The BrickLink Designer Program Series 5 finalists were recently announced. These are all projects designed by LEGO fans that will become official LEGO sets sometime next year. Prices will be announced at that time as well.
The Thieves of Tortuga by Krackenator comes with 3,998 pieces and features the fictional town of Tortuga, one of the safest places for pirates to hide from the Imperial soldiers. The city is full of stolen cargo and hidden details everywhere you look! The model is approximately 31 inches long (79cm), 14 inches wide (35cm), and 10 inches tall (26cm).
The Mushroom Village by JonasKramm is hidden among leaves and flowers and is the home of forest elves. The elves live in a hollow tree stump, work in the mill, dig underground for crystals, and pick fresh berries from the fruit shop. They live in harmony with the animals and are supported by a butterfly and a ladybug mount. This lovely model comes with 2,427 pieces.
The Antique Shop by ThatOneGuySteve is located in the heart of a small town and is sure to have exactly what you’re looking for. The shopkeeper who lives on the 2nd floor converted his house so that he could buy and sell antiques, and he operates the shop himself. He even offers delivery on some of the larger items using his pickup truck! Feel free to browse around where you’ll find a wide variety of antiques including; a record player, sewing machine, vintage dishes and glassware, a grandfather clock, and so much more! This model comes with 1,912 pieces and features a detailed exterior and interior.
Adventure in Transylvania by SleeplessNight is one of the most anticipated models in this round of the BrickLink Designer Program and we can expect that it will sell out very quickly. It features a highly detailed Vampire Castle with lots of hidden and spooky play-features and comes with 4,000 pieces.
The Popcorn Wagon by Mictur is a smaller model with 577 pieces but is still packed with play features. You can take off the roof and the canopy to admire the details inside. Turn the golden knob on the front of the wagon to make the popcorn pop! Open the sliding glass door to prepare the next order or remove the steam engine for some periodic maintenance. The wagon is placed on a display stand and can be easily removed for play. The stand features a cobblestone road, a pavement, a lamp, and bright flowers. This model was inspired by colorful popcorn carts seen in the amusement parks. The aim of the project was to design a smaller model that would fit a variety of city setups including parks, city squares, and beaches. With a bit of rework it can even turn into a great LEGO Winter Village addition!
While we’re waiting for the final design and pricing of these amazing models, Series 6 of the BrickLink Designer Program is going to accept submissions between September 16th and Sep 27th of this year. As usual, the BrickLink Designer Program team will then ask fans to vote for their favorite designs. This crowd vote weighs in alongside the BrickLink Designer Program team’s internal selection criteria and influences the designs chosen for crowdfunding. The five winners of this round will be announced in mid-November, and the sets will be available next fall through a crowdfunding process.
Just like in previous rounds, once the models are refined for their final design, BrickLink members will be able to pre-order their favorite sets with a limit of 2 of each set per household. All sets that receive over 3,000 pre-orders will be produced. Up to 30,000 of each set will be manufactured during a limited, one-time production run. Orders will be ready to ship approximately 6 months after pre-ordering.
These unique LEGO sets released through the BrickLink Designer Program are highly popular and usually sell out very quickly. Often in just minutes. So keep an eye on for updates to make sure you don’t miss out on your favorites.
What do you think? Do you have any of the previously released sets through the BrickLink Designer Program? How do you like them? And which is your favorite in this round? Have you considered submitting your own design? Feel free to share and discuss in the comment section below!
And you might also like to check out the following related posts:
- BrickLink Designer Program Pre-Order & More!
- Brick Breakdown: LEGO BrickLink Set – 1950s Diner
- Brick Breakdown: LEGO BrickLink Set – Modular LEGO Store
- Brick Breakdown: LEGO BrickLink Set – Aquarium
- Brick Breakdown: LEGO BrickLink Set – Fishing Boat
- Brick Breakdown: LEGO BrickLink Set – Castle in the Forest
- Brick Breakdown: LEGO BrickLink Set – Sheriff’s Safe
I normally don’t even bother getting these sets as they are too large and way over my budget, but I’m really impressed by these finalists. Especially the vampire castle. I even consider getting it, but I know it will sell out in a flash.
Finally a smaller model! Yes, the vampire castle is great and all, but not everyone can afford such massive sets. We need more submissions like the popcorn cart! It’s small, useful, and fits with so many different setups!
I’m glad I’m not the only one looking for more affordable sets. I finally built the Snack Shack which was offered earlier this year. It was the only one I went with simply because it was more affordable.
Man! That vampire castle is so cool! But judging by the piece count, I’m guessing it will be in the $400 range. Sigh…