Jay's Brick Blog

A blog about LEGO bricks

  • Home
  • About Me
  • LEGO Reviews
  • News
  • 2023 LEGO Sets
  • Star Wars Day 2023

Review: LEGO 40563 Tribute to the LEGO House GWP

November 16, 2022 By Jay Ong 7 Comments

Shortly after the official reveal of 40563 Tribute to LEGO House, I’m very excited to be able to share my review of the upcoming LEGO gift with purchase, that will be part of LEGO’s VIP Weekend 2022, a precursor to the Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend.

40563 Tribute to LEGO House is a charming ode to The LEGO House, known as the Home of the Brick, a sort of interactive play museum that’s dedicated to LEGO, located in the heart of Billund, Denmark.

40563 Tribute to LEGO House Redemption Details

40563 Tribute to LEGO House will be a gift with purchase (GWP) and will be available from LEGO.com when you spend US$250 / AU$309 / €250 / £250. LEGO VIPs will get exclusive access to the GWP from 19-20 November, before a wider release from 25-28 November 2022.

It’s a really high purchase threshold, which is going to annoy a lot of people BUT.. as you’ll find out in my review, it’s a really good gift with purchase, especially if you’ve visited The LEGO House.

Special thanks to LEGO for sending this set for this review!

40563 Tribute to the LEGO House

Name: Tribute to the LEGO House
Set Number: 40563
Pieces: 583
Price: N/A
Exclusive to: LEGO.com / LEGO Stores
Theme: Gift with Purchase
LEGO Designers: TBD
Release Date: 19-20 November 2022
Purchase Threshold: US$250 / €250/ £250 / AU$309

The LEGO House is famous for its massive brick-built models, as well as being the “home of the brick”. Outside of being a literal “play temple” of LEGO, it’s also known for the exclusive sets that you can only purchase at the LEGO Store, at the LEGO House, which are in itself based on things that you see/experience at The LEGO House.

40563 Tribute to the LEGO House is a micro-homage to The LEGO House, and is a really great celebration of all the above, as well as a cute mini version of all the previous LEGO House exclusive sets.

The piece count is quite high for a GWP at 583 pieces, but keep in mind that many of these are quite small, but they do add up, and you do get quite a significant bunch of stuff, and at its core, it’s a clever way to get your hands on some LEGO House builds without having to actually visit Billund.

Here’s a look at some other angles of the box, which has a similar design to LEGO House exclusives.

The instructions manual has some really nice photos and descriptions of each micro model, which is helpful if you’ve never visited.

The first model you put together is this lovely mini version of The LEGO House. It really feels like a LEGO Architecture set, and while the build is simple, I love the spectrum of colours for the roof and different zones of The LEGO House, which actually does look like that from above as it’s meant to literally look like it was built out of LEGO bricks.

Despite the simplistic nature of the build, there are some really clever techniques used, such as offset bricks, and having visited The LEGO House, I love very specific angles that are captured really well in this scale, such as the blue steps which you can climb and hang out on.

Another really nice bonus is that the set has no stickers, so all the name tiles are printed which is a welcome touch.

Next up, you build the Tree of Creativity, which is a major fixture within The LEGO House, and is a lovely micro model, perhaps one of my favourites out of the 5.

The Tree of Creativity occupies the central core of The LEGO House, and when you’re there, you climb up the stairs to get to the Masterpiece Gallery, and when I was there, I was astounded at the sheer size of it. It’s literally a tree-sized LEGO model.

On each branch and clump of leaves are LEGO Dioramas, featuring specific themes grouped together, and as you’re at different levels, you can properly enjoy and see what sets are on each leaf.

Here’s a look at the printed tile, which looks great nestled amongst green blossoms.

Here’s a look at the Tree from the back, where there is a little house and office/apartment building, as well as a yellow crane above it.

The crane is to signify that the Tree of Creativity is under construction, and they’re always adding to it.

A really nice touch, for fans of vintage LEGO Castle is this tiny Yellow Castle on one of the branches!

And yes, there is an actual Yellow Castle on the tree, alongside some dragons!

Here’s a look at the 3 Dinosaurs that occupy the Masterpiece Gallery, which you get to after you ascend the stairs around the Tree of Creativity. They each have white pedestals that can be swivelled, and are placed on a long base.

