We selected just four 2019 sets which give us nearly every element currently available in this new color. We’ve started by building all four sets, and sharing our thoughts in four mini-reviews. This is just part 1 in a series of articles looking at Vibrant Coral, in a future article we compare this new color’s rise to popularity, against other colors added in the past several years.

#70828 Pop-up Party Bus

At $79.99 (89.99€ / £79.99) for 1024 pieces, #70828 Pop-up Party Bus offers an unusually good price-per-part, especially in the United States. (Like most of The LEGO Movie 2 sets, it’s often available for a significant discount.) Let’s see what’s hiding inside this brightly-colored space bus.

#70828 Pop-up Party Bus

The set is built in 8 stages, with one numbered bag for each step. This keeps the number of parts in each step to a minimum, and makes it easier to assemble the model quickly. In the first bag, we built Zebe (a miniland-style figure), Melody minidoll (with an amazing 322Bright PurpleDark Pink Afro), and the base of the Party Bus.

Melody and Zebe at the end of bag 1.

The third bag adds the back side of the vehicle and a cleverly-designed disco lighting feature which uses a [trans-red] light brick and a [trans-pink] bottom half of a 4×4 sphere. The fourth and fifth bags add details to the interior including the DJ booth above the dance floor. Some very clever building techniques were employed to achieve the rounded profile on the back of the vehicle. In this sixth bag, we add additional lights, more of the curved roof, and a spinning disco covered in lights. In the 7th bag we build Disco Unikitty, add the purple pod on the roof, retractable wings, and thrusters on the back. The 8th bag finishes the model, adding the left side of the vehicle.

I built the model while re-watching The LEGO Movie 2—with a build time of around 90 minutes, I finished building right after the movie ended. The model offers a mix of things that I really like (creative building techniques, interesting and new parts, and aspects which I don’t prefer including somewhat repetitive construction process and a finished model that doesn’t look especially inviting on the shelf.

#70828 Pop-up Party Bus – Closed and Opened.

Despite these misgivings, it’s easy to give this set a “Recommended” (4/5 Star) rating since it contains a lot of new parts and colors for a competitive price, whimsical transformer-like play features, and interesting building techniques.

We picked this set because it includes 13 elements in Vibrant Coral, including the new large “splat” gear which is only in this set, and lots of basic plates and bricks.

• 14x – 1×2 Brick (3004)
• 18x – 1×1 Plate (3024)
• 32x – 1×2 Plate (3023)
• 6x – 1×6 Tile (6636)
• 9x – 1×1 Cheese Slope (54200)
• 6x – 2×2 Round Tile (14769)
• 2x – 1×1 Corner Tile (25269)
• 10x – 4×4 Corner Tile (27507)
• 6x – 1×2×⅔ Curved (11477)
• 1x – 1×2×1 Curved (37352)
• 6x – 1×4 Plate w/ 2 Studs (41740)
• 4x – 1×1 Brick w/ Stud 1-side (87087)
• 2x – 6×6 Splat Gear (35446)

It also includes a nice selection of parts in interesting colors including: 13 unique elements in 107Bright Bluish GreenDark Turquoise / Teal, 20 unique elements in 322Medium AzurMedium Azure, 79 unique elements in the always-useful 1White color.

#41381 Rescue Mission Boat

At $89.99 (89.99€ / £84.99) for 908 pieces, #41381 Rescue Mission Boat is the second largest 2019 LEGO Friends set (and 6th largest ever.) A large brick-built rescue boat is the focal point of the set, although it also includes a reef, island, and a small yellow inflatable boat (Zodiac).

#41381 Rescue Mission Boat

Progress by the end of Bag 1.

In the next three bags, we build the base of the boat, and the living quarters featuring three beds, a small bathroom, and a large room containing both the kitchen and research equipment. The detailing for the interior spaces is surprisingly good with several brick-built fixtures including the bathroom sink, coffee machine, and microscope. The new [Vibrant Coral], and newly reintroduced [teal] colors are used throughout the build and look great together. We wrap up this section of the build by putting two lounge chairs on the bow, along with two brightly colored cocktails.

