Future of Advent Calendars

[Savage Oppress]

I would like it if LEGO stops doing spaceships and weapon racks in their Lego Star Wars Advent Calendars and their other advent calendars, because they make the advent calendars too hard to do/build every day. I would rather have 25 days of Minifigures.

[TheLegoDr]

I don't understand. It takes about 30 seconds or less to build those small builds. Multiple minifigures would be great, but I think they have a good balance so far.

[Chocolatecake]

Too hard to build?

I agree with TheLegoDr here, most of the things are easy builds, actually I find the LEGO city adventcalender much easier to build so far than the Friends adventcalender.

[Darth Dino]

Hi

no problem - Lego will of vause produce a 24 slot advent calendar with 24 exclusive Star Wars figs. This will about 199$€ or 179$€ in some stores....

An umique or exclusive SW fig adds at least 5-7$€ to the price - compared to the city calendar.

Who should go for this?

Dino

[Lego Otaku]

I'm cool with mostly ships and other recognizable models. But less weapon racks as well, I don't see em much in SW universe.

[ResIpsaLoquitur]

I wish that they'd do a theme other than Star Wars so I can quit buying all three calendars every year. Thank goodness that I found two of the three calendars on early clearance this year.

Though a Lord of the Rings/Hobbit calendar would be awesome. Santa Gandalf is an obvious choice, and they could easily do five golden rings for Day 5.

[Kumpelkante]

I wish we'd have a change of themes every years. but i am afraid TLC ist bound to do city, star wars and friends as an advent calendar each year, for the next couple of years.

hmmm maybe we get a lord of the rings/hobbit one. that would be nice

or a creator one with somewhat more sophisticated builds or some nice parts

[Faefrost]

A Middle Earth Advent Calender would be great. Or if they want to stay in house, how about Ninjago?

[AFOLguy1970]

A LOTR/Hobbit one would be great. Maybe next year could be the year to correspond with the last hobbit movie. Santa Gandalf? You read my mind! The minifig possibilities would be great. The big challenge would be what to include on the days that do not contain minifigs. Of course, you could have microbuild towers and locations, but what else would round it out?

[Sam892]

I don't think the builds are too hard at all, most of them can be worked out with out the picture inside the door. I would certainly like the choice between current advent calendars and a larger one, or perhaps more builds that take multiple days to complete. An advent calendar of just figures wouldn't be possible. It would just stop people from buying the sets as their getting the figures elsewhere.

[Lyichir]

Part of me is hoping Lego has a Ninjago Advent Calendar next year, and part of me is hoping they DON'T, since I've been working on one for Cuusoo.

But in regards to the original poster's question... yeah, an all-minifig calendar isn't going to happen. Primarily because of the cost, but also because it eliminates the building, which is what Lego is really all about.

[Hrw-Amen]

• I don't understand how those little builds can be hard to build, they are like really simple? I would like to see more variety though, I currently get the CITY one myself and the Friends one for my wife. The CITY one just has the same old firemen, policemen and that sort of thing, although there is a spaceman this year. Why can't we have one based on that years theme, say like coastguard or airfreight?
  
• Having said that a Hobbit or LotR one (Or even a combine Tolkien one.) would be really really welcome! If not one covering other themes, they could easily do one incorporating a couple of castle figures, maybe a Galaxy Squad robot or small ship, a couple of Ninjago or Chima bits. It would have something for everyone and maybe introduce people to themes they have not collected before?
  

[Kumpelkante]

[...]Why can't we have one based on that years theme, say like coastguard or airfreight

As you mention it: part of this year's city advent calendar is a bbq... in december. ...must be a southern hemisphere thing

Having said that a Hobbit or LotR one (Or even a combine Tolkien one.) would be really really welcome! If not one covering other themes, they could easily do one incorporating a couple of castle figures, maybe a Galaxy Squad robot or small ship, a couple of Ninjago or Chima bits. It would have something for everyone and maybe introduce people to themes they have not collected before?

nice idea, maybe putting several different themes into one single advent calendar could be done with a advent calendar for the lego movie (maybe the dvd-release)

[greeny]

I like the models in Advent Calendars, as long as they are unique and interesting. A good example of this are the awesome Star Wars micro builds. I don't like the catapults or weapon racks because I can't do much with them. Most of the time they end up being taken apart.

Oh and I agree, a Lord of the Rings Advent Calendar would be awesome! But what would the models be?

[Faefrost]

• I don't understand how those little builds can be hard to build, they are like really simple? I would like to see more variety though, I currently get the CITY one myself and the Friends one for my wife. The CITY one just has the same old firemen, policemen and that sort of thing, although there is a spaceman this year. Why can't we have one based on that years theme, say like coastguard or airfreight?
  
• Having said that a Hobbit or LotR one (Or even a combine Tolkien one.) would be really really welcome! If not one covering other themes, they could easily do one incorporating a couple of castle figures, maybe a Galaxy Squad robot or small ship, a couple of Ninjago or Chima bits. It would have something for everyone and maybe introduce people to themes they have not collected before?
  

They do seem to be trying to break up the City one a bit more this year. The past few years were very sub theme focused. Last year was concentrated on Fire, the year before on Police. This year there does seem to be a broad mix. You have a Fire lady, a Cop, a crook, an Astronaut an Octan racer (there's a small sub theme this year) a regular kid and the Dalmatian. Definitely an improvement.

I think however Lego has kind of put themselves into a corner with the Advent Calendars. My suspicion is that their research only finds the business case as supporting 3 calendar types per year. But the wild success of SW, and City pretty much permanently locked them in place leaving just one other slot. And that slot has now been permanent grabbed by the successful and market growing Friends theme, which allows them to offer something for everyone. A new Pirate or Castle calendar, or a Ninjago or LotR or Space one would probably have to bump one of those. Which I don't see happening given they all seem to have sold out this year.