The three dinosaurs are each made of Duplo (red), LEGO (green), and Technic (yellow), representing the 3 major themes that make up the LEGO system of play.

Here’s a look at the printed tile.

The Dinosaurs are pretty fun representations, which I appreciate isn’t the easiest to capture at this scale, and I love the clip hands and the way their heads are constructed.

You can of course, adjust the orientation, which is ideal as the Dinosaurs all face in different directions in the gallery.

I’ve seen photos of the Dinosaurs at The LEGO House plenty of times, but visiting them in person and realising just how they tower over you, and all the intricate and fun details built into them (they’re screaming because they’re stepping on bricks!) was quite the experience, and building these 3 micro models did bring back some fond memories of being there.

Next of course is the iconic Wooden Duck, which is modelled after 40501 The Wooden Duck, one of the very first non-limited LEGO House Exclusives, which you can find at the LEGO Store there.

The vibrant colours are captured really nicely here, and I really like the silhouette as well as the wheels.

Here’s the Duck looks like from the side, and a better look at its beak, which unfortunately doesn’t open and close when pulling it!

A ring on a string is built, and it does have working wheels, so you can pull it along just like the original.

And here’s a look at the printed Tile, as well as the underside, which has 2 grooves to fasten it in place.

Of course, getting to see an actual Wooden Duck in the History section, which is an awesome museum dedicated to The LEGO Group’s history was the highlight of my visit there. It’s so surreal and powerful seeing the humble Wooden Duck in the flesh.

And last but not least is the Brick Moulding Machine, a big lime green machine that sits in the foyer of The LEGO House, just outside The LEGO Store.

Some people head to it first, and some people end their journeys there, but I have to say that it’s a darn good micro model of the machine there.

The Brick Moulding Machine was the 2nd numbered LEGO House Exclusive (after The Wooden Duck which was #1), and I have to say that after visiting The LEGO House I finally get it.

The model might seem boring, as it’s quite a garish lime green industrial machine, but I love that the designer included some really specific callouts here, such as the bucket, and crate in the corner.

And those red tiles are actually meant to represent LEGO bricks being birthed by the machine.

Here’s a look at the Brick Moulding Machine at The LEGO House, and yes, it’s constantly running, creating 2×4 red bricks that get packaged into polybags, all live and in front of you.

And yes, there’s a bucket and a section where you can collect the polybags with bricks, which is a really cool souvenir that you can take home.

I love that they included the bucket. It’s one of those really obscure and specific details that really only makes sense if you’ve been to The LEGO House, or look at photos and realise that there’s an actual bucket there.

What I liked:

  • Love that this is a selection of micro models
  • A wonderful tribute to the LEGO House’s most recognisable experiences
  • Really fun and varied build, especially as you’re building 5 mini dioramas
  • Great to display with the full-sized LEGO House exclusive sets

What I didn’t like: 

  • The GWP threshold is outrageously high
  • No LEGO House minifigure
FINAL THOUGHTS:

The LEGO House is a wonderful, heartfelt and larger than life experience that most LEGO fans should strive to aim for and visit once in their lives.

Having finally visited in September this year, I totally understand the appeal of the LEGO House exclusive sets, and why these 5 micro models were selected as they represent the typical journey through The LEGO House, and are some of the most memorable experiences.

The builds are fun, and having 5 models to build, even if you’re building with really small elements, it did feel like a substantial build, especially considering that this is a gift with purchase.

For LEGO fans that can’t or have not had a chance to make the journey to Billund, this seems like a more than-decent consolation if you’ve missed out on the LEGO House exclusive sets.

Unfortunately, all the good vibes and positive associations do kind of evaporate when you factor in the GWP purchase threshold. It being priced at US$250 / AU$309 / £250 significantly curtails the ability for most LEGO fans to get to experience this set, which is a shame because 2022 is the 5th Birthday of The LEGO House.

I cannot imagine why the purchase threshold is so high – actually I can because LEGO do want to incentivise purchases during the Black Friday/Cyber Monday period, but did they really have to go that high? This means that you’ll need to shell out for a BIG set, and with so many big disappointing sets like 76210 Hulkbuster, there’s a severe lack of huge sets that will qualify for this threshold.

