bigginsd

Does anyone think the contrast is bumped way up on this due to it being basically a button on a website designed to catch the eye? It reminds me of the Ideas Tree House set which a lot of people railed against when it was announced due to the colour scheme. After building the Tree House I realised it looked a lot more muted in real life and was structurally closer to the submission than I realised. Apart from my first impression that this looks a little too much like an Elves set, it has really grown on me. The submission was great, but would have clashed enormously in scale and design next to something like the Medieval Market Village. This could just about pull off being in the same universe as the Kingdoms era sets. I think sammy_zammy summed up a lot of my feelings in his above post.

Many thanks for all the time you’ve put in arranging this list. I was aware of perhaps two thirds of the list but, my god, it took me many hours to find them. This is a wonderful resource. The hopes I’d had that the 1:110 scale would proliferate as a standard for rockets after the Ideas Saturn V was announced have come true.

I like that you’ve managed to combine the modular style of buildings with a Classic Town colour scheme and styling. A lot of nice custom buildings here, a lovely compact city with a lot of attention to detail. Have you any close up shots of the construction site? I adore that Building Crane, I think it is undoubtedly the best LEGO City Set ever produced.

Agreed, and seems very likely if they’re focusing on Years 2-3 this year. It would be interesting to see an updated version with all the modern pieces available to designers now.

I think this may even be my favourite over 80101, but it’s a close call. I’ve seen some criticism of the mechanism not looking fluid enough, with some even modifying it to look more serpent like and smooth. But I think when you look at Dragon Dancers in real life there is a lot of darting movement that is replicated here quite accurately. LEGO really did their homework with these two sets, they really honour the Lunar New Year Festival in style.

I love the view of the front facing the sea. It creates a beautiful rustic lived in feel, perhaps even more so than the original set did. I love the stone grill, it looks like something that a person who lives in a beach shack would cobble together.

Superb review. I really like this set. As you say, they could have made it with 1000 less pieces and still had the same functionality but also still have charged the same price and still appeared half reasonable in the process. When you compare it to the large Bugatti and Porsche sets it is laughable how much licensing appears to add to set prices. Mir also looks like a great parts pack.

From checking the Parts list on Brickset and Bricklink they are 13M. Interesting MOC you have in mind?

I think they did well to pack so much into a cheap (by LEGO train standards) set. A large wheeled Steam Locomotive that can work on track or carpet, tender, passenger car and station seems an amazing deal for US$70. My only complaint is couldn't they have just done a little extra work and designed it to easily motorise. The Jang video showing it motorised with a PF 1.0 M-Motor, Sensor and Battery Box is the best solution I've seen so far. I understand LEGO fans will always find a way, but it would be good for those adults who just wish to provide instructions for their children keen to do it themselves.

I think my expectations from the rumour that this series would have 3xHP and 2xFB Figures (16x3 + 6x2 = 60) has coloured the way I've seen the final messy breakdown of figures. It seemed such a perfect breakdown, as many collectors may only be interested in the older film series, we could have two complete sets plus a third complete Harry Potter series to round it out. The distaste of the cash-grab evident from the final box breakdown has almost put me buying off any of this series, where as before I was certain I'd buy a full box of 60 without question - giving one set to my niece, one to my son and finding a friend who is a HP fan for the leftovers. It just seems wasteful now to buy a box of 60. I hope this backfires and dissuades LEGO from doing this in the future.

Sorry to ramble off topic, it's usually something that drives me crazy in forums. I was just joking, the remote control accessories are the only thing superior in 12V. I don't think it was overall a better format by any means. PF is a cinch to set-up for kids so I can understand why LEGO went in that direction. I love the new Hogwarts Express, they strode a very fine line to produce a train that is cheap enough for most parents to afford, can be played with without track (because of the genius wheel locking mechanism). I'm fine that they cut costs with no track or magnets, and most Train fans have their own track in different formats so I think they did a good job not to include it. If the tender had been a couple of studs longer to fit a battery box and motor it would have been perfection for the market they are going for. A good jumping off point for a MOC, what more could we hope for? Creator Expert Trains were awesome, but I still take greatest pride in my custom Trains so this will help with making those.

