New Lego Disney Castle may be expensive, but good lord it's pretty

 A woman puts the finishing touches to the Lego Disney Castle
A woman puts the finishing touches to the Lego Disney Castle

A new Lego Disney Castle based on the Walt Disney World icon has been officially unveiled, and it's due to arrive this July.

Weighing in at more than 4,000 pieces and packing even more minifigures, this updated version of the Lego Disney Castle will launch on July 4. However, members of Lego's free VIP program (which works sort of like a rewards scheme) will be able to snag the Disney World-inspired build as of July 1. Incidentally, that's the same launch date as the Lego Hocus Pocus set.

In terms of cost, this one lives in the same ballpark as the previous Lego Disney Castle; it'll set you back $399.99 via the Lego store or £344.99 in the UK.

After it was announced that the previous version was being retired, and following a tease from the company early this year that plenty of new Disney kits would be on the way to celebrate the House of Mouse's 100th anniversary, many of us wondered if an updated Lego Disney Castle was coming. Turns out it is - and it's not far away. You can find out more below, and we'll keep you updated as to whether it ranks on our list of the best Lego sets when and if we're able to go hands-on with the kit.

Lego Disney Castle

Image 1 of 5

Lego Disney Castle on a plain background
Lego Disney Castle on a plain background

Image 2 of 5

Lego Disney Castle on a plain background
Lego Disney Castle on a plain background

Image 3 of 5

Lego Disney Castle on a plain background
Lego Disney Castle on a plain background

Image 4 of 5

Lego Disney Castle box on a plain background
Lego Disney Castle box on a plain background

Image 5 of 5

Lego Disney Castle box back on a plain background
Lego Disney Castle box back on a plain background

Because it's replacing the old version following its retirement last year (which you can see here), the new Lego Disney Castle is broadly similar… but adds plenty of new touches to refresh the model. Most notably, the turret color-scheme has been changed from white to pastel pink with gold accents. That's because the Walt Disney World Cinderella castle it's based on did the same thing a couple of years ago in honor of the park's 50th anniversary, swapping out those paler tones for a warmer pink.

This new edition also trades in minifigures of Mickey and co for some of the park's most commonly-seen Princesses, along with their respective partners: you're getting teeny versions of Cinderella, Prince Charming, Snow White, Prince Florian, Princess Tiana, Prince Naveen, Rapunzel, and Flynn Ryder.

The castle's not just a facade, though. Flip the model around and you'll find lots of interior rooms. These are full of nods to other Disney characters from Beauty and the Beast to Mulan, so it's probably one of the more ambitious Disney gifts you can get yourself if you love the parks. In addition, firework effects have been added around the top-most tower too.

Wondering how it differs from the previous edition? Alongside the color change and minifig swap, the rooms are a little more detailed. While the layout is broadly similar, if expanded, those interior spaces have been filled with lots more 'stuff' (with references to other Disney movies that were omitted last time) and items look better than before. Beast's rose has been spruced up with a fancy new model, for example, and we spied the sword in the stone along with Genie's lamp.

Plus, more of the outer grounds have been added as a base - there's now part of the moat and plant-filled grass verges. This is something the old version missed out on.

Pre-order Lego Disney Castle | $399.99 at Lego
Available from July 1 - If you're a Lego VIP member, you'll be able to order the castle early from July 1. As for everyone else, you'll need to wait until July 4.

UK price: £344.99 at Lego

For more brick-based shenanigans, check out the best Lego Star Wars sets, must-have Lego Super Mario sets, or these Lego deals.