US$54.99 [US] | AU$89.99 [AUS] | £44.99 [UK] [Amazon]
Exclusive to: N/A
Theme: Disney Mickey & Friends
Release Date: 1 June 2022

Keep in mind that 10780 Mickey and Friends Castle Defenders is a 4+set, so this set is really designed for younger builders who are a bit too advanced for Duplo, but not quite yet ready for full-blown LEGO sets.

There are 4 instruction booklets, which means that you can easily share the build with your child, or have your kids share the building experience.

The steps are super simple, so will be easy for kids to not get lost during the build, although as always, some supervision always helps.

For me, the highlight of the set is hands down the minifigure lineup, where you get 4 of Disney’s biggest names, Minnie and Mickey Mouse, and Donald and Daisy Duck dressed up in medieval/castle outfits.

Its a fun and interesting spin on these Disney heavyweights, and I was especially impressed that we even got specially moulded heads for Mickey and Donald with the helmet and Jester’s hat fused to them, elevating their appearances.

Here’s a look at Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Mickey is serving as a knight, and has armour printed on his torso, along with a gold crown emblazoned on his breastplate.

Minnie is pink, and doubles as a warrior-princess wielding a bow. She also comes with a small skirt accessory which comes in pink for the first time.

Here’s a look at their back printing, which has some nice details. I especially like the back of Mickey’s armour.

Mickey’s helmet, which is fused to his head, and even has his trademark round ears protruding from them is seriously impressive. I’m amazed as the moulding capability here, which makes it look like the helmet seamlessly fits onto LEGO Mickey’s head.

Here’s a look at Donald and Daisy Duck, playing the role of Court Jester and Fairy respectively. Donald has the same treatment as Mickey, with his red and blue Jester’s hat fused to his head, and I might also add that his quizzical facial expression is also really funny.

Daisy Duck is a lot more lowkey, with a lavender torso, and fabric skirt-piece, along with a pink wand. I do like her printed pink shoes on her feet.

Here’s a look at their back prints, which also has some lovely details. It’s been a while since we’ve had a proper LEGO Jester, and if you can ignore Donald’s tufty tail on the back, the torso also comes in handy for your very own Jester minifigure should you choose to repurpose it.

The minifigures are superb, and were really the main draw for me to get this set. They’re so much fun, and I love the medieval spin LEGO have introduced here, and I’d love to see more from LEGO like this with iconic Disney characters.

If only Goofy was here!

Here are some additional photos I took of the minifigures for you to enjoy!

And here’s the completed build, which is decently-sized for a 4+ set. Playability is the name of the game here, and the set is packed with plenty of fun playable elements for kids.

It can’t be a Castle LEGO set without a horse and carriage, and a simple one is included, as well as a feeding trough, complete with a carrot and brush.

Siege warfare is in, and to assail the castle, we have a Pumpkin catapult! It reasonably well – all you have to do is jam the red button with your fingers to lob the pumpkins into the air.

And what would a medieval LEGO set be without a dragon, guarding his treasure? There’s a small rocky enclave, covered with leaves that hides some a treasure chest – all very classic staples of a LEGO Castle set.

Here’s a look at the brick-built dragon, which is really simple, but has some nice dragon-y features like bright yellow wings, and a posable tail, as well as legs that have limited articulation.

Oh, and it also has an angry printed face, which is a nice little bonus.

After slaying the dragon, Mickey and Friends help themselves to the loot contained in the treasure chest!

Here’s a look at the main build – the Castle, or more accurately, the facade of a Castle. It’s pretty bare bones, but not entirely unexpected for a 4+ set, and if you display it, it looks more than fine.

There are 2 turrets/towers flanking the main archway, and the choice of colours are vibrant and playful, suiting the 4+ theme.

One of the things I like most about LEGO 4+ set is the complete absence of stickers, so all the decorations and you see on the turrets, and arch are all printed.

There are also plenty of lovely teal (dark turqoise) elements here, including the large Castle turret pieces which appear in teal for the very first time in this set.

Oh, and both turrets can come apart, and are easily attachable to the central arch via clips.

Here’s a look at the back, which offers some basic interiors within the castle.

There is a small kitchen which includes a frying pan, basket of bread, and an oven to make the bread in. Useful for protracted sieges where supplies are hard to come by.

And in the middle is a long banquet table, 2 pearl gold goblets, and red throne. On the other side is a bed, as well as several small accessories like a lantern, and keys that can be hung from above.

Overall, nothing too fancy, but there’s plenty of zones within this Castle facade that kids will find handy for roleplay or creative storytelling.

What I liked:

What I didn’t like: 

Final Thoughts:

If you enjoy Disney and LEGO Castle, there’s a lot to love with 10780 Mickey and Friends Castle Defenders. It’s a LEGO Castle set with a distinctively Disney flavour, which is kinda cool as it transports Mickey and Friends into different settings, breathing fresh air into the themes and characters.

The minifigures are absolutely delightful, with Sir Mickey Mouse and Donald the Jester stealing the show, thanks to their detailed new head moulds, which have their headgear fused to them.

All the minifigures give off a premium vibe, and you can tell that the designers put a lot of effort into making these stand out from some of the other LEGO sets (or Collectible Minifigures Series) that Mickey and Friends have starred in.

The build is pretty decent, and because this is aimed at young kids, I could appreciate the generous helping of accessories and things to play with.

You truly receive a complete LEGO Castle experience, with a horse, dragon, treasure and even a catapult, all of which are essential components for play.

Despite the barebones build, the facade does work well if you’re an adult and just intent to display the set, so despite the 4+ age range on the box, this is really a versatile little set that can appeal to LEGO Disney fans, or parents that want a complete Disney play experience out of the box.

At full price, it is quite pricey, but if you’re able to get it on sale (like on Amazon), or if there’s a great GWP, or Double VIP points, this is a really fun pickup, and one of the better Mickey and Friends sets of 2022.

Rating and score: 3/5 ★★★✰✰

Build [3] – It’s a 4+ build, so perfect for toddlers and young builders ready to get into LEGO. Some parts like the dragon are a lot of fun
Real Value [2] – Definitely feels like it’s on the pricey side, so wait for a decent sale or offer to get one. The Disney tax is real
Innovation [3] – These custom-moulded Disney heads are great, and I’d love to see more of them.
Coolness [4] – It’s the complete Castle package with a distinct Disney flavour to it
Keepability [3] – The minifigures are really good, and I think will hold up really well.

Thanks for reading this review of 10780 Mickey and Friends Castle Defenders, I hope you enjoyed this set, especially if this hasn’t been on your radar.

What do you think of 10780 Mickey and Friends Castle Defenders? What other settings would you like to see Mickey and Friends in?

You can pick 10780 Mickey and Friends Castle Defenders from LEGO.com exclusive, and is currently on sale in the US from on Amazon.com.

Special thanks again to LEGO for sending this set over for this review.

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