May not be the last we see of the Osborne lights...

[Budshark]

I have no affiliation with Disney, but I do with someone else that has a large annual light show. I can tell you very little of the lighting is stored. Most of it is cut and thrown away.

Multiple reasons for this. Damage and storage costs being part. But the bigger piece is the demolition costs. The labor involved in removing the lights, tracing power, removing all the attachments without damaging the light string is far far far more costly than buying new lights. So anything that cannot be easily removed (self contained apparatus, decorative pieces, etc) is cut and ripped and disposed. And then next year new strands are bought and restrung.

If I ventured a guess - less than 20% of the display lighting is kept. I don't know what Disneys numbers are, but it certainly isn't anything close to 100%.

 

[zaccaglin]

Sorry but you're wrong again. They have neither the room nor the desire to make the room to store that huge assortment of lights. They may indeed keep a small portion of the newer lights for replacement Christmas decorations but the vast majority of the lights are going to the landfill. Christmas light sets are very susceptible to damage from the UV rays of the sun and the wiring harnesses must be disposed of and replaced to avoid fire hazards. Light sets in the greater Orlando, FL area that are not stored in air conditioned facilities are subject to more rapid deterioration.

I agree that WDW is environmentally friendly and they do their part to recycle as much as possible. But the main value of the light sets is in the content of their copper wire and it's just too expensive to extract the wire from the plastic insulation. It's cheaper just to junk the old lights. Sad but true.

Even if I was right or wrong you don't have to blast people the way you do. All of your recent posts have been back this thread, I agree with Rteetz whatever your problem is, it's ridiculous. Just because you don't like something doesn't mean you know everything. You acting just like a condescending cast member who's stuck working stroller parking. The lights were beautiful and brought joy to many, they were an attraction within themselves. For the last 20 years Disney has had no issues storing them and I'm sure it wouldn't be an issue if they chose to keep them to be recycled within the company. And sure they may cut them down. Who really cares either way they're not gonna be dumped out behind mama melroes in some ally to rot. They'll be properly disposed or recycled and you'll never have the chance to see them again. That ought to make your next vacation so much more enjoyable for you. Less blinks lights!

 

[Disney Von Drake]

Even if I was right or wrong you don't have to blast people the way you do. All of your recent posts have been back this thread, I agree with Rteetz whatever your problem is, it's ridiculous. Just because you don't like something doesn't mean you know everything. You acting just like a condescending cast member who's stuck working stroller parking. The lights were beautiful and brought joy to many, they were an attraction within themselves. For the last 20 years Disney has had no issues storing them and I'm sure it wouldn't be an issue if they chose to keep them to be recycled within the company. And sure they may cut them down. Who really cares either way they're not gonna be dumped out behind mama melroes in some ally to rot. They'll be properly disposed or recycled and you'll never have the chance to see them again. That ought to make your next vacation so much more enjoyable for you. Less blinks lights!

You may believe what you want. However, you might want to base those beliefs on some facts rather than fiction.

 

[rteetz]

You may believe what you want. However, you might want to base those beliefs on some facts rather than fiction.

My problem is where the heck are you getting all of these facts? Do you work for Disney that you know these things for sure? You simply don't answer any of my questions.

 

[TristanWingfield]

Von Drake is skewing the facts of the lights plain and simple.

 

[Eoghann]

Troll is trolling folks. Stop feeding it.

 

[DanBoris]

Sorry but you're wrong again. They have neither the room nor the desire to make the room to store that huge assortment of lights. They may indeed keep a small portion of the newer lights for replacement Christmas decorations but the vast majority of the lights are going to the landfill. Christmas light sets are very susceptible to damage from the UV rays of the sun and the wiring harnesses must be disposed of and replaced to avoid fire hazards. Light sets in the greater Orlando, FL area that are not stored in air conditioned facilities are subject to more rapid deterioration.

I agree that WDW is environmentally friendly and they do their part to recycle as much as possible. But the main value of the light sets is in the content of their copper wire and it's just too expensive to extract the wire from the plastic insulation. It's cheaper just to junk the old lights. Sad but true.

This is not true at all. Metal recyclers will give you cash for insulated copper wire, you don't need to extract the copper yourself. Last time I did this was a few months ago and I got around $0.75 a pound for insulated wire.

 

[Ursula's Apprentice]

Guys, Guys!!! Stop feeding the trolls!

 

[Disney Von Drake]

This is not true at all. Metal recyclers will give you cash for insulated copper wire, you don't need to extract the copper yourself. Last time I did this was a few months ago and I got around $0.75 a pound for insulated wire.

You forgot that we're talking about Christmas lights, not mere insulated copper wire. As I stated before, it's just too expensive to recycle Christmas lights. As you can see here, it's cost prohibitive unless you live in a cave:

 

[HopperFan]

 

[disneykeim]

When I was there early December we got to talk to one of the cast members that has felt with the lights the whole time they have been there. He said it's hectic, and he wasn't too sad to see them go. He said each year there is always a building or color that doesn't want to work right. This year it was the GM building. He said the Osbournes will get the metal structures back, but the actual lights will be thrown away.

