I bought this for myself as a birthday present (helped by a LEGO.com gift card) as I've wanted the T Rex for a project I'm working on. I'd read some reviews and I have to say this set was one of the best sets I've ever built (and I have seven modulars)! I loved Jurassic Park and dinosaurs as a kid. I've seen that movie more times than I can count and whenever it's playing in theaters for anniversaries or re-releases I see it. So I'm always happy to see any Jurassic Park specific sets under the Jurassic World theme and will be keeping my eyes peeled going forward.

There's something like 30 bags (some of them are in a smaller white box inside the already huge box) and they are divided into numbers 1-15. Only one of the numbers had one bag while the others all had two bags plus a bag with all the plates. The T Rex is the first build though I built it last per another reviewer's advice. I was shocked by how wide the base for the gate was but I really didn't comprehend how big the gate was going to be until it was finished. The actual structure of the gates is somewhat repetitive for symmetry's sake but it's hard to notice when you're too busy building each movie scene on the back side. Finding all the tiny details and references was a real treat and there's an especially gory one in the maintenance shed that's not shown in any promotional materials that some may find too dark for LEGO but film fans will more likely than not enjoy. The highlights of the movie scenes are Arnold's computer room, the maintenance shed, and the dino nest at the very top. The dining room is really detailed and features some foliage on the wall as well as both Hammond's ice cream and the jell-o that Lex eats later in the film. The bunker has the flashlight Ellie takes and the cabinet where Muldoon grabs the guns he tries to use on the raptors. The actual structure is very sturdy and holds together well when moving--though I've only ever moved it a few feet at a time. The mechanism for the gate doors works about as well as you'd expect after building it which is almost perfect but not quite. Do not make the mistake I did of trying to open them out forward instead of out backward because they will stick and you'll have to push them back to fix them. Not sure why I thought to try this since they only open backward in the movie. The panelling on the front of the gate is a very fun part of the build seeing how all the plates and tiles will connect together like a puzzle. Building the flames at the end is somewhat repetitive but the foliage at the bottom of the gate is great and somewhat challenging (due to the various shades of green that are not entirely clear in the booklet) part of the build that tops off the gate quite nicely. My few qualms about the gate revolve around the two scenes on the top sides. One is the mudslide when Nedry drops the shaving cream and the other is the toilet where Gennaro gets eaten by the T Rex. The mudslide doesn't exactly have an obvious place for a minifig to stand; instead there's a 1x2 tile with a handle for a minifig to cling to but the angle always looks strange when doing this. Plus the shaving cream can is built into the display rather than being easily removable like the other props (ie the flashlight) so you can't take it out and put it in Nedry's hand when he's on the display without taking a few pieces off the mudslide first. Also every scene represented has a corresponding minifig except for the toilet. I get that seven is an odd number for the minifig display and they were looking to include as many iconic scenes as possible plus Gennaro is not important enough to warrant a minifig but it's still a little odd.

The minifigs are all built along with the bags that correspond to their scenes (except Grant) and they have a really great level of detail. Somehow Alan Grant's face simultaneously looks weirdly generic but also perfectly captures Sam Neill's features in a way that's uncanny. Hammond's walking stick has a simple clever design. And everyone else has reversible heads that offer great scared expressions or in Nedry's case, Dilophosaurus venom. They all sit on a nice display when they're not in their respective movie scenes. The display also includes a baby dino that, based on its coloring, is supposed to be a T Rex or possibly the baby raptor that hatches in the lab. My one criticism of the display is that the sticker (I was surprised to find this wasn't printed since the UCS Star Wars sets seem so high end and costly I always assumed their stats displays were printed) with T Rex stats features the Jurassic World logo (???) in the corner. Seems like it might have been a clerical error or an unfortunate oversight but it's definitely a weird one considering everything about this set screams Jurassic Park and is geared toward older LEGO fans who definitely grew up with the original JP movies not JW. Which brings me to the stickers; the set features no printed elements beyond the keyboard in the control room and the 1x1 round food tiles in the dining room. I don't have it out for stickers as much as some people do but I did apply them a bit more crooked than I would have liked (except on the gate). The inclusion of stickers may be a sticking point for some especially considering the high price tag on this set but it's also such a unique set that I can see why they didn't go with unique printed elements.

