Review: LEGO Disney 43288 Sally’s Flowerpot is a blooming nightmare

LEGO Disney 43288 Sally’s Flowerpot proves to be a nightmare after Christmas, with a fragile build that’s only really worth getting for the set’s mini-doll.

The LEGO Group seems to have been emboldened by the success of 2024’s 21351 The Nightmare Before Christmas, with fans of Tum Burton’s animated classic who have been clamouring for more sets based on the spooky world of the Pumpkin King now being rewarded with 43288 Sally’s Flowerpot.

LEGO Disney 43288 Sally’s Flowerpot is a 346-piece build that focuses specifically on Doctor Finklestein’s patchwork ragdoll creation and comes complete with a mini-doll version of the character, instead of previous minifigure iterations.

We’ve seen a number of sets that are very similar in appearance to this one in recent years, such as 76784 Black Dahlia Flower and 76464 Cauldron: Secret Potions Classroom, each of which presents a Polly Pocket-style build based on its source material.

43288 Sally’s Flowerpot definitely skews closer to the former though, with a colourful Burton-esque bloom sitting on top of a mini graveyard and suitably drab pot, along with a printed Deadly Night Shade element on the front, stickered headstones and a grinning pumpkin.

Opening the bowl-shaped receptacle up reveals two mini playsets inside, both of which are packed with nods to The Nightmare Before Christmas and Sally’s own unique personality, such as stickers and pieces representing the character’s fondness for needlework and potion brewing.

In addition, the LEGO Disney set also comes with the first-ever mini-doll of Sally herself, as well as a black cat figure that’s been repurposed from previous LEGO Friends releases and features a new printed face. Throw in a selection of themed accessories and you should be looking at a satisfying model that seems to tick all the right boxes.

While that may sound very encouraging on the surface, dig a little deeper into 43288 Sally’s Flowerpot and you’ll soon discover it is in fact a shallow grave of a build. For starters, the flimsy hinges that connect the two halves of the model are placed in such a way that it can be easy to incorrectly line up the sections when closing the set, requiring repeated (and frustrated) attempts to shut it.

Then there’s the gloomy flower itself. It’s a striking bloom indeed, which features black stems and three printed petals that match the pattern on Sally’s dress, yet the whole assemblage is incredibly fragile. The bloom also lacks the depth and detail of the plant in 76784 Black Dahlia Flower and there’s certainly no mistaking it for even a basic Botanicals creation.

While 43288 Sally’s Flowerpot attempts to be a visually-appealing display model, move the set around or touch the build at all and you’ll soon be left with a handful of pieces that will need reattaching over and again. There’s simply no way of handling the LEGO Disney set without accidentally snapping something off or nudging an element out of position, yet its target audience will absolutely want to open the build to access and play with its concealed and cramped interior.

What’s more, it comes with nearly the exact same piece count as 76784 Black Dahlia Flower, yet it’s more than twice the price of the LEGO Wednesday model and only includes a single mini-doll, adding more frustrations to the set’s many grumbles.

Speaking of which, 43288 Sally’s Flowerpot does have one single saving grace in the shape of its included Sally mini-doll. This version of the character even manages to eclipse 21351 The Nightmare Before Christmas’s minifigure of Sally, perfectly capturing the slender form of Jack Skellington’s sewn-together romantic companion.

While the Sally mini-doll certainly delivers a much more colourful take on the character’s printed dress than the LEGO Icons minifigure, she thankfully doesn’t come across as too cute (thanks to a few stitch marks), a trait that many LEGO Friends mini-dolls often suffer from.

Unfortunately, there’s just too much going against 43288 Sally’s Flowerpot to give the set a glowing recommendation. From a fragile plant build and frustrating hinges to flimsy exterior elements, cramped interiors and a puzzlingly high price, this is a model only real die-hard Tim Burton fans will want to pick up.

We can only hope that the LEGO Disney set’s Sally mini-doll pops up in much more stable and affordable builds at some point down the road, as this version of the patchwork character really does deserve a place in plenty of LEGO collections.

Our honest opinion: A fragile and unsatisfying Nightmare Before Christmas spin-off set that’s only worth it for its impressive mini-doll.

This set was provided for review by the LEGO Group.

Support the work that Brick Fanatics does by purchasing your LEGO using our affiliate links. Thanks!

How long does it take to build 43288 Sally’s Flowerpot?

It shouldn’t take you more than 45 minutes to fully assemble 43288 Sally’s Flowerpot, but extra time will be spent reattaching numerous pesky parts afterwards.

How many pieces are in 43288 Sally’s Flowerpot?

43288 Sally’s Flowerpot includes just 346 pieces, enough to construct both halves of the flowerpot, its interior areas and the spooky plant itself.

Is 43288 Sally’s Flowerpot compatible with 21351 The Nightmare Before Christmas?

While the LEGO Disney and Icons sets could always be displayed next to each other, there’s not much compatibility between the two builds.

How much does 43288 Sally’s Flowerpot cost?

43288 Sally’s Flowerpot is priced at £44.99 in the UK, $49.99 in the US and €49.99 in Europe. The LEGO Disney set launches on March 1 and be pre-ordered right now.