On the plus side, if you were planning on getting the newly announced 10307 Eiffel Tower, it most certainly will get you over the line. That and if you’ve been eyeing a really big purchase to treat yourself (or your kids for Christmas), you could get over the threshold.

Unfortunately, the stupendously high purchase threshold does leave a very sour taste on what should be a celebration and tribute to The LEGO House.

Rating and score: 3/5 ★★★✰✰

Build [3] – Fun and varied, especially if you enjoy micro-scale models.
Real Value [1] – It’s a decent GWP but the high purchase threshold makes this feel like exceptionally poor value
Innovation [3] – Not a lot of innovative techniques or builds, but I like the idea of bundling these micro models together, and the concept of the set
Coolness [4] – If you’ve visited The LEGO House, this set will certainly resonate more with you
Keepability [4] – A great souvenir, and memento of The LEGO House. Or a reminder to visit


40563 Tribute to LEGO House will be a gift with purchase (GWP) and will be available from LEGO.com when you spend US$250 / AU$309 / €250 / £250. LEGO VIPs will get exclusive access to the GWP from 19-20 November, before a wider release from 25-28 November 2022.

Special thanks to LEGO for sending this set over for an early review!

What do you think of Tribute to the LEGO House and the incredibly high redemption threshold?

To get the latest LEGO news and LEGO Reviews straight in your inbox, subscribe via email, or you can also follow on Google News, or socials on Facebook, Instagram (@jayong28), Twitter or subscribe to the Jay’s Brick Blog Youtube channel.

Subscribe to receive updates on new posts & reviews!

Filed Under: Gift with Purchase, LEGO Reviews Tagged With: 40563, 40563 tribute to the lego house, billund, black friday, black friday 2022, d2c, gift with purchase, gwp, lego house, lego review, microscale, review, vip weekend, vip weekend 2022

« LEGO 10307 Eiffel Tower officially revealed. The tallest LEGO set yet!
Buying Guide: LEGO’s pre-Black Friday VIP Weekend 2022 deals and gift with purchases »

Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  1. Stephen says

    November 17, 2022 at 1:02 AM

    It looks like a great GWP but as everyone has mentioned already, the threshold is very high at $309.
    I’m not sure I’ll be able to get it as I’ve already spent my Lego budget (and some more, lol) this year.

    Are you able to display all the builds or do they need to be disassembled to build each one individually?

    Reply
    • Jay says

      November 23, 2022 at 11:10 AM

      You can display all of them individually, so it’s pretty decent value.

      Reply
  2. Andrew Gardiner says

    November 16, 2022 at 3:11 PM

    You can reuse the Lego House tile to make your own Architecture model. The rest of the pieces are easily sourced. This is what I did a couple of years ago but I paid a premium to get a custom name tile.
    Most of us won’t ever get to Billund to buy any of the original sets without a huge markup so this looks good even if the threshold is very high.

    Reply
  3. Reader says

    November 16, 2022 at 9:58 AM

    If I’m reading Lego’s site correctly… If you were to spend >$309, you get two GWP Lego sets plus a baking tin and double points. The doubled points would qualify you for a $30 discount code. Ideally it could be cheaper, but as package deal, it’s quite enticing.

    For 100 points, you can get $45 off the Atari 2600 set ($370 – 45 = $325) which still qualifies you for everything. There some other sets getting VIP discounts that would still meet the threshold.

    Thanks Jay for the review and information!

    Reply
  4. CS says

    November 16, 2022 at 6:48 AM

    Hi Jay, perhaps Lego heard the feedback as the AUD qualifying threshold for the tribute set is $309 so still high but at least not $400.

    Reply
    • Jay says

      November 16, 2022 at 9:50 AM

      Ah thanks for pointing that out, the information I was supplied was incorrect and I’ve fixed that up now!

      Reply
  5. StarBoy says

    November 16, 2022 at 4:57 AM

    The VIP email I received says the purchase threshold is $309AU, which is still painful but a bit more bearable than $400.

    This one looks amazing, but what bothers me is I’ve already used up my budget for big purchases for the year… gonna have to figure something out.

    Reply

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to Jay's Brick Blog. In here, you'll find independent LEGO set reviews, commentary on LEGO trends & news, bargain hunting tips and an inside look into the life of an average LEGO fan. Find out more about me here

Subscribe for updates

Enter your email address here to receive updates about new posts from Jay's Brick Blog - straight to your inbox!

