Review of Funwhole’s Cozy Ski Lodge: A Lego-Compatible Winter Wonderland!

 

Introduction

Hey brick fans!

Winter is right around the corner, and Funwhole’s newest building set, the F9041 Ski Lodge, brings that snowy, festive vibe right to our tabletops. The Ski Lodge is part of the Retro House series, alongside the previous Hunting Cabin, Mountain Cabin, and the Wood Cabin, which I reviewed: https://its-not-lego.blogspot.com/2022/07/funwhole-wood-cabin-building-set-review.html!

Thanks to FunWhole for providing this set for my review!

Known for their lighting-enhanced, intricately designed sets, Funwhole delivers on both realism and coziness with this Lego-compatible creation. Let's review it to see what makes this ski lodge stand out.

UnBoxing the FunWhole Ski Lodge

                              

The Funwhole Ski Lodge comes packaged with organized bags, easy-to-follow instructions, and a set of unique parts. From the minute you open the box, the winter theme is evident. Funwhole doesn’t just add lighting—they thoughtfully integrate it to bring out details like windows glowing warmly in the night and flickering fireplaces and campfire.

I counted a total of 43 bags, with 40 of those bags numbered and allocated to the 12 build sections as documented in the clearly marked instruction manual.

The remainder of the  bags consist of  1 bag of large plates and 2 bags of minifigures.  There are a total of 4 Funwhole style cute minifigures in the Ski Lodge set, which you have to assemble yourself.

Out of the four minifigures, three have reversible faces, one side with googles and the other side without. They also come with some accessories, such as a selfie stick, and shovel to clear the walkway.  

The Lighting Kit

The ski lodge comes with built-in lighting, a Funwhole signature feature. The glow brings the set to life, giving it an inviting, lived-in feel. Imagine the lodge sitting on a shelf, lit up in a dim room—perfect for cozying up during winter.

Each lighting kit is customized to the set.  In this custom kit, there is a battery box (uses 3 AA batteries, not included), a pair of tweezers, a small screwdriver, and 2 pouches of lighting elements.  You will see later how the lighting is thoughtfully incorporated into the build process, it's not just a superfical add-on like other lighting kits.

Build Complexity and Progression

With approximately 2187 pieces, the set is moderate in complexity. Funwhole provides a detailed instruction manual that guides builders through multiple sections, making it accessible even for beginner builders. However, seasoned fans will still enjoy the finer details in its architecture and lighting installation, which feels like a rewarding mini-project.

In terms of build experience, you'll find that Funwhole looks and feels just like Lego bricks.  Fit, finish and clutch are excellent.  This will be evidenced during the build progression for the Ski Lodge.

First we start off building the base and the foundation of the lodge structure.  I've modified the base of my set to use a raised baseplate, but you don't have to do this because the Funwhole base is already very sturdy.  I do the raised baseplates to standardize my modular buildings for all new builds.

Some snowscaping features and floors added in section 2.

Now we start constructing the actual lodge with the inclusion of the front walls and a very realistic looking fireplace.  For section 3, we've also added the lighting infrastructure to support all the lighting effects and that is hidden under the floors.

The main floor of the ski lodge consists of a large living room with sofa, side chair and table. I love that Funwhole doesn't overlook the tiny details in their sets.  Check out all the cool knick-knacks around the fireplace!  There's a jacket hung to dry, a Christmas tree and clock and even christmas stockings on the mantle!  Next to the fireplace, there's some logs and a ski poster with a guitar on the wall.  The first aid kit makes another appearance in this set, as it was first seen in the Travel Trailer set.

For section 5 we continue to furnish the interior and complete the walls, but you'll have to discover all of the little accessories for yourself, there's just too many to list!   But I do want to draw your attention to the opening wall!  This is another cool feature which lets you look inside the Ski Lodge without having to remove the second floor, how neat!

Here we can start adding some more detail to the exterior of the lodge in section 6.  Ski and snowboard equipment is stored in the corner of the lodge with some nice touches such as the helmet and the boots, although I think the boots should have been properyl placed inside the lodge, not outside!  The giant printed billboard says the ski lodge is located in the White Valley. 

The Funwhole Ski Lodge features a second floor loft space with access via the stairway located on the main floor.  Although a bit compact, there's still room for a bunk bed, and a small workstation with computer.  There's even a vent so that the heat from the main floor fireplace can heat up the loft area!

Another cool feature of FunWhole building sets is their use of the wireless pads that allow lighting to work on the upper floor of the building without using wires.  With the placement of the upper loft onto the main building, we can have some accent lighting at the computer and on the balcony.  Section 7 is complete.

In section 8, we added the second storey walls to hold up the roof.

