As an total Disney Parks nerd, the reveal of the new Lego Main Street USA set made my day. Besides recreating the first thing visitors see when they arrive at Disneyland or Disney World, it's filled to the brim with references - some obvious, others less so.
Natrurally, that means I'm honor-bound to rustle up a list of all the Disney Parks references I've been able to find in the Lego Main Street USA set so far. Because we deserve something nice today, yeah? There's certainly enough to be going with; if initial impressions are anything to judge by, this kit (which is based on the original Disneyland in Anaheim) challenges some of the best Lego sets in terms of how much there is to see.
Want to skip ahead and check the model out for yourself? While it's not up for pre-order just yet, you can get a good look via the official Lego store.
Walt Disney family apartment
One of the most notable references would have to be the Disney family's apartment, positioned above the fire station just like in Disneyland. This cozy space - complete with red carpet and fittings, as in the real thing - is based on Walt's personal home away from home in the parks. He and his family would stay and/or entertain guests here when in Disneyland, and he'd always leave the lamp in the window on to tell visitors he was around.
Fun fact: the apartment is still there, and its lamp now stays permanently lit as a tribute to Walt.
Sneaky nods to other attractions
Look closely and you'll find that the top part of the Lego Emporium store is dedicated to other Disney Parks attractions. There's the Disneyland Railroad and the Snow White castle, of course, but the Haunted Mansion is also in there on the left.
Reference-geddon in the Disneyland Emporium
The Disneyland Emporium is crammed with merch in real-life, and the Lego version is just as busy; I've spotted teeny posters on merch stands dedicated to Star Wars (a la Grogu), Marvel's Groot, and Tangled. There are also 'toy' versions of iconic characters on display just as they are in the Disney Parks, like Wall-E, the Up house, and boxed action figures for everyone from Woody and Buzz to Captain America and Iron Man.
Dapper Dans
You'll find Disneyland's own barbershop quartet (the ones in the multicolored waistcoats pictured above) ready to sing their hearts out in this set, and that's only right; they hang out on real-world Main Street USA.
Minnie ears
I might be wrong, but I don't think we've seen this Disney Parks staple in Lego form before. There are multiple versions of the mouse ear headbands on display in the shops and on various minifigures, along with the Mickey Mouse ear hat equivalent.
Main Street staples
Alongside the old-timey popcorn stand that you'll always find on Main Street USA in the parks, one of the guests is clutching a churro (another Disneyland favorite). In addition, you'll be able to see the Main Street trash can design dotted along the road. This is a surprisingly iconic fixture (with merch of its own, no less), so it's cool to see in Lego form.
There's also a green bench visible beside the firestation. The Main Street benches are normally brown, so I'd like to think this could be a reference to the green bench from Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round that Walt Disney is meant to have dreamt up Disneyland on - it was on display in Main Street at one point, after all.
- See all Disney sets at Lego
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