Before any entry into the matter, I would like to point out that this report on the progress of the LEGO Inside Tour 2015 is only my opinion and it is only my opinion on my experience. Each participant will probably have a different opinion on the subject and that's fine.

That being said, it is important to set the context for this "pilgrimage to the land of LEGO": This is not an invitation, those who wish to participate in the Lego inside tour pay their share and finance the costs out of their own pockets. And that changes everything. By paying the price requested by LEGO to have the right to participate in this "unique experience that allows us to discover the LEGO company from the inside", the participant becomes a client who pays for a service. And when I am a client, I am demanding above all that to have the right to participate in this Inside Tour, I had to organize myself to be in front of my computer on the day of the opening of registrations and hysterically reload the page to access the form before the Tour "Sold Out", which happened in less than five minutes this year.

Le Lego inside tour in figures, it looks like this: 14500 DKK (Around 2000 €) to be paid in order to be able to participate, 1450 VIP points credited to your account, 4 sessions are organized in 2015, 35 people per session, around 250 € in plane tickets, 2 and a half days of activities, presentation and various and varied visits and 4 very friendly permanent guides around the group.

You might as well tell you right away, if you have internet you have already been able to discover on Youtube most of the "secrets of LEGO" that we are promised to reveal to us: Visit of the factory (to see in video at this address), visit of the LEGO Idea House (see video at this address), Video on the birth of the brand (see video at this address).

In the € 2000 package, you pay for 3 hotel nights with breakfast included. The rooms at the LEGOland Hotel are nothing fancy but they are spacious and clean, and you have a direct view of the adjoining amusement park (Photo below). If you book in this season, these "Kids House Rooms"are billed at DKK 1510 (€ 202) per night.

As for meals, for the entire stay, dinner on the day of arrival and lunch the next day are not included. It's mean, but we make do with it. Regarding the quality of the food offered during the stay, it is correct and you have the choice (It is buffet at all meals). Concretely, you pay for 4 meals.

In the starter package you also buy an SSeason Pass for the LEGOland park worth 629 DKK (85 €). It is valid during the current year and even gives you the right to many advantages in addition to access to the park (see at this address).

During your stay, you have a few hours of freedom during which you can enjoy the park. This is not Disneyland, the attractions are mainly intended for very young children and the maintenance of Miniland, the space gathering the LEGO models, leaves something to be desired: The models are faded, some animations are broken down and the frequent bad weather does not exist. do not help matters.

In my group, the profiles were very different: Families with their children, adults who came alone or as a couple, a few AFOLs, sellers on Bricklink from Asia or tourists who had integrated this Inside Tour in their vacation program in Europe.

Useful precision, the program of Lego inside tour is based on a very precise schedule that must be followed to the letter. As in an organized tourist trip, the group travels by bus, supervised by its guides who speed up the pace if necessary, who confiscate your phones and cameras as soon as you enter a "sensitive" place, and who ask you to finish your lunch quickly because yet another presentation awaits you. As with FRAM, except that here you sign an NDA (Non Disclosure Agreement) which forbids you to talk about anything you have seen or heard. A bit useless, I did not see much that is not known to all ...

Speaking of presentations, you spend a lot of time sitting in a room watching videos and slides Powerpoint, listening to a guy in marketing talk to you about the success of LEGO, or another guy telling you about all the good LEGO is doing in Africa, etc ... The rare question-and-answer sessions are often interrupted because it must take the bus to go elsewhere.

I will come back in the second part to the different stages of the stay, explaining why they were, from my point of view, interesting, boring or superfluous. But I can already confirm that during the entire stay, the only real "unique" moment is meeting a dozen designers who take the time to discuss with you and who even if they obviously cannot answer all your questions for the reasons you imagine, are sufficiently available for the exchange to be interesting. These designers are not AFOLs, they are people with a wide variety of professional backgrounds who work at LEGO and design products for a large toy manufacturer. The nuance is important.

The frame is set, and theInside Tour can start. We are even promised to be able to meet Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, the CEO of the group ...

to be continued...

Once again, the element of surprise is no longer there. But fans of the Creator range and fans of City dioramas can finally discover the set 10247 Ferris Wheel from all angles.

The set consists of 2464 parts, it comes with 10 minifigs and it can be motorized with the Power Functions references 8883 (M-Motor) et 888000 (AAA Battery Box) for the modest sum of 22.89 €.

The public price is set at 179.99 € on the LEGO Shop. Availability: June 2015 (mid-May for VIPs).

Below is the official description of the set, followed by the photo gallery and video presentation by designer Jamie Berard.