Almost there!  The first of two sets of snow covered roof panels will get attached to the ski lodge.  

Before we cover up the rest of the roof, you'll see that there is a small guest who lives up in the rafters! 

Don't worry that the little squirrel will hungry during the winter, because he's got a secret stash of food hidden in the snowbank below!

Once completed, the  Ski Lodge itself has a charming, alpine-style architecture with realistic elements, including snow covered sloped rooftops, rustic timber cladding, and a cozy interior layout. Other little details are snow-covered trees, wooden benches, and winter terrain.  There's even an adjacent ski hill you can build so that the minifigures can practice their turns on before hitting the big slopes.

Don't try this at home, boys and girls!

Here is my list of Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Beautiful design with lots of wintery details
• Integrated lighting that enhances the overall look
• Solid build quality and compatibility with Lego and other brands
• Printed parts used, not stickers
• Great display piece that would look right at home in a winter village scene.

Cons:

I had one missing piece that was the black ski helmet, it is pictured in the manual but I couldn't find it in my minifigure parts bags.

I do have one little gripe and that's the fact that the FunWhole minifigures, with their rounded bums, aren't able to sit properly on the sofa or chairs.  I find that kind of limiting to the display aspect and playability of the set.   In the above picture, I have delicately posed the minifigures to sit on the tree stumps around the flickering fire, but it took me a few tries to get them balanced just so for the pic.  I don't know if FunWhole will be able to address the rounded bum issue though.

Conclusion

The Funwhole Ski Lodge is a perfect winter display piece, merging the charm of a snowy getaway with detailed building elements. It’s a beautiful, seasonal addition for collectors and Lego enthusiasts looking for a cozy project as the colder months set in. Whether it’s the glow of the lights or the intricate details of the lodge itself, this set definitely lives up to Funwhole’s reputation for unique, atmospheric builds.

How to get our own FunWhole Ski Lodge

Pricing:  $99.99 USD, get 25% off now using promo code SKI25

A). From the FunWhole store

https://www.funwhole.com/products/ski-lodge-2187pcs?ref=tN9EBQmQ

B) From the Funwhole stores on Amazon

Amazon link for the USA: 

https://www.amazon.com/FUNWHOLE-Christmas-Ski-Cabin-Lighting-Building-Bricks-Set/dp/B0DDKCT3QG?maas=maas_adg_002D435F0EB96DE17A507930ACD57906_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas

Amazon link for Canada: 

https://www.amazon.ca/FUNWHOLE-Christmas-Ski-Cabin-Lighting-Building-Bricks-Set/dp/B0DDKCT3QG?maas=maas_adg_5DF1F9771F27FD5EE5B7CC2B3A68AC97_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas

Amazon link for Europe: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0DDKCT3QG

This will make a great Christmas gift for yourself or someone else who loves Lego style sets!  Hope you have enjoyed this review!   Bye for now!

Review of the Lego Compatible FUNWHOLE F9032 Travel Trailer Building Block Set with Lighting

 

Hey brick fans!   Ready to build something epic? Today, we’re diving into a set that’s sure to bring out the master builder in you!   This unique Travel Trailer by FUNWHOLE is something totally different than my other builds!

A big thanks to FUNWHOLE for providing this set to me for purposes of review!  FUNWHOLE is a Lego compatible bricks brand, that incorporates lighting in every single one of their sets.  Their motto is bringing Delight Day and Night. Their signature name celebrates the union of “FUN” and “WHOLE” which equates to a lot of happiness all the time!   They've been making a lot of amazing looking sets so you will have to visit their website and see the huge selection of building block sets they have there.

So let's take a look at this newest set!  We will provide a quick summary, followed by unboxing and building while reviewing all of the neat features.  Let's go!

Brand: FUNWHOLE

Set name and number: Travel Trailer F9032

Piece count: 1325 pieces

Age rating: 16+

Features: include multi-component light kit and battery pack, building tools such as brick separator and tweezers, numbered parts bags, and best of all printed parts, no stickers!

Retail price: approx. $79.99 TBD.  

Get it on the FUNWHOLE website:  https://www.funwhole.com/?ref=tN9EBQmQ

If you use my code ITSNOTLEGO, you can save 10% on all your purchases.

The set is also available in the FUNWHOLE store on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/FUNWHOLE-Travel-Trailer-Lighting-Building-Bricks

Look for the limited time offers available right now!

Unboxing

The FUNWHOLE Travel Trailer came shipped in a sturdy box and the artwork on the box cover looks fantastic.   Every FUNWHOLE set comes in these boxes which I reuse afterwards to store my extra brick parts.

