Jay's Brick Blog

A blog about LEGO bricks

  • Home
  • About Me
  • LEGO Reviews
  • News
  • 2023 LEGO Sets
  • Sep 2023 Releases

Review: LEGO 40478 Mini Disney Castle

September 17, 2021 By Jay Ong 3 Comments

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.

Enter 40478 Mini Disney Castle, which was revealed to much fanfare and excitement! This miniature version of the larger and more expensive 71040 Disney Castle is a great alternative for LEGO fans on a budget, and for any type of Disney fan.

40478 Mini Disney Castle has a release date of 1 October 2021, and will retail for US$34.99 / AU$59.99, and will be available from LEGO.com or your local LEGO store.

I was lucky enough to be offered one for early review by LEGO, and am honoured to bring you this early look at the LEGO Mini Disney Castle, which I think is a smidge better than its full-sized cousin.

Read on to see more of 40478 Mini Disney Castle or you can watch a speed build video of the LEGO Mini Disney Castle on my Youtube channel

See below for regional pricing and links:

  • LEGO 40478 Mini Disney Castle [US] – US$34.99
  • LEGO 40478 Mini Disney Castle [AUS] – AU$59.99
  • LEGO 40478 Mini Disney Castle [UK] – £30.99
  • LEGO 40478 Mini Disney Castle [EU] – €36.99
  • LEGO 40478 Mini Disney Castle [CAN] – CA$49.99

Special thanks to LEGO for sending this review set!

Name: Mini Disney Castle
Set Number: 40478
Pieces: 567
Price: $34.99 [US] | £ 30.99 GBP [UK] | AU$ 59.99 [AUS]
Exclusive to: LEGO.com
Theme: Disney
Release Date: 1 October 2021
Buy from LEGO.com [USA] [AUS] [UK]

It’s been a massive year for LEGO Disney fans, with a new Mickey & Friends sub-theme, and now this delightful mini version of the Disney Castle.

This set commemorates 50 years of Disney World, and is a micro-scale recreation of the Walt Disney World Resort Cinderella Castle, in Florida.

Here’s a look at the instruction manual, which has a new (and a little odd) booklet shape which is new to me.

On the inside is a small two-page spread of the Disney / Cinderella Castle with some cool bits of trivia about Disney World and the actual castle in Florida.

I didn’t really like the instructions because the size makes the booklet quite awkward, and the pages can’t rest open without placing a weight on them, which was a bother during the build, as you’re flipping through nearly 50 pages.

Oh, and you’re going to love this about the set – no stickers!

The set comes with just one minifigure – the big mouse himself, Mickey Mouse who is exclusive to the set.

Here’s a look at the Mickey Mouse minifigure, who is exclusive to the set, and features a formal, vintage-style outfit with a black coat, and red bowtie.

Unfortunately he lacks the iconic yellow buttons on his trousers, but he does have shoes printed on him.

Unfortunately, there’s no back printing, which is a bit of a bummer – I think a special 50 Disney World logo on the back would’ve been a great way to make this minifigure a bit more special.

For a small set, it’s packed with a large assortment of new or rare elements. New to this set, is the clock piece, printed on a drum-lacquered gold Nexo shield, and you also get plenty of new opalescent pieces, such as the blue dish and cone, as well as a satin window pane.

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.

The Disney Castle tile was previously only available in the pricey Disney Train and Station set, so it’s great to see it being available in a much more accessible set!

The build was fairly enjoyable for me – I really like building at micro scale, and at 567 pieces, was a medium-length and rather satisfying experience.

There are some fiddly bits as you’re building mostly with small elements, but I did enjoy the techniques that made this unique shape possible.

You can watch a speed build video of the LEGO Mini Disney Castle on my Youtube channel

Lots of fun techniques that place panels at angles like this.

Fair warning – both the Glass Slipper Tile and Disney Castle LEGO set tile are housed on the inside of the castle, along with 2 black microfigures – but once you build over it, there’s no really easy way to get them out, or even see/interact with them which is a little silly.

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.

Here’s a look at the completed Castle, and it is a beauty – perfectly capturing the iconic silhouette of Cinderella’s Castle.

The colours are also excellent, and the blend of blue, opalescent blues, against the greys, and pearl golds are absolutely stunning.

Here’s a look at the entrance and the doors – you can see golden spikes inside the arch which is a nice touch.

The printed clock is just stunning, and the decision to print on a drum-lacquered element is inspiring. The clock reads 9pm, which I believe is when fireworks go off at Disney World?

