Virginia_Bricks

The Hospital Wing is very close in piece count to the last full Clock Tower set we had (though that included a side build), but again if Lego was going to make another full Clock Tower wouldn't they name it that. The last one was just the top and only interior was the Hospital Wing so it makes sense to not name it there since the Clock was probably a last minute add. Lovegood piece count also makes sense with it being a doll house like set. A room for the kitchen on the first floor and probably Luna's bedroom above, maybe one other room but there isn't much to go on from movie content.

Reasonable guesses given the age ratings line up perfectly and that is the cadence of sets from recent waves. I’m hope for Divination and Chamber of Secrets The smart play bricks are coming no matter if fans want them. I’d assume Lego is doing this to differentiate from other brick companies as it’s harder to compete on pure quality now with those companies catching up. The real question is will Lego provide replacement bricks there when they inevitably wear out.

Really concerned Lego is going to go all in on these new "Smart Play" bricks with the Pokemon theme. The beauty of Lego has always been in the simplicity of bricks and no way these Smart Play bricks will be cheap and only increase prices. Also will Lego replace faulty or old Smart bricks years down the road?

Hopes for, not expects. I could easily see Lego go with Moaning Mrytle as the ghost instead of the Baron (I hope for both). And to disappoint people further, if they include a fourth big fig I would guess Buckbeak.

I would feel stronger about a repeat of the challenges if the Main Tower was not $260 USD. While a play set, it approached D2C prices and feels like they would cannibalize each other. But maybe that is me hoping for something I would want to buy (though with 20 Pokemon sets next year I wouldn't mind a lot of sets that don't interest me to save some money). The price range is in line with 77015 (plus inflation) and the piece count is nearly identical, so something similar to that is a good guess.

One struggle (or sales opportunity) with playsets that contain buildings is what Generations do they cover. For me the iconic designs and buildings are all Gen 4 or sooner, but I know there has been a lot of good stuff since then.

Sales and 2x VIP points sets didn’t line up with what I wanted so waiting till Insiders Weekend to get Gringotts and/or Hogsmeade. Also surprised how quickly Malfoy Manor went on backorder in the US. In rumor news, it looks like the 18+ Philosophers Stone set next year will be mini-fig scale since the price per piece is greater than 0.10.

5 new set numbers leaked and rumored to be either a March/June wave. I wonder if Lego plans to increase the line size with the new TV show Also piece counts for January sets are leaking. 907 for the Hospital Wing

You can't really make Lego HP sets without some castle sets. I mean the series mainly takes place in a castle. I think we all expect Lego to mix movie and TV sets together for a while, so it wouldn't be surprising if the TV sets are whatever book is currently coming out and the movie sets are the later movies so as not to have two different PS, COS, etc... themed sets out there. I could easily see a new King's Cross in 2027 or maybe they release a zoo themed set since it is confirmed Piers Polkiss appears in the TV series. Rumors have WB doing more pre-Hogwarts scenes than in the movies.

I think so. I'm waiting till the modular wave is done to really start modifying anything to know what I want to add that wasn't included Like Mic Mac Padwac on Rebrickable has some great additions for the COS and Polyjuice Bathroom, but I am waiting to see if Lego does those scenes themselves. One modification I do plan to make soon is how to better connect the Great Hall and Main Tower. I don't like the gap between the buildings and want to figure out some basic wall to connect the two.

I mean hallways are supposed to be empty, like the section where Fluffy sits in the Main Tower Flying Lesson was cheaper in price per piece and price per gram than the Owlrey with more mini-figures per dollar. The 2024 Great Hall was also cheaper price per gram and price per piece than the 2021 Great Hall. Lego pricing is a lot more complex than critics like to admit.

Musing about the upcoming Hospital wing set to figure out how big the final combination might be. Seems likely to be around 800 pieces and 6 mini-figures (similar to playset QQS) at $100, which is roughly half the piece count of the Great Hall. I continue to hope for a section as tall and wide as the non-Tower portion of the Main Tower set and personally hope they make the middle floor empty so as not to waste part budget there since it can be filled with poly bag and advent calendar pieces. Then connecting behind the Gryffindor common room

Gollum isn't a reanimated corpse. Though Lego does do zombies in a whole host of other themes. I'd say its more unlikely because its a niche scene and definitely geared towards an older demographic.

Seems unlikely to get 2 minifigures but technically this year’s poly bag had 2

People's expectations is the key here. DA had 1 mini-figure with leg printing and and Gringott's had 3. But 3 of those leg prints are the same print (black pants with cloak) with only Bellatrix's skirt print being unique. Hogsmeade right now has 2 unique leg prints, both also seem likely to stay unique as they are quite specific. I haven't done a deep dive, but I suspect there is a many unique mini-figure parts in Hogsmeade as there is in either of the other two.

The large Hogwarts expansion (though I think $180-220) and interior module I agree with, but that could be it for the system. I hope for one more facade or interior module, but no guarantees. A final DA play set is likely (before Gringotts) and I wouldn't rule out another book nook. I'd expect another small playscale build-able creature (Crookshanks?) I'm hoping for a redo of the 1st task and it seems we are moving back towards the latter books/movies again

I sold the Weasley clock for the same reason. There is a small niche of Lego fans who enjoy non-set Lego items (like the recent posters). The clock goes for $40 on the secondary market similar in price to the Jango Fett key chain that came with the new UCS Jango Fett.

In the US it is rare to get more than a 20% discount on Lego sets (excluding extremely time limited clearance sales and maybe Black Friday), so assuming the assigned value of $20 and 2x VIP points (10%) if you spend $130 you get $32 worth of value you wouldn't get from another retailer. Roughly a 25% value. At $160 spent it becomes 20% and therefore on par with other retailers. In Europe sets get discounted quicker and often heavier. The largest market for Lego currently is the US so their sales tactics are going to favor the US.

Without GWPs there is basically no reason to buy directly from Lego, so it makes sense that they would ensure these sets are somewhat desirable. Be thankful the mini-figures aren't made with exclusive parts

I'd expect them to continue because they are also an easy way to decorate hallways and dungeons in otherwise boring parts of sets. If by some miracle I don't have all of them when they stop releasing them, I have already decided to email Lego customer service and ask for my missing ones. So far I have collected each set that contains them so I think it is fair to expect to get a full set in that scenario.

At face value its just that a Dungbomb smells like Knoctorn Alley in July does. But Lego does sneak teasers in from time to time in sets and other materials.

January wave set names leaked a month ago. How they pull it off will be interesting, especially since it will likely include a sorting play feature.

The Room of Requirement does seem likely as its own standalone set, so I think this is more evidence this wave ends next year. With 2-3 replace-able modules each year, that would mean 4-6 if it was going to go 4 years. We know the Sorting Ceremony is one next year and I'd expect Divination (DADA in a facade set), but it seems likely the next would be the RoR which as stated above I don't think they will duplicate. Though it is canonically above ground (and book canon on the 7th floor with Dumbledore's Office), so I wonder if this hints to an above ground swap-able area in either the Hospital Wing set or summer set.

You are likely right. Forgot he was the first to receive them. Lots of Neville figures this year if true (maybe more than Harry)

They won't release a second RoR in this modular system, so this seems to suggest they didn't want to revisit those scenes in this wave which is fine by me. What mini-figure we will get will be interesting? A trio member, Seamus, or Ginny seem the highest likelihood to me. Hogsmeade will be $400 USD (380 euros), which hurts but at least not the $430 high end rumored.