[US] April 2012 LEGO Store Calendar Highlights

[sidersdd]

Picked up the April calendar today. Of note:

(*) April 1-30: Buy 2 Hero Factory, Get 3rd 50% off
(*) April 1-30: Free Mini Tie Fighter with $50 Star Wars purchase
(*) April 1: "Limited Edition" PaB Model - Rabbit (## see below)
(*) April 3: Monthly Mini Model Build - Mallard Duck (Very nicely done for this scale, IMO)
(*) April 10-11: VIPs Only - Get large PaB cup for price of a small cup
(*) April 16 - May 20: Build Hero Factory dudes in-store (Sounds like a variation on BaM - but BaH)
(*) April 21: LEGO Creator Club Meeting - Build a dinosaur to fight T-Rex

Announcements for LEGO Store Events:
(*) LEGO Store Grand Opening at Opry Mills, Nashville, TN, April 27-29
(*) LEGO Store Grand Opening at Eastview Mall, Victor, NY, April 27-29
(*) LEGO Store One Year Anniversary at South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa, CA, April 21-22

(##) For the Limited Edition Pick-a-Brick Model, here's what it says:

"Visit the LEGO Store each month to get building instructions for an exclusive model using Pick-a-Brick elements that can be purchased in a small Pick-a-Brick cup. Quantities are limited and offer is good only while supplies last. Ask a Brick Specialist for details."

For April it appears you can build a rabbit (I think that's what it is, it's not a very good design to be honest). I'm not sure if the elements which go into the rabbit are going to be stocked in the PaB wall, and you pick up the instructions and then fill up your cup with the inventory listed, or if they are going to have pre-filled cup with all the parts needed. Maybe both (I could see some stores pre-filling for people).

[sidersdd]

Also:
"New LEGO Stores are Opening Soon!"
(*) Oakbridge Centre, Vancouver, BC
(*) Mayfair, Wauwatosa, WI
(*) The Woodlands Mall, Woodlands, TX
(*) Oak Park Mall, Overland Park, KS
(*) Jersey Gardens, Elizabeth, NJ
(*) Alderwood, Lynwood, WA

No details on when they open, or when their Grand Opening event is though.

[vynsane]

Interesting... the "large PaB cup for the price of a small" for VIP members sounds good. Maybe I won't cash in my VIP points on MBA Level 3 in two weeks and instead use the then-accrued $20 worth of points on PaB cups on April 10 or 11.

[atmail35]

The limited edition PAB model sounds interesting. I wonder how many pieces it is and if you can fit other pieces in your PAB cup. Is it available all month? I wonder if VIPs can do it on April 10 or 11 and get the large cup for the small cup price and get the model. Lastly, it would be nice if the model uses some interesting elements.

[sidersdd]

The rabbit PaB model was mostly common pieces - white 2x4s, 2x6s, some inverted slopes... I think there were some white 65 degree slopes which were about the most interesting. I'll try and post a scan later - or at least the inventory.

[atmail35]

I picked up a copy of the calendar tonight. I have to say that rabbit is ugly!

[slacker]

Still playing around with my new phone. The camera isnt' that great as you can tell.

I'm not sure if the PaB is worth it if there aren't any good pieces. My Lego has windows this week. They managed to get white horses last month. And yes, the rabbit is ugly.

[soccerkid6]

Yay! The opening date for the store in Victor NY! That is only about an hour away from me, will be the first Lego store I have gotten to

[vynsane]

Yeah, the bunny isn't anything to write home about. But the Monthly Mini Model Mallard looks great!

I'm hoping there's cool stuff in the Rockefeller Center PaB wall for the VIP promo...after the MBA L3 preorder (and other purchase to get the free shipping) this month, I should have enough points to get three tall PaB cups for free!

[Zeya]

Can someone explain the PAB model for me? I can't quite read the back-side photo. On the front they show a short PAB cup... how does it all work? What's the deal?

[atmail35]

Can someone explain the PAB model for me? I can't quite read the back-side photo. On the front they show a short PAB cup... how does it all work? What's the deal?

It says,

Visit the LEGO Store each month to get building instructions for an exclusive model using Pick-A-Brick elements that can be purchased in a small PAB cup. Quanitites are limited and offer is good only while supplies last. As a Brick Specialist for details.

The front of the calendar says,

Available April 1, while supplies last!