Join 4,724 other subscribers

Site Search

Buy LEGO

Buy LEGO

jayong28

Jay Ong | Jay's Brick Blog
To celebrate the release of @lego Ninjago Dragons To celebrate the release of @lego Ninjago Dragons Rising sets and animated series, here's a look at the exclusive Build-a-Minifigure selection that will be rolling out from 1 June 2023 onwards!

Ninjago fans can look forward to an exclusive Sora and Arin, as well as Core Lloyd, Kai and Nya for a really cost-effective way to get your hands on these minifigs!

There's also a female football player which ties in with Icons of Play.

Special thanks to @hanobrix for sharing these photos!

Hit the link in bio to see and read more on the blog!

#lego #LEGOminifigures #Dragonsrising #LEGONinjago #ninjago #legoleaks #legos #minifigures #minifigs #buildaminifigure #legostore #afol
Here's an official look at the newly announced 762 Here's an official look at the newly announced 76262 Captain America's Shield, coming 1 September 2023! 

It joins the other collection of large Marvel things like Mjolnir, Black Panther Bust, Nano/Infinity Gauntlet and Iron Man helmet.

Unfortunately, the lack of utility with this means that it's mostly a display piece, albeit a very large one.

Looking at the back of the shield, and having gotten an opportunity to see this set a few months ago, it's really not recommended to carry it.

And it also looks like you can't hang it up, so it's meant to just sit in it's stand.

But... It's big, I guess? 🤷‍♂️

Hit the link in bio to see more!

#lego #legonews #lego2023 #legomarvel #captainamerica #mcu #marvel #legoleaks #legos #afol #rlfm #reveal #76262
Happy 1st of June @lego Release Day for all those Happy 1st of June @lego Release Day for all those who celebrate!

Picked up the Disney Villains Icons set and will wait for 2x VIP for the Batcave!

What are you picking up today?

#lego #disney100 #legodisney #rlfm
Sneak peek at some new @lego sets releasing in Aug Sneak peek at some new @lego sets releasing in August, September and October onwards via the Second Half of 2023 Catalogue!

First looks at the Microscale Hogwarts Castle, Captain America Shield, Yavin 4 Rebel Base, 2023 Advent Calendars and more!

Hit the link in bio to see more!

#lego #legonews #legos #legoleaks #afol #minifigures #legotechnic #harrypotter #legoharrypotter #legostarwars #starwars
🙀🦈 Your next LEGO Ideas sets will be Jaws an 🙀🦈 Your next LEGO Ideas sets will be Jaws and Cat!

Yes, an actual buildable LEGO Cat! I love how out of left-field the Cat pick is and I'm feline really good about this one!

Hit the link in bio to learn more!

Are you excited for either of these picks? Let me know what you think! 

#lego #legoideas #legonews #afol #jaws #cat #cats #legoleaks #rlfm #reveal #legos
LEGO have officially unveiled 40634 Icons of Play, LEGO have officially unveiled 40634 Icons of Play, as part of their new #PlayUnstoppable campaign!

Here's a closer look at the minifigures in the set, and how they stack up against their real-life counterparts! 

The set celebrates these Icons of women's football, @samanthakerr20, @mrapinoe, @yuki_nagasato and @asisat_oshoala, and is set to be released on 6 June 2023!

Hit the link in bio to see more! 

For those in Melbourne, there will be a special event at Marvel Stadium on Friday, 14 July for the @matildas send off match!

There'll be a Sports Field Zone as well as a life-sized Sam Kerr minifigure build on show, along other immersive experiences!

#lego #lego2023 #matildas #legoicons #afol #legoleaks #legonews #rlfm #womensworldcup #womensfootball #samkerr #minifigures #minifigs #LEGOminifigures
Here's my review of 41757 Botanical Garden, hands Here's my review of 41757 Botanical Garden, hands down one of THE best sets of 2023 and a gleaming beacon of just how far the LEGO Friends theme has matured. 

When you see the LEGO Friends Botanical Garden, it quickly becomes apparent that LEGO have something special on their hands with a design that's simply beautiful.

Hit the link in bio to read my full review!

It's truly a mark of a mature theme, that LEGO could debut a tasteful design like this into LEGO Friends, but crafted in such a way that it will also have broad appeal to City builders, or even fans who want a stunning architectural masterpiece to display their minifigures or minidolls in.

