Lego Ferris Wheel Set #10247

rocao

how good is her memory? if it's somewhat suspect, tell her it's a gift FOR her because it reminded you of that perfect night N years ago when you went for your Mth date

AndyPol

rocao said:

how good is her memory? if it's somewhat suspect, tell her it's a gift FOR her because it reminded you of that perfect night N years ago when you went for your Mth date

I like your thinking, I might work on that idea!

rocao

Don't forget to throw some other rides into your recollection in case they are made into LEGO sets as well.

AndyPol

rocao said:

Don't forget to throw some other rides into your recollection in case they are made into LEGO sets as well.

I think I will have to wait until they do a rollercoaster as well!

tamamahm

CCC said:

Aren't most fairground ferris wheels pretty similar? Which is why this one will do well, most people can relate to it.

And that is one problem with the mixer, this type of ride is not that standard. There are many different types of whirly spinny attractions at a funfair.

For me it is not even that. If the Ferris wheel had been done in the style of the mixer, with pieces dedicated to a truck and a number of other misc items, I suspect the response to the ferris wheel would have been about the same response we had towards the mixer. I also speculate, the mixer would have had a far better response if the truck pieces had gone towards the mixer. 
I've said it before, but the mixer really should have been several sets down in this series. A set like the Ferris Wheel really should have been first, or a different mixer iteration. 

rocao

The LEGO mixer is a pretty good representation of the subject material: http://www.ride-extravaganza.com/intermediate/scrambler/

Adding more pieces would not significantly improve the model, it would just satisfy those that insist bigger is better.

I think there's validity in saying that the midway games and secondary truck could have been left out of the Mixer model and the retail price dropped to $99, but the truck is an integral part of the Mixer-style ride.

TheLoneTensor

rocao said:

I think there's validity in saying that the midway games and secondary truck could have been left out of the Mixer model and the retail price dropped to $99, but the truck is an integral part of the Mixer-style ride.

The truck is an integral part of a Mixer-style ride only when it's an integral part of the ride.  When it's not part of the ride, it's not integral, such as when installed in an amusement park such as Cedar Point or King's Island.

So far, it's not clear if this line is supposed to be amusement park rides, or traveling carnival rides.

Solarious

To be fair, I doubt they really know themselves

dougts

I think the mixer is one of those D2C sets that tries to do too much and ends up mediocre at best. When I'm shelling out big money for the exclusive sets, I want a result that is awe inspiring. A showpiece for my collection. The mixer fails in that category much like the winter village market did. There's a lot of little things going on, but the wow factor is lacking. I want my $100+ purchase to have a big bang to it, not look like it could have been 4 or 5 smaller sets all sold separately.

piratemania7

Oh man. I've been down and out for 3 days with a really bad virus and just getting back on my feet today. Had I read and really comprehended all the negative commentary towards the Mixer I would have forced myself to jump on this quicker.

I'm just going to come out and say I think the set is great. I thought it was great before it was released and when I first purchased it. When I wanted one of the holiday giveaway sets this past season I thought the second copy I purchased was great too.

It's unique, it all folds up into the truck, and for me at least here in the U.S. There is nothing more original or rural/country American than a good old fairground and all the carni extras that follow suit. (Both in real life and LEGO world).

The design is another awesome effect especially once you add power functions. I have not but I have seen video and you can do this with EVERY set. Finally, Jaime designed this set no? So basically we can all go to Jaime and say this set you designed? Sucks. Right? I mean that's the message that I seem to have gathered above.

Oh and another point, with the Ferris Wheel now out you create history. You create a trend. If they come out with a third set for this new theme the mixer will be that all powerful first set in a theme - one that oh so many people missed out on because they had to bash it and go buy Mixels and Elves sets (no offense intended once so ever).

At any rate, everyone enjoy their Saturday I'm back to pumping fluids and getting some more rest. :smile:

Pitfall69

Who is saying that The Mixer sucks? Every set is going to have some negative comments. I think the set could have been cheaper or at least included power functions. I don't think the mixer has the same "pizazz" as the Ferris wheel. I am also not that fond of Carnivals, but that is just me. It has nothing to do with the set. How are any of these comments saying that The Mixer sucks? I would rather spend $150 on another Modular Building.