Upon opening the box, you will get a lot of goodies, such as a thick instruction booklet, tons of parts bags and a separate box which is the mainstay of every Funwhole building block set, the lighting kit.   The light kit is what sets FUNWHOLE apart from Lego and all of the other competing brick brands.

Inside the light kit box, we have a set of metal tweezers, a battery box and two pouches.

The pouches contain the lighting components which will be added to the travel trailer set during construction.  In this set there is a USB connector, a yellow 4 port expansion slot, several dot lights, and a wireless connector setup.

The instruction guide is very easy to follow and the part descriptions are clear and concise.

Travel Trailer set construction

Alright let's build!  There are a total of 8 steps to build the travel trailer.  The parts bags all have numbers that correspond to each step making it easy to find the right pieces to use.  

For step 1, we get three bags of parts.

Step 1 builds the colourful base of the travel trailer.

Moving on to step 2, we can get 2 bags.

Here's the progress after step 2.

Here's 4 bags of parts used in step 3.

In step 3, we are building some of the interior furnishings such as the cabinets, the bed and sofa.  You can see that in this step we have incorporated some of the lighting features.  

Moving on to step 4, we will use 3 bags of parts.

The travel trailer gets some appliances like a fridge and microwave, and a door to the bathroom.  The postcards and travel magazines are all printed pieces!  That's another unique feature in that FUNWHOLE prefers printed parts over stickers.

We use another 3 bags for step 5.

The travel trailer is really starting to take shape in this step!  We installed a lot of windows on every side and the yellow and orange colour scheme looks very nice!

There are just 2 bags for step 6.

Step 6 finishes off the bottom of the trailer and we attached the wheels and hidden battery pack underneath. Note: The battery pack uses 3 AA batteries which are not included.

We also finish the back wall which can be easily removed to see the bathroom.  The air conditioning unit, spare tire and the ladder to the roof all look very realistic.

Step 7 uses 2 bags of parts.

Yup, we building the roof of the travel trailer!  It's equipped with skylights and solar panels and lots of room for rooftop storage.

On the final step 8, we have 2 bags of parts numbered 8 plus an extra bag that contains the awning fabric and poles.

The awning can be rolled out for those wanting some shade.

This travel trailer is destined for the beach because of the two surfboards!  To relax, there are two folding camp chairs, a portable table.  For a quick bite, you can have hot dogs or pizza, and to keep busy and entertained, there is a small replica box of the FUNWHOLE camper set that comes with the signature lighting kit box too!

For those with a bigger appetite, the trailer comes equipped with a large barbecue stove, cooler, and assorted drinks and condiments.  And musical tunes are provided by the radio!

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The Travel Trailer looks so cool, it's too bad I don't live close to a beach, or I'd definitely bring it there and take pictures of it on location!

Here are some more views of this home away from home.

With the awning rolled up, and all the accessories packed away, it's time to hit the highway!

I believe this is a power generator and propane tank for the barbecue.

Extra storage.

Awning rolled up.

Now that we've checked out the exterior, let's go up the ramp and see the interior!

Access to the interior is made easy by removing the roof and back panel.

Let's check out the living quarters!  With lots of storage space, keeping the inside tidy is a breeze!

I love the fridge and microwave with lighting inside!   Printed pieces on the cabinet!

Moving along, we get a coffee maker, a sink and a table lamp that lights up!

A comfy bed and a bookshelf and place to store the radio and of course the little FUNWHOLE set!  Gotta have a camera to capture all those vacation pics.  Hey, I told you a million times, don't leave your pizza on the bed!  

The bed is removable so you can stow the barbecue, the cooler and other storage items underneath. A very efficient use of space!

A sofa and cushion bring the creature comforts from home.  I forgot to take a picture but that little brown side table with the flower has extra hotdog weiners inside!

At the rear of the trailer, the bathroom contains a towel bar with towels, a toilet,  a cabinet with mirror, and a showerhead on the back wall.  

But let's not forget what FUNWHOLE is all about, it's the lighting!

Check out the warm glow coming from inside the trailer.  

Even the bathroom is lit up!

Final Thoughts

 FUNWHOLE did a great job of replicating a Travel Trailer!   This makes a wonderful display to remind you of all those past beach vacations.   The lighting kit adds an extra ambience at night.  There were so many cool accessories that came with this set, and I especially loved the little FUNWHOLE replica set of the camper.   This is a big set and I wished that it was possible to shrink the trailer down to minifigure size, but I know that they'd probably have to reduce the amount of accessories to make it fit the scale I want.

Now I just need an equivalent sized vehicle to pull the camper!  Got any recommendations?

Check out the FUNWHOLE site to see all of the latest brick sets with lighting included!

Thanks for checking out this review, hope you found it helpful,   Until next time, bye!