Three features that didn't make the cut for LEGO Ideas Willy Wonka set

A lot of good ideas were thrown ahead for LEGO 21360 Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory – but not all of them can make the final cut.

With 2,025 pieces, LEGO Ideas 21360 Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is packed full of references. Many of them came from the original fan designers, Roberto Ceruti and Jody Padulano, while others were added later – and others were once up for debate, but never made the cut.

To keep a LEGO set within budget and ensure that it's an enjoyable build in terms of size and complexity, LEGO designers obviously can't include everything. It's a balancing act between creative ideas and staying realistic.

In a recent roundtable with LEGO Fan Media, LEGO Ideas Design Manager Jordan Scott and designer Laura Perron opened up about what features nearly made it into the set, and why they were ultimately left out.

Can it be gloopier?

Multiple versions of the chocolate waterfall were designed as part of the process to get to 21360 Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, with the final one moving away from the smooth tiled look of the original fan design.

"We did have a flat version at one point, but because the main chocolate river is primarily studded, itwasn't quite feeling right," said Laura. "It was feeling too separate. With full studs, that felt very static.

"We played around with some different options and at one point, someone suggested: can it be gloopier? I thought, 'yes, let's try that'.

"We tried this gloopier version, which worked really well to give it that texture we were looking for. Even if it's not moving, there's an illusion that it's dripping down. We liked that version the best, and that's what we continued with."

You're turning violet, Violet!

The Violet minifigure recreates the gum-chewing girl as she is pre-blueberry-fication, but apparently there was some discussion of whether the round elements used for Aunt Marge could also be used for a blown-up Violet.

"We did think about it, but it would have re-prioritised our colour changes, which would have taken away from our other decorations," explained Jordan. "It also doesn't happen in this scene, so we felt it was best to keep her in her 'child' form.

"But I hope someone mocks it up! It would be hilarious."

A leg-less Gloop

The third and final nearly-feature isn't technically something that would have been included in 21360 Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, but rather in the packaging design images.

"When we get our packaging design, it's initially just a rough render for layout and composition," explained Jordan. "It's only to see where all the minifigures are going to be placed. The first time I saw it, there were just a few things we needed to tweak – but then I asked, where's Augustus?

"I realised that they'd removed his legs and stuck him on the studs in the river, so he was just a torso with his arms up, looking like he was drowning. That was really funny, but we ultimately decided that we can't show that. We ended up having him hanging over the side, which you see on the actual box."

As assuming as half a Gloop might be to see, it's not in line with LEGO branding, the final decision, complete with chocolate smeared on Augustus' mouth, is still an amusing way to pose the minifigures and recreate the action of this scene.

LEGO Ideas 21360 Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory will be available to buy from September 15 for LEGO Insiders and from September 18 for everyone else, retailing at £199.99 in the UK, $219.99 in the US, and from €219.99 in Europe.

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