Best time of night to see Osbourne lights?

[jmet]

When is the least busy time to see the lights? I can't decide if it would be better (crowd wise) to try to go one night DURING fantasmic or just plan to go after fantasmic as we originally planned. Love to hear from anyone whose done both and can compare. Thanks!
Jamie

 

[pixiedust27]

In my experience the Osborne lights are going to be crowded no matter what time you go. I've been before Fantasmic starts and while Fantasmic is going on and there have always been a lot of people back there.
For some reason I think that when Fantasmic is over it's not possible to get to the backlot where the lights are??? I might be wrong so hopefully someone else has more experience with me and can answer that question.
I think that if it's possible I'd try to go after Fantasmic. It's a pretty good hike to get from the backlot to the Fantasmic ampitheater and it will take you a good 20 to 30 minutes to walk through the Osborne Lights. There's a lot to see so you don't want to run through them if at all possible.
The good thing is that even when I've been to the Osborne Lights at it's most crowded it's pretty managable. The streets are very wide so you don't bump into people too much. It's generally REALLY crowded at the beginning and the end but as people walk the streets it's not so bad. There are lines for the characters but generally they aren't too long either.
Have fun!

 

[pixiedust27]

In my experience the Osborne lights are going to be crowded no matter what time you go. I've been before Fantasmic starts and while Fantasmic is going on and there have always been a lot of people back there.
For some reason I think that when Fantasmic is over it's not possible to get to the backlot where the lights are??? I really can't remember so hopefully someone else can answer that question.
I think that if it's possible I'd try to go after Fantasmic. It's a pretty good hike to get from the backlot to the Fantasmic ampitheater and it will take you a good 20 to 30 minutes to walk through the Osborne Lights. There's a lot to see so you don't want to run through them if at all possible.
The good thing is that even when I've been to the Osborne Lights at it's most crowded it's pretty managable. The streets are very wide so you don't bump into people too much. It's generally REALLY crowded at the beginning and the end but as people walk the streets it's not so bad. There are lines for the characters but generally they aren't too long either.
Have fun!

 

[DebbieB]

The beginning is very crowded unless you are in the front when it opens. I prefer to wait 30 or 45 minutes after it starts, the crowds thin out some. It's wall to wall people at opening.

 

[TXMommy]

We went during Fantasmic and didn't find it to be too crowded - you could definitely tell when Fantasmic let out! Regardless, they are not to be missed - absoluetly spectacular!

 

[lorileer]

You CAN go after Fantasmic. We usually do that. And one year, my whole group needed a bathroom break after Fantasmic and then took a leisurely stoll to the Lights. I was afraid we were going to miss them, but we didn't and actually ended up having them all to ourselves! Very cool!!

 

[doc hog]

Thanks for the tips!!! My family is excited about going to see the lights, we were disappointed last year when they were cancalled.

 

[crow11ad]

It is really going to be magical for us as this is our first time to see them what so ever. We saw Fantasmic back in April and I have the whole show on DVD, so if for some reason we just don't get to see it this time, we can watch Fantasmic when we get home. But there is no way we are not going to see the OL. From what few pictures I can find to what everyone is saying about them, these things I am sure cannot due the OL justice.

 

[erinz]

Just an FYI: in 1999 we went over to see The Osborne Lights right at the scheduled closing time. They were actually getting ready to rope the entrance off, but they let us in. There were maybe 20 people there total. They didn't rush us through or anything.

It was FANTASTIC!

 

[Lori S.]

OK, we are going to be seeing Fantasmic at the second showing (8:30) will we be able to see the lights after that, or should we see them before?

 

[jwfla422]

When we were there in 2002 it was such a mob scene at opening people were almost walking on my poor dd who was sitting in her stroller. I dodged out because I just couldn't "deal".

We ended up at Mama Melrose for a nice quiet dinner and it was quiet in there! Afterwards, we went back through the lights and it was virtually empty!! The only way to see them

 

[sammi]

Can someone tell me what time the lights are turned on for the evening?

 

[Lori S.]

and what time they are turned off. . . is it so many minutes after the last Fantasmic showing?

 

[erikthewise]

It's not clear to me how it's going to work this year. Apparently they will be displayed on New York Street, as Residential Street is being "plowed under" to make a new attraction.

Will it be something you walk through as in the past? I haven't heard and don't know. Hopefully someone will report as soon as they get underway.

 

[Mom2Ashli]

When I was there two weeks ago they were hanging all the lights on the New York buildings. And on top of the buildings. They had alot of Angels hanging by the new attractions. But it lookeds like they still had alot to do yet.

 

[miste76]

We have AP's and we're going to the pin trading event... (not sure if we'll be in MGM on friday or not) so, I'll try to get back to everyone no later than Saturday night. I'll ask the CM's when they turn on and when they go off - then I can post and let everyone know!!!

 

[lucky978]

Does anyone have an idea of how long it would probably take to seem them?

 

[chesirekate]

I'm another who is interested in knowing about what time the lights should turn on. Because it's now on New York Street (and when we were there in Sept. they were already starting to put up the large displays behind walls), do you think they will rope off NYS and let people in at a designated time? Is the actual turning on of the lights an event? Or perhaps they will just throw the switch at dusk?

I've never been to FL in December, can anyone recall what time dusk hits during the first/second week of Dec.?

Sorry about all the questions in this hijack post! I'm just trying to plan out our days now, and the day we do most of MGM we won't be staying until dark so we're going to have to come back later in the week to see the Osborne lights at night and I'm trying to figure out about what time I should plan on getting there Thanks.

 

[chesirekate]

lucky978, I think someone mentioned above that it takes about 20-30 minutes to see everything.