We enter into a paradise (hence the theme name of 'Paradisa') of bourgeoise excess. A seaside resort produced in 1992, in the aftermath of Reaganomics and 1980s consumerism. A dramatic shift from the ever-present city themes of police, fire department, and hospital, Paradisa was an escape, a community comprised solely of resorts and the upperclass service industry.Let us first examine the minifigures. Five in total; two female patrons and three male servants. Is Paradisa a resort for women, where all the servants are men? Perhaps. The chef is clearly rushing to bring the madame her fifth margarita of the morning, while Charlotte is windsurfing, enjoying the way the lifeguard ogles her. Ice cream boy Kevin lusts after the tanning goddess, wishing she would suck his popsicle.
There is a bike in the set, which seems to go along with the resort town motif. Are there roads in Paradisa, or merely dirt paths for leisurely walks and bicycle rides? There seems to be a lack of overall infrastructure, so the roads probably aren't in very good condition, if at all existant.
Can such a resort town subsist in this economy? Is there any real infrastructure, schools, police departments, etc? In fact, I don't think there have ever been Lego school sets. Probably for the best because they would be kinda lame.
Paradisa best serves as a strange contrast to the usual Lego city sets. Paradisa was clearly targeted towards girls, with the increased pink and pastel colors, along with a surprising number of female minifigures (especially for the time). Is The Lego Group insinuating that girls are interested only in vapid resort towns and consumerism? In some ways, Paradisa feels more like a fantasy than other 'fantasy' themes.
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