Winter Village Sets - Rumours and Discussion

[daemon4001]

11 hours ago, dilligan said:

thats a great setup daemon4001. Will you motorize the new tram and run it on same tracks or change layout so tram gets a separate track?

I think I'll have to get a small circuit of track to go around the inside of my town area just for the tram. That way the train can keep speeding about on the cloverleaf track outside.

My general thoughts on the new set are not that it's bad, but that it's just a wasted opportunity. The facades are pretty, the tram is original and the mini builds look fine, but it's just such a shame, when you see the incredible winter MOCs that people build, that Lego have not only produced a repeated store - when there are so many we don't have - but that they must know that lots of people have been buying these sets for 15 years and slowly building a whole town, and that we want all the things we don't have yet. I long for a cinema, restaurant, diner, theatre, etc. or a really well developed snowy cabin like this one - https://www.bricklink.com/v3/studio/design.page?idModel=134996

I managed to order one of the winter chalet from the Bricklnk designer programme, but it's not the same as Lego delivering a great new set for us. I hate being negative about it, but they simply could have done a better job. I hope I like it when I'm building it. I'm sure I will.

[CDM]

Re-upping my WV versions of the Hogsmeade set given the newfound interest...

[Legocity2713]

9 hours ago, Maple said:

I think the comments here are kind of laughable. I think this is one of the best WV sets to date. The outside of the buildings, what everyone will be displaying, looks amazing. So much nicer than the oversized / out of WV scale, very boring and blah Santa's Visit. 

And shockingly still only $100. I'm sold.

Took the words right out if my mouth. Fantastic set.

The critique on the shallowness of the buildings is interesting as well especially because all of the early - and very beloved sets - were also rather small. This feels like a love letter those first 3 models.

29 minutes ago, CDM said:

Re-upping my WV versions of the Hogsmeade set given the newfound interest...

This one looks especially fantastic with the red and green 

[RichardGoring]

1 hour ago, CDM said:

Re-upping my WV versions of the Hogsmeade set given the newfound interest...

Beautiful! They look excellent!

1 hour ago, Legocity2713 said:

The critique on the shallowness of the buildings is interesting as well especially because all of the early - and very beloved sets - were also rather small. This feels like a love letter those first 3 models.

They are still an extra stud deeper though, and, well this line could go in several directions, but I'll stick to the LEGO and say that it helps give it that bit more depth and stability. But what I really love about the older ones is the varied shapes and angles. The Post Office and Toy Shop have multiple angles, heights, and depths, so it just seems more interesting, making the new sets look like simple boxes. It's similar to how I feel about the 2018-2020 Hogwarts sets vs the new modular style. I can see that both have a place, and both can be very well designed, but subjectively I prefer the variation you get in the older sets.

[Monger]

1 hour ago, RichardGoring said:

Beautiful! They look excellent!

They are still an extra stud deeper though, and, well this line could go in several directions, but I'll stick to the LEGO and say that it helps give it that bit more depth and stability. But what I really love about the older ones is the varied shapes and angles. The Post Office and Toy Shop have multiple angles, heights, and depths, so it just seems more interesting, making the new sets look like simple boxes. It's similar to how I feel about the 2018-2020 Hogwarts sets vs the new modular style. I can see that both have a place, and both can be very well designed, but subjectively I prefer the variation you get in the older sets.

The boxy look here appears intentional to replicate a downtown area, aka Main Street, where you see similar architecture. I don’t know that it means anything more than that.

[LegoDakin]

I think the main street setting adds the possibilities of a town hall next year as that now would be in keeping with these buildings

[JohanLG9]

If you want to have a bigger "Main street" why not just add some snow on the Diagon alley houses? I think these are more in the same style than the Hogsmeade?

 

[Tc99m]

Now that the main Winter Village set has been announced: did anyone pick up any rumours about the Winter GWPs? Normally there's two, always a challenge to pick the right time to order your WV-set with the GWP you like the most, haha.

[jpx]

Ah yes, this looks fantastic and fits perfectly into my winter village! This will replace the gingerbread house from a few years ago, much much better!

Now I just need to figure out how to add some train tacks :) 

[Yellowturnip]

Nope. Still gutted. I thought it would possibly grow on me. To be honest I find it confusing, like it lacks an actual target audience and is instead trying to attract as many people as it can and loosing so much quality it could have possessed in doing so. An age rating of 18+ and almost a mini version of the modular series - I could get on board with, have a separate area for this style of architecture that resembles a town, away from the hustle and bustle of Santa’s little village. But then it’s so over simplified, lacks depth, architectural interest of the modular builds. Presumably to encourage a family to get together to build them. And what’s with ‘Santa’s Toy Shop’??? This really doesn’t feel in the spirit of Santa at all. I would have much more preferred it if they had concentrated on making an amazing tram with a super cute scene (or perhaps the kind that go up and down cliffs, cliff railway) and it cost less than what feels like a quick throw something together and stick a price tag on it. Sorry Lego, but that’s how I feel

 

[PGBQW]

2 hours ago, Yellowturnip said:

And what’s with ‘Santa’s Toy Shop’???

I don't think it's supposed to be taken literlly as if it's Santa's personal Toy Shop

[CDM]

18 hours ago, RichardGoring said:

Beautiful! They look excellent!

 

19 hours ago, Legocity2713 said:

This one looks especially fantastic with the red and green 

Thanks for the compliments, guys!

One thing of note: Honeydukes shop was a straight swap of colored pieces for white to make the roof more snowcovered, whereas I added eaves and gingerbread detail to the gable ends to the tavern. On the stock structure the roof ends abruptly at the side walls and didn't look terribly realistic. Adding a stud's width to either side gives the building a little more dimension.

