19. Carousel – 2,664 pieces
Ready for a jolly holiday at the amusement park? Then the LEGO Carousel set, part of the Creator series, is your ticket to happiness. This gorgeous setup includes an entire carousel that spins on a base and a ticket booth where your minifigures can purchase ticket tiles. The 7 minifigures – a ride operator and ticket man, and a family of six – can choose from four different animals to ride one: an elephant, a tiger, a flamingo or a frog. Not only does the carousel spin, but the animals move up and down as they go around. Even if they didn’t move, however, the colors and details on this set make it the perfect display piece. The LEGO company pulled out all the stops and thought of everything, from the intricate design of the exterior facade to the tiny hot dogs some of the minifigures are holding in the product photo. I especially love the carousel’s gold roof and the blue accents on its top and bottom.
Currently, The Carousel is only available for members of LEGO’s VIP club for $199.99. But it will soon become available to the general public on the official LEGO online store. The price is steep, but I do like the fact that The Carousel is not inspired by any particular franchise. It’s just a normal, but still beautiful set, easy to make up unique stories for or just collect for its own aesthetic appeal.