Lastly, there's the matter of the brick built T Rex. This thing was a marvel of LEGO engineering. In the instruction booklet the designers explain the painstaking process of coming up with this design and how many iterations they had to do before reaching this one. That hard work comes through during the build when everything seems to be expertly chosen for maximum aesthetic value as well as heft and durability. Once the torso is completed (a nice easter egg is a frog going where the T Rex's heart would probably go) you start to get an idea for just how heavy it's going to be once built though, much like the gate, I was still unprepared for just how huge it would be upon completion. The designers throw in some nice colorful bricks during this build which make it a visual delight. I always appreciate this design approach of maintaining visual interest rather than using the same grey/brown/black pieces for parts of a model that you'd never be able to see once it's finished. There's some really cool colors they throw in like teal and even a salmon pink 1x1 slope on the legs. Building the body, legs, and head were my favorite parts. The tail gets a little repetitive but because it's steadily decreasing in size with each new addition it's fun to see what changes will be made to accommodate the change. The toes are on hinges to give it the specific angle for the feet which I found to be clever. I'm not in love with the design of the nails which necessitates them to be two separate haves that clip to a handle and form a larger whole with SNOT techniques, mostly because if you hit the toes at the right angle they can split and it looks awkward. The joints on the legs were also somewhat off putting at first--they can seem a bit loose by they hold together quite well. You won't be able to move the legs into different positions too quickly (or at least without feeling/hearing some gears crunching) but I appreciate that when considering how it only adds to the model's stability. Overall the design of the T Rex was one of the wildest building experiences I'd had. And I was impressed by just how sturdy the final model is when it's done. I accidentally dropped the T Rex once and it broke apart pretty cleanly--only the head arms and tail fell off at the joints rather than my feared shattering and bricks flying every which way.

This is definitely a display piece so I can't exactly say playability is high but the little scenes in the back of the gate definitely offset the notion that it's exclusively for display. The T Rex and gate aren't exactly minifig scale which is a decent tip off but the T Rex is also probably somewhat better scale than some dino figures in the JW line. I know that the lack of Jeep is a huge flaw for some people but that would really only increase the price tag--hopefully that's another set that comes down the line someday and pairs well with this one. When I initially bought the set I thought $250 was a big chunk of change. It definitely still is and besides Assembly Square this is the most expensive set I've bought. But after seeing just how huge the gate and T Rex are after the build I can say I'm not at all surprised or even really disappointed. They look fantastic on the shelf and are fun to pose and reenact scenes with and the build (which was spread over two days) was a deeply enjoyable one featuring a ton of interesting pieces and smart designs that I was happy to see. If you're interested in this set I would absolutely recommend. If you have any reservations about it I'm positive they will be gone once you get about twenty minutes into this set. Enjoy!

I recently got this for free after redeeming some VIP points for it on LEGO.com. It's a neat little set and the price (free or at least some VIP points) really sweetened the deal.

The build is nothing special but all the parts are great, especially everything included with the fountain. The customizability is a plus. I know the instructions have 2 options for the fountain statue but there's room to mix and match, especially since the set comes with an extra sword piece. The pearl gold frogs and all the trans blue elements are great. The blue benches are a fun and different color. The trash bin has a super simple yet really effective design. The reporter minifig is good; I collect modulars but I don't own Town Hall yet so she's a welcome addition, especially as I am partial to the classic minifig heads in the modular series. The yellow bike is also really cool.

