SWTOTW, Week 32, 2019, Part 2/2 Cloud City Playset

[Pomse2001]

Cloud City Playset:

 

[Snaketibe]

The Sears Exclusive Cloud City Playset. Or more accurately, 4 good figures, their accessories, some small white foot pegs and 2 thin pieces of cardboard in a neat, but surprisingly small box.

It's relatively rare, quite expensive to buy, and if we're being brutally honest... more than a bit crap. When I got back into collecting vintage in the 90's, the Cloud City playset was an elusive and rarefied thing you could only dream of owning (this was pre-eBay, of course). Because it was rare, and especially because I didn't have one, I craved one! And it took me a fair old time to get one too, but eventually I ticked that particular box and whilst I was naturally very pleased to have one, there's no escaping the disappointment I felt when I discovered how tiny it is and how little it actually does! Make no mistake, this is NOT a good toy. The figures are good and the box is a thing of beauty, but play value? Are you kidding me? This does every bit as much as the equally crap Sears Cantina Adventure Set, only without the bonus of an exclusive blue Snaggletooth to soften the financial blow.

I realise I might sound thoroughly ungrateful, especially to anyone that doesn't own one and would like to. I don't mean to, but I do believe in being honest. The Palitoy Death Star this most certainly isn't! However, if you can accept it for what it is (a blatant cash grab by Sears) and enjoy the simple fact of owning one (and the box really is lovely!), then in the end it does have a certain charm for the adult collector... even if kids in the 80's doubtless cursed their parents for buying them this instead of a Millennium Falcon! ;-)

Anyway, here's mine:

 

[TheJabbaWookie]

You're right. The box is cracking.

 

[Snaketibe]

You're right. The box is cracking.

Almost literally at the top right-hand corner of mine :lol:

 

[Alisdairmac]

The Sears Exclusive Cloud City Playset. Or more accurately, 4 good figures, their accessories, some small white foot pegs and 2 thin pieces of cardboard in a neat, but surprisingly small box.

It's relatively rare, quite expensive to buy, and if we're being brutally honest... more than a bit crap. When I got back into collecting vintage in the 90's, the Cloud City playset was an elusive and rarefied thing you could only dream of owning (this was pre-eBay, of course). Because it was rare, and especially because I didn't have one, I craved one! And it took me a fair old time to get one too, but eventually I ticked that particular box and whilst I was naturally very pleased to have one, there's no escaping the disappointment I felt when I discovered how tiny it is and how little it actually does! Make no mistake, this is NOT a good toy. The figures are good and the box is a thing of beauty, but play value? Are you kidding me? This does every bit as much as the equally crap Sears Cantina Adventure Set, only without the bonus of an exclusive blue Snaggletooth to soften the financial blow.

I realise I might sound thoroughly ungrateful, especially to anyone that doesn't own one and would like to. I don't mean to, but I do believe in being honest. The Palitoy Death Star this most certainly isn't! However, if you can accept it for what it is (a blatant cash grab by Sears) and enjoy the simple fact of owning one (and the box really is lovely!), then in the end it does have a certain charm for the adult collector... even if kids in the 80's doubtless cursed their parents for buying them this instead of a Millennium Falcon! ;-)

Anyway, here's mine:

2 Pieces of Card - 01.jpg

2 Pieces of Card - 02.jpg

2 Pieces of Card - 03.jpg

when you put it like that it does look more like soemthing that should have been cut out of the back of a cereal box than actually sold in a shop!

 

[Snaketibe]

The Sears Exclusive Cloud City Playset. Or more accurately, 4 good figures, their accessories, some small white foot pegs and 2 thin pieces of cardboard in a neat, but surprisingly small box.

