http://www.insidethemagic.net/2013/03/the-world-of-chima-announced-as-legoland-florida-expansion-to-open-july-2013-with-interactive-water-ride-quest-for-chi/

 

This can only help with investments IMO. Plus they have a DVD coming out this month. Interest will be picked up in no time. I'll keep pushing it on my son. 

Bah if they wanted guaranteed hit, they should have created Ninjago land expansion

 

I wish I needed to push it on my son - he's already all over these sets.  He has the Command Ship, Royal Fighter, Pack Tracker, and Glider - likely more to come at Christmas - perhaps Lion Chi Temple or Croc Hideout!

Just in case there was any doubt whether Lego is 100% behind Chima and in it for the long haul, they just opened a whole LoC area at Legoland in FL - http://thebrickblogger.com/2013/07/lego-legends-of-chima-at-legoland/.

I do wonder if these initial sets could see some price appreciation after a while - but it may take a long while. I see more potential in short term flips of popular, hard-to-find sets.

I don't know if this site existed then, but I would imagine people said similar things about Ninjago when it came out, and those sets saw some nice appreciation for sure.

 

The problem I still have with Chima is that I can't tell at a glance what the heck it is. With Ninjago, at least it was easy to say "oh, ninja's", which likely led to AFOL's buying them for their kids, etc. Chima I just have no interest in getting them for my son, and he can't tell what the heck they are either. Should be interesting...

I can't tell what the sets are either, but have you seen the displays in store? The boat and some of the vehicles are pretty sweet looking. I honestly would buy them if I saw them on clearance or something. I think there could be a couple of sleepers - I don't have kids though so i am not sure Kids see them and want them. I think they are cool though.

I honestly would buy them if I saw them on clearance or something. I think there could be a couple of sleepers - I don't have kids though so i am not sure Kids see them and want them. I think they are cool though.

Same here. For the most part, all the ones I have purchased since the beginning of this year were discounted somewhat. This is just one of those series' which feels like sales are inevitable like Cragger's Command Ship being constantly discounted.

FWIW, at the very crowded Lego stores I was at in the Bay Area this weekend, there were a fair number of energetic boys zipping Chima cars around on the track provided in the store.

My kids just can't get in to them.  They have some speedorz but got bored after a few hours.  With Ninjago spinners, they played for hours and hours.  Besides, Ninjas are cool, Wolves and Birds on steroids.....not so cool. 

My kids just can't get in to them.  They have some speedorz but got bored after a few hours.  With Ninjago spinners, they played for hours and hours.  Besides, Ninjas are cool, Wolves and Birds on steroids.....not so cool. 

 

This is what we need as investors - more kids information. Although I was pretty sure the speedorz were crap.

 

The bigger sets do look alright though. But as a child, I didn't really have many toys, so all toys look cool.

I've actually noticed kids gravitating to Chima lately in the Lego aisle.  I even saw one dad and son frantically searching through the bag sets that they now have because the kid absolutely needed a particular one (I don't know which one) bc that one was "the coolest" and he knew "for certain that it had come out already."  This was in a Target.   About a half hour later, as I pulled into the nearby Toys R Us parking lot, I saw dad and son exiting that store with big smiles on their faces and a bag with what I am guessing had the much needed Chima set in it.   It was quite an interesting scene to witness! 

I've actually noticed kids gravitating to Chima lately in the Lego aisle.  I even saw one dad and son frantically searching through the bag sets that they now have because the kid absolutely needed a particular one (I don't know which one) bc that one was "the coolest" and he knew "for certain that it had come out already."  This was in a Target.   About a half hour later, as I pulled into the nearby Toys R Us parking lot, I saw dad and son exiting that store with big smiles on their faces and a bag with what I am guessing had the much needed Chima set in it.   It was quite an interesting scene to witness! 

 

Thats what I like to hear. I have noticed them selling at my local stores.

My 2 sons love the cartoon and have just a couple sets. They haven't got into the speedorz yet - although 1 has been asking for that and the cragger ship. IMO, the cartoon and other PR will drive the popularity of the sets. TLG is behind the theme, that's for sure

I can't tell what the sets are either, but have you seen the displays in store? The boat and some of the vehicles are pretty sweet looking. I honestly would buy them if I saw them on clearance or something. I think there could be a couple of sleepers - I don't have kids though so i am not sure Kids see them and want them. I think they are cool though.

I have kids and they are really into it. I have a two year old and he always talks about them (using only his 38 words...one of which is legocheema) and makes it a point to visit the display (and open the mouth of the Cragger Command Ship a few hundred times). Five year old likes it too. I have only bought them superhero or TMNT sets so far, but I am sure that they will start picking out chima too. Keep in mind Cartoon Network is starting the show soon and let's not underestimate the power of a free 30 minute commercial every week (not even counting reruns, and the CN commercials promoting the show!). I actually think it'll be a pretty solid investment as I think it'll follow the Ninjago formula but TLG will execute the marketing strategy even better. Not sure the sets will be better but I am sure that they learned a thing or two in this type of marketing from having done Ninjago.

My son has five Chima sets, a Chima backpack, and a new Chima lunchbox and thermos.  He also just hung two Chima posters he got from the Lego store on his wall - one on the front (shows Laval), and one on the back (shows the minifigs).  He has the starter Speedorz set, loves it, and wants more of them.  He has also built Speedorz tracks out of a combination Lego bricks and Magnatiles (for the ramps).

 

If you can't tell, he's a little Chima obsessed.  His buddies are too, and they all are really digging the new TV show. 