As for telling someone that their design sucks. Yes, I would tell them right to their faces. The lead designer for the Pontiac Aztek should be drawn and quartered. What a piece of crap!!!! When I was still working in the automotive industry, the designers and engineers would all go to the Detroit Auto Show before it was open to the public. When we were there in 2001, I told the Pontiac guy what a piece of crap that car was and that it might signal the demise of Pontiac if they kept putting out awful cars like that. My buddy happened to buy one and it spent more time in the shop than on the road and guess what?... There's no more Pontiac.

piratemania7

.

mathew

Pitfall69 said:

I told the Pontiac guy what a piece of crap that car was and that it might signal the demise of Pontiac if they kept putting out awful cars like that. My buddy happened to buy one and it spent more time in the shop than on the road and guess what?... There's no more Pontiac.

The Aztec didn't kill Pontiac.  Pre-economic crash GM was practically giving away cars with so many incentives.  Couple that with expensive union labor, pensions and a lackluster American car market.  It only made sense in the post-crash that GM killed off Pontiac.  Honestly Pontiac was going to have to overhaul their entire image to survive.  I say this as an owner of a 2004 Pontiac Vibe.  Great car.  Almost 120K miles and very few mechanical issues.  Probably because it's actually a Toyota Matrix in disguise  ;)

Pitfall69

^Yeah, joint venture eith Toyota. Same with the 2 Ford Probes I had. Both had Mazda engines; they lasted forever, while the V-6's were in the junkyard after 70k.

Yes, I know exacty why GM axed their Pontiac brand, but if it was successful, it wouldn't have been axed.

piratemania7

Ultimately I'm just saying I sense a lot of negativity and criticism towards what is arguably a really neat set (Mixer) and for all intents and purposes the first in a new theme.

madforLEGO

I have never had a problem with the set, just the price point. I think for 149.99 USD there should be power functions built in instead of having the transport trucks.
I also think it will do well EOL. However will it out perform a mod, both in production or EOL? Doubt it, only because I think it is easier for those to justify a EOL price if the set has enough parts to build a building. Mixer, while having many parts, also has parts dedicated to designs that may not sit on a display (namely The semis that transport the mixer)
I think with the Ferris wheel that may be LEGO learning from 'mistakes' with the Mixer set, which is to now dedicate all parts to what the set is, not what is 'transporting' it.

Farmer_John

It just amazes me that sellers on eBay are asking for (and it actually appears they are getting) $300+ for pre-orders for the Ferris Wheel! Paying a middle-man $100+ just to pre-order this set is ludicrous. Toss in the fact (pardon the pun) that the set is bouncing around between multiple points instead of coming directly from TLG, and it's just crazy. I would much rather have my set come directly from TLG than a middle-man for so many reasons. It's not like the buyer is going to receive the set any faster than people ordering directly from TLG. In fact it will likely take longer to deliver, unless it's drop-shipped...which is another issue.

If I live to be 100 years old, I will never understand how some people think and how they can be so careless with their hard-earned cash!

madforLEGO

A sucker is born every minute. Some people are unscrupulous and do not care if they can separate a foll and their money. My guess is that either:
The buyer thinks that they will not be able to get the set anywhere else
Buyer thinks they will get it before anyone else- which is unlikely as @Farmer_John says

I would hazard a guess that many people still do not realize that there is a LEGO retail online shop that they can go buy it from.
That is of course if these 'pre-order' sellers are not just taking the money and running

oldtodd33

I think you guys are jumping the gun a little here. I looked up the sold listings world wide and haven't seen any yet. There are a few people offering them for sale at inflated prices but I don't see any takers yet. Not that there won't be though. I have seen some people buying at high prices but those that do really can't get it cheaper from Lego. But I do feel for them though. 

dougts

In my experience most of those preorder markup eBay sales go to overseas buyers. Market to Australia used to be an easy win win all around until LEGO lessened the gouge rate on Australian customers a year or so ago

ryjay

I guess "hard earned" money is just relative to different people.  I'm always surprised when I hear people say they need to wait for their next paycheck before they can buy. If I didn't have the money today, I'm certainly not buying legos with the money tomorrow.  