From the side, the blue rooftop cones with pearl gold ski poles contrast brilliantly against the white main structure.

And these upside down binoculars, and gears effectively create some really nice textural details.

And lastly, the tallest spire looks great, toped with a golden cone-shaped roof.

And here’s how it looks from the back.

The satin windows are great, and I love how the light makes them shimmer at different angles.

What I liked:

  • Great new elements – so many opalescent elements
  • Printed tiles like the clock, LEGO Disney Castle and Glass Slipper
  • Fantastic and accessible price
  • Doesn’t require heaps of space

What I didn’t like: 

  • Mickey minifigure is a little plain
  • Placement of the tiles INSIDE the castle is silly
FINAL THOUGHTS:

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.

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 build was surprisingly long, and kept me engaged throughout, and I had fun seeing the Castle come together.

The only real downside is Mickey Mouse, which is a little plain, and I wish they had made it a lot more interesting, and weaved in the 50th Anniversary in a bit more.

That said, there’s so much to love, and I especially like the new printed tiles with my favourite being the LEGO Disney Castle tile – I just love it when LEGO gets meta, and produces tiles of actual LEGO sets.

This set looks awesome on display on your desk, or next to your other LEGO sets with its beautiful colour scheme.

Highly recommend this set, and this is pretty much a flawless set, and contender for one of the best and most satisfying sets of 2021. An obvious 5/5 score for this miniature magical wonder.

Rating and score: 5/5 ★★★★★

Build [4] – Lots of fun building at microscale, and kept me engaged
Real Value [5] – So many new elements, a great display piece for under US$50? Yes please
Innovation [4] – Lots of cool techniques and element innovation in the set
Coolness [5] – It’s a mini LEGO Disney Castle, nuff said
Keepability [5] – An instant classic, and works solo or as a companion set to the large Disney Castle


Thanks to much for reading my early review of 40478 Min Disney Castle!

40478 Mini Disney Castle has a release date of 1 October 2021, and will retail for US$34.99 / AU$59.99, and will be available from LEGO.com or your local LEGO store.

What do you think of the mini Disney Castle, is this a must-buy?

Special thanks to LEGO for sending this review copy!

To get the latest LEGO news and LEGO Reviews straight in your inbox, subscribe via email, or you can also follow on Google News, or socials on Facebook, Instagram (@jayong28), Twitter or subscribe to the Jay’s Brick Blog Youtube channel.

Subscribe to receive updates on new posts and reviews!

In case you missed it, check out some recent posts on the blog:

  • LEGO 71426 Piranha Plant joins the Super Mario theme in November!
  • Bidding farewell to the models at the LEGO House Masterpiece Gallery (2022-2023)
  • Two purple Classic Space helmets are included in LEGO’s new Halloween Fun VIP Add-On Pack (40608)
  • LEGO and Lofi Girl team up to create chill beats to build LEGO to
  • 10325 Alpine Lodge is the 2023 LEGO Winter Village set!

Filed Under: Disney, LEGO Reviews Tagged With: 2hy 2021, 40478 2021, 5/5, disney, disney castle, disney world, disney world 50th anniversary, lego disney, mickey mouse, min disney castle

« LEGO 10293 Santa’s Visit is now available through VIP Early Access!
More LEGO sets championing Diversity & Inclusion are coming – an interview with Matthew Ashton »

Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  1. Kelly says

    March 4, 2022 at 1:16 AM

    Hi! Do you have any suggestions on where I might find one of these that won’t be crazy overpriced? (I’m in the US) It looks like the Lego store is sold out and on eBay and Amazon they are so much more than the original price. I’m new to legos and have been dying to get the bigger Disney castle, but with the price tag thought I could start out smaller with one like this. Let me know if there’s any good Lego resale website you know of!

    Thanks!!

    Reply
  2. Andy says

    October 5, 2021 at 1:27 AM

    Very nice!

    My daughter actually has the Glass slipper tile from a Lego Disney Princess magazine, it is nice to see it pop up in a proper set as well.

    Reply
  3. AA says

    September 18, 2021 at 9:09 AM

    I was so excited when I first heard & saw this new mini castle! 🏰 I’ll definitely be getting it. Like you mentioned, I wish that LEGO didn’t put printed tiles inside the castle if it can’t be seen, sounds kind of useless to me.

    Reply

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to Jay's Brick Blog. In here, you'll find independent LEGO set reviews, commentary on LEGO trends & news, bargain hunting tips and an inside look into the life of an average LEGO fan. Find out more about me here

Subscribe for updates

Enter your email address here to receive updates about new posts from Jay's Brick Blog - straight to your inbox!

