Review: 40565 Santa's Workshop
Posted by Huw,
The second of this year's seasonal gift with purchase is 40565 Santa's Workshop which will be free with orders over £150/$150/€150 at LEGO.com between the 1st and 24th of December.
You've probably shelled out enough over the last week or so, so let's find out whether it'll be worth placing another order to acquire it.
Summary
40565 Santa's Workshop, 329 pieces.
Another great GWP for the holiday season
- Quite substantial
- Full of detail
- Doesn't really go with the Winter Elves Scene
- Needs more roof
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Containing 329 pieces, it's quite a substantial GWP. They are packed in six bags numbered one and two.
A small sticker sheet containing two decals is also provided.
The completed model comprises a section of Santa's workshop with walls on two sides. Sliding doors on one of them allow ingress of raw materials and what I presume is a conveyer belt behind a wooden door on the other is provided for the dispatch of finished presents.
A solitary elf armed with a paintbrush toils away at a workbench while Santa oversees the operation with the help of a computer on a shelf by the window. It's a delightful scene!
From inside the lack of roof doesn't look too bad, but from the other side it looks incomplete, particularly on the left-hand side.
The doors on the end of the barn slide open and a pair of handles inside, like those on the exterior, prevent them from being removed completely.
The conveyer belt, upon which there's a pair of roller skates, a video game controller, a gold statue and a yellow car, slides in and out through a hole in the wall. I'm not quite sure why, though, given they are normally fixed.
Santa and his helper are fairly common figures, but you can never have too many elves, right?
The instructions for both this and 40564 Winter Elves Scene suggest that they are designed to be butted up next to each other but to be honest it looks a bit odd. The only thing they have in common is the width of their bases.
Nevertheless, if you have the first one you'll probably want this one too. I just hope there's something you still need to buy at LEGO.com next month!
It'll be available during December until Christmas Eve at LEGO.com, free with orders over £150/$150/€150.
124 likes
60 comments on this article
That is yet another harsh price purchase barrier.
Why would they suggest joining these sets together when they have nothing to do with each other? Bit bizzare but don’t worry Lego I will still part with €150 to get it…
More ROOF please
Didn't buy anything over "sale" weekends. Really bad offerings from Lego all around.
Disappointing but not surprising. Won't be spending for this either.
Hmm... looks like it might go pretty well with the Santa's Workshop I already have (10245 and 3x 40106 ).
VIP points plus 2 GWPs amount to about a little over 20% off. Could be worse.
EDIT: I wonder if there's any word of a possible 2x VIP points in Dec like in years past?
Tbh I think they do work next to each other. From the workshop you go through the gate into the winter scene. It's logical at least.
But I mean Santa’s legs are dual moulded sooooo…
online only?
What's the pink toy on the conveyor belt?
The candle is in an odd place, sticking through the imaginary roof...
The elves scene goes together much better with the GWP from last year with the elf feeding the reindeer, but this is still a nice GWP to have!
@Duq said:
"What's the pink toy on the conveyor belt?
The candle is in an odd place, sticking through the imaginary roof..."
A game controller, https://brickset.com/parts/6332088 , a Friends piece until now.
More roof please.
That red elf isn’t even close to being ripe yet. Better send him back!
And the snowscape being outside the barn gives the elves someplace they can go to just hang out in their breezy short-shorts.
Not a huge fan of this one. It might have made more sense for the elf section to have been a workshop on the other half of the house.
Quite a delightful little set that goes nicely with the previous external scene. Although, rumour has it, not placing them next to each other is unlikely to result in a lengthy prison sentence.
The only quandary is whether to finally get the DeLorean, or a 2nd Camaro.
FYI, the last image links to the actual image file instead of enlarging the image in the pop-up
Not great, but also not bad. Will definitely need Double Points (at least) before I consider making an order to qualify for this.
If they had extended they one roof plate you could display it from an angle and get the illusion of a full building. It’s an easy thing to add, but annoying that it was omitted.
Needs a little terrain separation between the two, plus maybe add some mountain background, slightly for Santa's barn to bridge the gap between the two dioramas.
Be fun to mod it a bit for a nice Xmas display.
@Jlove31:
Better than Rudolph’s Shame and Cancelled Santa?
@Huw:
The controller originated in Ninjago from the VR storyline, hence the socket for an energy blade, allowing this to be used as a sword hilt.