 

This is only one man's opinion, but I think Chima is starting to hit its stride now, and in a few days, better sets will be released that will create a lot of buzz with the ongoing TV show: Lion Chi Temple, Croc Hideout, Gorzan's Gorilla Striker, Worriz's Combat Lair, and Skunk Attack.

Most of the negativity I've heard about this theme seems to be more about the Speedorz than the actual box set builds really. I agree the Speedorz are out of the proverbial box and take much getting used to but so did the Spinners for Ninjago in a way.

The various model designs are pretty cool and I can see a whole lot of MOC potential here. I'm already digging the scenery builds from the Speedorz and finding some rather unique pieces there. The characters are also growing on me and I can see possibilities in them as well. Lego did the right thing making each character have two faced head printing and wear a 'helmet'.

Well from what I've gathered so far, just by looking at boxes in the stores and a first look preview of the cartoon before the Despicable Me 2 movie in theatres.

There are various bands or tribes of these human animal hybrids that use Chi as there energy or life force I guess....

 

This thread inspired me to take a look at a couple sets.

 

There is one thing that has not been included in this topic that I think is worth mentioning as far as investing goes.

 

The minifigures! As far as minifigure value goes, usually they are worth more if they are unique in some way.

 

Take a look on lego.com for a close up picture of the minifiugres. They are so beautiful.

They are lavisly printed from head to toe and these guys are some of the most colorful and detailed minifigures out there.

My favorite parts are...

 

1) Some of the toes themselves are printed with cool little claws (I just recently got back into lego and I haven't seen the toe part printed LET ALONE WITH CLAWS!)

 

2) The hat piece is the shape of an animal (which has been done before, but is still fairly unique). My favorites are the crocodile and the lion.

 

That said, I still am not sure how convinced I am of these sets or if I will invest in them. If I find them on 50%-70% off on clearance and it includes a minifigure that I like, then I might snag one...or five.

Saw a bunch of Chima on Clearance in Walmart. DIdn't bite. Doesn't look good though.

My kids just can't get in to them.  They have some speedorz but got bored after a few hours.  With Ninjago spinners, they played for hours and hours.  Besides, Ninjas are cool, Wolves and Birds on steroids.....not so cool. 

I think one could argue that crazy human animal hybrids are just as cool as ninjas. I guess it all depends on the individual.

Saw a bunch of Chima on Clearance in Walmart. DIdn't bite. Doesn't look good though.

Why does it not look good?

Why does it not look good?

 

Because they are clearancing it because it didn't sell. There were tons of sets there unsold. All the LOTR and Star Wars was ravaged, but it was left alone. Just one area but I just don't think its selling well here.

 

I live in the south though. Hard to please us without guns or football

Because they are clearancing it because it didn't sell. There were tons of sets there unsold. All the LOTR and Star Wars was ravaged, but it was left alone. Just one area but I just don't think its selling well here.

 

I live in the south though. Hard to please us without guns or football

Oooh Good Call. I didn't think of that. It does seam like there are an over abundance of Chima sets in every lego asile. I thought that was maybe just lego pushing it harder than any of the others. For being in my early 20s, I think a lot like a little kid and go with a gut feeling. My theory is, if my inner child thinks that the set is cool, then most kids probably will too. I initially thought the Chima sets were nothing special so I may possibly look past them and invest elsewhere.

 

BTW I appreciate reading your in depth set and investing reviews. Thanks for taking the time to write those.

 

We like our Guns and Football here in the Midwest too.

Oooh Good Call. I didn't think of that. It does seam like there are an over abundance of Chima sets in every lego asile. I thought that was maybe just lego pushing it harder than any of the others. For being in my early 20s, I think a lot like a little kid and go with a gut feeling. My theory is, if my inner child thinks that the set is cool, then most kids probably will too. I initially thought the Chima sets were nothing special so I may possibly look past them and invest elsewhere.

 

BTW I appreciate reading your in depth set and investing reviews. Thanks for taking the time to write those.

 

We like our Guns and Football here in the Midwest too.

 

I am keeping an eye on the chima sets - but honestly I have a bunch of friends at work with children. I keep up with what they are into. All into Ninjaco. None of them are into Chima. So that is another deterrent. But you never know. You have to sometimes take chances.

 

Thank you for your appreciation. I enjoy doing it and I am glad others like them. I definitely have a few more coming. My wife and I built a Tower Bridge so that one is coming soon.

I like crocs minifigures, that's all about CHIMA.....I got zero sets, No good for investing....wait, got five Crug polybags and one Crominus Speedorz....done.

The mini figures are great.  They just had the cartoons for 4 weeks before the first 2 a few months ago.  It should pick up momentum.  The new lion temple and the croc hideout are quite impressive

 

My theory on the spinners and speedors is the spinner stays in a general area, whereas the speedors can go all over the place.  I pretty sure kids get sick of fetching it after it flies across the hardwood floor.  That's why I picked up golf rather than tennis.  You didn't have to clean up going to the driving range.

I've been in an awful lot of Targets and Walmarts this past week and I actually came away with a good feeling about Chima for two reasons. First, in no store (at least 25) did I see any Chima set clearanced (edit -- except for a speedorz set here or there). And second, the Chima sets are the ones that I saw the most kids gravitating toward. I even witnessed at least 3 scenes of kids begging for Chima sets. I'm definitely of the belief that Chima is starting to pick up steam. My feeling is that Chima is going to be a hot theme this Christmas.