Edited September 23, 2022 by CDM

[Lion King]

I wonder if TLG would continue expansion for this Main Street, abandoning “traditional” non-fantasy, Alphonse theme (i.e., Santa’s Visit, Bakery, etc) next year?

I really don’t mind North Pole village line! I really need the Clasuses house, lol.

[BrickJagger]

I'm not sure why some people seem to think that there are fewer details in this set than usual. The interiors look just as decorated as any other WV set, maybe even more so. I'm pleasantly surprised by the building on the left being a music store, I don't think we've gotten one of those before, period!

[CDM]

1 hour ago, BrickJagger said:

I'm not sure why some people seem to think that there are fewer details in this set than usual. The interiors look just as decorated as any other WV set, maybe even more so. I'm pleasantly surprised by the building on the left being a music store, I don't think we've gotten one of those before, period!

It's not that there are fewer details. For me, the simplicity of the builds is what's disappointing. The previous year's sets have had interesting and / or somewhat complex aspects to the build, be it the roof pitch or the elf bunk. This year's set lacks that and when it's marketed as 18+ I think that's a shame. This set could easily have 8+ on the box. With all that said, I think it has value as a WV set and I'll add it to my collection at some point but I'd be lying if i said it wasn't a letdown for me.

Edited September 23, 2022 by CDM

[Fenghuang0296]

1 hour ago, BrickJagger said:

I'm not sure why some people seem to think that there are fewer details in this set than usual. The interiors look just as decorated as any other WV set, maybe even more so. I'm pleasantly surprised by the building on the left being a music store, I don't think we've gotten one of those before, period!

I think it’s because the sides of the buildings are so plain. The facades are fine, but both sides of each building are perfectly flat and textureless, as though the idea is to put lots of buildings side by side and make the walls flush with each other. But then the bases stick out by one stud because of those curved plates they’re built on, so (unless you modify it with plates from your own collection) even if you put them right next to each other there’ll be a two stud wide gap. Which is just too little space to not treat it as an alleyway between buildings, but just enough of a gap to highlight the ugly plastic flatness of the building. 
Myself, I’m going to arrange it so that they’re both right next to each other (and change the plates so that’ll work with no gaps), with one side touching a wall at the edge of my display and then cover up the other side with either a building or some kind of graffiti wall. Assuming I can get a good price. (I’m happy that it turned out to be just $100 USD, but how does that translate to $170 AUD?!)

EDIT: Strike that, I wasn’t looking closely enough. It’s two studs on either side of the buildings, which is even worse. Could make a nice alleyway at least, but they’re just so smooth and unfinished . . I’m probably going to have to put aside a couple of 8x16s so that I can just completely rip off and replace the floor of these buildings. 

Edited September 23, 2022 by Fenghuang0296

[Scoog]

15 hours ago, Tc99m said:

Now that the main Winter Village set has been announced: did anyone pick up any rumours about the Winter GWPs? Normally there's two, always a challenge to pick the right time to order your WV-set with the GWP you like the most, haha.

This 

[Lion King]

16 hours ago, Tc99m said:

Now that the main Winter Village set has been announced: did anyone pick up any rumours about the Winter GWPs? Normally there's two, always a challenge to pick the right time to order your WV-set with the GWP you like the most, haha.

Nah,, not gonna buying this Winter Village set. Jsut buying one or two GWPs off eBay or Bricklink.

[timemail]

17 hours ago, Tc99m said:

Now that the main Winter Village set has been announced: did anyone pick up any rumours about the Winter GWPs? Normally there's two, always a challenge to pick the right time to order your WV-set with the GWP you like the most, haha.

In Australia we don't need to worry about that. Lego online always sell out of the Winter Village set first week and it rarely comes back when the GWP is available.

They do seem to have improved slightly on stock levels though (or people are buying less) so maybe it will be available at the right time this year.

[temes]

On 9/23/2022 at 4:39 AM, Monger said:

The boxy look here appears intentional to replicate a downtown area, aka Main Street, where you see similar architecture. I don’t know that it means anything more than that.

I think that is one of the reasons I don't like this set that much. Those boxy looking buildings don't work very well individually, especially when the sides are so plain and they lack depth. Also, two buildings are not enough for a proper street layout. I think I'll skip this year and wait what they release next year, if they'll continue with this main street theme, I'll reconsider then.

[bricks4live1972]

What I quickly noticed is that at the bottom right of the packaging, 1 to 4 people can build with this structure. 
see youtube (37) LEGO 10308 Holiday Main Street set - YouTube

[Maple]

On 9/23/2022 at 4:05 AM, Tc99m said:

Now that the main Winter Village set has been announced: did anyone pick up any rumours about the Winter GWPs? Normally there's two, always a challenge to pick the right time to order your WV-set with the GWP you like the most, haha.

By the time the winter GWPs come out this set will be sold out. 

[kasmca]

Video review with a more detailed view of the outside box.  Unboxing embargo until Sept 29.

 

Edited September 24, 2022 by kasmca

[jonwil]

The "1-4 people can build this" probably means it comes with separate instruction books (one for the tram, one for the music shop, one for the toy shop and one for the misc bits)

 

Question: Has anyone noticed any parts in this set (especially in the music store) that are totally new? (not counting stickers)

 

[Kallego]

1 hour ago, jonwil said:

The "1-4 people can build this" probably means it comes with separate instruction books (one for the tram, one for the music shop, one for the toy shop and one for the misc bits)

 

Question: Has anyone noticed any parts in this set (especially in the music store) that are totally new? (not counting stickers)

 

Olive green bows and 1*4 brick modified with studs on side in toy store and 1*16 bricks in medium Nougat in music store