10247 Ferris Wheel Ages 16+. 2464 pieces -  179.99€ Build the majestic Ferris wheel, the star of the fun fair! This wonderful LEGO® Creator Expert model has an iconic elegance that evokes nostalgia, romance and adventure. The funfair has arrived in town and the ice cream vendor is busy serving a long line of enthusiastic customers waiting to take their first ride on the Ferris wheel that towers over the party. Slowly turn the crank and watch the Ferris wheel slowly lower the colorful pods into position for boarding. Lift the boarding platform with a simple pull on the lever, open the gondola door and help the passengers to board! Have fun building this stylish model with authentic charm and magic that will capture your imagination. You can also motorize the Ferris wheel with the LEGO Power Functions 8883 Medium Motor and the 88000 AAA AAA Battery Box (not included). Includes 10 minifigures: attraction operator, ice cream vendor, 4 children and 4 adults. Includes 10 minifigures with assorted accessories: attraction operator, ice cream vendor, 4 children and 4 adults Features Ferris wheel wicket, ice cream stand, bench, and flower and tree elements Ferris wheel includes decorative elements, ramps, boarding platform and 12 colorful pods Accessory elements include pretzel, balloon, 2 ice cream cones and ice cream stick Includes 2464 LEGO® elements! Climb aboard the Ferris wheel! Crank the crank and watch the Ferris wheel spin Motorize the Ferris wheel with the LEGO® Power Functions 8883 Medium Motor and 88000 AAA Battery Box (not included) Ferris wheel measures over 60 '' (55cm) high, 38 '' (XNUMXcm) wide and XNUMX '' (XNUMXcm) deep

After the LEGO watches for children, here are the models for adults.

LEGO launches its collection, manufactured by ClickTime (Who already produces models for children and clocks based on minifigs), with many models for older children, boys and girls, keen to display their passion for the small brick on their wrist.

These watches are obviously made of plastic, with some models incorporating a steel or aluminum part, the straps and the dial covering are interchangeable and there will be something for all tastes and in all colors with the added bonus of logos galore, minifig heads, studs, more "serious" versions, etc ... Everything for the adult LEGO fan to find the model that suits him.

These watches will be produced in China, equipped with a Japanese-made quartz movement and mineral glass. They will be waterproof up to 50 or 100m depending on the model.

Availability scheduled for next November at prices ranging from $ 85 to $ 185.

Many photos of the different models are visible on my flickr gallery or Hoth Bricks facebook page.

Already have all the key chains, pens, magnets and other watches from the LEGO Star Wars merchandise line? Here are others announced for 2012 ....

On the menu, minifig-pens with retractable heads and watches a little less ugly than those already released in the past.

The new watches seem to have been the subject of an effort on the serigraphy of the dial which is a little less cartoonish than on the previous models. These new models should have an easier time attracting an adult clientele despite the classic bracelet a little too LEGO for my taste to be worn on a daily basis ...

As for the pens, we will have to wait to see more, but it seems that these are retractable models and that the body of the minifig acts as a stopper. Apparently a desk stand would also come with these pens.

I am an avid collector of LEGO Star Wars products, but I do not buy these merchandise for the simple reason that like magnets or key chains, the minifigure is hijacked and is no longer a full-fledged character benefiting from of all its features, but just a commercial argument to sell another product ....

I'll let you make up your own mind and if you have an opinion on the subject, feel free to post a comment ....

Another meeting on the occasion of Fan Media Days curated by LEGO: Mark Stafford, designer well known to adult fans, who worked on the set 75955 Hogwarts Great Hall and with whom I was able to discuss on this box but also on some other very interesting subjects of which I give you some extracts below.

Behind his involvement in the new LEGO Harry Potter range, there is a little more to explore with him than the why and how of such and such a part in such a box. Mark Stafford is indeed a regular at the so-called "recruitment" ranges, namely those universes which are responsible for attracting the youngest to the LEGO world.

He went through the Exo-Force (2009), Atlantis (2011), Alien Conquest (2011), Ninjago (2012-2013), Legends of Chima (2013-2015) and Nexo Knights (2016-2018) ranges. He also worked on the Jurassic World Fallen Kingdoms sets (2018) and the derivative line of the video game Overwatch (2019).

And the revival of the Harry Potter range is indeed a recruiting tool for young fans who have discovered books or films in recent years and who until now could not find any LEGO merchandise on the shelves of their favorite toy store.

Since it was a question of doing a little promotion for the novelties of the Harry Potter range, THE question around the set 75955 Hogwarts Express was obvious: Is the train compatible with LEGO rails and motors and why does the set not contain any?

Precisely, about sets 75954 Hogwarts Great Hall et 75953 Hogwarts Whomping Willow which can be combined and the possibility of obtaining future extensions for an even more consistent playset:

Off topic or almost, about the chestnut tree that are the possible returns of the Classic Space and Classic Castle ranges and the difference in perception of these universes according to the generations. Mark Stafford is a designer who has often been criticized for his involvement in various themes (Alien Conquest or Nexo Knights for example) which according to a fringe of fans only occupy the place that the Classic Space or the Classic Castle should find in the catalog. Lego:

Again, you probably won't have learned much here, but what Mark Stafford says is the usual LEGO leitmotif: Developing products for children. An important reminder at a time when many adult fans were sometimes convinced to be the exclusive target of the toy manufacturer ...