10263 Winter Village 2018

Toymaker

Well, it's early July which means that speculation over this year's Winter Village set is well overdue. All we know so far is the set number (10263) and a Hungarian toy shop has it listed at 32,980 Forint (approximately £90).

Recent sets have been unveiled increasingly late in the season:

10259 Winter Village Station was officially announced on August 22
10254 Winter Holiday Train on August 11
10249 Winter Village Toy Shop on August 18
10245 Santa's Workshop on August 9 (at San Francisco Bricks by the Bay)
10235 Winter Village Market on July 13 (at Toronto BrickFête)
10229 Winter Village Cottage on August 5
The last 3 all leaked a week or so before the official announcement, a phenomenon that has sadly diminished in recent years.

So what's it going to be this year ? It's always fun to guess how new pieces (particularly minifigure torsos) in any given year may appear in the subsequent WV set and 60202 Outdoor Adventures includes several new torsos that would work well in a Winter Sports type of set. So, based on no inside knowledge whatsoever, I'm going to call it for a Winter Ski Resort, complete with cable car (see 41324 Snow Resort Ski Lift) and a lovely Alpine apres ski venue...and if all that can come in under £90, so much the better!

Failing that, I'd like to see a Winter Village Chocolate Factory/Sweet Shop, ideally taking some design cues from 1620 Chocolate Factory.

Any other ideas out there ?

Bumblepants

Winter village fire station with antique ladder truck being used to hang lights.

Switchfoot55

I almost started this tread last week, but felt that posting in June would have just been crazy of me. A week changes everything as now it's July!

I was just reading through last years predictions. It seems like a Candy Shop or Sweet Shop of some sort was the number on prediction (that and the WV Sewer Works). I'm just wondering if the recent release of #31077 will somehow make that less likely?

Along the lines of @Bumblepants, I would like to see a WV Fire Station w/ Fire Truck. It would be a great addition to the line of buildings already released and would be highly marketable in my opinion. 

I'd also love to see a WV Town Hall of sorts. It would really help to tie down the Village and would be a great central piece to center the Market and other lesser sets (like last years #40263 and #40262). 

Or the WV Sausage Factory. Because why not?

Paperballpark

Switchfoot55 said:

It seems like a Candy Shop or Sweet Shop of some sort was the number on prediction (that and the WV Sewer Works). I'm just wondering if the recent release of #31077 will somehow make that less likely?

I don't see how the release of #31077 would make a WV Sewage Works less likely ;)

WhiteDove

A town hall would be great though my personal hope is still for a sweet shoppe as I think every little village needs one. Either way I really hope the building is stand-out gorgeous and quaint and historic looking. And I hope they include the new scarf piece from Ninjago movie and new hat from city arctic, but I would also dearly love to see a proper woollen hat with pom pom plus at least one new winter torso. I can’t understand why they don’t do Christmas jumpers (sweaters?) for the winter village series. They have done Christmas outfits for mini dolls in the Friends advent calendars!

BrickByBrick

^^ Well then it's settled, WV Sewer Works it is.

Switchfoot55

They had this Christmas Sweater in the City Advent last year

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?M=hol106#T=S&O={"iconly":0}

SumoLego

WV Police Station.  'Cause Santa needs a helipad!

The_Rancor

Winter Village restaurant or cafes. Somewhere nice and cosy for the minfigs to relax by the fire and have a drink. Something akin to a German or Austrian Bierkeller would be great with the focus on the interior rather than the exterior. After the, erm... breezy station.

TLG have proven they can choose good designers for interiors on the Friends and Elves themes, so why not spread the love to the minifigure themes? Even something similar to an Unexpected Gathering would be a nice approach.

gmonkey76

We need a WV lighthouse, treehouse, and let's not forget a WV sausage factory. But what I really want would be the old time fire station.

WhiteDove

Switchfoot55 said:

They had this Christmas Sweater in the City Advent last year

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?M=hol106#T=S&O={"iconly":0}

Yes this one and the brown one that Grandpa wears are lovely. They were first released in the Fun in the Park set and have appeared a few times since then. But they should do new ones each year and also specifically Christmas designs. For example, the lady pictured on the side of this box is wearing a red and white knitted jumper with a reindeer pattern and green scarf. I really want this minifigure and others like it!! https://brickset.com/sets/5004934-1/Christmas-Ornament

MrKettle

You are all wrong. I have it on good authority (*I made this up) that it will be a winter helicopter and that next years set will be the landing pad for it. Complete with candy cane lights and the guy waving it down has lollipops instead of those paddle things. 

gmonkey76

It's only a matter of time before we get a helicopter. I can't think of any in house LEGO themes that don't have a helicopter(or blimp/hot air balloon).

SumoLego

Oooo!

Santa Hot-Air Balloon!!!

tamamahm

Another repeat set?
I like the idea of a chocolate/candy/dessert shop.

LuLego

SumoLego said:

Oooo!

Santa Hot-Air Balloon!!!

TheOriginalSimonB

Given the proliferation of sets or parts in almost every other theme my money's on a WV Roller coaster.

560Heliport

^Thrills and wind chills!

Toymaker

^^ I had wondered about that...would it be feasible to repurchase some of the roller coaster tracks to become a funicular railway (up to a ski lodge)?

