any idea what the 2015 winter village set is?

Briking

Very, very disappointed. I normally get WV sets both for myself and for my son, but neither of us need a 2nd Toy Shop.  Wonder if my spare copies of the Bakery, Post Office and Cottage just dropped in value?

Briking

Dismal fail on all counts by Lego.

TXLegoguy

I agree they could make a much better WV train.  

Gooker1

Paperballpark said:

Gooker1 said:

I wouldn't balk at all if it was $80 for 898 pieces and something that WASN'T the damn near same exact set.  

I think you just demonstrated the price isn't a rip-off ;)

@monkyby87 I'd like to see a new Winter Train, just not a re-release of the old one, for the reason I stated. :)

LOL - Nope...still a rip off b/c it's near the same damn set. I wouldn't  balk if it was a different set.  But it's the same set, so it's a rip off.  :p

Gooker1

Don't forget the toy shop had a second run back in 2011, at still the same price tag as the 2009 release. ;)  So this is like the third time we've seen it. LOL

Gooker1

Briking said:

Dismal fail on all counts by Lego.

Soooo true

tamamahm

Wow. Just wow. If this is it, talk about dialing it in. We buy the winter set every year as a set for our family to put together. We typically do it over Thanksgiving weekend. If their lame brain idea is to put out the same freaking set and that is it, how completely lame is that. 

There is absolutely no way they ran out of ideas. Let me repeat that.
There is absolutely no way they ran out of ideas. 

I am still holding out slim hope that their idea is to refresh the line for those that missed out, and that a new set is still coming down the pipe. 

AdeelZubair

At least two new good things come out of the press release of the #10249 Winter Toy Shop! I can't wait to get a ton of the two new pieces for my LEGO Store; I've been waiting for a while for that type of transparent part which attaches studs to plates (ideal for my micro Helicarrier) and the roller skates in black!

Update:

WOW! I feel so so STUPID! I just told that the roller skates in black are exclusive to The S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier (76042) and the transparent one is in LEGO Friends and LEGO Elves sets. I was not aware of them being "new" in 2015, need to make sure I'm aware next time. I did not see that coming...

Captain_Eyebrow

I stand corrected on my previous positive comments, what a shame.  Nill points.

TXLegoguy

So looks like so far you get a bunch of little pieces for a few new small toys, a printed flag and 1 more mini figure for $20 more. Some of the other mini figures are different of course. And of course like @TheLoneTensor pointed out lots of green toilet seats.

goshe7

Gooker1 said:

Briking said:

Dismal fail on all counts by Lego.

Soooo true

tamamahm.  The negative reaction from many is pretty easy to predict.  Releasing a new set to keep the theme going plus a refresh/re-release of one that is likely not part of the collection of many present collectors would be a home run.  Essentially the only LEGO buyers that would not be excited about the opportunity and precedent being set are resellers.  This perspective is definitely wishful thinking more than any factual basis, but that is how I choose to look at it.

Pmh

Am happy they did remake the toy story and am hoping for more retired sets to get a remake. Only have the last 2 winter sets and it is one of my favorit themes,am happy that I can now pick up one of the older sets for a decent price. Hope they will remake the cottage with that flatbed truck again as well. Would not have mind a completely new set either btw, but this is by no means a disappointment.

If you already have this set then yes,i can imagine you are disappointed. Still waiting for that church,well one can hope.

alexwil

I'm happy - as I don't have the original and will be picking this up for sure.

Does seem an odd choice though - they can't have run out of ideas already. Wonder if there's a 2nd 'sweet' set still to come. 

I'm assuming the winter village sets are good sellers - they certainly come across as a popular theme. 

Pitfall69

I don't understand why people keep saying that resellers would be the only ones that are very disappointed. I only have one original Toy Shop. Many collectors collect items because of their exclusiveness. Not everyone has a complete set of SDCC and NY Toy Fair exclusives. I think it would be awful if Lego made them available to everyone. I only have 3 Minifigures and they are not even the expensive ones. I love the thrill of adding these exclusives to my collection. Re Releasing a set lessens that thrill. 

juggles7

alexwil said:

I'm happy - as I don't have the original and will be picking this up for sure.

Does seem an odd choice though - they can't have run out of ideas already. Wonder if there's a 2nd 'sweet' set still to come. 

I'm assuming the winter village sets are good sellers - they certainly come across as a popular theme. 

The "2nd sweet set" this season should be Santa's Workshop, available for its second holiday season. At least one would assume...

Last year's Winter Village Market seems to have been the exception; it did not seem to sell well. The lack of discounts didn't help matters.