With so many amazing designs and sets being produced by Billund, 41757 Botanical Garden deservedly takes it's place as one of the best LEGO sets of 2023 and I can heartily recommend this set to everyone, and I have a gut feeling that this will be one of the best-selling LEGO Friends set of the year.

#lego #legofriends #lego2023 #legonews #legoreview #heartlakecity #legos #legoleaks #afol #rlfm #reviews #41757
Who you gonna call?? Loved this LEGO Ghostbusters Who you gonna call??

Loved this LEGO Ghostbusters MOC on display at @brickbuiltsydney!

#lego #ghostbusters #moc #legomoc #legoghostbusters #brickbuiltsydney2023 #afol
Brilliant LEGO Jurassic Park MOC - Frenzied Isla N Brilliant LEGO Jurassic Park MOC - Frenzied Isla Nublar by Eric Wanigasekara on display at @brickbuiltsydney!

Can you believe that the builder is only 13? Immensely talented stuff, and so many fun details too!

#lego #legojurassicworld #jurassicpark #jurassicworld #legodinosaurs #dinosaurs #moc #legomoc #brickbuiltsydney2023 #minifigures #minifigs #afol
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Follow on Facebook

Jay's Brick Blog

15 hours ago

Jay's Brick Blog
Two Winter-themed LEGO Friends sets have been revealed, which can also conveniently be used to expand your LEGO Winter Village! ... See MoreSee Less

These Winter-themed LEGO Friends sets can also be great additions to your Winter Village - Jay's Brick Blog

jaysbrickblog.com

LEGO.com have revealed two Winter-themed LEGO Friends sets that will be coming in September 2023 that continue to expand the rebooted and world of Heartlake City. Approaching the winter months, these ...
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Jay's Brick Blog

1 day ago

Jay's Brick Blog
I'm on the London Calling Stream! Come say hi! ... See MoreSee Less

LONDON CALLING 174 FRIDAY LEGO LIVE STREAM WITH FRIENDS

www.youtube.com

Hi everyone and welcome to number 174 of the LONDON CALLING stream, where I will be joined by friends from all over the world for lots of interaction with y...

Video

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Jay's Brick Blog

1 day ago

Jay's Brick Blog
Here's a look at 7 new LEGO Build-a-Minifigure (BAM) exclusives that should start appearing in BAM stations around the world from 1 June 2023 onwards!To commemorate the release of Ninjago Dragons Rising (and the new sets), 6 Ninjago characters will be available to build, with 2 exclusive characters (Arin and Sora), from the new series! There's also a female football player, which coincides with Icons of Play! ... See MoreSee Less

2023 LEGO Ninjago Build-a-Minifigure (BAM) selections revealed! - Jay's Brick Blog

jaysbrickblog.com

Detailed look at the exclusive LEGO Ninjago Build-a-Minifigure (BAM) characters, which introduce 6 Ninjago minifigs & 1 female football player
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Recent Posts

  • These Winter-themed LEGO Friends sets can also be great additions to your Winter Village
  • 2023 LEGO Ninjago Build-a-Minifigure (BAM) selections revealed!
  • Summer 2023 LEGO Star Wars sets revealed, including Yavin 4 Rebel Base
  • LEGO reveals a 3128-piece Captain America’s Shield! (76262)
  • LEGO 76419 Hogwarts Castle and Grounds is a feature-packed compact model inspired by LEGO Architecture
  • LEGO 2K Drive City sets revealed!
  • New LEGO Summer 2023 catalogue (2HY) offers sneak peek of new sets!

LEGO Reviews

Review: LEGO 10273 Haunted House (2020)

Review: LEGO Toy Story Brickheadz (40553, 40552)

Review: Lego Iron Patriot Minifig

Review: Legoland Malaysia Water Park

Review: LEGO 76039 – Ant-Man Final Battle

Review: LEGO Elves 41074 Azari and the Magical Bakery

Review: LEGO 75945 Expecto Patronum

Categories

Archives

Jay

Jay is passionate about LEGO and the endless creative adventures made possible by this complex interlocking brick system.
Learn more →

Popular Posts

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 · WordPress · Log in We may earn a commission when you use one of our offers/links to make a purchase.