I know a lot of kids need to safe up in order to buy, but when it comes to adults, if you need to save to buy, I'd be saving for something else.    But then again, Legos in all it's exspense, is still cheaper then a ball game for four or dinner and a movie out.  And at the end of the day, at least with Legos,  you still have something to hold and touch! :)

Farmer_John

^There are a few people that actually budget their expenditures. For example, they may save a certain percentage, use a percentage for the mortgage, use a percentage for utilities, use a percentage for eating out, donate a certain percentage, and use a percentage for hobbies. At least that's the practical approach to buy Lego sets. Unfortunately there are a lot of people living paycheck to paycheck, and I certainly wouldn't be buying toys if that was my family's circumstance.

Fauch

but in the case of a dinner or movie, you have consumed your money. when you buy a lego, the value is still here, but in the form of bricks and not of money. of course it can fluctuate, but it will still be worth more than nothing, so you could always get some of your money back.

Farmer_John

^Preaching to the choir, Sir, preaching to the choir...

But sometimes a dinner and movie are a different kind of investment...in a relationship. At least that's what my wife tells me. :smile:  But I still think there's plenty of quality time to be had building Lego sets. :wink: 

donutboy

I am a massive fan of Lego but have to live somewhat on a budget. That doesn't mean that i'm struggling to pay the bills or put food on the table, but it does mean I can't do anything I want whenever I like.

I love the look of this set and intend to save up for it over summer to buy it in the autumn. It will be the fifth set I have got that has an over £100 rrp since returning from my dark ages in 2009, and have only paid rrp for two of them. 

Even my wife, who has very little interest in Lego, was impressed with the video and said herself "well, you'll have to get a motor for it as well, won't you." 

Maybe, she's finally coming round.

 

rocao

TheLoneTensor said:

The truck is an integral part of a Mixer-style ride only when it's an integral part of the ride.  When it's not part of the ride, it's not integral, such as when installed in an amusement park such as Cedar Point or King's Island.

So far, it's not clear if this line is supposed to be amusement park rides, or traveling carnival rides.

It won't be clear that the Ferris Wheel is meant to be in the same line unless TLG classifies it as such, so I'm less concerned with identifying what the Ferris Wheel is and then prescribing its classification to the Mixer.

It's called the Fairground Mixer, and fairgrounds are almost always the site of traveling carnivals and not the site of a fixed amusement park.

The base of the mixer is the trailer of a semi. It's designed to be packed up and transported. It's pretty darn integral from where I sit.

rocao

dougts said:

I think the mixer is one of those D2C sets that tries to do too much and ends up mediocre at best. When I'm shelling out big money for the exclusive sets, I want a result that is awe inspiring. A showpiece for my collection. The mixer fails in that category much like the winter village market did. There's a lot of little things going on, but the wow factor is lacking. I want my $100+ purchase to have a big bang to it, not look like it could have been 4 or 5 smaller sets all sold separately.

I understand the opinion that the mixer is underwhelming for the $150 price tag, but when you say "awe inspiring" and "showpiece", I think that's an unrealistic expectation.

It's not really what TLG promises to deliver at that price point, as there have been 27+ more expensive sets available during the Mixer's lifespan.

samiam391

rocao said:

dougts said:

I think the mixer is one of those D2C sets that tries to do too much and ends up mediocre at best. When I'm shelling out big money for the exclusive sets, I want a result that is awe inspiring. A showpiece for my collection. The mixer fails in that category much like the winter village market did. There's a lot of little things going on, but the wow factor is lacking. I want my $100+ purchase to have a big bang to it, not look like it could have been 4 or 5 smaller sets all sold separately.

I understand the opinion that the mixer is underwhelming for the $150 price tag, but when you say "awe inspiring" and "showpiece", I think that's an unrealistic expectation.