Lego_Star

As a big fan of seasonal stuff... I'm not feeling the warmth and joy here. I mean, so close, that jester hat in the original red and blue, not orange and blue, would have been a really nice nod to those that missed Grand Carousel.

Is it still April 1st in the galaxy somewhere? 

Mandalorian_Builder

Gooker1 said:

This is how awesome the new Winter Toy Shop is!!:  
2015 Set - $79.99 for 898 pieces
2011 Set - $59.99 for 815 pieces

That's $20 more for 83 more pieces.  That's a steal guys!!!!!

Brickflation, bro!

Gooker1

Mandalorian_Builder said:

Gooker1 said:

This is how awesome the new Winter Toy Shop is!!:  
2015 Set - $79.99 for 898 pieces
2011 Set - $59.99 for 815 pieces

That's $20 more for 83 more pieces.  That's a steal guys!!!!!

Brickflation, bro!

Booo to Brickflation!!! :)

And as someone mentioned earlier that only resellers are the ones that are upset that this set got a rehash couldn't be more wrong.

What about those who bought the Toy Store in the secondary market b/c they missed out and wanted a complete collection. They paid upwards for $250-$300 for a set that was gonna be re-released.  I'd be pretty ticked if I just bought this set last year on ePay to then find out if I waited a year, I'd have a nearly identical set for retail.

Plus like @Pitfall69 said, those who like the exclusivity of it even if they started from the beginning would be upset too.

If you make a Toy Store, make it a NEW one...not the same one w/ little add ons.  I just looked at an old review of 10199 and it's a spitting image.  

Sad for collectors, people who overpaid after missing out on the first one and for resellers. :)

(1)Stein

WTF? My first post and sadly so disappointed! €20 more for a re-hasch of an old set that is already in my collection........ guess TLG is running out of ideas, or maybe there is more to come?..........or just, WTF?

cheshirecat

@Gooker1

Anyone who spent $250 on the toy shop only has themselves to blame. Possibly the reseller who took them for $200 but certainly not TLG.

Any collector who wants to feel special because other people don't own the same set (a mass produced toy from a few years ago) needs to get over themselves. Also they'll surely still know that they own the original, not the rehash. 

That said, just normal fans of the winter village line who already have the toy shop will rightly be upset that there effectively isn't a new wv set this year. I'm in that category but by tomorrow I'll have got over it. 

hopefully it means they'll put more effort in to next years wv set (assuming there is one, and assuming its no the bakery/post office).

LostInTranslation

I'm thinking I'll do a Winter Ninjago temple to console myself with no new WV set... 

Shib

cheshirecat said:

That said, just normal fans of the winter village line who already have the toy shop will rightly be upset that there effectively isn't a new wv set this year. I'm in that category but by tomorrow I'll have got over it.

I was reminded of the Changing Seasons set which I had planned to get as a WV add on and that soothed my disappointment, not completely, but enough that I'll be content as long as next year isn't a second rehash.

Gooker1

cheshirecat said:

@Gooker1

Anyone who spent $250 on the toy shop only has themselves to blame. Possibly the reseller who took them for $200 but certainly not TLG.

Any collector who wants to feel special because other people don't own the same set (a mass produced toy from a few years ago) needs to get over themselves. Also they'll surely still know that they own the original, not the rehash. 

That said, just normal fans of the winter village line who already have the toy shop will rightly be upset that there effectively isn't a new wv set this year. I'm in that category but by tomorrow I'll have got over it. 

hopefully it means they'll put more effort in to next years wv set (assuming there is one, and assuming its no the bakery/post office).

I forgot your category too.  I was hoping for something different even though rumors were rampant...just a shame it's nothing new i can add to the collection. :/

dragonhawk

Gooker1 said:

If you make a Toy Store, make it a NEW one...not the same one w/ little add ons.  I just looked at an old review of 10199 and it's a spitting image.  

This 100%.  They could have made the shop bigger or changed the Christmas tree to a Festivus tree :D
Something to differentiate it from #10199 at the first glance

BoomDiggity

Oh man...why couldn't it at least have been the post office?  It's the only one I am missing.

PeteM

Well I must be the only one happy with this turn of events :) I never had the original and didn't like it enough to pay aftermarket prices, but this is a welcome opportunity to pick it up at a decent price - all those complaining about the increased RRP should note that it hasn't been possible to buy it at that for years anyway (unless you have the luck of the @Shib!).

