There are LEGO Ideas product ideas that have made it to 10,000 votes and haven’t been rejected – but haven’t been approved either. They’re in the Parking Lot. What are these ‘maybe’ LEGO sets that may or may not come out?
LEGO Ideas has announced two upcoming sets – Godzilla and Tintin Space Rocket. These classic stories have inspired very different models, with Tintin focusing on a rocket from Destination Moon and the giant lizard recreated as a figure that’s ready to destroy any LEGO city. But alongside these successful submissions, another two potential sets have been placed in the new LEGO Ideas Parking Lot.
This is a new concept that was announced in March and it is the first time it is being used. So what is the Parking Lot and what will happen to the models placed inside?
The Parking Lot is a space where submissions that make it through to the final review round can be placed by the LEGO Group for further internal discussion. This could be due to multiple reasons and it gives the company the opportunity to explore a potential set rather than turning down the submission entirely. There have been submissions in the past which have gone through multiple rounds of rejections on the platform, only to then eventually be approved. Rather than having the potential set go through this long-winded process, it can now be placed in the Parking Lot instead.
So why might a submission not be immediately approved? The two product ideas placed in the Parking Lot are illustrative.
Downton Abbey, by fan designer BRO3, is a set based on the highly successful period drama that aired on ITV for six seasons and has inspired several movie spin-offs. But the actual location where filming occured is Highclere Castle. Both the television series and the castle itself are under copyright, so it’s likely that this is a licensing issue. Placing it in the Parking Lot gives the LEGO Group more time to have discussions with two separate parties to see if they can come to agreements regarding licensing.
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The other potential set is Camping Trip by a LEGO fan who goes under the username terauma. It’s a quaint forest scene with a cosy looking tent and even a 4×4 truck for exploring the wilderness. At first glance it appears no more challenging than a set like LEGO Ideas 21338 A-Frame Cabin, so this could be down to the designers checking the legality of the techniques used for the base or the fact that the pieces for the tent are no longer in circulation within current sets.
One of the other major reasons to have the Parking Lot could also be due to the success rate of the Ideas review rounds. LEGO Ideas stated, “We’ll keep a limited number of product ideas in the Parking Lot at any time and always make a final decision within a maximum of three review periods in total.” It sounds like the Parking Lot could provide potential sets when an Ideas review has no successful submissions. Although that is a rare occurence, it does happen on occasion, so the submissions in the Parking Lot can act as a backup to guarantee future products.
The designers behind 21357 Disney Pixar Luxo Jnr. recently discussed their process, as did the creatives who crafted 21358 Minifigure Vending Machine. You cna currently enter a contest to have your build displayed in LEGO House.
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