Review: LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Grand Staircase (40577) GWP

When it comes to Harry Potter and the related LEGO sets I tend to stay clear of them, not because they’re bad, I just don’t want to get sucked into a whole new theme. The thing Mrs Brick Post has finally caught up with the rest of the World and recently finished the whole Harry Potter saga, including the the three Fantastic Beasts films. She loves it so much that over the last month or so I’ve spent more on LEGO Harry Potter than I have any other theme. I must say I have missed out on a whole lot of great sets that have long since been discontinued and now go for silly money on the secondary market, doh!

My Sister has also got into LEGO quite recently and purchased LEGO Grimald Place (44444) and another LEGO Professors Book set, granting her access to the GWP (gift with purchase) which she kindly let us build and review for you today, LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Grand Staircase (40577)!

The Box:

Featured on the front of the box is the Staircase build itself with a portion of the background image, a wall and door opening, visible to the left.

Set details are visible in the top left corner that state the name, set number (40577) and age recommendation (8+). You’ll also see the Harry Potter and Wizarding World logos along the top and the three main characters in the bottom right corner.

Turn the box around and you’re presented with a slightly different angle of the Staircase build. There is a small ‘popup’ style image that shows you a play feature, you can switch where the picture frames/doorways are placed.

Inside the box you have two by numbered bags and two loose plates, quite a large sticker sheet, and instructions.

The sticker sheet contains mostly picture frames that will eventually go on the walls surrounding the Staircase. There are a couple of larger stickers with curved tops, these go on doorway panels and aren’t as tricky to place as you’d think.

As you can see the instruction manual is the recently updated ‘no frills’ style and one aim now starting to like, with its plain and simple design, it allows for the set to be seen and not obstructed by background noise.

The Build:

Consisting of just two bags and a total of 224 pieces, this GWP isn’t going to take long, and it didn’t, roughly half an hour from opening the bags this was done, which is totally fine with me, as it shows that simple designs work and looking great!

Bag 1 pretty much builds the base and the two walls, including the doorways and leaving studs exposed ready for hanging pictures and inserting the Staircase. Some of the stickers are applied in this first stage but these are directly onto bricks and not tiles like in the final stage.

Bag 2 is primarily the Staircase and the pictures, using up the rest of the stickers. Each sticker is unique and designed well, you can make out what the subject matter is, usually a Person. They’re colourful and bright and match the tone of the overall build. The larger, curved, stickers are fairly simple to apply and you can’t really go to wrong with them, starting at the bottom and lining up the squared edges.

The Staircase itself is also surprisingly straightforward with no real difficult techniques. The banisters clip into place and swing down into place, resting on sloped tiles. Cleverly using a transparent clear brick to give support to the Staircase is a nice addition and is clearly needed, it would constantly collapse otherwise!

Pop the Staircase on the base and swivle element and hey-presto, a rotating Staircase. The turning action works extremely well and is fluid enough to give it a slight push for it to continue on its own for a half turn, not what the Staircase is designed for but fun nonetheless.

Looking at the build as a whole it looks great, all the sticker details, architectural elements (pillars, bricks, fancy bits) and the moving Staircase, you really get the Hogwarts vibes, I’m impressed!

The Minifigure:

Hermione is the only Minifigure included but that’s ok, they’ve done an awesome job and even chucked in short dual moulded legs and an alternative expression.

Sadly the short dual moulded legs aren’t exclusive to this set as they appear in the LEGO Hogwarts Magical Trunk (76399). The addition of the skirt is a nice touch and really adds to the Minifigure, making this combination of parts  exclusive and a great reason to pickup this GWP set to add it to your collection. 

My personal collection of LEGO Harry Potter Minifigures isn’t that extensive but its getting there, this one will be added to the handful of others from sets and the two CMF Series.

The Conclusion:

Overall the LEGO Hogwarts Grand Staircase (40577) GWP set is worth picking up, either with the current promotion or on the secondary market, as it makes for a great display piece.

The playability feature of the moving Staircase and interchangeable door panels, makes for a fun set for the you gee fans amongst us. I can see fans picking up multiple sets to make more elaborate Staircases and walls.

A Hermione Granger Minifigure is included and is technically a set exclusive, although this is down to combination of parts rather than a whole new Minifigure. But nonetheless still a nice addition to the display.

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