Ahh you young 'uns with your fancy 9V. I'm still on 12V, the true hardcore Lego Train-nerds track.

To be honest I'm straight out relieved. The minifig scale sets so far revealed have all been excellent, with the possible exception of the Hogwarts Express if it can't easily be motorised and still look attractive. Having a big chunk of minifig scale Castle as one big set was bound to be compromised. Just think, would you rather have a line of three or four Modular buildings sold as one set or would you rather have them as we do now sold separately over several years? I know I like the idea of an evergreen HP theme where anyone on a modest budget ($200 or so per year) could build an awesome castle over 5-6 years just like they could build a great winter village over the same timeframe. The flagship sets will become true events.

I love that bike rental area. The way they attach the bikes is clever, will definitely pinch the idea at some point. A very cute set overall.

I found this utterly charming.

A very interesting interview. You obviously really put thought into asking questions right on the edge of what he could answer. You didn't waste his time with questions he obviously couldn't answer about specific upcoming sets, nor did you ask questions that could easily be answered through other sources. Thanks for all the effort you put into this. In regards to the Classic themes making a comeback, I was a child of the '80s but for whatever reason Classic Space never clicked with me (I had sets but never played with them). I loved Classic Pirates as a child, but I would have to agree that there is only so much you can do with the theme (ships that don't look that different than what came before, island forts, that's about it) and I think it's had its day. It would be great to have historic ships from different time periods or different parts of the world, which is why i was so excited to see the Ninjago Movie version of Destiny's Bounty. Castle is the only theme that has stayed in my interest, partly because it is so easy to combine it into a City theme by having it as an old building in your town, or in my case where I plan to use the Kingdoms era King's Castle as the walls to an Amusement Park. I would absolutely love for a historic theme to make a comeback, it doesn't have to be Castle related, but I'd be ready to admit it's Nostalgia in myself as the primary driver for wanting this in the same way Classic Space people clamour for a comeback of that theme. Certain sets in the Ninjago line are the closest thing we have to that. But one can hope and dream, and I think if people are really clamouring for the themes of their childhood to make a comeback, they should get MOCing rather than wait for LEGO to service your needs. The designers, as shown in this interview, would dearly love to help you all out, but for whatever reason management don't think it is economical

Whilst I would dearly love for Castle to return, but only if it were at the quality of Fantasy Era or Kingdoms, my dream theme would be a sub-theme of Technic based around non-vehicle machines. Something like the Orrery made by JK Brickworks, or a clockwork mechanism (though making it accurately keep time would be pretty difficult). Also Advanced Model Trains should make a comeback, a follow up for the Emerald Night that corrects some of the design issues. If they did a D2C Hogwarts Express of Emerald Night quality with at least two carriages (possibly two for passengers and one for owls and luggage), I would buy it in a second.

As both a Lego and Dali fan I love this. I remember there was a UK TV Advert in the early 1990s that animated Dali paintings including these elephants. Can anyone remember the advert? It might have been for Lager or maybe even Guinness. I've been unable to find it anywhere.

I'm really liking this style of review. A nice hybrid of visual review and stop motion film. I love the effort you've gone to with the backgrounds, gives the set it's own world to live in.

Very very organic looking, I love the shaping on the mud path leading to the castle gate, it really looks like it's been shaped by water. Some great parts usage too, I love the mushrooms formed out of Technic parts. I'm curious if this is referencing a specific section of Lord of the Rings? It looks like it would fit perfectly into a Castle scenario as well, minus the elves and other Lord of the Rings Minifigures.

15 were built in reality, 13 flew, 9 went to the moon, 6 landed on the moon. Why only buy 3 ;)

Thanks for posting this, very helpful and a great simple non-right angles layout.

I love it! I've ridden on this type of Tram many times down at Victor Harbour in South Australia.

As everyone else has said, a clever simple design and great use of brick seperators. It would be interesting to see a large transport hub which integrates this Modular design. Just a stroke of genius, the sort of clean simple design that makes you wonder why nobody thought of using them in this way before.

I bought the Parisian Restaurant first and wasn't disappointed. It's a beautiful set with so much detail and character.