Agree. Osborne Lights had a manger scene. Epcot has the biggest Christmastime show of all in its park -- The Candlelight Processional which tells the story of the birth of Jesus. There is also Joyful singing Gospel hymns. The Contemporary provides Christmas services every year. You would think The Magic Kingdom is entirely secular until I noticed Christian hymns in the background music. With the Osborne Lights, the only constant is change and the SOA simply can't be used any more with all of the construction going on back there.
I think that is the way that they are thinking. I don't think that Disney is doing anything anti-Christmas. But I do think that maybe it seems like they did not know how much people liked it. I also think that it was a seasonal people-eater, taking some pressure off the MK, especially on nights that it closed early for the ticketed party. Also the more and more Spartan character of decorations at Epcot led more people to the Osborne lights.
I would suggest that Disney quickly recognize the draw that they were and make plans either to replace them with another holiday offering for this year the Studios, during construction but perhaps in another area of the park; OR simply take some time and spruce up Christmas decorations this year throughout all parks, in some cases restoring the grandeur that used to be there in the first place. Make it worthwhile again simply to explore WDW parks and resorts during the holidays for a plethora of decorations (including maybe a new Lights of Winter at Epcot). My point is that if they feel like the construction will prohibit the Osborne lights for a while, they can at least spruce up other holiday decorations throughout the resort. It would disperse the crowd from MK while "plussing" the rest of the resort. If they do it right it could be more of an overall attraction throughout the resort than the for the number of people who normally visit the Osborne lights.
But if they can do something like the lights, such as a "Christmas in Hollywood" theme on Hollywood Boulevard, that could also be fun. ("White Christmas" was written from Hollywood, with the writer seeing all of the Hollywood decorations but dreaming of a white Christmas back east.) My point here is that, with a little creativity, this could be an opportunity, even during construction, to do something cool for the 2016 holiday season -- IF they had the will to do it. It would still bring them money and visitors, but they have to do it.
I think most people here, though, know that the current WDW management is more likely just to "turn off the lights" and blame construction.. and still charge a premium for holiday stays, after raising ticket prices to the parks another time (mark my word on that).