It's relatively rare, quite expensive to buy, and if we're being brutally honest... more than a bit crap. When I got back into collecting vintage in the 90's, the Cloud City playset was an elusive and rarefied thing you could only dream of owning (this was pre-eBay, of course). Because it was rare, and especially because I didn't have one, I craved one! And it took me a fair old time to get one too, but eventually I ticked that particular box and whilst I was naturally very pleased to have one, there's no escaping the disappointment I felt when I discovered how tiny it is and how little it actually does! Make no mistake, this is NOT a good toy. The figures are good and the box is a thing of beauty, but play value? Are you kidding me? This does every bit as much as the equally crap Sears Cantina Adventure Set, only without the bonus of an exclusive blue Snaggletooth to soften the financial blow.

I realise I might sound thoroughly ungrateful, especially to anyone that doesn't own one and would like to. I don't mean to, but I do believe in being honest. The Palitoy Death Star this most certainly isn't! However, if you can accept it for what it is (a blatant cash grab by Sears) and enjoy the simple fact of owning one (and the box really is lovely!), then in the end it does have a certain charm for the adult collector... even if kids in the 80's doubtless cursed their parents for buying them this instead of a Millennium Falcon! ;-)

Anyway, here's mine:

2 Pieces of Card - 01.jpg

2 Pieces of Card - 02.jpg

2 Pieces of Card - 03.jpg

when you put it like that it does look more like soemthing that should have been cut out of the back of a cereal box than actually sold in a shop!

The Kellogg's Cloud City Playset?... I love it! :lol:

 

[peekaygee73]

When I got back into collecting vintage in the 90's, the Cloud City playset was an elusive and rarefied thing you could only dream of owning (this was pre-eBay, of course). Because it was rare, and especially because I didn't have one, I craved one!

:lol: :lol: :lol: I remember reading through a copy of 'Model Mart' in the mid 90s and coming across it in one of those two-page adverts. I think there was a thumbnail picture and I remember wondering what the hell it was. As a huge fan of ESB I really wanted one too... till I saw a better picture of it!

Nice example you have there though!

 

[Snaketibe]

When I got back into collecting vintage in the 90's, the Cloud City playset was an elusive and rarefied thing you could only dream of owning (this was pre-eBay, of course). Because it was rare, and especially because I didn't have one, I craved one!

:lol: :lol: :lol: I remember reading through a copy of 'Model Mart' in the mid 90s and coming across it in one of those two-page adverts. I think there was a thumbnail picture and I remember wondering what the hell it was. As a huge fan of ESB I really wanted one too... till I saw a better picture of it!

Nice example you have there though!

Thanks

Yes, it is an odd playset in several ways. Clearly Kenner didn't mind their name being stamped on such a feeble product, but unlike the very similar Cantina Adventure Set, they drastically reduced the size of the box it came in as well, reducing the perceived value for buyers. Also, since it's a Cloud City Playset, I do scratch my head over the inclusion of Dengar as one of the figures. That one's never made much sense to me. Han Bespin, Lobot and Ugnaught, all yes, obviously. But Dengar? Why? Was it simply because he was a new / newish figure at the time? Were Kenner worried they'd over-produced him following the mail-away offer and this was a way of reducing stock? Were they working off incomplete or early information from Lucasfilm? Or did someone simply like that figure, or perhaps even cock-up by choosing him? I'd be interested to know the reason for his inclusion.

 

[spoons]

I'd love to own one Jeremy, never had one in hand but the set and box look amazing from your photos!

 

[Snaketibe]

I'd love to own one Jeremy, never had one in hand but the set and box look amazing from your photos!

Thanks Andy

Since we seem to be struggling just at the moment for another playset to be shared (although there's still plenty of time, so if you have one, we'd love to see it!... My money's on Lars! ), I thought some people might find it interesting to see exactly what I mean about the box being smaller than you might expect. I took this comparison shot of the Cloud City box next to a Wampa box, which as most of you will probably know isn't exactly enormous:

 

[Mini99]

I'd love to own one Jeremy, never had one in hand but the set and box look amazing from your photos!

Thanks Andy

Since we seem to be struggling just at the moment for another playset to be shared (although there's still plenty of time, so if you have one, we'd love to see it!... My money's on Lars! ), I thought some people might find it interesting to see exactly what I mean about the box being smaller than you might expect. I took this comparison shot of the Cloud City box next to a Wampa box, which as most of you will probably know isn't exactly enormous:

Comparison.jpg

That's definitely smaller than I remember, and I've seen your set up!
How much did this retail for back in the day?