Scatterbug

A modular sized Gingerbread House please.

playwell

That wouldn't surprise me, they might have run out of ideas and a different kind of set could be coming.

eMJeeNL

Paperballpark said:

Switchfoot55 said:

It seems like a Candy Shop or Sweet Shop of some sort was the number on prediction (that and the WV Sewer Works). I'm just wondering if the recent release of #31077 will somehow make that less likely?

I don't see how the release of #31077 would make a WV Sewage Works less likely ;)

‘Cause there aint no toilet in #31077, doh. ;)

Lyichir

This might be more of an American thing, but one possible set I'd thought of would be a Winter Village Parade. Many areas in the U.S. have holiday parades of some sort, and the start of the winter holiday season is sometimes considered to be kicked off by Santa Claus' appearance at the end of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. A parade set might be a bit divisive due to most likely focusing on vehicles and figs over permanent structures, but it could pair well with the other Winter Village sets, or even with modular city layouts like so many builders or LUGs create.

lentil

I'm just hoping it is more attractively designed than the last two years' sets... I thought those were unfortunately ugly and decided to pass on them, though I love the WV series in general. Sweet/chocolate shop would be great. I also sincerely love the Santa hot air ballon idea! Or how about a Christmas blimp. :-)

Shib

While a parade could be an interesting way of having a noticable different set I'd definitely say that it's a likely too US-centric.

I keep hoping for a Winter Village Inn - basically a pub, but not a pub to side step the loosely enforced content rules. 

Other possibilities I can think of:

Winter Village Clock Tower (side step on a church like building) 

Winter Village Cafe - wouldn't surprise me in the slightest

Winter Village Farm - could be interesting but would likely need to be too big to be done well 

Winter Village Hall - probably too UK-centric but I grew up in a small village and all the events took place here or the village school...

Winter Village School house - done in the style of a victoriana school house that's been updated with the times could be awesome. 

SumoLego

(Don't tell anyone, but I wouldn't mind a re-release of the Bakery.)

Paperballpark

What we really need is a Winter Village Abattoir.

Muftak1

Winter Village Forbidden Planet

Jern92

Winter Village Hogsmeade? (For the HP fans)

Baby_Yoda

Something Australian-themed. Winter Village Barbecue Area, complete with new dark brown sausage pieces to represent kangaroo sausages (not that we usually eat those, though). All minifigures are in singlets and shorts, despite it being winter. Set will be released later this month to coincide with the local seasons.

SumoLego

Paperballpark said:

What we really need is a Winter Village Abattoir.

I tried very hard to find a picture of a Na'vi wearing a Santa Hat.  But alas, I could not find one...

Arpie

Didn't realise the WV sets got revealed so early it's in stark contrast to the other Creator Expert sets!  I love the idea of an 'Inn' to get around it being a pub fits well with the chocolate box aesthetic.  I can imagine some nice winter scenes with people cosying up with a 'pint' or two.  Sweet shop is a good idea as well but I fear it's too similar to the bakery.

I really hope that alongside a new release we get a re-release.  I can understand why people were so annoyed with the re-release of the Toy Store as it replaced a new release.  However for those of use who missed on sets first time round it would be good to see them again as long as it's not at the expense of a new designed set.

CurvedRoadPlate

Winter Village pirate ship with Santa as the captain and elves as the crew. 

ReesesPieces

I like the clocktower idea.

I would like a Christmas and snow decorated log cabin bigger than those released as 3in1 creator sets.  

Switchfoot55

Not related to the official WV set, but just saw photos of the City Advent Calendar for this year. Definitely underwhelmed. No new arctic hat pieces? No new torso prints? I'm a bit disappointed. 

eMJeeNL

Where did you see them? Am a little curious!

Paperballpark

Leaked pictures of the calendar have been around for months now.

Switchfoot55

@eMJeeNL, it was the main Twitter leaks page that I saw them.

hayduke

Christmas in July promo: Nutcracker is available this weekend with $99 purchase.

madforLEGO

Winter village Tron.

Im guessing a chocolate shop would be feasible, or another cottage type set. I could see even a skiing type set as well (small hill, skiers and snowboarders, maybe an inner tube type part?)

Baby_Yoda

Actually, judging from the recent D2C sets, we're looking at a Winter Village Roller Coaster with all white track pieces.

playwell

How about an old time woodern one with brown track and lots of woodern supports. I can almost see that working.

Arpie

A wooden coaster would be pretty good with ice hanging off the supports and sleigh themed cars.

Paperballpark

Interesting idea! Not sure how well it'd tie in to a 'traditional winter village' though ;)

TheOriginalSimonB

I may have suggested that back on July 3rd...

datsunrobbie

How about shifting to a Winter City theme, starting with Nakatomi Tower?

evantyler

I would love an old-timey winter mill, similar to this photo:

jmeninno

^^For those interested, I believe Comedy Central is roasting John this coming Sunday.  Not sure of the time.  I'd assume late.

Switchfoot55

@evantyler, I'm with you on that one! I think it would make a fantastic addition and would fit tradition WV buildings. 

Paperballpark

Winter Village Sawmill!

If any Lego designers are looking at this thread, that would be fantastic!

SumoLego

Paperballpark said:

Interesting idea! Not sure how well it'd tie in to a 'traditional winter village' though ;)

Candy cane track pieces!