Exploring the Mysteries of Funwhole's F9011 Medieval Pier Inn: A Lego-Compatible Masterpiece

Ahoy, block-building aficionados! Today, we set sail on an epic adventure to uncover the secrets of the latest gem in the Lego-compatible universe – Funwhole's Medieval Pier Inn. Imagine a shipwrecked vessel transformed into an elaborate shelter on a deserted island. It's a nautical dream come true, and we're about to dive into the details of this impressive 2143-piece set.

Funwhole: A Beacon of Quality

Before we delve into the Medieval Pier Inn, let's tip our hats to Funwhole, one of the brightest stars in the world of Lego-style building block sets. With a growing reputation for quality, Funwhole consistently delivers exceptional creations. As a blogger who has experienced their previous sets like the Wood Cabin and the Lakeside Lodge, I can vouch for their commitment to excellence.  Many thanks to Funwhole for providing this awesome set for this review.

Medieval Pier Inn: A Glimpse of Grandeur

Now, let's get to the heart of the matter – the Medieval Pier Inn. Among the sea of building block sets I've had the pleasure to review, this one stands as a towering lighthouse of craftsmanship and detail.

If you are interested to see the set's contents, I reviewed it in a separate post on my blog here.

With a whopping 2143 pieces, it's a behemoth of a set that promises hours of engrossing construction and play. But that's not all; Funwhole's unique selling point shines through once again – a featured light kit is included, adding an enchanting glow to this medieval masterpiece.

Here's a delightful journey through the construction of this incredible set, complete with some interesting surprises along the way!

As we kick off our adventure, we reach the end of step 1. But wait, down in the cellar where the barrels are stored, a curious mouse is savoring his cheese dinner. Talk about an unexpected guest!

In step 2, we dive into adding the floorboard and underfloor accent lighting. But there's a twist; it appears a mischievous cat is keeping an eye on our little mouse friend. The plot thickens!

Moving on to step 3, we discover the shipwrecked stern has transformed into an outdoor cooking area. Descend the steps, and you'll find a cozy mess hall where hearty meals can be savored.

After completing step 4, the mess hall becomes an enclosed haven, bathed in the warm glow of lamps and open fire. It's a sight to behold!

One standout feature of Funwhole sets is the inclusion of top-notch lighting kits. These kits, which I believe are supplied by their sister company, Lightailing.com, truly elevate the experience.

 Check out the well-stocked galley kitchen and the myriad of intricate details in step 5. 

The lighting effects are simply mesmerizing!

Moving along to step 6, the bow of the wrecked ship serves as a winery! Grapes, bottles, and a massive tank with a tap await your exploration. The second level floor is also taking shape.

In step 7, we furnish the innkeeper's room with a cozy bed, a reading desk, and a flickering candle. Access to the lower level is through a cleverly concealed hatch in the floor.

Unfortunately, the pulley system for the dormer window got stuck during assembly, so I had to skip this feature. 

Nevertheless, there's no shortage of timber beams and wires, all part of the intricate lighting setup on the second floor.

Step 8 brings us a massive roof adorned with foliage and a striking ship's mast. 

A nifty feature is the swinging wall in the lower galley kitchen, providing easy access and better visibility.

The final roof assembly is added in step 9.  I just want to add that the build process is very easy to follow and other than the pulley wheel getting stuck, all of the other pieces clutched very well.

Here's a surprise feature, did you know that the roof panel can be positioned in either a closed or open position?  I guess this is so you can see the winery and the innkeeper's room better.   There's just detail after detail with this set!

I probably could have done a better job at securing the wires for the lighting.

Final check to make sure all of  lighting works in step 9.   The wireless connector between the first and second floors works perfectly and seems to be much improved over the ones previously used in the Funwhole Wood Cabin set.

As if there weren't already enough accessories, step 10 introduces even more adornments to the Medieval Pier Inn. 

First, we had the mouse, then the cat, and now, a dog joins the mix!

In step 11, we're treated to a charming rowboat and a welcoming dock. It's hard to keep track of all these wonderful details! 

And don't miss the ladder that ascends to the crow's nest—a true highlight.

To safeguard the winery, a sturdy fabric awning is installed over the second-floor ship hull. 

And the finishing touch is a remnant of a sail, gracefully hanging from the ship's mast.

Four proprietary minifigures are part of this package, each with their own unique role in the shipwrecked tale waiting to be told.  Let's put them together and see how they look.

Here are the Funwhole minifigures with a Lego minifigure next to them for comparison.  The Funwhole ones all look a little bit bloated and they are just a tad shorter then your standard minifigure.   This is my second Funwhole set that came with minifigures, the first being the Ruined Temple in the Jungle set.

