Osborne Family Spectacle Of Dancing Lights

[TristanWingfield]

Hey gang Tristan here, for those that don't know me from the boards, my wife is Breezy Osborne of the Spectacle of dancing lights (she is Jennings Osbornes daughter, the girl the lights were originally hung for in Arkansas.)

We've just returned from our annual holiday trip to WDW. While we are there we always have a dinner/reception with the lighting / sound crew who work tireless hours setting up, running, and then taking down all the lights, as well as some of the executives that brought the lights there and continue to bring them back each year.

I'm posting this in the rumors / news section because we all know that sometimes Disney changes there minds on things but from what we heard during our many conversations about the lights is that they will be BACK in 2015 and with a bang! 2015 will mark the 20th anniversary of the Spectacle at WDW. We were told that the replacement lights have already been ordered for the 2015 season.

When pressed about the changes being made to Hollywood Studio's, specifically Street's of America, the home of the lights we were given about 10 different stories from 10 different execs. None of which were the same, so I think it's safe to say that nobody really has any clue about what's going on right now. Rumors we heard included, the lights moving to Hollywood Blvd, or Disney Springs (although the head sound tech told me that would be REALLY hard on him), and even the old rumor that the lights would go to Epcot. Something to note when being told about potential moves is that it was always presented as "IF" the lights had to move.

Here's some food for thought about the potential closing of the SODL though. This year the SODL "Broke" the park. On one of the opening nights Hollywood Studio's expected 25,000 people to walk through the lights, 37,000 showed up that night, breaking the single attraction record for HS and in turn making most of the light & sound techs say "we broke the park that night!" We were also told that the SODL is the most popular Christmas attraction at any of the Disney parks again this year. (To be honest I don't know how many years it's been #1)

I'll try my best to answer any questions any one has, but remember all of my answers are based on here-say at best.

 

[rteetz]

Good to know the rumors of the lights moving have been swirling a lot as of late. And hopefully soon we know just what is going on at DHS.

 

[Spacedog1975]

I'm thrilled to know they'll be returning. We are already planning a mid November trip for this year.

 

[wareagle57]

The SODL is not only my favorite Christmas attraction at Disney, it is my favorite thing at WDW of all time. I would rather lose Tower of Terror, Splash Mountain, or even Haunted Mansion than lose the lights. So I'm really glad to know Disney is committed to making this work.

I know you said you heard several different things, but I was wondering if you could go into a little more detail about all the different stories you heard. How many of them involved staying in the SoA? I can't imagine how they would work on Hollywood Blvd with all the extra foot traffic going to other things, and Disney Springs seems unlikely as it would seemingly be a free event. The only locations I can think of that would work in Epcot would be in the WS, which would mean closing down a country every night I assume.

 

[TristanWingfield]

The SODL is not only my favorite Christmas attraction at Disney, it is my favorite thing at WDW of all time. I would rather lose Tower of Terror, Splash Mountain, or even Haunted Mansion than lose the lights. So I'm really glad to know Disney is committed to making this work.

I know you said you heard several different things, but I was wondering if you could go into a little more detail about all the different stories you heard. How many of them involved staying in the SoA? I can't imagine how they would work on Hollywood Blvd with all the extra foot traffic going to other things, and Disney Springs seems unlikely as it would seemingly be a free event. The only locations I can think of that would work in Epcot would be in the WS, which would mean closing down a country every night I assume.

The problem is that no one from Disney ever goes into details until deals are in ink. lol (and even then they still remain pretty tight lipped.) I will say that the big thing that kept coming up in the small discussions of moving the lights was "height" there lights themselves are over two stories tall, the globe, the trees, the carousel are all much taller. But that doesn't mean that Disney won't simply omit those items. I'm not sure if it's been posted here, but there was a rather large item missing from the display this year. An item that was with the original lights in Little Rock, Ar. The Mickey Train! This year the nativity scene was in it's space, the reason, The Frozen show needed stroller parking where the nativity scene once was.

 

[Spacedog1975]

The lack of admission would be a detriment to a Disney Springs but most of the renovation will be done be the holidays. The lights are a good way to promote the mostly completed venue, and a great way to drive foot traffic to the stores and restaurants.

I still think it makes most sense for the lights to be behind a gate, but DS does not seem completely far fetched.

 

[circus4u]

Surprised Animal Kingdom hasn't been mentioned. Two large light shows in the Phoenix area are "Glendale Glitters" which involves mainly trees, and "Zoo Lights" at the Phoenix Zoo. Doing the tree canopies might be difficult considering how close the trees are, but the path from the Tree of Life could really be a good display area.

 

[faneuil]

Thanks Tristan!

I saw the lights the first night they were lit this season and the last. What a great way to bookend my holiday season.

If they do them at Disney Springs, I smell hard ticket event. They'd close that part of DS off except to ticketed guests. Of course, there's other logistics I know nothing about associated with that...

 

[TristanWingfield]

Thanks Tristan!

I saw the lights the first night they were lit this season and the last. What a great way to bookend my holiday season.

If they do them at Disney Springs, I smell hard ticket event. They'd close that part of DS off except to ticketed guests. Of course, there's other logistics I know nothing about associated with that...