There's a fair amount of room for playability but it works better when combined with other sets. I know it's supposed to be a companion piece for the modular series (or at least that's what the advertising on the instruction booklet implies) but it would fit in great with any City theme set as well.

Just got this in the mail today--it was on backorder but as of this writing it's available at LEGO.com. I've been waiting for it to be available in the US. Triceratops was my favorite dinosaur growing up and as soon as I saw the baby triceratops figure I knew I needed this set. I was surprised to find that the baby ankylosaurus is somehow even cuter once I opened it!

Really quick build and nothing too difficult or particularly clever though the mechanical arm is surprisingly versatile despite its simple design. The triceratops pen monitor display is angled down to be easier for minifigs to look at per the instructions but it looks a little odd from that angle and can be easily adjusted. There's only 1 printed brick and that's the mosquito in amber and the rest are stickers (8 of them). Stickers vary in difficulty--if you have shaky hands like me they might come out a little crooked but the pieces they stick on are big enough for it to hardly be noticeable. The hardest one was probably the laptop since the sticker is so tiny. The whole sticker aspect made me somewhat grateful I mostly collect modular buildings series so I don't encounter too many stickers normally. The best parts of the build are the dino nest and mechanical arm for the eggs. The arm moves really smooth and works really well. It looks great alongside the nest. The other really enjoyable part is the freestanding table with the microscope and laptop that finishes out the instructions. Really simple construction but all the detailed tools on it are fun.

Not a ton of cons here; namely the mechanism for breaking the window of the playpen open is not really well hidden at all and the top of the main monitor with the island on the screen looks strange without a long tile or something across it but I think it might be holographic which would explain this choice. I would've liked a tiny camera in the dino pen which would correspond to the monitor display of the baby triceratops inside.

Minifigs are great. This is my second (and first with minifigs) Jurassic World/Jurassic Park set since the extremely limited Jurassic Park III sets from 2001 so I don't mind having an Owen Grady minifig. But if you've been collecting the Jurassic World sets I know he does come with many of them so you'd potentially be getting a duplicate. I like his dual head expressions and the green and silver detailing on his torso which I believe is new for this year. Dr. Henry Wu is a welcome minifig--from what I can tell he's not in a whole lot of sets despite being an important character in the movies--and his dual head expressions are both great. Like I said the ankylosaurus is beyond adorable and the triceratops is as well and even has the potential for minifigs to ride her, since there is a gap in her back that is filled with a 1x2 brick and plate.

The parts aren't anything too crazy but there's some good ones. The translucent blue elements are all neat especially the top of the nest incubator and the ones that comprise the drinking bowl in the dino pen. The laptop is pretty cool even if its screen is a sticker. The eggs are pretty realistically sized for the movie. I liked the green syringes as well and though I'm sure there's more along with the tranq gun in other Jurassic World sets it was novel to me. The mosquito in amber is super cool though and one of my favorite parts of the set. As someone who's seen the original Jurassic Park more times than I can count I was very happy to see it included.

I just got the Baby Velociraptor Playpen yesterday and both sets really compliment each other well, especially with the matching blue color scheme. Judging by how big this set is (and the rarity of the baby dinos) I'd say it's a great deal for only $20. It's not a difficult build by any means so it's a great one for kids who will also love the cute baby dinosaurs and the playability action of the window breaking and mechanical arm. I recommend this to any Jurassic Park fan or dinosaur fan!

Grabbed this while waiting for the Baby Dinosaurs Breakout set to come off backorder. It's a fun little set!

Really quick build since it's a polybag, and surprisingly big for a polybag set as well. It's got some great pieces. I like the water tank on the side and I like that the feeding stick moves around a bit. There's an extra bone which is nice--as someone who really doesn't collect a lot of sets with that part it feels somewhat rare to me. The colors match a lot of the other Jurassic World sets which is good if you're trying to boost your collection.

Mostly I just got this set because I loved dinosaurs as a kid and the baby dinosaur sets are the cheapest. The baby velociraptor does not disappoint! She's adorable and has plenty of room to run around in her pen.