[AyliffeMakit]

Actually, I would love TLG to do a Lego movie advent calendar next year. Just imagine getting Emmet or a classic spaceman dressed as Santa! :-)

[Suspsy]

"Too hard" should never, ever apply on a Lego forum.

[Deathleech]

I am in the camp who thinks they should mix the themes up each year. Maybe they could offer two "popular" themes (Star Wars, City, or Friends), and then rotate the third for a different theme? So one year we get Castle, SW, and City, the next we get Friends, City, and Space, the next Ninjago, SW and Frends, etc. I feel like focusing on the same themes each year makes them very unappealing and stale, even if they offer new minifigures and builds.

[JediMasterBuilder]

I buy the LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar every year. Usually 2 - one to keep brand new in box and one to build. I would love it if LEGO offered a LEGO Movie themed Advent Calender for 2014. Would definitely buy both the LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar and The LEGO Movie Advent Calendar.

[TheLegoDr]

^The LEGO movie was a huge hit, but what could it bring in terms of an Advent calendar?

Usually you'd need at least one or two fairly rare/exclusive figures to help justify the cost. Who would they include? Another Emmet, Wyldstyle, Bad Cop? I'm not seeing anything special here that couldn't be purchased in the sets.

What micro builds could they include? A small version of some of the official sets, like Benny's SSS?

I don't see it being viable, but I'm not the CEO of LEGO, so don't listen to me.

[Kumpelkante]

Usually you'd need at least one or two fairly rare/exclusive figures to help justify the cost. Who would they include? Another Emmet, Wyldstyle, Bad Cop? I'm not seeing anything special here that couldn't be purchased in the sets.

Maybe another unikitty, green lantern, michelangelo, some of those robots. microbuilds could include a kragle, o doubledecker couch or random mish-mash which would fit the style of the sets and the message of the film

besides: city advent calendar did not include much exclusive figure... at least ones that were that much worth collecting.

Lets see it this way: A Lego Advent Calendar is a cheap way to pile up some more bricks and figs and have a nice little build each day in december. (btw. you dont get a decent set for 20 bucks outside the creator line anymore, do you?)

[Dorayaki]

I am in the camp who thinks they should mix the themes up each year. Maybe they could offer two "popular" themes (Star Wars, City, or Friends), and then rotate the third for a different theme? So one year we get Castle, SW, and City, the next we get Friends, City, and Space, the next Ninjago, SW and Frends, etc. I feel like focusing on the same themes each year makes them very unappealing and stale, even if they offer new minifigures and builds.

In TLC's view, they would regard City and Friends both as necessary regulars, while SW has a faithful fanbase. Friends is the only girls-oriented theme (unless Disney princesses takes the place for once) so it's functinoally important. I would never mind to see City rotated, but TLC is definitely not willing to do that.

I assume that it's not very easy to make Ninjago embrace the winter holiday elements as a seasonal set. Each nanja and enemy has to wear something Xmassy and it wouldn't relate to the fomal story. It might be easier for Chima. It may just tell that several tribes are holding festival together.

TLM would be a very strong choice for ACs. Unlike Ninjago, it may be regarded as an after story (Mr Business is celebrating with his bots), and it can also be a replacement for City. The main problem is the very limited advertising period of TLM. The release time of ACs (before Xmas Eve) didn't cover the theater time or DVD release time of TLM. Even though there would be some SDCC exclusives, we're not sure if common consumers would buy TLM ACs after so many months. A better chance is to expect TLM2 to be release in autumn, then sell the TLM AC at the same time.

For other licensed themes, the only one that is as powerful as SW might be Superheroes, and I can see that happen.

Edited July 23, 2014 by Dorayaki

[Robert_88]

A LOTR/Hobbit one would be great. Maybe next year could be the year to correspond with the last hobbit movie. Santa Gandalf? You read my mind! The minifig possibilities would be great. The big challenge would be what to include on the days that do not contain minifigs. Of course, you could have microbuild towers and locations, but what else would round it out?

That would be amazing! :wub:

Edited July 23, 2014 by Robert_88

[ResIpsaLoquitur]

I'm going to throw out there that this year's ACs are a little disappointing. On the Star Wars one, I can live with Santa Vader (he was inevitable), but I was really hoping for it to be very Episode III themed since the prior ones were based mostly on Eps I and II. It seems like ACs give Lego a chance to get one more use out of a mold, so I was hoping for Santa Greivous, a new Wookiee, maybe a Buzz Droid, a Clone Pilot, and a Nemoidian Guard. Plus, some Episode III mini-ships. Instead, we're mostly getting a rehash of what came in the old calendars.

The City one seems a little boring. Some nice parts, but I don't feel like it tells a story the way the 2011 and 2012 ones did.

For a potential TLM calendar, I got two works for you: Santa Unikitty. Just issue her in red and white parts and she'd look awesome.

[Sarah]

Maybe another unikitty, green lantern, michelangelo, some of those robots. microbuilds could include a kragle, o doubledecker couch or random mish-mash which would fit the style of the sets and the message of the film

besides: city advent calendar did not include much exclusive figure... at least ones that were that much worth collecting.

Lets see it this way: A Lego Advent Calendar is a cheap way to pile up some more bricks and figs and have a nice little build each day in december. (btw. you dont get a decent set for 20 bucks outside the creator line anymore, do you?)

The Lego Movie Cuckoo set was only $20.