RogueTwo

Wow! Are they shipping from within the US then? (Sorry I keep spamming this thread)

Nice, good luck! I'm looking forward to hearing about your Zavvi experience, as I may end up there for the Astronomy Tower. Brickshop.eu wouldn't let my payment go through, so I just ordered an in-hand Burrow set (without minifigures) from a US seller on eBay. It seems kind of sketchy, but the seller has 100% positive feedback, and $70 including shipping and tax was too good to pass up for a set like The Burrow. If it doesn't come as described within a week, I will merely raise hell about it.

Brickshop is really only worth it if you're buying multiple sets, because the shipping cost barely goes up. Zavvi US is probably the best deal for the Astronomy Tower. I have no idea how reliable they are, though.

I spoke with a LEGO Store employee who actually seems really knowledgeable (but take it with a grain of salt). They said that August releases may get pushed back to September, and the US should expect at least a one-to-two-month delay until future sets become readily available, even from LEGO.com, for the rest of the year. I'm ordering from Brickshop.eu. I can't wait until September.

Not sure, but when the Hogwarts Student Pack was listed on LEGO Shop as “Coming Soon,” it was available the next day. On the other hand, the new Hidden Side have been listed as “Coming Soon” for some time, so who knows?

I'm so happy I didn't import the sets, but I totally sympathize for those who did, because I was about to break down and do so this afternoon! And yeah, at least Brickshop's prices are good! It's not really last-minute, though. There are still 50 days until August, and don't forget that the date was originally listed as July 1 before being quickly modified. My intuition is that LEGO wasn't sure how long their factory in Mexico would be closed, so they are just playing it safe, and they will release the sets here as soon as there is enough stock, be it next week, next month, or two months from now. It seems like July 1 is the most likely at the moment, because sets are almost always released at the beginning of a new month. If I got all excited only for the sets to be released in September, I'm gonna cry.

Holy Holyhead Harpies, my heart is pounding. Thanks for the heads-up @Dr.Cogg

Congrats, I'm happy for you! If you've never built the Great Hall before, you're in for a real treat (the tower could use some modding, but the Great Hall section itself is marvelous).

Has anyone in the US received their package from Brickshop.eu yet?

Ha, thank you! I put Hedwig toward the end of year one because the included minifigure is Harry with his blue "falconry" gloves, as seen toward the end of winter, after Dumbledore tells him "it does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live." But technically, you're right, Hedwig wasn't carrying a letter in that particular scene, so she could be built right after Diagon Alley...so the whole chronological building order starts to collapse pretty quickly.

We really need the two square towers, and maybe a clock tower courtyard/covered bridge/owlery if they are really ambitious.

Yeah, I built last year's sets "chronologically." I didn't wait for the Advent Calendar, though, so basically I just bought the Prisoner of Azkaban/Goblet of Fire in July and August. It was actually pretty enjoyable that way!

This is kind of a weird question, but does anyone else like to buy/build the wave “chronologically”? In this case, it might look like: 1. Privet Drive (minus the Ford Anglia) 2. Diagon Alley 3. Viaduct Entrance from Astronomy Tower 4. Hedwig (if I buy that one) 5. Ford Anglia from Privet Drive 6. The Burrow 7. Greenhouse from Astronomy Tower 8. Advent Calendar 9. Room of Requirement 10. Forbidden Forest 11. Astronomy Tower I find it more fun to do it this way if I have the money at the time (and watching the accompanying scenes while building, naturally). And I won’t even get into assembling minifigures in order. Clearly, I have issues.

If I were you, I would get the Burrow on day one if you can afford it, because it will probably be backordered for a while, and highly unlikely to go on sale. Just my two cents, though, and I could be totally wrong about it. You're a far more patient person than I am, and I admire that!

Maybe? I'm trying to hold out for as long as I can. It looks extremely doubtful that the sets will be released here in July, but you never know. Besides, I will really need all the VIP points I can get for when I order Diagon Alley, and I wouldn't put it past LEGO to give us a double VIP promotion the first week of August.

All right, all right...I might cave and buy from Brickshop.eu. Quick question, for those of you from the US who have ordered there: When I created an account, they asked for my zip code and city name, but there was no field to enter my state. I assume that's enough information to deliver, but I'm not sure if I'm missing something.

I checked just for kicks and they’re sold out the Burrow. Typical.

Just so you know, I ordered two international packages (not LEGO) last month. One appears to be stuck/lost, and the other never even shipped. ? It’s not a good time for transcontinental shipping.

Yeah, I'll be staying up until midnight eastern time and praying that the website only crashes twice before I can order.

LOL they’ve been there since late April (albeit briefly listed as July 1). No shame, though, this thread moves quickly. It’s a rough time to be a Yankee. Meh...in other news, JK Rowling keeps demonstrating on social media that she is completely crazy. Maybe I will just get the Hidden Side castle instead...but who am I kidding? I will probably just be a hypocrite and get the Astronomy Tower.

I will go for the feel method as well, because last time I massively overpaid on eBay. However, I will be wearing a facemask and gloves.

In all seriousness, I would like a remake of Hogsmeade station at some point (you are correct, it was in the 2004 Motorized Hogwarts Express from Prisoner of Azkaban). That could be a nice set with a Thestral carriage, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Neville, Luna, and Draco.

I can't really argue with that. But why would LEGO do that now while the original Hogwarts Express set is still available? If they are going to make a UCS "Powered Up" version, they should just wait a year or two.

Diagon Alley is by far the most likely, all the more so because of its conspicuous absence so far (although Gringotts next year could be pretty realistic). The only other thing I can think of--and this actually doesn't seem too far-fetched to me--is an expansion to the previous UCS Hogwarts. Hear me out. The first one is still available for purchase, and includes the Great Hall, the main tower, and the Viaduct Entrance, and that's about it. For $400, we could conceivably get the other half of the castle with the Clock Tower (and courtyard), the Astronomy Tower, the greenhouses, the Quidditch Pitch, the Owlery, the Covered Bridge, and who knows what else. Includes a Marauder's Map display stand with minifigures of James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter with animal molds of their Animagus forms. Is this unlikely? Oh yes, but there is precedent: Ninjago City Docks, which was also an add-on that was less well-received than the original Ninjago City. Despite the fact that a lot of people are not interested in microscale, that Hogwarts Castle from 2017 was (I think) a super hot seller, and it won at least one Toy of the Year award. Even my local library, which is, admittedly, ridiculously well-endowed, bought a copy of that set for display, and everyone loved it. That said, Diagon Alley still seems the most probable.

I would wait if I were you. I imported the Clock Tower set last year and later regretted it. Plus, it’s possible that the sets will get their release date pushed forward to July if the factories get back to full capacity. That said, I am super jealous of those who are getting the sets early.