Review: 40701 Ballerina & Nutcracker Scene GWP
5
We’re in the home stretch run towards Christmas, and for your last minute holiday shopping needs, LEGO’s promo offering the 40701 Ballerina & Nutcracker Scene AND 2x Insider Points has now begun!
Shoppers on LEGO.com will receive 40701 Ballerina & Nutcracker Scene as a GWP (gift with purchase) when you spend US$150 / AU$240 / £135 / €150 or more on LEGO.com, from 6-12 December 2024, or while stocks last. This will also coincide with 2x Insider Points on all purchases, which runs from 6-10 December, making this a pretty good shopping window if your wallet hasn’t yet been depleted by Black Friday.
If you’re struggling to figure out what to pick up, you can also qualify for GWPs with 2025 LEGO set pre-orders, so if you’re eyeing sets like 76444 Diagon Alley Wizarding Shops or 42207 Ferrari SF-24 F1 Car, they’ll help push you over the line or check out LEGO’s Sale section for some bargains, or find something on LEGO’s Retiring Soon list
Let’s jump into this quick review of 40701 Ballerina & Nutcracker Scene!
Special thanks to LEGO for sending this set over for review.
If you’re planning on purchasing or pre-ordering this set, please consider using the affiliate links in this post. I may earn a small commission with each purchase that helps support the work I do on the blog!
Here’s a look at the gorgeous build, a small display diorama featuring a Ballerina twirling in front of a Christmas Tree, inspired by Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker.
The scene and colours evoke rich Christmas traditions, and I especially love all the pearl gold elements, as well as the festive red curtains, wreaths and of course the Christmas tree.
Like most sets this size, a sticker sheet is used for the decorations. The starry night panels could potentially be useful for other applications, and they’re not really necessary to the build should you choose to save them.
Here’s a look at the Ballerina minifigure, which is exclusive to the set. Upon closer inspection, was surprised to discover that she has a brand new torso with soft lavender trim on her neckline, and on her waist. There is also some sparkly glitter on her chest, and waist area.
We normally don’t get new elements or minifigure parts in LEGO GWPs, but LEGO doesn’t seem to be enforcing this rule lately, with new elements spotted in the Retro Record Player and also the Cerebro GWP
Here’s a look at the Christmas Tree, which is perfectly sized, but also easily removable to let you admire the starry night outside the sand green windows. The stickers for the starry night are a pain to apply as you apply them to the opaque black windows, and I struggled with getting them on straight. Mostly because I’m terrible at stickers!
Here’s a look at the back, where you can find a small handle that activates the play feature in this set.
The set utilises these gears, which move when you swivel the handle at the back.
It’s a really simple mechanism, but works very well and is quite mesmerising to see in person. Note that the green plates are just placed there to lock the larger gear in place for this video. In the real build, the tan plate is used to seal this entire section off, and lock the big gear in.
And here’s a video of it in action. Unfortunately, due to the small footprint, the Ballerina isn’t able to perform a full twirl, and instead just swivels from side to side. It’s a shame she isn’t able to just twirl in place which I think would look so much better visually.
Another missed opportunity is her accessory, a dark red statuette that’s the only reference to Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker. Unfortunately as you can see, it’s just blank.
LEGO missed a huge opportunity here not printing a nutcracker into it. It would’ve been such a useful decorative item for future Winter Village or festive sets, and would really tie this entire set together thematically. I would have rather LEGO printed the statuette, than give us a new minifigure torso.
That said, I really like the 40701 Ballerina & Nutcracker Scene gift with purchase. I think that this is one of the more memorable Christmas-themed GWPs in a while, and a far better model than last year’s Wintertime Carriage Ride!
It’s aesthetically gorgeous, and the play functions give it movement and brings the entire model to life in the most delightful way.
I’d definitely recommend picking up 40701 Ballerina & Nutcracker Scene if you can, plus the concurrent 2x Insider Points bonus also makes this a compelling buy, either as a last minute Christmas present for yourself or a loved one!
What do you think of the Ballerina and Nutcracker Scene GWP? Do you plan on picking it up?
40701 Ballerina & Nutcracker Scene is available as a free gift with purchase when you spend US$150 / AU$240 / £135 / €150 or more on LEGO.com, from 6-12 December 2024, or while stocks last. This will also coincide with 2x Insider Points on all purchases, which runs from 6-10 December.
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