Osborne Lights Officially Returning for 2015 for 20th and Final Season

Biff215

Well-Known Member
Holiday lights (in a different form, probably) might return if DHS builds Monstropolis or an Incredibles area in the future. Either would give the park a cityscape to replace SoA.
As much as I want them to return, should either of those two areas ever come to fruition, I really couldn't see Disney lighting those up. It would be an odd thematic match with the movies, and also affects the facades for nearly half a year. Interesting idea like others that have been brought up, it just seems like we're all trying to salvage them any way we can while Disney has already moved on.
 

ToTBellHop

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
As much as I want them to return, should either of those two areas ever come to fruition, I really couldn't see Disney lighting those up. It would be an odd thematic match with the movies, and also affects the facades for nearly half a year. Interesting idea like others that have been brought up, it just seems like we're all trying to salvage them any way we can while Disney has already moved on.
To me, a show using projections like we have on the Castle, will have on Tree of Life, and currently see on Main Street out west during Disneyland Forever would be far more appealing as you avoid all those hideous cords.
 

jbphotos

Member
Sorry if this has already been posted but apparently the lights will return just not as the Osborne lights.

From what I've heard, the contract ran out & they started asking for money and Disney was like nope.
So it is looking hopeful for the future but who knows how accurate this is.

source:
around the 18:35 mark
 

mm52200

Well-Known Member
Sorry if this has already been posted but apparently the lights will return just not as the Osborne lights.

From what I've heard, the contract ran out & they started asking for money and Disney was like nope.
So it is looking hopeful for the future but who knows how accurate this is.

source:
around the 18:35 mark

Now I don't have any inside sources BUT I'm pretty sure they're completely wrong. While they are sweet, those two bloggers have no real connections. They state a lot of incorrect facts in their answer. The dancings not Jennings Osbornes design, the lights have run for 20 years not 10, etc.
 

DisneyOutsider

Well-Known Member
Now I don't have any inside sources BUT I'm pretty sure they're completely wrong. While they are sweet, those two bloggers have no real connections. They state a lot of incorrect facts in their answer. The dancings not Jennings Osbornes design, the lights have run for 20 years not 10, etc.

FWIW, @lentesta is "100% confident" that the lights will be returning in some capacity, likely at Hollywood Studios per a recent WDWtoday episode. His information seems to corroborate closely with the video posted.
 

note2001

Well-Known Member
Now I don't have any inside sources BUT I'm pretty sure they're completely wrong. While they are sweet, those two bloggers have no real connections. They state a lot of incorrect facts in their answer. The dancings not Jennings Osbornes design, the lights have run for 20 years not 10, etc.

The "Trackers" are fun to watch, and I appreciate their vlogs (check out their latest time lapse of the marathon) but keep in mind they are just one of us: fans with no clue into Disney's thoughts and workings other than what we read here and on other forums. Tim has referenced both this and the other board (which shall not be named) as sources of info many times. That certainly doesn't mean they're not right, their guess is as good as anyone's.

My feeling is that Disney will create new entertainment using lights and projections, just not these particular lights. (I also think there is a good chance we may never see a large dizzying display similar to that which the OL were known for again on property.)
 
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Jon81uk

Well-Known Member
From what I've heard, the contract ran out & they started asking for money and Disney was like nope.
So it is looking hopeful for the future but who knows how accurate this is.

The son-in-law of Jennings Osborne was posting on DIS Boards, he was approached by Disney in the summer to work out what lights belonged to the family and what belonged to Disney. It sounds like Disney wanted to get rid of the lights, not the Osbornes.

I've found the post from Tristan http://www.disboards.com/threads/its-official-last-year-of-osborne-lights.3446493/#post-54401041
 
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Imagineerwannabe

Active Member
The son-in-law of Jennings Osborne was posting on DIS Boards, he was approached by Disney in the summer to work out what lights belonged to the family and what belonged to Disney. It sounds like Disney wanted to get rid of the lights, not the Osbornes.

I've found the post from Tristan http://www.disboards.com/threads/its-official-last-year-of-osborne-lights.3446493/#post-54401041

Which is why I think it's odd that anyone would ever suggest that the Osborne lights would be returning despite one of the family already confirming the opposite....maybe it's very wishful thinking.
I'm sure at some point there will future light displays, but agree with note2001 that we probably won't get anything of this scale or style at WDW ever again. It will be replaced with something which Disney have full control over.
 

Lord_Vader

Join me, together we can rule the galaxy.
Now I don't have any inside sources BUT I'm pretty sure they're completely wrong. While they are sweet, those two bloggers have no real connections. They state a lot of incorrect facts in their answer. The dancings not Jennings Osbornes design, the lights have run for 20 years not 10, etc.

You are mostly correct, the Osborne family received only "perks" from Disney with no real money changing hands. They received free resort stays during the shows, tickets and a few other things as part of the promotional package in return for their name, many of the lighting framework/systems and so on.

The Osborne family went bankrupt years ago and could not receive any financial compensation from this unless it went directly to the court. Sadly, Jennings died virtually penniless.
 

Biff215

Well-Known Member
It's true. Too much a part of the park to get rid of.

Thanks for listening to the show!
They are, but also wouldn't be the same without the Osborne pieces. I also don't see how this could happen anytime soon with the amount of construction that will soon be going on. Even if the SoA survive, the park has serious parking and capacity concerns that I think will prevent anything significant from returning. Just my opinion.
 

ToTBellHop

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I don't know why you keep asking this. They aren't getting rid of these lights.
Keep telling yourself that until to dumpster candids emerge. Something that is seemingly lost upon many people here is that a large number of the lights were new each year. Surprisingly, being outdoors in Florida from September through early February each year is rough on Christmas lights (even if the box they come out of says "outdoor"). And the lights in their most recent form were designed for this space. You can't just plop them on Harambe and call it a day. Then you have the larger structures that made this show distinctive going back to the Osbornes. Nothing of use will remain other than some plush characters. Any new show would be built from scratch.
 

Next Big Thing

Well-Known Member
Keep telling yourself that until to dumpster candids emerge. Something that is seemingly lost upon many people here is that a large number of the lights were new each year. Surprisingly, being outdoors in Florida from September through early February each year is rough on Christmas lights (even if the box they come out of says "outdoor"). And the lights in their most recent form were designed for this space. You can't just plop them on Harambe and call it a day. Then you have the larger structures that made this show distinctive going back to the Osbornes. Nothing of use will remain other than some plush characters. Any new show would be built from scratch.
I'm not saying that meaning that Osborne is coming back. I'm saying that meaning the lights will be used in another form. Disney won't let those lights go to waste.

Or they'll just go to Property Control ;)
 

note2001

Well-Known Member
I'm not saying that meaning that Osborne is coming back. I'm saying that meaning the lights will be used in another form. Disney won't let those lights go to waste.

Or they'll just go to Property Control ;)
They'd be crazy to get rid of the candy cane canopy, the lines, control boxes and software on that alone on that must be quite expensive. Unless there is something in the agreement that the Jennings family get that one back, I believe we will see it in place elsewhere (Disney Springs perhaps, but I'd prefer it stay in DHS.)
 

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