Summary

Brand: Funwhole

Set: F9011 Medieval Pier Inn

Piece count: 2143 pieces

Age Rating: 8+

Minifigures: Yes, 4 proprietary design, plus 1 mouse, 1 cat and 1 dog

Stickers: Yes, but I didn't use them

Printed parts: No

Light kit included: Yes

Instruction Manuals: 2

Set dimensions: approx 18 inches in height, with a width and depth of approx 12 inches by 12 inches. 

In conclusion, Funwhole's Medieval Pier Inn is a testament to the endless possibilities of Lego-compatible building block sets. Its size, detail, and the added allure of the light kit make it a must-have for collectors and enthusiasts alike. 

The set is available from the Funwhole website and from their various Amazon stores.   Just search Amazon for the Funwhole products near you.

So, fellow builders, hoist your sails, grab your bricks, and embark on a voyage of creativity with this remarkable set. Until next time, happy building!

Review of the Funwhole F9010 Ruined Temple of the Jungle building block set

 

Intro

Hey brick fans! Welcome back to my blog where I review the latest building block sets coming out of China.  Last month, I was contacted by Funwhole asking if I'd like to review their latest set, The Ruined Temple of the Jungle.  

At that time I had only seen a single picture of the set, but it looked pretty intriguing, so I jumped at the chance to check it out.  

As you can see from the picture above, the set depicts the ruins of an ancient temple. The temple gates look menacing and there looks to be several large man-eating flowers nearby.  The centerpiece is the mysterious large blue crystal that rises up from a pool of red hot lava.  Looks like a scene right out of the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark.  

Let's first review the details of this set and later, I will give you my thoughts, rating and recommendations.

This new Ruined Temple in the Jungle set is part of Funwhole's Fantasy Series which is also comprised of:

• the 824 piece Ocean Adventure Ship FH9003
• the 1044 piece Castle on the Cliff F9005
• the 966 piece House of Sweets F9009

All Funwhole sets are affordably priced and come with included LED lighting kits which make the sets a great value.  They are comparable to Lego quality but at a much cheaper price point since  Lego sets don't include any lighting.

You can order their sets from their online store or from their store on Amazon.com.

If you order from their online store, use my code itsnotlego to save an extra 10% off your purchases.  Funwhole provides free shipping and free replacement parts too.

Latest pre-order update: https://altbrickdeals.blogspot.com/2023/02/amazon-promo-for-funwhole-f9010-ruined.html

Set Details

• Brand: Funwhole
• Set: F9010 The Ruined Temple of the Jungle
• Theme: Fantasy series
• Piece count: 1242
• Numbered bags? Yes
• Stickers or printed parts? Stickers
• Missing or deformed pieces: No
• Extra parts: Yes
• Minifigures: Yes, 3 of them
• Lighting kit: included
• Brick Quality and Clutch: Very Good
• Measurements (approx): 11"L x 10"W x 9"H
• Age Rating: 8+

Unboxing

The boxes that Funwhole uses for their sets are quite heavy duty and I cannot bear to throw them away.  I use them to store my instruction manuals and spare parts.  The photos on the boxes are printed on top and underneath with some manufacturer information on the sides.

I noticed there's a date stamp on the side of the box that reads 20230109.  My package was shipped out on January 13 and was delivered to my door on January 18 according to the tracking info provided.  Could it be that my package was prepped only 4 days before shipping out?  Anyways, that's like 9 days between manufacture/assembly date and it's arrival to me. Truly incredible!

The set came well packed with a thick, high quality instruction manual, a sticker sheet, a 16x16 std baseplate and special black package that contained the lighting kit.

There's some nice artwork inside of the manual.

There are numbered bags based on each phase or section of the build.  The Ruined Temple set has 8 different steps, so there are bags corresponding to each section, as follows:

• section 1 - 4 bags
• section 2 - 3 bags
• section 3 - 4 bags
• section 4 - 3 bags
• section 5 - 2 bags
• section 6 - 3 bags
• section 7 - 4 bags
• section 8 - 3 bags

There is also a bag marked number 9 for the minifigures and an unmarked bag of extra/supplemental parts.  That makes a total of 28 bags of parts with a total of 1242 pieces, more or less.

There are a total of 6 bags pertaining to the light kit.  There are 3 bags of LED light strings and separate bags for the he battery pack, the USB plug and expansion board, and the brick separator and tweezers.  The metal tweezers are really useful for manipulating the wires and also for applying stickers for the set.

Funwhole uses the same lighting system as Briksmax.  For a detailed primer of how the lighting kits work, please check out my blog post here.

The Build

As mentioned earlier, there are 8 sections of the build and the pictures that follow are just some snaps during the progression of the build process for each section.