 

[Tinkerdreams]

What they should do is have a similar light display in Future world in EPCOT. I would have the display begin at the fountain and spread to the paths on both sides leading to the Land and Test track and over the path that leads to World Showcase (where the old light display used to be). It would give more traffic to that area since Future world lacks attractions.

 

[circus4u]

I'm very curious about this. Are you achieving this with video? I'd love to see.

I finally got one video of one of the sequences on my pixel tree. This sequence uses the soundtrack from Disney's Believe in Holiday Magic. My pixel tree consists of 12 strings of 50 pixels; the tree is approximately 16 feet tall. Will try to get the Electric Parade video finished and posted next. This is only one element in my display. Other elements include the singing trees and snowmen among others.

Edit to add the Electrical Parade link.

 

[Spacedog1975]

I finally got one video of one of the sequences on my pixel tree. This sequence uses the soundtrack from Disney's Believe in Holiday Magic. My pixel tree consists of 12 strings of 50 pixels; the tree is approximately 16 feet tall. Will try to get the Electric Parade video finished and posted next. This is only one element in my display. Other elements include the singing trees and snowmen among others.

Edit to add the Electrical Parade link.

Very cool. Not remotely what I was picturing, but no less cool .
Thank you! I haven't seen a light setup like this before.

 

[jgasko]

I finally got one video of one of the sequences on my pixel tree. This sequence uses the soundtrack from Disney's Believe in Holiday Magic. My pixel tree consists of 12 strings of 50 pixels; the tree is approximately 16 feet tall. Will try to get the Electric Parade video finished and posted next. This is only one element in my display. Other elements include the singing trees and snowmen among others.

Edit to add the Electrical Parade link.

awesome, but $3500, wow.

 

[circus4u]

awesome, but $3500, wow.

Uhhh, not $3500, wife would bury me under that tree. Altogether, cost to build was around $500.

 

[Deathjester]

I was lucky enough to see the Osborne lights last week.. Dec-26 through Jan-2.
One of the days, I do believe it was Tuesday, the Osbornes were there. They (Disney) had a photo session with Mitsy and Breezy; along with Breezy's husband, Tristan. It was a recognition ceremony for this being the last year and the retirement of the lights display. Also in attendance were many Disney Execs and all the imagineers and technical staff that worked on the lights.

It was a celebration so the staff were wearing shirts that had the Osborne Spectacle lights logo and "Staff" printed on the back.
Me, not being one to pass up a chance, engaged one of the fore mentioned staff members in conversation concerning the lights.
As I have a Multi-Universe DMX display myself, he opened up about technical specs on the Osborne lights; Past, present and future. Some of this will make no sense to you; as others will be in awe as I was.
All lights are Full wave rectified LEDs... Meaning they can be individually controlled for color and fading.
There are 18 Universes @ 4000 channels... Just know this is on a Larger scale than Ive EVER heard of.
When Disney acquired the display it was a little over 3-million lights. It now counts over 5.5-million lights
They start restringing in June.
The only things that are saved year to year from the Display is the Globe and the Angels. The 2 carousels. The 70-foot Mega Tree. and the DMX Pixel canopy. All other lights are recycled EVERY year and restrung from new rolls.
The show is being retired. Meaning if/when lights returned, they would not hold the Osborne moniker.
The New York streets are being leveled 100% to make room for Star Wars Land.

Dave, my staff friend, said that there has been an epic outcry about the lights being retired, and he didn't think Disney would let that go unanswered; and that there are conversations about "a display", but execs wont even entertain the thoughts until SWL is completed.
He said that part of the Spectacle is the density of the lights and such a relatively small area. And that there isn't anyplace conducive to that level of lighting on Disney Property at this time. Even Disney Springs doesn't have the surface to cram all those lights to that density. So the task of making something to "replace" the Spectacle is a tall, very tall order. And if they try to half-asked throw it up on something, I fear it would be disappointing.

My head is still spinning from the sheer gargantuan task it is to restring those lights every year. Anyway; I had an epic time at WDW this season... I learned too much to type here.
Got questions... fire away.

Mike

 

[rteetz]

The New York streets are being leveled 100% to make room for Star Wars Land.

Everything here seems right except this. Star Wars isn't going where the lights were it's going more the other way towards echo lake. Streets of America will be used as staging until phase 3.

 

[Eoghann]

Everything here seems right except this. Star Wars isn't going where the lights were it's going more the other way towards echo lake. Streets of America will be used as staging until phase 3.

But the bus driver said...

 

[zaccaglin]

But the bus driver said...

Was it a magical express driver? I heard those are the only ones who can be trusted! Direct connection to WDI