It's not really what TLG promises to deliver at that price point, as there have been 27+ more expensive sets available during the Mixer's lifespan.

I think that's all based on personal opinion. What's a showpiece to some people, may not be to others. 

Personally, I think every single one of the modulars, at the roughly $150 price point, are all "showpieces" and "awe inspiring". Would you agree? Maybe not... it's all in the eye of the beholder.

I think it's fair to perhaps expect a bit more out of a $150 set. LEGO won't hit a home run with every set. While it may be an accurate depiction of a fairground mixer (vehicles necessary and all), I'd agree that it's a little lacking in the "wow" department that some other sets at the same price point have, in my opinion. 

TheLoneTensor

rocao said:

TheLoneTensor said:

The truck is an integral part of a Mixer-style ride only when it's an integral part of the ride.  When it's not part of the ride, it's not integral, such as when installed in an amusement park such as Cedar Point or King's Island.

So far, it's not clear if this line is supposed to be amusement park rides, or traveling carnival rides.

It won't be clear that the Ferris Wheel is meant to be in the same line unless TLG classifies it as such, so I'm less concerned with identifying what the Ferris Wheel is and then prescribing its classification to the Mixer.

It's called the Fairground Mixer, and fairgrounds are almost always the site of traveling carnivals and not the site of a fixed amusement park.

The base of the mixer is the trailer of a semi. It's designed to be packed up and transported. It's pretty darn integral from where I sit.

You're putting the cart before the horse.  Like I said, it's integral to this set only because of the fact that it's integral to this set.  It's called the Fairground Mixer because it has a truck, and the accessories, and the accompanying $150 price tag.  If it did not have a truck, and the accessories, then it would have likely been called something else, like the Amusement Park Mixer, and had a price tag of $100.

Farmer_John

Either Amusement Park or Fairground, if TLG makes a Zipper set (see attached image) I will probably hurl just looking at the store model. This ride was a traumatic childhood experience and a Carnie's dream. It flips you so many ways that you lose every bit of change in your pockets (along with any recently consumed meal). I would have paid more to get off this ride than I paid to get on it (and probably did in loose change).

dougts

As a child I was smart enough to never ride the Zipper. As a young adult I
got cajoled into riding it once by two children I had taken to the fair. Once.

Mid ride I threw up in my mouth and not wanting to spew all over the children in my care (and anyone else) I managed to swallow most of it back down while holding the remainder inside my mouth between tightly clenched jaws until the ride came to its natural conclusion what seemed like hours later

20 years later this remains one of my more unpleasant personal memories

rocao

TheLoneTensor said:

You're putting the cart before the horse.  Like I said, it's integral to this set only because of the fact that it's integral to this set.  It's called the Fairground Mixer because it has a truck, and the accessories, and the accompanying $150 price tag.  If it did not have a truck, and the accessories, then it would have likely been called something else, like the Amusement Park Mixer, and had a price tag of $100.

Not really. I'm not saying that the designers decided on a name of a set, and then built the set to match the name.

What I'm saying is that the designers created a model that looks identical to something that exists in the real world: a mobile carnival ride that can be packed on a truck, and when deployed uses the flatbed as the base of the ride. They gave the model a name that matches that real world object. That's pretty strong evidence what the source material is, and that makes it integral and not superfluous. By contrast, I consider the large number of minifigs or the midway games superfluous to the Fairground Mixer set.

rocao

samiam391 said:

I think that's all based on personal opinion. What's a showpiece to some people, may not be to others. 

Personally, I think every single one of the modulars, at the roughly $150 price point, are all "showpieces" and "awe inspiring". Would you agree? Maybe not... it's all in the eye of the beholder.

The Mixer should show well, and as I said, I could understand people saying that it fails in this regard. But I don't perceive dougts as having the type of collection where a $150 set would be a showpiece (by the standard definition).

