Celebrating the 90th anniversary of Mickey Mouse is a brand new set in the LEGO Ideas line: Steamboat Willie! Available April 1, this set is based on a concept from the LEGO Ideas crowdsourcing platform. If ideas submitted there get enough support, LEGO considers them for official development, and it’s pretty obvious why this one made the cut.
At 751 pieces and designed for those 10 and up, this monochromatic set will transport you back to the 1928 screen debut of the Disney animated short “Steamboat Willie,” which was the first Disney film to have synchronized sound. The film will be in the public domain in 2024, so you don’t have to wait too long to see it whenever you like.
This LEGO version of the S.S. Willie has steam pipes that move up and down and paddle wheels that rotate when the boat is pushed along. It has a boat bridge, ship’s wheel, life buoy, and buildable bell. It includes a potato bin cargo, Minnie’s guitar and music sheet, adjustable crane, and a parrot. It also contains brand new minifigures of Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. You can recreate scenes from the original cartoon, or make up your own stories with your kids.
The set comes with a booklet that includes fun facts about the animated short and info about this set’s fan creator and LEGO designers. Finished, it measures 5″ high x 10″ long x 5″ wide.
The LEGO Ideas Steamboat Willie set will retail for $89.99 on the LEGO website, which doesn’t quite make the 10 cents per piece rule, but this is an iconic piece of history (well, 751 pieces of history) that will stand out, in all its monochrome glory, among your other LEGO sets.
I know this set will be on my wish list this year.
