Is the LEGO Disney Castle (71040) a Good Investment Set?

17th August 2022

By the end of 2022, we’ll see a large number of Disney sets leave LEGO shelves. The biggest of these by far is the iconic Disney Castle, which depicts Cinderella’s fairy tale home. Time is therefore fast running out to add this set to your collection, either to build or to keep as an investment. If you are looking to this set as a means to turn a profit in the years to come, this article will help you decide whether to fork out or not.

The set

When the Disney Castle was first revealed back in 2016, it was met with warm applause and proved difficult to get hold off in the first months following its release. The set’s popularity was evident, which is not surprising given its an impressively proportioned recreation of an iconic building. With its 4,080-piece count, it was one of the largest sets LEGO had produced when it went on sale. Although a number of colossal sets have followed since, it’s still high on the biggest ever list.

The castle reaches a height of 74cm and every centimetre is packed with architectural detail. The building techniques that are used to create this are pleasingly varied, which makes for an enjoyable building experience. LEGO have also made good use of their colour palette to produce a model which closely matches the castle found at Disney World, albeit that the real-world version has more of a pink tinge. We suspect that LEGO opted for the light-yellow shade to deliver a unisex appeal. However, aside from this, the set is a very faithful recreation of the renowned landmark.

The interior also offers up plenty of visual interest and appeal. There is clever use of parts to create ornate features, such as the chandelier and floor tiling. The different floors and rooms of the castle include references to Disney’s early animations, as well as some more recent cinematic releases, which will please both younger and older fans. Our only criticism is that it would have been nice to have had a fully enclosed castle which you could fold out, rather than leaving the inside permanently exposed, especially considering the set's hefty price tag of £309.99 / $349.99 / €349.99.

The Minifigures

The quality and rarity of a set's minifigures can be a big factor determining its value post retirement. The Disney Castle officially includes seven, all of which are exclusive to the set except Donald Duck, who appears in two others. However, two of these are knight statues, which while technically are classed as minifigures, it's debatable whether they should be included in the total. In reality then, you get four unique minifigures of Disney characters.

The minifigure selection is therefore miserly for a set of this size, but what you do get is of a high standard and includes the big names in the Disney world. Of them all, Tinkerbell is going to be the most collectible as this is the first time she has appeared in minifigure form. I particularly like her wings and translucent green wand accessory. There are multiple versions of Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy already, so this isn’t a set we see as collectible based on the minifigures alone.

Unique Parts

For a set with such a large piece count, it would be a surprise if there were no unique pieces. However, at the time of writing there were only three, but there are quite a few more that are only found in a handful of sets or less, so the inventory may appeal to some MOC builders.

Looking to the future

The popularity of a franchise on which a set is based can be a key factor determining its future price. If you plan to hold on to a set for a long time, it’s also worth considering how this popularity will change in the medium to long term. Many of the Disney animations referenced in this set are classics that are watched by generation after generation, and we don’t see this changing any time soon. The Disney Castle itself is recognised the world over and is synonymous with the company due to its inclusion in their logo. It’s the visual definition of a fairy tale and its notability is expected to prevail for many years to come, meaning it will appeal to both current and future collectors. It’s also unlikely LEGO will produce another Disney Castle anytime soon, so this set may be people’s only chance to have one in their collection.

Conclusion

Investment opportunity: GOOD

For a Disney fan, of which there are many, this set is a must have as it’s a celebration of the company’s classic creations. The build is of a very high quality and looks fantastic on display, whilst also offering great playability. While the minifigure selection could have been better, it doesn’t detract hugely from what is a fantastic set.

The Disney Castle has been on sale since 2016, which is an age in LEGO terms, as the average is somewhere around two years. When it does retire its shelf life will be one of the longest on record. Normally this would be a red flag in terms of a set's investment potential, as it means more copies of the set will be sold, thus reducing its rarity. However, there are sets that were around for longer, which now sell for far more than their original RRP. Examples include the Volkswagen T1 Camper Van (10220) and UCS Death Star (10188), who were around for over nine and seven years respectively.

The Disney theme is usually one of the worst performing in terms of value increase following retirement, but most sets under this theme are aimed towards children. The Disney Castle however is marketed at the adult market, which will help its price, as the older generation tend to be the collectors with the biggest pockets. The Disney branding hasn’t stopped the Disney Train and Station (71044), another large-scale set aimed at an adult audience, to now sell more than its RRP.

Overall, we think this is a solid investment set. A shorter shelf life would have made it a stronger bet, but we still expect it to appreciate in value over the next few years and beyond.

Disclaimer: This article or any others on brickranker.com should not be considered financial advice and investing in LEGO is risky.

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