2016 Osborne Lights replacement - what will Disney do?

CJR

Well-Known Member
With Frozen and Soarin' coming to Epcot next year, I could see them do something like a retooled Lights of Winter. DHS will probably keep the Comedy Warehouse show (although in a new theater) and maybe do a Fireworks show, since that's becoming a thing at that park. I don't mind the fireworks show replacement either as long as it's on par to the Frozen show. MK will probably see improvements, but that might have less to do with DHS losing Osborne and more to do with MVMCP.

AK might see some added decorations, but I have trouble seeing them doing too much with RoL next year since the show will still be brand new and will attract people to it all on its own. Never say never, but I just don't see it happening so quickly after its debut.
 

scpergj

Well-Known Member
Earlier this year my wife and I decided that this would be the year we make the effort to buy and use annual passes again (Florida resident/seasonal passes) for the four of us. Our son is a senior in high school, and the last passes we had expired in October of his freshman year. Now we are very glad we made this decision; we have pictures from 10 years ago (and more) taking our kids to see the lights - now we have one last chance to see them, and to say goodbye. We will definitely miss them, and hope that Disney actually replaces them as good or better with something rather than just closing things down like they have for the last decade or so.
 

Donaldfan1934

Well-Known Member
I am pretty sure they will have something Frozen in its place by for 2016 that will mirror the tragedy that happens at the MK now during the holiday season.
Are you talking about the castle lighting? Say what you will about Frozen fatigue, but that is a great use of the film in the parks and by far the best as of now.
 

HauntedMansionFLA

Well-Known Member
They should relocate it elsewhere on property, or at least as you said update it to something really special or replace it with an amazing new holiday show. That's what they should do, bad feeling of reality is it's probably not getting relocated or replaced with anything
Disney Springs would be a choice with all of the new retail and dining going in. Take the pressure off the parks.
 

Mawg

Well-Known Member
I really don't think we'll see anything new for 2016. I think Disney feels that people will still come for the Holidays whether they have the lights or not. Save money, do nothing and let the people still open their wallets. Only if there is a drop around the holidays in 2016 then we might see something in 2017. The holiday season is stupid busy.
 

MerlinTheGoat

Well-Known Member
Very sad to hear the official news, WDW1974 has been saying this for a while now but being official sucks. I hope to see them one final time, maybe.

This blow would be a bit easier to stomach if Disney fleshes out holiday lights in a big way around the other areas of the four parks. If done right, it could turn out quite nice to see a lot of Christmas lights distributed in a more even manner. At the moment, there aren't a tons of in-park Christmas Lights outside of Main Street and Streets of America (with the exceptions of the trees near the park entrances and a few small garlands here and there). The hotels have nice decorations, but the parks could use more (particularly lights). A next generation Lights of Winter would be a good start. Heck just installing lights on regular trees is lovely and would look fantastic. I've seen some lovely and creative Christmas lights from both Busch Gardens as well as Seaworld. And as a former resident of Nashville (TN), there were a ton of homes, businesses and parks that lit their trees for Christmas and it can look gorgeous when done properly with elegance. Here's what Opryland Hotel does out in front for the holidays-
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But there's no way i'm getting my hopes up until I see evidence that they're planning something to replace this. Disney World has made a nasty reputation for itself over the past 20 years for cutting attractions without suitable replacements. Color me incredibly skeptical that they'd create something new that was remotely as good (let alone better) than what we had. I do think that if Disney thought they could get away with not replacing these with anything that they absolutely wouldn't bother. It wouldn't surprise me if they go without anything new for holidays 2016 just to test the waters and see how guests react to the loss.

On the potentially more positive side of things however, my experience is that the Osborne Lights are a very formidable driver of attendance at DHS. I think removing them without a suitable replacement would probably provide a negative enough financial hit to be noticed by higher execs. It's incredibly popular and the area (along with the rest of the park) has always been packed when they're present.

A question though @wdwmagic if I may. Do you have any reason to believe Disney is working on something new now to offset the loss of these lights, any rumors? Or was this topic just intended as wishful thinking and armchair imagineering? We've already got a topic about the lights and this being their last showing, so i'm curious as to whether you're holding some real info back here...
 

wdwgreek

Well-Known Member
So from this non-renewal (i'll call it) of the Osborne Festival of Lights, can we assume that this indicates the use of America for Star Wars Land/ the end of muppet vision 3D, please someone clarify if my assumptions are in correct! ( I hope they are)
 

danlb_2000

Premium Member
So from this non-renewal (i'll call it) of the Osborne Festival of Lights, can we assume that this indicates the use of America for Star Wars Land/ the end of muppet vision 3D, please someone clarify if my assumptions are in correct! ( I hope they are)

We really don't know for sure. It seems pretty likely Streets of America is going away, they question is, what will replace it.
 

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