It’s been over a year since the official LEGO Ideas vote revealed that Ray the Castaway by Daditwins would be a future gift with purchase. And now, at long last, we can get our hands on the final set (LEGO Ideas 40566: Ray the Castaway) from October 1st – 13th with qualifying purchases of US $120 | CAN TBD | UK £120 from LEGO stores or LEGO Shop Online. Clocking in at 239 pieces, is this GWP something everyone will need to pick up, or will it be “cast away” as inferior? Read on for my full review to find out.

The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with a copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

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The box and instructions

No surprises from the packaging with this GWP. It arrives in the standard black box with a green stripe along the bottom smattered with LEGO brick, as well as the printed age range, set number, and part count. I do appreciate the weathered paper title card in the upper right, identifying our unlucky soul in this set as Ray.

The back of the box sports a few inset images detailing the size of the finished model, again typical for sets like this. Those dimensions are 5.3″/13.5cm tall and 7.9″/20cm wide. It also shows a play feature of the set, if it can be called that: the SOS sign spelled out on the beach in snakes and a life preserver.

After cutting open the tape, the package contains five unnumbered bags and no sticker sheet. This already promises to be a very straightforward build.

Also included is a 64-page instruction booklet. Again, everything here is standard as for any set, except for the first two pages. Those are dedicated to a short write-up on the contest winners that make up Daditwins: David and Diego Escalona. From this little blurb, we find out that Ray intentionally chose to be stranded on this deserted island for his vacation. Tom Hanks never did that!

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Parts selection

There aren’t really any surprises with the parts selection here. No hidden gems (from what I can tell) with limited availability via other sets. And with the recent GWP of 40515 Pirates and Treasure VIP Add On Pack, even a lot of the island-specific parts feel humdrum. Here’s the notable parts for each side-by-side so you can make your own judgment.

This set does sport ten palm fronds in three shades of green, which is quite nice for a set of this size. It’s definitely the parts highlight of the set, especially if you can rustle up the missing pieces for a third palm.

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The build

The construction of Ray’s tiny home begins first with a raft. It’s a cute design, with studs available to let Ray stand on it securely. I like the color choices here, and the different shapes provided by round and textured bricks. The sail is a bit disappointing compared to the raft in the winning Ideas GWP, but I can understand that minifig legs may not have been feasible.

Next work on the island begins. With the exception of the leafy roof, construction here is standard with no real curve balls. In fact, for being designed by fans, the set sticks rigidly to LEGO’s playbook. The palms, the campfire, and the fishing rod all feel like they could’ve been in Creator sets of the past. And, when completed, there are no loose pieces, something I greatly enjoy in a finished build.

From the back, you can notice that there’s a treasure chest hidden below Ray’s hut. This isn’t listed anywhere as a play feature, though, as it’s quite difficult to remove and open. While it contains two rubies according to the instructions, I broke the set trying to fish it out of the finished model. It should also be said that in the original design, there was no treasure chest. Instead, we were treated to a 2×2 LEGO set box hidden beneath the ladder.

I’m still trying to make up my mind on the SOS written in the sand. I do think it’s a fun, creative addition to a set like this. But the snakes feel out of place for me. That said, I don’t have an alternative part that would’ve worked better.

Finally we should talk about that roof. This was the first time in a long while that I broke a set during construction while trying to get those clips attached to that central bar. I attribute this to the new, more open design of Ray’s hut compared to Daditwins’ submitted design.

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The minifigure

Boy, Ray could really use a shave after being on that island for so long. But his lack of a razor is our reward with the inclusion of the caveman beard in reddish brown. The face underneath is similarly scruffy, sporting a cheek abrasion on it’s right. While his face is only one-sided, his standard blue-and-white striped tank top has ink on both sides. And his dual-molded red shorts feel very much in keeping with the desert island motif. Nothing terribly special for the fig, but certainly a character worth including in a pirate-themed layout.

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Conclusions and recommendation

If you couldn’t tell from some of my comments in the build section above, I’ve tried to get excited about this set, but it’s just not happening. While I looked forward to the release of this GWP since the LEGO Ideas contest ended, I feel like all the aspects that made the contest winner stand out have been replaced in the final version. Decisions like expanding the size of Ray’s hut or adding a treasure chest with items inside seem to court the younger generation of LEGO builders, but that decision isn’t followed up with added play features or accessories that tell a story. Meanwhile, adult collectors are left with a non-unique minifigure, a lack of printed or interesting parts, and nothing about this set that feels collectable. You could say that this gift with purchase remains marooned between the two groups on an island by itself. If you’re still planning to make a purchase over the required amount, then this’ll just be a little deserted dessert after the main course. But don’t feel like you have to go out of your way to pick this one up.

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LEGO Ideas 40566: Ray the Castaway is available October 1st – 13th as a gift with qualifying purchases of US $120 | CAN TBD | UK £120 or more from LEGO stores or the LEGO Shop Online.

The LEGO Group sent The Brothers Brick an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

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