35th Anniversary Pretty Parlor with G1 Comparison

[Baby Sugarberry]

I also suspect Dream Castle would be too big/expensive - shelf space is a major selling point for many retailers.  It's also big for customers, and I'd be worried they'd ignore the hinge issue again.  DC is notorious for it's weak, poorly engineered hinges.  They're frankly even worse than the PP, and that's saying something. 

[Carrehz]

idk maybe they're trying to like "work up" to the Dream Castle? If that makes sense? It'd be pretty expensive to even produce, I'd imagine, let alone how much they'd be selling it for.. Maybe they want to see how much of a market there is for these repro ponies/how popular they are/etc before risking making something like that. Y'know, start off small and work up to the bigger things.

[toyjunky]

I wonder if the Basic Fun might also make a retro Waterfall or any of the other playsets that are based on the Pretty Parlor design?
Ponyfan

The UK Kitchen would be nice, and since it does reuse the basic building shape that would be a money saver for them. I am going to place my money on a modified Show Stable possibly in the future. Course they could go for a wild card and make a modified Megan's Place with Megan and Sundance as included figures.

If we base this on how the Strawberry Shortcake line went, I doubt we will see very many playsets and more of a focus on the ponies themselves. There were only two playsets made for the retro Strawberry Shortcake line; the Berry Bake Shoppe (which was not like the original, more inspired by it) and the Berry Happy Home which is not even close as the original is huge and very different. Nowadays smaller playsets are more ideal for both manufacturers/retailers as well as parents even. Ultimately it also comes down to what pony sets/playsets Hasbro is willing to license to Basic Fun.

Now if we really want to dream big here, give me a retro Paradise Estates!
I'd be more than willing to shell out the $100 for it if it was done with the same level of detail as the Pretty Parlor was to the original.

[LadyMoondancer]

I'd love to see the UK kitchen!  It's so cute.

This may sound weird, but Paradise Estate doesn't feel like a "classic" playset to me.  I think because it doesn't come with a pony.  I was never interested in any of the playsets without ponies--Perfume Puff Palace, etc.  (Kitchen is an exception because it's so dang cute, lol.)

Nowadays smaller playsets are more ideal for both manufacturers/retailers as well as parents even.

This is a really good point.  Most of the playsets I see today are either small, or they fold up to be small.  Which I totally get.  I honestly don't know where some families were able to keep all their toys in the 80s if they had Dream Castle AND the Show Stable AND She-Ra's castle AND Castle Greyskull AND Snake Mountain . . . The 80s was the era of huge castles!
 

Man, I can barely find room for playsets as a collector, I can't imagine being a parent and having playsets all over the floor.

[Silversnow]

Oh wow! Thanks a lot for gorgeous pictures. I sooo want to get this set!

[Taffeta]

I'd love to see the UK kitchen!  It's so cute.

This may sound weird, but Paradise Estate doesn't feel like a "classic" playset to me.  I think because it doesn't come with a pony. 

It should have done here :'(

Re the Kitchen - all the tiny accessories might put them off.

[toyjunky]

Most of the playsets I see today are either small, or they fold up to be small.  Which I totally get.  I honestly don't know where some families were able to keep all their toys in the 80s if they had Dream Castle AND the Show Stable AND She-Ra's castle AND Castle Greyskull AND Snake Mountain . . . The 80s was the era of huge castles!
Man, I can barely find room for playsets as a collector, I can't imagine being a parent and having playsets all over the floor.

That is so true about the 80's castles/houses/playsets/large robot toys etc. There were some really big playsets then. My Strawberry Shortcake Berry Happy Home took up the entire floor space under my bedroom window as a kid. Then on the other wall, Barbie Town House. Add in the MLP Lullabye Nursery and a bed and a dresser and a large doll crib/cradle (for Cabbage Patch Kids and baby dolls) and that pretty much took up most the floor space.

Taffeta:
"Re the Kitchen - all the tiny accessories might put them off."
Yes, I thought about that, but it is really cute.

[Taffeta]

I guess it depends on whether they need all the moulds for all of them to replicate them authentically as it would be difficult. It might be that a reissue would include fewer or different accessories, which to me isn't really the Kitchen at all.

But it would be cool if they did release it and included the yellow cat...I never knew why that never got made.

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[Baby Sugarberry]

But it would be cool if they did release it and included the yellow cat...I never knew why that never got made.

I'd guess either structural issue with the basket being attached to the door, or cost cutting.  The Kitchen does have a ton of pieces, so my bet would be the latter.

[Magicharp]

I didn't think The Dream Castle was that big. I know that the Paradise Estate was indeed big. But not the Dream Castle, The Lullaby Nursery, or the Show Stable.

[Ivaness]

I would be ecstatic if they produced the Fancy Swirl prototypes!  I know I'm trying onavoid buying more pnies, but I REALLY love celestial ponies!

They look amazing and I want them so badly. 

[Taffeta]

But it would be cool if they did release it and included the yellow cat...I never knew why that never got made.

I'd guess either structural issue with the basket being attached to the door, or cost cutting.  The Kitchen does have a ton of pieces, so my bet would be the latter.

Probably.  Like dropping Paradise from the estate.  A shame though...

[katrine2309]

What about the schoolhouse? I really like that Playset! And it doesn’t have the same amount of accessories as the kitchen either. I would think the safer bet is on the smaller play sets- they are both cheaper to make and easier the sell. If either the kitchen or the schoolhouse will be made I’ll buy them in an instant!

I had Dream Castle as a kid, my sister had Lullaby nursery. One friend had the Show stable, another friend had Paradise Estate. I remember getting Dream Castle- it was a huuuge thing for me. We never got expensive toys! I don’t remember kids having too many play sets though- none of the kids I grew up with gmhad more than one or two play sets (meaning if you had the Barbie house you probably didn’t have Dream Castle too).. If any at all. We used to share a lot when playing - it was nice!

[Kiwichi]

Id buy a mommy and baby w/ a buggy for $24.99!  Thats what Id love to see 

I think thats a fair price point... maybe alittle on the higher end.  But it would be higher cost due to it being a new production.  To make pricing a litte more attractive maybe $21.99
 
I had just bought my 3yo daughter a barbie w/ a stroller which had a mommy & baby dog for $24.99!  She only wanted the stroller and dogs....  I couldnt understand it and thought it was way too costly .   But id pay that much for a pony combo in a heartbeat  

[Ribbs]

Thanks for the great comparison photos! I'm really liking the new Pretty Parlor. 20$ is reasonable, IMO. The door hinges seem a bit weak and the quality of accessories is secondary to the originals, but otherwise I'm very pleased with this playset. I don't even mind the Twinkles the cat re-mold, I think he's cuter than the original. I really hope the rest of the earlier playsets & Megan/Sundance get re-released too!