LEGO Reviews Ideas40566

Ray the Castaway

Name: LEGO Ray the Castaway 40566
Brand: LEGO
SKU: 40566
Rating: 4.8 (329 reviews)

74 · RECOMMENDEDINVESTMENT GRADE: BBB2022239 pcsHigh agreement · 89%

Expert reviews

3analyzed

Owner ratings

329

Consensus

BUY

BrickScore

Recommended

Owners

Synthesized Verdict

"Ray the Castaway is one of the better LEGO Ideas GWPs in recent memory, a densely detailed and charming island build with an exclusive minifigure and no stickers, scoring a BrickScore of 73.8 and earning near-perfect owner ratings of 4.8 out of 5 from 329 buyers."

Ray the Castaway is a widely praised GWP from the LEGO Ideas line, a faithful and charming recreation of the fan-designed DadiTwins competition entry. Reviewers appreciated the island's lush details, colorful animals, and playful survival narrative, while noting that the GWP exclusivity and $120-plus spend threshold limit who can obtain it. Owners rate it exceptionally: 4.8 out of 5 across 329 ratings, with 100% of LEGO.com reviewers recommending it and a perfect 5.0 value-for-money signal, reflecting strong satisfaction among those who acquired it as a bonus item.

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LOVED (7)

01Dense, detailed island vignette with lush vegetation, colorful animals, and vibrant blue sea elements
02Inclusion of crab, parrot, and fish animal pieces alongside the raft, SOS sign, and treasure chest details
03No stickers; all name tiles are printed
04Faithful to the original fan-designed competition submission
05Exclusive Ray minifigure with a unique castaway appearance
06Pairs well with Pirates-themed sets for display and play
07Quick but enjoyable build with clever techniques including palm trees and the SOS sign fashioned from grey eels and a yellow life preserver

CRITICIZED (5)

01High spend threshold ($120-plus) restricts accessibility for many LEGO fans
02Only available during a limited October promotional window
03Wooden Duck beak on the original 40501 opened and closed; this does not
04Jay's Brick Blog noted the absence of a volleyball, a nod to the Tom Hanks film that inspired the design
05Labeled 18-plus by one reviewer as inappropriate for what is fundamentally a kids-friendly playset concept

What reviewers are saying

"Ray is fortunate to have been castaway on a very pleasant-looking island, with lush vegetation, colourful animals and vibrant blue sea surrounding it."

Brickset Reviews

"Last April LEGO announced a contest on the Ideas blog, they wanted to see a small-ish coastal build to become a future Gift with Purchase. In May the winner was announced, it was this design called Ray the Castaway by Da…"

RacingBrick

"Ray the Castaway is a pretty decent GWP, and with so much to tempt you in October, I can see this on being on the easier side to redeem."

Jay's Brick Blog

Ecosystem

21322 Pirates of Barracuda Bay — With the resurgence of interest in Pirates following the release of Barracuda Bay, this GWP will be highly sought-after; pairs well with Pirates theme and the pirate-styled minifigure torso from that set.

31109 Pirate Ship — Part of broader Pirates theme resurgence that makes this GWP particularly desirable.

Lighthouse — works well together as complementary coastal/beach themed sets

Pirates of Barracuda Bay — works well together as complementary pirate/island themed sets

IdeasTier 2Investment Grade

By Reviewer · 3

Avg score

Consensus

BUY

Brickset Reviews

Editorial Source

BUY

"Ray is fortunate to have been castaway on a very pleasant-looking island, with lush vegetation, colourful animals and vibrant blue sea surrounding it."

Key Pros

✓Highly desirable GWP
✓Faithful to original Ideas competition submission
✓Well-designed and attractive

Key Cons

✕Cannot be purchased separately
✕High spend threshold required ($120+)

READ FULL REVIEW

RacingBrick

Expert Video Source

BUY

Key Pros

✓Cool original design from fan designers DadiTwins
✓Strong roleplay and play potential
✓Well-constructed trees with stable Technic connectors

Key Cons

✕Inappropriately labeled 18+ when it should be a playset for kids
✕Not suitable as an adult display piece

JUMP TO REVIEW

Jay's Brick Blog

Editorial Source

BUY

"Ray the Castaway is a pretty decent GWP, and with so much to tempt you in October, I can see this on being on the easier side to redeem."

Key Pros

✓Lots of fun details
✓Feels piratey
✓Lots of animals

Key Cons

✕No Volleyball
✕Limited innovation

READ FULL REVIEW

Dimensional Analysis

Investment Layer

Buy now (3)Wait for sale (0)

Value drivers

Brickset Reviews: Ray minifigure with exclusive Pirates Barracuda Bay torso

RacingBrick: Ray minifigure with unique castaway appearance and red pants variant

Exclusivity

Brickset Reviews: GWP exclusive; available only with $120+ purchase from LEGO.com October 1–13, 2022. Not available for individual purchase.

RacingBrick: Gift with Purchase exclusive, limited October 1-13 window, minimum 120 EUR/USD purchase required

Resale

Brickset Reviews: Will likely command premium on secondary market due to GWP exclusivity and limited availability; strong aftermarket demand expected given Pirates theme resurgence.

RacingBrick: Potential for growth due to scarcity as GWP and olive green palm leaves rarity, though not positioned as investment-grade collectible

Minifigures & Standout Parts

In this set (1)

Ray the Castaway

Standout parts (per reviewers)

Brown 6-pronged stalks (used under palm tree's leaves)
Used creatively to replicate palm tree flowers
28588 SNAKE W/ 3.2 SHAFT NO. 1
Part of SOS spelling on beach
Rubber lifebuoy
Part of SOS message; one commenter questioned historical accuracy in pirate era
Olive green palm leaves
Only previously released in Battle of Scarif (2017), rare color variant that might help bring down prices on BrickLink
Palm leaves in 3 colors
Includes green, bright green, and olive green palm leaves; the olive green is particularly scarce
Technic connectors (for tree attachment)
Used to attach trees to base in a stable and visually appealing way

What Owners Say · summarized from 5 written reviews (LEGO, Amazon, Walmart)

Owners overwhelmingly praise Ray the Castaway as an unexpectedly delightful and well-designed small set that delivers charm, playability, and visual appeal far beyond its modest piece count.

COMMON PRAISE