The set's baseplate is constructed from the brick pieces in section 1.

Section 2 will add the blue crystal and lava pit.  Lighting will be added to section 2, so it's very important to test out the lights and components first before you install them.

All of the lighting wires are fed out to the what will be the back of the display.
  

Section 3 adds some more lighting, this time around the perimeter of the display highlighting the plants and stone column relics.  I got a bit sloppy with the wiring here, but went back afterwards and tried to hide them better.

Here's a closer look at the back of the display in Section 4.  You want to make sure all your lighting is working and tucked neatly out of sight because this is where the raised platform for the gates is built.  You don't want to be disassembling the display at this point.

A small stone archway is constructed from the pieces in Section 5.

The large gates are built in section 6.  They are hinged and can swing backwards, but sadly there's nothing in behind to see.  The depiction on the gates according to Funwhole is that of a giant monkey face.  Hmm, what do you think?

Wow, now the Ruined Temple set is starting to look like something!  We added the columns on the side and some vines and plant growth in Section 7.  We're almost done but not quite.

If you've read any of my other building block set reviews, you'll know I'm not a huge fan of stickers, mostly because I have shaky hands and I always end up messing them up, so a lot of times I don't even bother to apply the stickers.  But with the tweezers that Funwhole provides in each kit, I have no problems lining up the stickers just right on the part.  Is that perfectly lined up or what?

Here's some views that most Youtubers and Reviewers of this set won't bother to show you.

As mentioned earlier, here are the gates in the open position.  Ok, last step, here we go.

In section 8, we find a giant mysterious object in the back.  Is it some kind of alien spore?  Is that why those scary looking flowers have grown so large?

There's a decrepit bridge that leads to the giant blue crystal.  Anyone who loses their balance on the bridge will fall into the boiling pit of lava.

Well, there you have it.  We have finished building the Funwhole Ruined Temple in the Jungle.

But wait, who is that figure in front of the gate?  And why is there a monkey hanging around?

In bag number 9, Funwhole has included three uniquely designed minifigures with this set but they don't look to be compatible with Lego minifigures.

The minifigures do have back printing though.

Here are the Funwhole minifigures pictured with some original vintage Lego minifigures for comparison.  They look alright to me, but if you don't like them, you could always substitute them with your own minifigures.

Summary/Thoughts

The floor is lava!

So overall, I thought that this set was a really fun build.  If this were a non-lighted set, I might say that the Ruined Temple of the Jungle set was ok, but with the LED lighting it looks amazing, especially the big blue crystal and the lava pit as the centerpiece.  You definitely have to turn on the lighting for this set and place it in a darkened room.

I love the way the accent lighting on the side tower and over the gate illuminates the scene. I forgot to mention during the build that one of the plant lights is colour changing, but you don't even notice it with all of the other lights.

The design of the gate gives off a Mayan/Inca vibe and I like that it swivels open, but unfortunately there's nothing to see past it.  As far as the build is concerned, it's not too difficult and the steps are broken up for each task so it's easy for kids to build.  I would add that running the wires for the light is pretty finicky though, if you are anal like I am.  I tried to avoid showing the wires but in doing so I made some subtle but not too noticeable changes to the baseplate and walls.

Brick clutch and quality is consistently good as with all the Funwhole sets.  There are a few brick pieces that have slight scuffs but nothing that would be an eyesore for me anyways.  I didn't have any missing or deformed pieces but did get lots of extra parts instead.  Probably a few pieces which I neglected to add here and there.

Having built some of the other Funwhole sets like the Wood Cabin and the Lakeside Lodge, I lamented that there weren't any minifigures included with those sets, so it was a nice surprise to see that the Ruined Temple in the Jungle set had three minifigs.  I think they are ok looking, but an Indiana Jones type character would have looked even better with the set.  I think having minifigures in a set adds a sense of scale and life to an otherwise static set.

If Funwhole is reading this, here is my recommendation.  Do a part two for this set.  I'd like to see something else on the other side of the gates, like a cave or tomb with smaller crystals embedded in the walls.  Maybe there could be skeletons or more of the giant spores inside.  The new second set could butt up against the gates or something.

Anyways, the Ruined Temple of the Jungle makes a great display set and I had a blast taking pictures.  There are many unanswered questions about the blue crystal and why there is a lava pit in front of the ancient gates, but that's where one's imagination can come up with their own story.

My rating for this set?  4.8 out of 5.  I wish there was something on the other side of the gates. The minifigures are bonus though.

This set becomes available for sale in mid February according to Funwhole.   Don't forget to use my code itsnotlego to save 10% off your purchases from the Funwhole store.

Thanks for looking and see you in my next post!  Bye!