In the last two bags, we add a crane to the back of the boat, a cute brick-built underwater robot, and build the roof of the boat. In finishing the build, I re-discovered part 2×2×3 Lantern Mast (4289), a pretty rare part which I hadn’t seen since set #4015 Freighter, probably my first LEGO set from my early childhood.

The model took 80 minutes to assemble, which is pretty quick for the part count. The colors are vibrant, the part selection is interesting, and the play features are diverse and well thought out, such as the crane which is perfectly aligned so you can lower the stretcher into the receiving area in the back of the boat.

#41381 Rescue Mission Boat

30 years from now, I wouldn’t be surprised to meet an AFOL who looks back to this set nearly as fondly as I remember classic 1989 Pirate set #6285 Black Seas Barracuda. While the appeal to adult fans is moderate, this is an excellent set worthy of our “Recommended” (4/5 Star) rating. (Just don’t ask too many questions about that fat pink land narwhal.)

We picked this set because it includes a whopping 15 elements in Vibrant Coral, including many curved elements:

• 4x – 1×2 Brick (3004)
• 5x – 1×1 Plate (3024)
• 7x – 1×2 Plate (3023)
• 8x – 1×8 Plate (3460)
• 1x – 1×2 Tile (3069)
• 1x – 1×6 Tile (6636)
• 2x – 1×1 Cheese Slope (54200)
• 1x – 2×2 Round Tile (14769)
• 2x – 4×4 Corner Tile (27507)
• 3x – 1×2×⅔ Curved (11477)
• 2x – 1×6×3⅓ Curved (30935)
• 2x – 1×10×1 Curved (13731)
• 4x – 1×3×2 Curve, Inv. (18653)
• 2x – 1×4 Plate w/ 2 Studs (41740)
• 1x – 16×12×2⅔ Boat Hull (64645)

It also includes a bag of fish and shells in the same Vibrant Coral color.

It also includes a small bag containing a dozen fish and shells (part 49595), as well as a nice selection of parts in two less common colors which are growing steadily in popularity: 17 unique elements in 140Earth BlueDark Blue, and 13 unique elements in 107Bright Bluish GreenDark Turquoise / Teal.

#41376 Turtle’s Rescue Mission

At $19.99 (19.99€ / £17.99) for 225 pieces and one minidoll, #41376 Turtle’s Rescue Mission offers a reasonable value in a small Friends set for ages 6+. The set contains two numbered bags, making it even easier for younger builders to assemble. It offers a good play experience with several turtles and three distinct components: a small boat (with wheels), an underwater reef scene, and a colorful beachside medical station.

#41376 Turtle’s Rescue Mission

The brick-built sea turtle on the roof is a triumph, well above what I would expect in smaller sets like this. The set earns our “Good” (3/5 Star) rating.

We picked this set because it includes four useful elements in Vibrant Coral:

• 5x – 1×2 Brick (3004)
• 2x – 1×2 Tile (3069)
• 4x – 2×1 Curved (11477)
• 1x – 1×2×1 Curved (37352)

It also includes some parts in two less common colors that I liek which are growing steadily in popularity: 8 unique elements in 140Earth BlueDark Blue, and 2 unique elements in 107Bright Bluish GreenDark Turquoise / Teal.

#41384 Andrea’s Summer Heart Box

At $7.99 (7.99€ / £7.99) for 83 pieces, #41384 Andrea’s Summer Heart Box is a low-priced set that gives you one minidoll, a few accessories, and a heart-shaped box to store your treasures.

#41384 Andrea’s Summer Heart Box

The 5-minute build process is not interesting, and the finished box is not very sturdy because the bricks are not interlocked. I also find the combination of 353Vibrant CoralCoral and 42Bright Reddish VioletMagenta garish, but admit that I’m probably not the target audience for this set. The set earns our “Acceptable” (2/5 Star) rating.

We picked this set because it includes four useful elements in Vibrant Coral:

• 2x – 1×1 Brick (3005)
• 3x – 1×2 Brick (3004)
• 2x – 1×6 Brick (3009)
  So far, this element is only available in the five “Summer Heart Box” sets.
• 4x – 2×2 Corner Brick (85080)

It also includes a nice selection of parts in two less common colors which are growing steadily in popularity: 5 unique elements in 323AquaLight Aqua, and 6 unique elements in 107Bright Bluish GreenDark Turquoise / Teal.