"Awe inspiring" is certainly subjective.  If you showed the Mixer to someone that had never seen a LEGO set in their life, I think they probably would be dumbstruck. But that isn't us, so I'm saying that is not a reasonable expectation.

rocao

dougts said:

Mid ride I threw up in my mouth and not wanting to spew all over the children in my care (and anyone else) I managed to swallow most of it back down while holding the remainder inside my mouth between tightly clenched jaws until the ride came to its natural conclusion what seemed like hours later 

How did the children fare, and what did they think of you? :disappointed:

Farmer_John

dougts said:

20 years later this remains one of my more unpleasant personal memories

I still remember getting off this ride and not knowing up from down. If I could have ran away from that thing, I would have. If TLG starts selling these sets, I think we're all going to get so see what it's like for a minifig to throw up in its mouth. And I do think it's possible with this ride.

goshe7

^ Thank you for giving me a goal in life... I think I have to find a Zipper and try it, just so I can appreciate that awful feeling.

The closest I have been to feeling that is on this ride...



As a point of consideration that knowingly does not fit into a world-view on LEGO, the Ohio State Fair features a number of traveling rides that come in for the fair as well as at least one permanent installation ride (a sky-bucket).  So the idea of a large fixed ferris wheel supplemented with many transportable supplements seems like a cohesive theme to me.

TheLoneTensor

rocao said:

TheLoneTensor said:

You're putting the cart before the horse.  Like I said, it's integral to this set only because of the fact that it's integral to this set.  It's called the Fairground Mixer because it has a truck, and the accessories, and the accompanying $150 price tag.  If it did not have a truck, and the accessories, then it would have likely been called something else, like the Amusement Park Mixer, and had a price tag of $100.

Not really. I'm not saying that the designers decided on a name of a set, and then built the set to match the name.

What I'm saying is that the designers created a model that looks identical to something that exists in the real world: a mobile carnival ride that can be packed on a truck, and when deployed uses the flatbed as the base of the ride. They gave the model a name that matches that real world object. That's pretty strong evidence what the source material is, and that makes it integral and not superfluous. By contrast, I consider the large number of minifigs or the midway games superfluous to the Fairground Mixer set.

I think we can all agree that that Lego did indeed build a model of a mixer in which the truck is an integral part.  They chose to build a fairground mixer, not an amusement park mixer.

However, that's not the issue.  You initially stated "the truck is an integral part of the Mixer-style ride," which is incorrect in its generalization.  By that statement, you weren't talking about just the Lego mixer, you were talking about all mixer-style rides.  The fact is, there are a number of mixers that exist; some utilize trucks, some do not.  For those mixers that are stationary, and many have been for decades, the truck is not part of the ride in any way, much less integral to it.

Fauch

lol, this zipper looks like torture

CircleK

I got puked on while getting off of the Viking ship when I was a kid. I'm not talking a little bit of spit up either - some tool that couldn't hold down his elephant ears on something as weak as the Viking swing completely hosed me down. I was covered. My shirt was drenched and I had it my hair all the way to my shoes. I discarded my shirt and cleaned up the best I could in a restroom stall, but it was still all over me and the smell was horrible. My extra large white trash baby sitter refused to leave the corn dog stand long enough to take me home so I spent the rest of the day at the fair with no shirt, baking in vomit. Great times.

I hate the fair.

Farmer_John

Okay...I just found this link that conveys my thoughts on THE ZIPPER!!!

http://www.domainofdeath3.com/whitetrashcarnierides/zipper/

Best quote from it:

“The combination of its location, its condition, and the virtuosity of its motley collection of ride ops provided for an unsurpassed impression of peril. I’ve had several garden variety near-death experiences, including being hit by cars, attacked by dogs, mauled by farm equipment, and, once, grazed in the face by a bullet. Only two times, however, have I really considered myself to be on the threshold of a violent, ugly death. Once was on an airplane that appeared destined for a crash-landing. The other was during my first ride on the Coney Island Zipper. To feel, all at once, the fragility of the mortal coil is an intense, revealing experience. On the plane, I felt resigned to my fate and grateful that my brief life had in many respects exceeded my expectations. On Zipper, in the midst of a seemingly endless forward free-spin, I felt blind, animal panic; even though I knew the odds favored my survival, I could not bring logic to bear on the sensations I was experiencing. That’s something I probably won’t get to experience again from a $3.00 flat ride…”

madforLEGO

Farmer_John said:

Either Amusement Park or Fairground, if TLG makes a Zipper set (see attached image) I will probably hurl just looking at the store model. This ride was a traumatic childhood experience and a Carnie's dream. It flips you so many ways that you lose every bit of change in your pockets (along with any recently consumed meal). I would have paid more to get off this ride than I paid to get on it (and probably did in loose change).