For $3.99 this is pretty sweet deal. A fair amount of pieces (the chicken leg, feeding pole, bones, translucent blue 1x2 brick, and baby raptor are the standouts) so even if you're looking for spare parts it wouldn't hurt to tack it onto an order. Also a great little gift for kids! Polybags are always an easy build and this would combine great with other sets in its theme.

Just got this from LEGO.com right as it came back into stock. It's still on there as far as I can tell so if you're reading this review soon after its writing I recommend heading to LEGO.com (US) and grabbing it before it goes back out of stock.

I have mostly corner modulars in my collection (I'm only missing Brick Bank) so I'm always interested in seeing how they are designed and I'm always impressed at the differences in approach to the corner walls. I was definitely impressed by this set which makes extensive use of the rounded 1x2 plate with open studs (surprisingly sturdy) to hinge walls into place.

The bottom floor is the garage naturally and due to the gas station drive way, about half of the plate is dedicated to the sidewalk which is a pleasant change of pace from previous corner sets. The interior of the garage is filled with many detail choices that are clever (the rolling door, the wall facing the gas pump) ...interesting (the space directly behind the cash register is partially obstructed by the tire window display, the bottom of the steps to go upstairs are a little wonky) and functional (the lift--see below). Honestly, I thought the slanted wall was going to be extremely flimsy during the entire build and I was waiting for it all to snap into place which it did after some mild suspense. It holds together quite well despite really only being held in by a few pieces. The exterior is also nicely detailed with the safety poles on the sides of the garage, the windshield scraper in the water bucket, and the various tires on the wall. The gas pump looks elegant and the Octan logo was a nice reference to the City sets I used to play with as a kid (I also remember some sets that had the Shell logo). It's a little curious that the pump faces the street despite the driveway presumably being for gas customers. The awning that covers the driveway is an interesting build; much like the slanted wall it's pretty fragile right up until the last few steps. Getting the base of the gas pump to snap into the 2x2 plate with large hole took some doing without feeling like I was going to break something but once it gets in there it's not going anywhere--it feels much stronger than the old school turntables from Cafe Corner and the tower on Palace Cinema.

There's some significant play functions in the garage compared to previous modulars. Unlike Downtown Diner where the car is built last (or first, like in Palace Cinema) the tow truck is built after the completion of the first floor. It's definitely a highlight of the build; watching it come together is great and at first glance the technic pieces for the crane seem complicated to anyone unfamiliar with building technic stuff but it's pretty straightforward. I tried placing the cars from previous modulars on the lift as well as the tow truck and they sit somewhat lopsided on it--the part touching the wall holds up better than the far side. The function to move the lift is also not the smoothest and if it's feeling stuck it takes some minor finesse to get it working. A similar sticking issue happens with the rolling door (the design of which is incredible) albeit in a much lower capacity that's hardly noticeable. The door works great with cars in the garage except the towtruck which necessitates some fiddling with the crane to fit inside properly with the door down. The sheer presence of these functions in the set compensates for their shortcomings in my opinion and I'm sure more adventurous builders than me could correct the problems with the lift. I've tried using the crane for the towtruck on both the pink Cadillac from Downtown Diner and the Buick from Palace Cinema in multiple ways and it works great any way you choose--either clipping one side of the chain to the stud on the crane hook and the other chain stud under the car, or both chain studs under the car and hooking the chain onto the crane--and holds up when towing across distances.

The second floor is the vet, which features not one but two angled walls utilizing the 1x2 rounded plate. Like any slanted wall in the set it's flimsy during much of the build but comes together at the end. The bay window in the vets actual office is cleverly designed using some SNOT techniques that reminded me of the HOTEL sign in Cafe Corner and parts of the windows on Downtown Diner. It doesn't leave any awkward gaps or anything and looks awesome once its completed. The interior details are great--my favorite is the aquarium (this set has a lot of pets). The desk is appropriately messy and has a cool looking but fragile lamp on it. The frog pen and microscope are fun mini builds. I think the detail on this floor exceeds the detail in the garage downstairs and offers some pretty good playability if that's your thing.