Join 5,124 other subscribers

Site Search

Buy LEGO

Buy LEGO

jayong28

Jay Ong | Jay's Brick Blog
LEGO have just revealed 71426 Piranha Plant, a new LEGO have just revealed 71426 Piranha Plant, a new Super Mario-themed set coming on 6 November 2023!

This set is purely decorative and ornamental, with no digital compatibility with the LEGO Mario figure. 

The best part? At US$59.99 / AU$94.99, this one won't break the bank!

Hit the link in bio to see more! 

71426 Piranha Plant
🧩 540 pieces
🗓 6 November 2023
💵 US$59.99 / AU$94.99 / £57.99 / €64.99 / CAD$79.99
🎨 TBD

Does this set belong with LEGO's other Botanical sets? I think so. Do you?

#lego #legosupermario #supermario #legonews #legoleaks #lego2023 #rlfm #reveal #71426 #afol #legos #legocreator #mario
I really enjoyed tuning into the @lofigirl and @le I really enjoyed tuning into the @lofigirl and @lego collab for chill beats to build LEGO to.

I've spent a lot of my life having lofi hip-hop in the background at work, or building LEGO and the vibes are just immaculate ✨

If only we got an official LEGO Lofigirl minifigure or mini set!

#lego #lofigirl #lofihiphop #afol #legoideas
LEGO Winter Village sets are officially inflation- LEGO Winter Village sets are officially inflation-proof! 

With the reveal of 10325 Alpine Lodge (hit the link in bio to learn more), I was really surprised that LEGO managed to maintain it's US$99.99 pricetag.

This is now the 6th year running that the LEGO Winter Village set has been priced at $99.99, and it's especially impressive this year with the price of everything going up.

Good job, LEGO for ensuring families and long-time fans don't get priced out of the annual Winter Village tradition 👏 

#lego #legonews #legowintervillage #legochristmas #legoicons #legoleaks #legos #afol #legocreator #10325 #reveal #rlfm
Say hello to the 10325 Alpine Lodge, the 2023 LEGO Say hello to the 10325 Alpine Lodge, the 2023 LEGO Winter Village set!

This cosy and rustic addition to LEGO's beloved Winter Village collection features a log-cabin esque facade and a 3-level interior complete with a fireplace, lounge, bedroom and even a loft. 

10325 Alpine Lodge will be released on 1 October 2023 for LEGO VIPs, and I can't wait to pick this one up at launch!

Hit the link in bio to see more! 

10325 Alpine Lodge
🧩 1,517 pieces
🗓 1 October 2023 (VIP Early Access)
💵 US$99.99 / AU$169.99 / £89.99 / €99.99 / CAD$129.99
🎨 TBD

#lego #legonews #legowintervillage #legochristmas #legoicons #legoleaks #legos #afol #legocreator #10325 #reveal #rlfm #hygge
👶🏻Toddler vs LEGO Eiffel Tower🗼 Spoiler: 👶🏻Toddler vs LEGO Eiffel Tower🗼

Spoiler: the toddler won 😰

Here's the exact sequence of events as it happened 😱

How's your day going? ☺️
Here's a look at the exclusive minifigures from th Here's a look at the exclusive minifigures from the UCS Venator, plus the commemorative Clone Wars 20th anniversary brick!

Phase II Captain Rex makes a long-awaited return, and while he's sorely lacking a cloth kama, this is still a really good, and clean version of everyone's favourite Clone Trooper.

A younger Admiral Yularen makes his second appearance as a minifigure with his signature stache and Republic uniform.

While minifigures aren't the main reason to pick up a UCS set, these two really complement the UCS Venator, and will make a fine addition to anyone's LEGO Star Wars collection!

Full review of the UCS Venator coming soon, so keep an eye out on the blog for it!

Special thanks to LEGO for sending this review copy over! 

#lego #legostarwars #starwars #legoucs #captainrex #clonewars #minifigures #legominifigures #minifigs #legoleaks #legoreview #legos #legonews #rlfm #reviews #75367 #gifted
Got to check out the new @lego DreamZzz experience Got to check out the new @lego DreamZzz experience at @legolanddiscoverycentremelb! It's running during the school holidays until 8 October and there's a few new fun DreamZzz-themed activities to do, including the premiere of the new 4D movie Z-Blob Rescue Rush! 

As annual passholders, we got to check out the Pyjama Party launch which was quite fun.