I wonder if it would look better next to 40484
Honest question - What do you do with the GWP? If it's not a car/boat, I find that's it's just ending up as a bricks pile never to be touched again. Do you keep them? Sell them? Build and play?
Can see the value in offers like Eiffel's apartment as it can be a small side build to complement the main one, sitting next to it, but these are just random builds. The last great Christmas GWP was the Christmas tree, as it could play as a main plaza tree in a Lego City layout.
I've got a fever and the only prescription is more roof.
It looks fine. Free is always welcome. Do I have enough to get it...that's a different story. I think I will have to ponder on it a bit. I don't love the missing roof, but then again I would likely never build this so it doesn't mean much to me. Just keep it in the box and watch the price go up, then feel self conscious to ever open it and feel too weird selling it, so there it stays forevermore.
@CCC said:
" @elangab said:
"Can see the value in offers like Eiffel's apartment as it can be a small side build to complement the main one, sitting next to it, but these are just random builds. The last great Christmas GWP was the Christmas tree, as it could play as a main plaza tree in a Lego City layout."
A Christmas set GWP just before Christmas is hardly random."
The theme might be not, but the build is. They can try and tie it to that year's current main city/Winter Village theme or something (just an example).
Since the 6427894 Dragon Adventure Ride was available as a VIP reward* during the VIP weekend and 6427895 Pirate Adventure Ride was available as a VIP reward* during Black Friday weekend, could 6427896 Space Adventure Ride be made available in similar fashion from Dec 1st as well (increasing set numbers; ..4, ..5, ..6)?
Also, did I miss 6427893 Fantasy Adventure Ride (again, similar set number, but ends in ..3), or has it not been available on LEGO.com yet? Does anyone know?
(*= by spending 2400 VIP points)
Needs a squirrel!
'Santa's Roof' GWP next year when you spend £500 or more........?
I like this promo better than the elves promo. I didn't purchase during VIP or Black Friday, but I will be purchasing to get this set. I like it with last years 40484 and the previous Santa's workshop sets.
Not quite worth $150 imo
I agree that the 2 GWP of this year do not completely fix together, but they are nice and I want both. That's why I bought 10305 Lion Knights' Castle at the VIP Weekend and I did not buy more on Black Friday to wait for it... Waiting for December to get it!
I don't like how Lego's Santa holiday sets have computers and so forth in them. What's wrong with a traditional Santa, especially since as pointed out above, if he has all this modern technology, why would he need elves to hand paint the toys?
Also, Santa is supposed to be magical for kids, not Jeff Bezos in a red suit.
The set is okay but there's nothing special about it, and the faceprint for Santa makes him look very serious or even annoyed which is not what Santa usually is. (whether it be the traditional St Nicholas or 1930s Coca Cola 'jolly' Santa, he's still happy and kind).
I agree the two sets don't go together well at all. I wouldn't say they look terrible next to each other but it just doesn't look right.
EBay it is for this one I guess…I’ve purchased all I need this year.
I know the point of GWPs is to encourage consumers to buy more, but I do wish they sold them separately too as an option.
@chrisaw said:
"EBay it is for this one I guess…I’ve purchased all I need this year."
Don't forget Bricklink too ;)
@elangab said:
"Honest question - What do you do with the GWP? If it's not a car/boat, I find that's it's just ending up as a bricks pile never to be touched again. Do you keep them? Sell them? Build and play?
Can see the value in offers like Eiffel's apartment as it can be a small side build to complement the main one, sitting next to it, but these are just random builds. The last great Christmas GWP was the Christmas tree, as it could play as a main plaza tree in a Lego City layout."
I used to build all the Xmas ones with my kid to display around the house in December.
Then we save them to display each year after and build new ones as they come.
@HidesFromSun said:
" @chrisaw said:
"EBay it is for this one I guess…I’ve purchased all I need this year."
Don't forget Bricklink too ;)
"
Of course! It’s just easier, and cheaper sometimes for an Aussie to purchase off eBay rather than overseas from Bricklink - Aus sellers are usually far and few between.
@Huw said:
" @Duq said:
"What's the pink toy on the conveyor belt?
The candle is in an odd place, sticking through the imaginary roof..."
A game controller, https://brickset.com/parts/6332088 , a Friends piece until now."
Also used in Ninjago
@elangab said:
"Honest question - What do you do with the GWP? If it's not a car/boat, I find that's it's just ending up as a bricks pile never to be touched again. Do you keep them? Sell them? Build and play?