The next level is very similar in structure but has some ornate tiling below the windows that was more limited on the level below. I'm a fan of these particular parts of the build because it really gives me time to slow down and enjoy the build by focusing on the particulars of the tiling. I like placing them so they look perfectly aligned which often takes up a good chunk of time. The interior of the apartment is great. I love the TV (the first in the modulars if I'm not mistaken) even if it's not entirely realistic for the era. The bed is cool (the blue/teal pillow is fun detail) and the kitchen has some actual utensils. The bathroom is just a water closet in the corner; I personally can take or leave the minifig bathrooms especially since they're not particularly realistic in my opinion (no sink or even TP) but they're good for a laugh. Overall I think this apartment is an improvement over the AFOL apartment in Assembly Square (which inexplicably had a larger bathroom), a large part of which has to do with the bigger space and lack of microscale LEGO sets. I know apartments in modulars are somewhat controversial but I enjoy them and this one in particular. The lack of walls between the stairs and the rooms on each level is a point of contention for some with this set but it's not out of the ordinary for modulars going all the way back to Cafe Corner (the upper floors were supposed to be a hotel with no lobby or doors) and would only make the interiors feel more cramped--which they don't feel in this set. Despite the fact that the building utilizes less space on the baseplate than previous corner sets, each floor feels pretty spacious, especially the apartment.

The roof has some fun detailing along the edges and building the little hatch for roof access was fun for me. There's a lounge chair, flower bed and umbrella that offer some nice detail and one of the few acknowledgements that minifigs are making the most of their roof access in the modular series. They are small enough details to not feel like they are overwhelming the roof. I would love to see more small things like this on modular rooftops because roof access seems a little pointless without them.

The minifigs are great. I especially enjoy the fact that there are two people staffed at the mechanic shop. Most modulars only seem to have one minifig working at any given place of business and having two minifigs allows for more versatility, especially with the towtruck. The moped minifig is too cool for school (never takes her sunglasses off; probably could've used a dual sided head) and has a somewhat anachronistic appearance but so do the gym folks in Downtown Diner so it's a minor quibble. Not sure where the little girl's parents are--there's not really anywhere for her to sleep if the guy upstairs is her dad--but I don't have many modulars with children minifigs so the few I do have will get a new friend (and bunny) to play with. I like the sweater minifig's hair and the sweater torso seems relatively new and a little unexpected in a good way. Plus there's pets! A dog, bunny, bird, frog, and fish. For anyone like me who doesn't own Pet Shop (at the moment) this is definitely a plus.

Overall, I wasn't blown away by it but it's still a very nice modular. The architecture follows Downtown Diner into the 50s yet it still looks good next to the older architectural style of previous modulars as well as it does next to the diner. The building techniques are interesting and clever but not flashy. The towtruck and pets are definitely a welcome addition. The rolling door is super fun (as far as I can tell Fire Brigade did not have a rolling door feature but I could be wrong) and allows for more playability. I don't think the garage would work nearly as well if this weren't a corner building. Without any particularly mindblowing moves (the garage door is the most impressive thing, with the towtruck crane a close second) this set doesn't entirely stack up to the truly great modulars like Grand Emporium or Assembly Square but it's by no means a bad set at all. The price is a little high in my opinion, especially considering how much smaller the building is compared to other corner sets but it has quite a few small pieces which might account for the pricetag.

If you're a diehard completist modular fan I'd recommend if you don't already have it. If you like fun lowkey but long winded builds I'd recommend. If you're a Creator Expert fan I'd recommend. I'd say this set is definitely one of the most kid friendly modulars, though depending on age they may need help with one or two sections.