Glad you got to see the lights. If you saw a group of 6-7 people being followed by 2 Disney Photo-pass photographers on the last night that was us!

We always try to catch the lights being turned off for the last night of the season.

The family hopes to be really involved with the 2015 season since it will mark the 20th anniversary (21st at Disney but they weren't on for one year after they moved from residential street.) If I get the okay to post details about what will be happening for the 2015 season I'll be sure to post about it!

 

[TristanWingfield]

Surprised Animal Kingdom hasn't been mentioned. Two large light shows in the Phoenix area are "Glendale Glitters" which involves mainly trees, and "Zoo Lights" at the Phoenix Zoo. Doing the tree canopies might be difficult considering how close the trees are, but the path from the Tree of Life could really be a good display area.

Animal Kingdom was actually mentioned by one of the execs, but some of the people sitting around us (light techs, sound techs and other execs) kind of chuckled at the idea.

 

[ladyjubilee]

This year was our first time seeing the lights... and my family loved them. They were the highlight of our Christmas

I'm really glad to hear the will be back.

 

[Spacedog1975]

Animal Kingdom was actually mentioned by one of the execs, but some of the people sitting around us (light techs, sound techs and other execs) kind of chuckled at the idea.

There is no one area in AL that has the right structure and support. IMHO. Maybe dinoland usa, but that'd be pretty silly.

 

[ATCMickey]

Thanks Tristan for the update!

Could you answer a somewhat unrelated question that I've always wondered about?

Does the family retain any say in how, or where, the lights are used or does Disney have sole discretion? Other than coming from the Osborne family, I don't know a lot of the story. I don't want to bother you with having to write too long a response, but I'd love to hear the story of how they ended up going to Disney and if there were any terms that the family presented that governed their use. I remember seeing them the first year they went up and it's one of the must-do's for our travels.

Thanks

 

[kaphil]

Thank you for letting us know what you know! So many of us love the lights and can't imagine them anywhere but the Streets of America. As a Studios cast member I've seen them plenty of times and they never fail to instill wonder and the true feeling of Christmas in me. Kind of like a time machine back to my youth. Thank you for the magic!

 

[skier_pete]

Wow - thanks for the post. We absolutely love the lights, probably our favorite of the holiday season (that and CP). I never really thought that they would end the lights, though the possibility of them going on hiatus for a year or two was believable.

I have a hard time believing they leave DHS permenantly. That park needs the holiday draw. Personally, I would think the next best option if the Streets of America go would we to move to Hollywood and Sunset. Sure it's at the entrance which may cause clogging, especially as fantastmic lets out, but as a temporary location it would probably work out.

 

[jsebsirois]

It it moves to Hollywood and Sunset, they will need to change to entrance for Fantasmic. No way they can work out havint the OSDL crowds and the Fantasmic crowds at the same time, same location...

 

[wareagle57]

Thanks Tristan!


If they do them at Disney Springs, I smell hard ticket event. They'd close that part of DS off except to ticketed guests. Of course, there's other logistics I know nothing about associated with that...

How would they do that though? I don't think the shops affected by that area will be happy with not allowing potential customers in. I think the amount of crowds drawn to DTD would create enough "well we are already here, let's shop" to justify it. I don't see needing park admission to be a big deal. Most people there will be paying to go to WDW already. Many locals have season passes and people who traveled will likely already be visiting WDW. It would allow Universal guests to experience it though.

I think it's a good idea. We barely made it to DTD last trip. I just don't really feel the need. But if the lights were there, I'd probably make a whole day of it and not use a park admission that day. Sleep in, get there for a late lunch, see a matinee, do some shopping, see the lights for a while, dinner, and back to the lights. It would also allow them to keep the lights on much later, which has been a problem with them being at the studios, which usually closes at 8.

 

[skier_pete]

I think it's a good idea. We barely made it to DTD last trip. I just don't really feel the need. But if the lights were there, I'd probably make a whole day of it and not use a park admission that day..

Actually, it does make sense....

"Come see the lights...and while you are at it...spend, spend, spend!"

Again, the bigger problem is removing a draw from DHS, a park that desperately needs draws.

 

[Spacedog1975]

Thanks Tristan for the update! Could you answer a somewhat unrelated question that I've always wondered about? Does the family retain any say in how, or where, the lights are used or does Disney have sole discretion? Other than coming from the Osborne family, I don't know a lot of the story. I don't want to bother you with having to write too long a response, but I'd love to hear the story of how they ended up going to Disney and if there were any terms that the family presented that governed their use. I remember seeing them the first year they went up and it's one of the must-do's for our travels. Thanks

There is a pretty solid Wikipedia article that covers the history:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Osborne_Family_Spectacle_of_Dancing_Lights

 

[LeeAndRobin]

Does anyone remember a time when they handed out what my wife describes as "3D" glasses for viewing of the lights? I suspect that instead of "3D" glasses what they actually were was grating glasses which caused the lights to have a starburst effect. However, I can find no reference to these glasses other than my wife's recollection from several years ago...

Cheers,
--Lee