Can see the value in offers like Eiffel's apartment as it can be a small side build to complement the main one, sitting next to it, but these are just random builds. The last great Christmas GWP was the Christmas tree, as it could play as a main plaza tree in a Lego City layout."
Good point. If you are a collector of Xmas LEGO, as I am, they become part of your Xmas layout every year, along with the winter village, LEGO ornaments, etc etc.
Also agree that the best GWP ever was the Xmas tree. It stands alone as a decorative piece for the holidays.
@Brickchap said:
"Also, Santa is supposed to be magical for kids, not Jeff Bezos in a red suit."
There's a GWP idea: Bezo-Claus and the North Pole Fulfillment Center.
@BrickTeller:
Will he come with a whip, a cattle prod, and protesters petitioning to not let his sleigh land after he takes off?
Pity that they couldn't release 40489 this year instead of this!...
It looks like Santa has a new head print. Could you put an image of it without the beard in the way?
@Yergs said:
"Pity that they couldn't release 40489 this year instead of this!..."
Indeed. To me 40489 looks so much better than the current offering. Pity they didn't release it - for whatever ridiculous reason.
@Ridgeheart said:
" @ozbrickcreator said:
"It looks like Santa has a new head print. Could you put an image of it without the beard in the way?"
It appears to be https://brickset.com/parts/6350457/mini-head-no-3555 which is sort of new. It's also objectively terrifying, and it supports my theory that this Santa rules the North Pole with an iron fist in a soft, furry gauntlet."
Having just checked the inventory at the back of the instructions, yes, it is that one.
@Ridgeheart:
What’s so terrifying? He’s got a smile. The eyebrows are a little bushy on the outside ends, which might be what’s throwing you off, but they don’t really look like “angry eyebrows”.
@Ridgeheart:
https://www.aquariumofpacific.org/exhibits/shark_lagoon/
Every shark I’ve petted has been kind and gentle, like a sopping wet puppy dog covered in sandpaper. They do tell you not to stick your hands under their heads, so I guess don’t tickle Santa on his chin and you’ll be fine.
@gunther_schnitzel said:
"More roof please."
And GOAT :)
Can just picture the family dog walking by, sniffing and taking a curious lick, and thinking, "Hmm, needs more roof."
Looks to me to be the same Santa minifig as in 40499 Santa's Sleigh from last year.
I bet the missing roof section has something to do with the poor placement of that lit candle. Otherwise it's cute, but rather incomplete looking.
4 GWPs for a £200 spend... That'll do nicely!
I see 40565 does not have a GWP tag. Should a GWP tag be added?
@ToysFromTheAttic:
Or does the poor placement of the candle have something to do with the missing roof?
@sjr60 said:
"4 GWPs for a £200 spend... That'll do nicely!"
What are the 4 GWPs? I see only 3 in my basket.
@Yellow said:
"What are the 4 GWPs? I see only 3 in my basket."
Santa's Workshop, Winter Holiday Train, Fun and Funky Add-on Pack, Fleece Blanket.
(40512, 30584, 40565, 5007622)
@sjr60 said:
" @Yellow said:
"What are the 4 GWPs? I see only 3 in my basket."
Santa's Workshop, Winter Holiday Train, Fun and Funky Add-on Pack, Fleece Blanket.
(40512, 30584, 40565, 5007622)"
There was no sign of Fun and Funky polybag in my basket this time.
Not sure why LEGO has yet to figure out it's cheaper for AFOLs on a budget to buy the GWP for $20-25 on eBay than spend $150 to get it for "free." Maybe it's a concept that doesn't translate into Danish.
@MarsNeedsLEGO:
I’m pretty sure they understand the math involved. They make more money on direct sales than through retail partners, and GWPs like this are the only way they’re able to compete with big store chains that mark everything below MSRP. They also have had terrible problems with hot GWPs selling out in days or even hours, so a high spend slows things down where you have a decent chance of scoring a copy towards the end of the promo period.
They should have designed it to work with 2021's Santa's Front Yard 40484 on one side and this year's Winter Elves Scene 40564 on the other side
@Huw said:
" @Duq said:
"What's the pink toy on the conveyor belt?
The candle is in an odd place, sticking through the imaginary roof..."
A game controller, https://brickset.com/parts/6332088 , a Friends piece until now."
Actually, that piece appeared before (maybe not before Friends though) in the Prime Empire Ninjago subtheme, just not in that color.