 

[Snaketibe]

I'd love to own one Jeremy, never had one in hand but the set and box look amazing from your photos!

Thanks Andy

Since we seem to be struggling just at the moment for another playset to be shared (although there's still plenty of time, so if you have one, we'd love to see it!... My money's on Lars! ), I thought some people might find it interesting to see exactly what I mean about the box being smaller than you might expect. I took this comparison shot of the Cloud City box next to a Wampa box, which as most of you will probably know isn't exactly enormous:

Comparison.jpg

That's definitely smaller than I remember, and I've seen your set up!
How much did this retail for back in the day?

That's a good question. I didn't know the answer so I've just done a quick bit of Google image searching for the Sears 1980 X-mas catalogue and found this: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/75/ac/12/75ac12a380ec17ad40f08640613f9f58.jpg

If my magnifying glass is working correctly, I think it originally sold for a whopping $9.99

 

[Mini99]

f my magnifying glass is working correctly, I think it originally sold for a whopping $9.99

:shock: No wonder they are difficult to pick up!

 

[spoons]

No idea it was Wampa sized - assumed it was like a snowspeeder box :shock:

 

[Snaketibe]

No idea it was Wampa sized - assumed it was like a snowspeeder box :shock:

That's what I thought they would be too .

I've just dug out my spread sheet of box dimensions (yes, I have one :lol: ) and the actual size of the box is 31.0 x 23.5 x 3.5 cm. I forgot to mention just how thin the box is too! :lol:

 

[Pomse2001]

The Sears Exclusive Cloud City Playset. Or more accurately, 4 good figures, their accessories, some small white foot pegs and 2 thin pieces of cardboard in a neat, but surprisingly small box.

It's relatively rare, quite expensive to buy, and if we're being brutally honest... more than a bit crap. When I got back into collecting vintage in the 90's, the Cloud City playset was an elusive and rarefied thing you could only dream of owning (this was pre-eBay, of course). Because it was rare, and especially because I didn't have one, I craved one! And it took me a fair old time to get one too, but eventually I ticked that particular box and whilst I was naturally very pleased to have one, there's no escaping the disappointment I felt when I discovered how tiny it is and how little it actually does! Make no mistake, this is NOT a good toy. The figures are good and the box is a thing of beauty, but play value? Are you kidding me? This does every bit as much as the equally crap Sears Cantina Adventure Set, only without the bonus of an exclusive blue Snaggletooth to soften the financial blow.

I realise I might sound thoroughly ungrateful, especially to anyone that doesn't own one and would like to. I don't mean to, but I do believe in being honest. The Palitoy Death Star this most certainly isn't! However, if you can accept it for what it is (a blatant cash grab by Sears) and enjoy the simple fact of owning one (and the box really is lovely!), then in the end it does have a certain charm for the adult collector... even if kids in the 80's doubtless cursed their parents for buying them this instead of a Millennium Falcon! ;-)

Anyway, here's mine:

2 Pieces of Card - 01.jpg

2 Pieces of Card - 02.jpg

2 Pieces of Card - 03.jpg

Sorry for first writing back in this thread today. I agree the set is a bit of crap, the figures are good and the box looks fantastic. But the rest is crap. I am surprised that some of them survived a childhood :shock:

Thanks for sharing your set, it looks like it is in great condition 8)

 

[Pomse2001]

Better late than never here are my set

 

[Snaketibe]

Better late than never here are my set

1.jpg

2.jpg

3.jpg

4.jpg

Thanks for the nice comments on my set, Lars

And thanks for sharing yours too. Well done for having some instructions!

 

[Pomse2001]

Better late than never here are my set

1.jpg

2.jpg

3.jpg

4.jpg

Thanks for the nice comments on my set, Lars

And thanks for sharing yours too. Well done for having some instructions!

Thanks for the very kind words, I picked it up on ebay many years ago, it must have been in the good old 00 :lol: