Mr. Elijah Timms

I'm in the same boat as you Santhor. I really wasn't into City last year but REALLY want this thing now (esp with the Bakery looming), and the last thing I want to have to do is go to the secondary market and pay above list prices. The fact that TLC has said "no, never, never" to you is not encouraging, but I'm still holding out hope that Target TRU, or (gulp) even WalMart will save the day.

Great idea-- I could only imagine how they'd brick-build all those crazy arms and gadgets. And how 'bout a minifig with a big hole in his smile!

$55 USD is fair-- almost uncharacteristically fair from TLC, but I'm thrilled to be proven otherwise-- consider me sold!

Is it correct to assume that the Toy Shop is still available in Europe? What's the official deal with last year's set? I know there's been rumblings that it's still in Target's online catalog and others hint that it will be available... But does anyone know anything official or otherwise about the Winter Toy Shop being re-released this year in America, or otherwise showing up from retailers???? I never had a chance at it last year, and wasn't into City at that point anyway. I'm all for getting both of these, but don't want to pay ridiculous prices on eBay or Amazon. Just would love to get some intel on the Toy Shop...!

Great stuff-- what a fun, lighthearted set. Absolutely sold on it.

HUGE. Positively huge. I guess I was so caught up in the other espionage reports from the 'Deutschland Cowboy' that I never even picked up on this one. Bottom line, they all sound promising, with some reservation for the dancer and singer. But for all the naysayers, let's wait to hear your tune once pictures start floating around the interwebs. These will be huge, AND a welcome winter pasttime after the holidays.

Oh NO! Not the deadly ORANGE NINJA!! Honestly though, sound like fun. The only thing better than ninjas are collectible ninjas.

Klaus, my good man, the cowboy of Deutschland... where'd you put the ninja topic, action or history? Can't find it...

Wow... police anyone? Think I'll spend less on City next year...

JEALOUS of everyone who got the Town Plan....... hrmpfhhh

Looks SO badass.... some really interesting and inventive techniques in the construction. Would love to see the interior sometime!

No harm intended, but I think you'll need more than luck. If they're just getting them in the UK next week, it'll be at least one but likely two more weeks til we get 'em stateside. I plan to start seriously looking after the weekend of the 14th, but will probably be surprised to find them that early.

I was thinking about this the other day, and came up with a new idea, something TLG's never done before: How about a Cruise Ship?? A big ol' honking ship with a bridge, several staterooms inside, along with a concourse, maybe even a stage or casino in the bowels of the ship. And then, for the top deck, a pool area, a mini-golf hole, and last but not least the big climbing wall with some extreme sports types to climb it. Obviously it would be a huge, pricy set, with at least 12-14 figs included: The captain, a few pursers or otherwise ship attendants, a chef with food cart, ship security, a gambling man, two showgirls for the stage, a lifeguard, a few old guests with gray hair and formal attire, a few very young guests, most likely in swimwear, and last but not least the rock-climbing dude. Lots of possibilities, and certainly could be filled up with other figs to the gills. BUT pricey, pricey, pricey!! I remember seeing ACPin do a cruise ship once, now that I think of it-- perhaps one day TLG might do the same?

Maybe TLG could produce a 'weapons pack' or something to that effect, so that adult collectors could arm the cops and/or burglars if they so choose, and parents of kids would not have to worry about the guns being in the sets to begin with. Besides, they're already available anyway through BrickArms and other vendors-- TLG might as well join in and direct the profits back to themselves. I like the idea of choice above all else... Because obviously we have plenty of people in this thread alone who are on the fence.

Certainly that's not all... I don't think we've ever had a year with NO OT sets, right?

Congrats OneSnowTrooper. I must admit, I was once an LSW-exclusive collector, and it was the return of the Pirates theme that broke me free. (Warning: If you follow my lead, you'll get frustrated by the Pirate line cancellation and then immerse yourself in City by January, haha)

I actually had the knight's tournament too... but that didn't survive all that well. With the exception of the blue knight, very few pieces of this set made it out alive. I do have some of the torsos, and the flags as well. AND in one of my moves I seem to have lost the little red flip-up faceplate somewhere in storage... ugh.

6073 Knight's Castle. Not exactly the biggest ever made, but an essential part of my childhood. I knew every nook of that castle, as well as my own room. Rebuilt it for the first time in years earlier this year, and now have it stored in its own self-contained plastic container. I've bought tons of sets as an AFOL, but none will ever be as treasured as the Black Falcons castle from my childhood.

If we can have a Dewback, and a Tauntaun, and now a Wampa... that tears it: WE NEED A BANTHA RIDERS SET Next Year!! (Strange Victorious Sand People Noise)

achris-- Did you see the rest of Lego's lines, or just POTC???

I'm inclined to vote "NO." There's something cool about Lego just glorifying the everyday life in the wonderful City line. BUT at the same time, I must admit I picked up a few extra cowboys this summer just to arm my police department...

Just got the Family Home, yes, at Target. Obviously won't have a chance to build it for awhile, but I was surprised at how many pieces (383?) and how substantial of a set it seemed. I guess I was expecting something much smaller and less significant. Looks like a great set!

The shuttle is EPIC, but at that price it ought to be. I've pretty much sworn off big ticket Star Wars, and at this point have decided to only grab sets that fill in the blanks of what they've never given us before. That said, Wampa Attack is my favorite, and will probably be the only one I pick up this year. And even then its price is ridiculously bloated.

The biggest complaint about this fig is that I do not currently have about two dozen of them in my possession. Very impressive-- and nice review as well Kim.

Posted this several months ago in the Ideas for New City Sets forum: To turn the conversation down a new avenue... In light of the success and pending re-release of the Winter Toy Shop, I'd like to propose that TLG creates an entire subtheme of... Holiday!!! I've always thought this is lightning just waiting to strike, and the possibilities are endless. Some ideas: 1. First and foremost, the definitive Santa set complete with a dedicated reindeer mold (something that can accomodate a 1x1 round trans red for Rudolph's nose of course). Santa, the full team of deer, the sled, and whole slew of presents in the back. What kid-- no, what person-- wouldn't pay up for this???? 2. The Christmas Tree lot-- lots of trees, lots of 'lights' on strings, perhaps a family loading their tree onto the roof with the generous salesman's help. 3. Santa in the Park-- a fair size 'outdoor' set complete with the community Christmas tree and a Santa's workshop structure where the kids are standing in line to talk to Santa. Go tell him you want that BB gun! 4. Holiday home-- a reasonable minifig-sized house all decked out in its holiday best. Kids are outside making a snowman, mom is inside baking her cookies, and of course we would have to throw in Dad hanging the lights on a ladder. 5. We've seen the carolers, but I'm sure we could all use a few more minifigs in a small set a la City Minifigs... They could also do holiday shoppers, etc. 6. How about the sledding hill-- lots of kids on old school wooden sleds, with maybe a skier or Gravity-Games era snowboarder thrown in for good measure. 6. Finally, the home run in the entire line would have to be The North Pole!!! Santa's home, complete with the workshop, the stalls for the reindeer, and good ol' Ms. Claus tidying up the place. And of course, it would have to include (Castle fans may now begin drooling) ELVES! Perhaps just a face mold, but maybe something more for the ears. And this set could surely invite additional add-ons such as Santa's runway, elves at work, etc. etc. I'd REALLY REALLY REALLY like to add the idea of an old snowy stone church and/or nativity set, but sadly I admit it's a bit of a gamble for a corporation to go the religious route (although I know my brother's kids have a Fisher Price nativity set, BTW). Either set would be great and add so much to a full town display. The other big hurdle would be the marketing-- how do you sell an entire line that is so focused on a single time of the year. Perhaps their best business plan would be to sell one or two yearly in the fourth quarter when you know it's so much easier to sell-- I just can't see them selling Santa's Sled in late April, but if it's released for a limited time after Halloween the demand would be extreme. Perhaps selling it periodically as a line could turn this into a collectible situation like the modular buildings. It could be marketed like those porcelain Christmas village lines carried in all the craft shops-- except infinitely better!!! Thoughts?