Osborne Lights a GO!

[JimboJones123]

One of the main sticking points that game the rumor legs was the order to leave Osborne Lights off any 2014 promotional material.

This order has been ended as well. Promotional material will now include 2014 Osborne Lights.

 

[Susan Savia]

I hope they post info soon. We're going in January and are holding off booking until we know the last dates for it in January so we can be sure to arrive in time to see it.

 

[DinoInstitute]

Insiders ... ANY word on ANYTHING even maybe talked about for DHS or heck, Epcot?

There is another thread about AIE closing early next year. Sure, it could just be another JII rumor, but theres something.

As for Carsland, I'm so confused because I only remember Disney for having new backlot tour and LMA, so I don't want them to go, but on the other hand, Carsland is something I want to experience along with many others that wont be able to travel to Cali

 

[Tigger1988]

I hope they post info soon. We're going in January and are holding off booking until we know the last dates for it in January so we can be sure to arrive in time to see it.

I highly doubt the end date will be vastly different from years past. It typically operates on a consistent time table.

 

[doctornick]

Didn't want to start a new thread, but wanted to inquire about this topic: with the seemingly new influx of money/construction coming to DHS, does anyone know about the long term plans for the Osborne Lights? Is the plan for the SoA to remain generally as is and for the lights to continue? Is the SoA area going away for Pixar or Star Wars and if so, will the lights be cut or would they be moved elsewhere?

Maybe no one knows at this point, but if anyone with connections has some insight, I'd be curious.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

I've wondered that as well. I'm all for money and new rides being pumped into DHS but I want the lights to have a future at WDW. It's a big Christmas tradition, and WDW has too few decorations already elsewhere besides DHS and Magic Kingdom (EPCOT's have all but been removed entirely). I wouldn't be surprised if SoA is bulldozed in this overhaul but I really want them to at least find another location for the lights.

I'm guessing this is possible to do. In the 90's I believe most if not all the lights were spread out on Residents Street where the Backlot Tour went. Since they already moved them once i'm guessing it should be possible to find yet another new location for them. The question though is where...

 

[Next Big Thing]

I've wondered that as well. I'm all for money and new rides being pumped into DHS but I want the lights to have a future at WDW. It's a big Christmas tradition, and WDW has too few decorations already elsewhere besides DHS and Magic Kingdom (EPCOT's have all but been removed entirely). But I wouldn't be surprised if SoA is bulldozed but I really want them to at least find another location for the lights.

I'm guessing this is possible to do. In the 90's I believe most if not all the lights were spread out on Residents Street where the Backlot Tour went. Since they already moved them once i'm guessing it should be possible to find yet another new location for them. The question though is where...

It has been mentioned that Disney Springs may be a location for them down the road...

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

It has been mentioned that Disney Springs may be a location for them down the road...

I must have missed that, very interesting. Though I wonder whether they'll actually consider sending the lights to a location that doesn't require a ticket to visit. From my experience, there's no question that the lights drive DHS park attendance during the holiday season, the crowds are very large due to their popularity...

 

[Next Big Thing]

I must have missed that, very interesting. Though I wonder whether they'll bother sending the lights to a location that doesn't require a ticket to visit (from my experience, there's no question that the lights drive DHS park attendance as they're incredibly popular and it's very crowded when they're up)...

From what I remember, the incentive would be to lure people away from places like the Premium Outlets and the like to come see their pretty Christmas lights (and hopefully spend a little money as well )

 

[PhilharMagician]

I would hope the Osborne Lights stay there for the next couple of years. Sounds like LMA will stay put for a while so I cannot see the Streets of America being removed until after whatever may happen at the end of Mickey Ave is complete. If the SoA are open then there really would be no reason to move the lights out to another location. At least for the time being.

 

[Horizons1]

I've never understood why the lights couldn't cover the entire park instead of one tiny area. MGM isn't that big.

 

[PhilharMagician]

From what I remember, the incentive would be to lure people away from places like the Premium Outlets and the like to come see their pretty Christmas lights (and hopefully spend a little money as well )

It would have to spend a lot. The man hours to set up and remove each year is astronomical. The cost of electricity has to be up there too. Not that it wouldn't be cool to have them accessible in Disney Springs without a ticket, but that just does not sound like WDC's current business model.

Honestly I am surprised they have not created a after hours party in DHS and only turn the Osborne Dancing Spectacle of Lights on during this upcharged event.

 

[PhilharMagician]

I've never understood why the lights couldn't cover the entire park instead of one tiny area. MGM isn't that big.

It takes them like 2 months with a decent size crew to install the lights and infrastructure now.

 

[Brian Swan]

I've never understood why the lights couldn't cover the entire park instead of one tiny area. MGM isn't that big.

The impact of the OL is the density of the lights, not just the numbers. Also, the way they they are "animated" to the music. Yes, there are enough lights to do the whole park - but then they would just be "pretty christmas lights". Also, the original Osborn display had a high concentration of lights in a relatively small area...

 

[Rteetz]

I've never understood why the lights couldn't cover the entire park instead of one tiny area. MGM isn't that big.

They could but it would 1 be very costly and 2 take even longer to set up then it does now. I do a Christmas light show on my house and am very aware on how this light system works. It's all computer programmed and programming the lights to just one minute of music can take up to 10 hours. With that many lights it would be a very hard thing to do. With around a million lights in just that condensed area it's easier for them.

 

[Horizons1]

Well they wouldn't have to dance. It's not that cool. IMO.

 

[skibum123]

I've never understood why the lights couldn't cover the entire park instead of one tiny area. MGM isn't that big.

Well they wouldn't have to dance. It's not that cool. IMO.

Face > Palm

 

[BrerJon]

I hear they're planning a counterpart show for the Magic Kingdom, the Festival of Burnt Out Lights.

 

[Next Big Thing]

To be fair, Busch Gardens Tampa goes all out and decks out their ENTIRE park with lights (and BGT is HUGE if you've never been) and they do it with a crew of less than 10 people. My dad used to do it and then would start before Howl-O-Scream even started and do the work overnight. On top of the lights, they had a huge (and expanded last year) snow area where you could not only build and play with snow, but ride down "snowy hills" in snow tubes.

Now understand that they had no light show as impressive as Osborne. They did have a few, but they weren't too impressive.

So yes, it is possible to do a park-wide event, especially in such a small park like DHS, but the overall guest satisfaction would be lower and the quality of the event likely wouldn't be much higher, if at all.

 

[lightboy]

It would take roughly 10 times the amount of crew members and a year round process to even think about doing half the park. Cost prohibitive…the park is bigger than you think compared to SOA. Look at Google Maps and you'll see that the 3-4 months spent hanging lights on that small chunk of the park is impressive…then think about the rest of the park. Plus startup infrastructure and costs…it would be too much. And too many areas closed in the middle of the night during the hang…it would really cause some major disruptions.

No one knows the future of the show…mostly because no one knows the future of that area of the park. Still.