A great way to check out DreamZzz sets and it's a fun afternoon if you're looking for something fun to do with your kids during the school holidays.

#lego #LEGODreamzzz #legoland #melbourne
The Matcha Maiden 🍵 An invitation to a traditi The Matcha Maiden 🍵

An invitation to a traditional Japanese tea ceremony in the @lego Tranquil Garden (10315).

If you can find this set on sale, Tranquil Garden is a fantastic pickup, and hands down one of the most aesthetically pleasing sets of 2023.

The Geisha is from LEGO Minifigures Series 4 and a great addition to the set. 

#lego #lego2023 #legoicons #legophotography #minifigures #legominifigures #legos #afol #legoleaks #japan #matcha #minifigs #legocmf #legoreview #legonews
2023 is a pretty good year for dark red LEGO Star 2023 is a pretty good year for dark red LEGO Star Wars sets!

Here's a teaser of @vaderfan_2187's upcoming reviews on the blog!

Which one would you like to read first? 😏

Special thanks to LEGO for sending the UCS Venator over!

#lego #legostarwars #starwars #legoucs #legos #legonews #legoleaks #rlfm #reveal #75367 #clonewars #afol #Ahsoka
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Follow on Facebook

Jay's Brick Blog

5 hours ago

Jay's Brick Blog
LEGO have unveiled a new Super Mario set - 71426 Piranha Plant!Should this count as a LEGO Botanical Collection set? ... See MoreSee Less

LEGO 71426 Piranha Plant joins the Super Mario theme in November! - Jay's Brick Blog

jaysbrickblog.com

LEGO have suddenly announced 71426 Piranha Plant, a new LEGO Super Mario set aimed at adults which lets fans build their own brick-built model of the deadly Piranha Plant, one of Mario’s most iconic...
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Jay's Brick Blog

5 hours ago

Jay's Brick Blog
One of the highlights of AFOL Day at the LEGO House is the unveiling of new designers and MOCs being showcased at the Masterpiece Gallery.To celebrate last year's models, here's a look at the Masterpiece Gallery builds from 2022-2023. I'll be checking out the new MOCs soon when I get to Billund, so keep an eye out for more photos! (swear I won't take a year to post them) ... See MoreSee Less

Bidding farewell to the models at the LEGO House Masterpiece Gallery (2022-2023) - Jay's Brick Blog

jaysbrickblog.com

This is the Masterpiece Gallery at The LEGO House, one of the standout exhibits and spaces at the home of the LEGO Brick. It’s a massive gallery with high ceilings and is dominated by these 3 massiv...
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Jay's Brick Blog

18 hours ago

Jay's Brick Blog
Classic Space fans are in for an exciting Halloween as two Dark Purple helmets are included in the upcoming Halloween Fun VIP Add-On Pack! ... See MoreSee Less

Two purple Classic Space helmets are included in LEGO's new Halloween Fun VIP Add-On Pack (40608) - Jay's Brick Blog

jaysbrickblog.com

LEGO’s online store has unveiled a new GWP (gift with purchase) with 40608 Halloween Fun VIP Add-On Pack being listed online, just in time as we head into Spooky Season! We don’t have an official ...
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Recent Posts

  • LEGO 71426 Piranha Plant joins the Super Mario theme in November!
  • Bidding farewell to the models at the LEGO House Masterpiece Gallery (2022-2023)
  • Two purple Classic Space helmets are included in LEGO’s new Halloween Fun VIP Add-On Pack (40608)
  • LEGO and Lofi Girl team up to create chill beats to build LEGO to
  • 10325 Alpine Lodge is the 2023 LEGO Winter Village set!
  • A closer look at LEGO UCS Venator’s exclusive Captain Rex and Admiral Yularen minifigures
  • What will LEGO’s 2024 Modular Building set be?

LEGO Reviews

Review: LEGO 76391 Harry Potter Hogwarts Icons Collection

Review: LEGO 40450 Amelia Earhart Tribute (Gift with Purchase)

Review: LEGO 40559 Road Runner (161) & Wile E. Coyote (162) Brickheadz

Review: LEGO 10304 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 1969

Review: LEGO 76199 Carnage

Review: LEGO 71453 Izzie and Bunchu the Bunny

Review: LEGO 75359 332nd Ahsoka’s Clone Troopers Battle Pack

Categories

Archives

Jay

Jay is passionate about LEGO and the endless creative adventures made possible by this complex interlocking brick system.
Learn more →

Popular Posts

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 · WordPress · Log in We may earn a commission when you use one of our offers/links to make a purchase.