The "bunny" is made with 61 elements. So it appears you can get this starting April 1st, it might last the whole month, it might not. I'm guessing the 61 fit in a small cup and based on this I assume you can add other "non-bunny" parts to your small PAB cup. I also don't see why they wouldn't allow you to buy a big cup and get these elements. Of couse I don't know for sure!

[Zeya]

Okay, it sounds like they have instructions you can have gratis, and then if you want they have the requisite pieces available on the wall. You can choose to add them to a PAB cup if you want, I'm assuming at regular price for a cup and everything.

So not much of a deal, unless you're really into the model for some reason. Also, kind of a negative (in my opinion) because there are now slots taken up on the wall for those pieces, which seem to be common molds in white. I guess his green plate is kind of cool. They could have at least had an orange carrot piece and green stem piece.

[vynsane]

^ Sounds about right. I'd like to see them do some more of these types of promos. It would give the PaB wall a little more unity in terms of pieces available - how often have you found tires but no hubs, or vice-versa?

[silvashado]

My store has a terrible time getting the pieces they order. I wouldn't be surprised if they end up with half of the pieces for the bunny. It's just so sad how low on the totem pole my local store is. :-(

For instance, once they ordered treasure chest. They got the lids and then it was almost a month before they got the bottoms. So silly.

[slacker]

My store has a terrible time getting the pieces they order. I wouldn't be surprised if they end up with half of the pieces for the bunny. It's just so sad how low on the totem pole my local store is. :-(

For instance, once they ordered treasure chest. They got the lids and then it was almost a month before they got the bottoms. So silly.

Those pieces have been on the wall since the beginning of the year. I verified that last night when I went to fill my PaB box.

From what I am told, Rockefeller has top priority. I'm not so sure but I guess they have a ton of visitors a day. That place is so packed. I'm happy that my store just got windows and parts to make little cars.

[autobrick]

Wow, that bunny is ugly. That's a pretty poor design for something that I assume was designed by a Lego pro, even if they had to deal with a parts limitation. The Mallard is nice, though.

Nice to see another Canadian Lego store opening up, although they aren't as great as everybody thinks they are. I've yet to spend a dollar at the two close to me; the PaB sucks and I'm only paying Canadian MSRP for the few sets that are worth it.

[vynsane]

Just read the PaB VIP promo fine-print:

VIP Members. Get a Large Pick-A-Brick cup for the price of a small Pick-A-Brick cup. Offer valid April 10-11, 2012 only for VIP Members at the LEGO Store. Offer is not valid with any other VIP offer. Customers that have signed up to the VIP Program by phone or at a LEGO Store will need to have registered online at VIP.LEGO.com first in order to redeem offer. Offer not valid at shop.LEGO.com, LEGOLAND Discovery Centers or LEGOLAND Parks. Offer is not valid on the monthly Pick-A-Brick model. The LEGO Company reserves the right to amend or cancel this promotion at any time without prior notice.

Bolded the part that's lame. So, are they really going to deny you the instruction sheet and somehow block you from picking out the appropriate pieces from the wall if you're doing the PaB VIP promo? That's kinda ridiculous, if you ask me. Hopefully that's just legal covering their butts and you won't get hassled in the store. I kinda wanted to get the instructions and pieces even though it's not a great looking model - now I definitely want to just out of spite!

[SpaceViking]

At the Burlington, MA, LEGO store on Tues, the PaB bunny was available in pre-filled small PaB cups. I didnt see any (or many) of the 'rabbit' pieces on the PaB wall, though.

There was some space in the cup to add in additional pieces from the wall, but I didnt ask if one could do such a thing.

[vynsane]

Hrm... interesting. That's a bit of a let-down - half the fun of PaB is filling the cup!

[unclephn]

At the Burlington, MA, LEGO store on Tues, the PaB bunny was available in pre-filled small PaB cups. I didnt see any (or many) of the 'rabbit' pieces on the PaB wall, though.

There was some space in the cup to add in additional pieces from the wall, but I didnt ask if one could do such a thing.

My local store had it set up the same way: small cups were pre-filled with all the necessary pieces, and they had the instructions behind cash. None of the pieces were actually in the PaB wall. The worst part is that it cost the same as a small PaB cup (in Canada, anyway, since small cups cost $10.99). Definitely not worth it for such an ugly bunny!

Don't get me wrong, as I do believe these Pick-A-Brick models are a great idea. But at the price of a small cup, I think it would be better if they offered impulse-style sets with a minifigure, that featured a different theme every month. I'd have no qualms about spending that much if there was a minifg included.