It also opens up the possibility of further re-issues of 'older' sets - I'm not expecting a new USC Falcon, but wouldn't object to a refreshed Green Grocer or similar. And if they re-do something I've already got, well Lego is already producing enough product to keep my wallet under strain for the foreseeable future (Ferris Wheel, Ninjago temple, large Technic sets, and numerous other bits and pieces)...

Having said that, I would have preferred to see the rumoured Sweet Shop over this anyway - maybe next year @Grogall? ;)

cheshirecat

Yep, changing seasons a lovely little set. Of course, eventually the wv theme will end. When it does I'd rather they rehashed the old sets year after year than it just disappeared, if only for the impact it would have on the aftermarket.

dragonhawk

BoomDiggity said:

Oh man...why couldn't it at least have been the post office?  It's the only one I am missing.

Wait 2 more years for it ? I am looking forward to getting WV Bakery next year :) 

<ducks the incoming LEGO snow balls>

Brickaholic

PeteM said:

Well I must be the only one happy with this turn of events :) I never had the original and didn't like it enough to pay aftermarket prices.

This is a fair point, however no design or market research costs have gone into the set. It is a blatant copy of the old set, at least do something to compliment the old one.

tamamahm

What makes little sense to me...


Scenario 1- Put out a brand new great winter set- You get purchases from people that are already hooked on the theme, and anybody interested in a winter set.

Scenario 2- You put out a repeat- You get those that may have missed it, who in all likelihood are people interested in a winter theme, and would have bought a brand new winter set anyway. On top of that, you tick off your current customer base that plans on buying the new one.


It seems that Scenario 1 brings in more money, so why go with Scenario 2?

- They were done with the theme and already had  planned on not making any more and felt this was an easy way to bring in some money.
- They have another set coming out.
- They were sending a message to resellers. 

I don't buy most of those options.

SumoLego

Very curious.  Wonder if they're going to release re-hashes of the little holiday sets as well?

Does anyone have the sales figures of the Winter Collection?  One has wonder if they are flat, so no matter what they release, it's a guaranteed sell out.

I am frothing over the prospect of a Cafe Corner re-release...

With the Emporium gone, it's time for another corner modular!

mountebank

This is lazy. They only had to look at their other themes to find inspiration:

http://alienartisan.deviantart.com/art/War-on-Kinkade-09-409191323

madforLEGO

I think LEGO did this for one main reason: Cost (not the 'evil' reseller). I'm sure it is far 'easier' (by easier I mean cheaper) to tweak an existing design, change the box art, and instructions than it is creating a whole new set. Between this and the underwhelming set designs this year I think people should be more concerned with the way LEGO is treating its fans than the impact to the 'evil' reseller.

Gooker1

gotta agree with you @madforLEGO.  It just looks like they got super lazy with this set.  I mean they probably have design ideas 6 months to a year before release.  So what happened right?  

Laziness.

binaryeye

Brickaholic said:

This is a fair point, however no design or market research costs have gone into the set. It is a blatant copy of the old set, at least do something to compliment the old one.

It's possible their market research indicated a re-release was the best option. And there were obviously design costs because it's not identical to the previous set.

dragonhawk

Gooker1 said:

gotta agree with you @madforLEGO.  It just looks like they got super lazy with this set.  I mean they probably have design ideas 6 months to a year before release.  So what happened right?  

Laziness.

Best case scenario was they had an awesome set planned but had last minute problem sourcing some of the parts.  So they decided to go the easy way (due to time?) and just mod a retired but popular set.

LostInTranslation

I don't buy the "last minute"  problems  theory.  Hasn't the Toy Shop name been rumoured for months and months,  but we just hoped it was a placeholder? 

david325

dragonhawk said:

Gooker1 said:

gotta agree with you @madforLEGO.  It just looks like they got super lazy with this set.  I mean they probably have design ideas 6 months to a year before release.  So what happened right?  

Laziness.

Best case scenario was they had an awesome set planned but had last minute problem sourcing some of the parts.  So they decided to go the easy way (due to time?) and just mod a retired but popular set.

Or they just couldn't be bothered to spend time or money investing in a new set. Maybe there wasn't a problem. May there wasn't even another set. May they just decided that people will buy anything they make so why waste time and money when you don't have to.

Bumblepants

JusJeff on the front page had an interesting theory that perhaps the original plan was to finish the series with Santa's Workshop and they decided late in the process the holiday set was too lucrative to abandon so they dusted the cobwebs off this one since they didn't have time to create something new. I think the wording in the Santa description said something like 'complete your village with...' and that created the speculation it would be the last one.

