I (finally) bought my girls the Lego friends. From what I’d read the unpacking experience was meant to be different, but it was the same as all Lego I know (a few clear plastic bags loose in the box). Maybe the bigger boxes have that feature.
A different play experience though, much more role play with the figures. Normally they play with Lego because they want to build a house, they build a house, then maybe change it, then thats it. With the Lego friends it was like playing with dolls, lots of talking and doing, and play acting tasks and interacting with other Lego minifigs, and they spend more time with it as well.