The zipper is a foul ride constructed by Satan and his minions

Farmer_John

And here's the video:



Would love to see someone construct this with Technic!

madforLEGO

AS much as I loath the Zipper ride, I have an urge to try to build it in LEGO

rocao

Of the people who think the portability of the Fairground Mixer does it a disservice, I wonder how many actually own and built the set.

Here is the patented design for how the Scrambler collapses and stows: https://www.google.com/patents/US3078090
The ability of the LEGO model to collapse in a similar fashion and also achieve the motion of the ride is more "awe-inspiring" than it would be if it were simply bigger.

Check out the collapsing design of all the traveling rides this person has created under the 'rides' link: http://l-rides.com

dougts

I own the set. It's a nice set. I like it but it's but a great set in my view, for reasons I've already stated. Not every set is a 10. For me, this one is average. It's not awful or bad. It's fine. I feel it could have been better.

The first time I saw it built in the store I said to myself "that looks like a large CITY set, not a direct to consumer exclusive "flagship" set from the Creator Expert line". Every day when I walk by it in my house I still think the same thing. It's a cool play set with lots of fun features. But it isn't a top notch display piece like most other Creator Expert sets are. That's my opinion. I've arrived at it based on my own observations and experience with the set. Feel free to disagree, but my opinion is valid and based on sound observations of what I believe is wrong with and/or could have been better about it.

Lego91

I own it since the weekend. (Chickened out of waiting. I missed some awesome sets in my first months as AFOL and that will never happen again.) 

I'm on of those full pay cheque for Lego people. But I live at home and my parents support me because of my disability. I bought the Mixer with almost my whole income (I only work 5 hours a week) from a month. But I don't have a family, flat or anything else that needs money. 

I never wanted to buy it. But the Ferris wheel (and my Mum who rarely likes sets) made me buy it. We have the Volksfest and Frühlingsfest every year in out city with millions of visitors and so I have a special connection to those sets. 

cheshirecat

rocao said:

Check out the collapsing design of all the traveling rides this person has created under the 'rides' link: http://l-rides.com

That link is incredible. Some amazing lego on there. Thank you, I can't begin to imagine where he started from on many of those models.

I'm not sure I was that taken with the mixer when it was first announced, but was tempted into buying it and am so glad I did. For me, the mechanics of it are completely amazing, and far more so than a big old modular box. Awe inspiring isn't something I would use to describe any of LEGOs current products, some MOCs I've seen at exhibitions definitely, but to me something with the cleverness of the mixer is far more appealing and impressive than most of LEGO's fare. Perhaps its the engineer in me but it takes it to the next level, without the un-lego-iness of Technic - i guess similar to why the imperial shuttle is the only UCS set (other than the MF) I have any interest in. I can see why people who focus on displaying LEGO might feel short changed by the mixer, she may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts, kid.

CCC

I'm hoping for more minifigures that are throwing up. They are ideal for Chick-Flicks in the PC.

cheshirecat

Oh and there is a LEGO version of the zipper on that l-rides.com website. (although it wasn't the most exciting)

prevere

goshe7 said:

^ Thank you for giving me a goal in life... I think I have to find a Zipper and try it, just so I can appreciate that awful feeling.

The closest I have been to feeling that is on this ride...



As a point of consideration that knowingly does not fit into a world-view on LEGO, the Ohio State Fair features a number of traveling rides that come in for the fair as well as at least one permanent installation ride (a sky-bucket).  So the idea of a large fixed ferris wheel supplemented with many transportable supplements seems like a cohesive theme to me.

And one step closer to my beloved Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point.