TheLoneTensor

Why?  Because they have to.  If you stagnate in this world, corporate or otherwise, you die.

madforLEGO

Bumblepants said:

JusJeff on the front page had an interesting theory that perhaps the original plan was to finish the series with Santa's Workshop and they decided late in the process the holiday set was too lucrative to abandon so they dusted the cobwebs off this one since they didn't have time to create something new. I think the wording in the Santa description said something like 'complete your village with...' and that created the speculation it would be the last one.

Well then that just smacks of poor planning, which should not occur with one of the biggest toy companies in the world. The Village theme is popular, so why kill it with Santa's Workshop? I mean there have been a ton of good ideas on these pages alone for Winter village sets. Are you telling me that forum members (who are not getting paid by LEGO) are better at this than the designers and bean counters that have salaries at LEGO? If so then I think LEGO needs to look at their payroll

kiki180703

This is what Lego told me when I asked about the rerelease of the winter village toy shop:

The Winter Village Toy Shop, our first set in the Winter Village series, was a huge hit with fans when it launched in 2009 and we are excited to announce the Winter Village Toy Shop is back. Our designers have made several updates including adding some new printed details, additional bricks and elements along with a new minifigure. This 2015 version offers a great building experience to both those fans who have the original set, and those who may be new to the Winter Village series. This is not an indication of any future re-release or set updates.

Gooker1

Straight shenanigans.  Pure hogwash.  

Did y'all watch the designer video?  paraphrasing - "it was a challenge to make the roofs at 45 degree angles."  Umm...how'd it happen back in '09?  Or did he mean it was a challenge back in '09. :)

Anyhoo...i've had this building experience before.  It doesn't look like it will be exciting or different the second time around.

dragonhawk

LostInTranslation said:

I don't buy the "last minute"  problems  theory.  Hasn't the Toy Shop name been rumoured for months and months,  but we just hoped it was a placeholder? 

I am not an expert on how factories work, but I would think for a global operation like LEGO, production of a set would take months of advanced planning. They had to fit this set with the production schedules of other sets.  What we perceived as months of rumors may as well only amounted to a brief moment in their production schedule.

Brickaholic

binaryeye said:

Brickaholic said:

This is a fair point, however no design or market research costs have gone into the set. It is a blatant copy of the old set, at least do something to compliment the old one.

It's possible their market research indicated a re-release was the best option. And there were obviously design costs because it's not identical to the previous set.

It is still a blatant copy of the old set. Do you think it took 100's of man hours to come up with that new design?

dragonhawk

madforLEGO said:

Bumblepants said:

JusJeff on the front page had an interesting theory that perhaps the original plan was to finish the series with Santa's Workshop and they decided late in the process the holiday set was too lucrative to abandon so they dusted the cobwebs off this one since they didn't have time to create something new. I think the wording in the Santa description said something like 'complete your village with...' and that created the speculation it would be the last one.

Well then that just smacks of poor planning, which should not occur with one of the biggest toy companies in the world. The Village theme is popular, so why kill it with Santa's Workshop? I mean there have been a ton of good ideas on these pages alone for Winter village sets. Are you telling me that forum members (who are not getting paid by LEGO) are better at this than the designers and bean counters that have salaries at LEGO? If so then I think LEGO needs to look at their payroll

It would have not been the first time LEGO stopped production on popular theme.  Remember when they replaced Ninjago with Chima ?  Not saying it was a savvy business decision, just pointing out that it had happened before 

thedingman5

Looking at Bricklink, the owner of "BricksfromChris" can't be thrilled.  Has 70 2009 Toy Shop's for sale.  I know "collectors" will crave the original, but how many of them don't have one already?  Going forward, the vast majority of parents, kids, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc., that wander into lego stores and buy stuff for kids or families won't give a hoot that's its a reissue.

SumoLego

^ That makes more sense.  With respect to production, there is no 'last minute' in theit vocabulary.  Any plans they make are done months and months in advance.

Historically, Lego has no issue with selling out of product.  Market analysis shows that the casual Lego buyer will buy a comparable set, rather than purchasing another competitor's product.

(I always cite the Friends Dolphin Cruiser and Disney Princess Elsa's Palace as the prime example of the production cycle.)

This decision about the Winter Village was made well before the beginning of the production cycle.  I'm sure if the sales take a nose-dive, that may very well be the end of the collection.

Gooker1

SumoLego said:

This decision about the Winter Village was made well before the beginning of the production cycle.  I'm sure if the sales take a nose-dive, that may very well be the end of the collection.

Or the end of re-releases. :)

SumoLego

^  Ah - the double-edged sword...