It's Official: last year of Osborne Lights

[Jennasis]

So happy we will see them one last time in December .

 

[ZellyB]

I'm so glad we are going in November. I've never seen them and I'm glad I'll get the opportunity before they go away.

 

[yulilin3]

No, no, no... you alway bring good news, not sad news. I'm hoping they come out with some good pins and other items to mark the final year.

I know, I'm heartbroken, you will find me every weekend there and on the final night sobbing in the corner, a group of friends are already planning on going the last night, you're welcome to join, bring tissues

 

[HadesTX]

So glad we're going this year! I've never seen them & would hate to miss them completely.

 

[Sherrkel]

My husband and I are looking forward to seeing the lights for the first time this year - and now sadly it will be our last time as well.
It's a special story about the lights and I'm sure I'll be a little teary eyed when we finally see them. God bless the Osborne family.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

I would love to see them relocate the lights to the World Showcase. In my mind, I see the countries dancing and it looks spectacular. But, it's probably not going to happen...so, I'm just going to have to be thankful that we've seen the lights multiple times and got to see them last year. Still very sad

 

[DOOM1001]

I said it before that if the Osborne lights go away and don't get relocated Disney better not even advertise anything Christmas because what they will have left for Christmas is beyond look lacking and sad.They're supposed to be the main players in the theme park industry but every year I'm underwhelmed when I compare their parks to other area parks,for example the Busch Gardens Christmas Town event and the Sea World Christmas events have been more impressive to me over the last couple of years.The Osborne lights have been one of the few exceptions that made Christmas at Disney worth it,starting in 2016 if nothing new is added I don't see much that will make a Christmas Disney visit a must.I'm hoping what happens is that the name Osborne lights is what's going away and they will find a new place to display a similar display if the construction is what's displacing them.

 

[Twende]

This is such sad news that I too am shedding a tear over it. My parents loved these lights and saw them the first year they went up with my two girls. They all returned talking about how incredible they were. I think my parents saw them every year from then until they both died in 2011.

After 2011, I walked those lovely lit up streets in memory of my parents. For a second I could feel their joy too.There are other things and places in Disney that serve as a happy memory of my mom but for my dad the Osborn lights were it!

In fact we hold a family reunion every year over the Christmas holidays partially to see these lights. It will be so very poignant to see them for one last time this year.

 

[mesaboy2]

I know, I'm heartbroken, you will find me every weekend there and on the final night sobbing in the corner, a group of friends are already planning on going the last night, you're welcome to join, bring tissues

May I suggest you edit the OP to include the dates, including the two dates with private parties? That way they won't get lost in this thread that may get long....

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

I'll miss the lights but not the wall of people. It became an unenjoyable event because it has just been entirely too crowded the last few years. Disney's method of "crowd control," which was herding people in one direction and restricting entrances and exits actually made the situation a whole lot worse. Plus they have just been phoning it in the last couple years with the purple cat.

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

I said it before that if the Osborne lights go away and don't get relocated Disney better not even advertise anything Christmas because what they will have left for Christmas is beyond look lacking and sad.

Disney will still gladly take people's money for the entirely lackluster MVMCP!

 

[BrianL]

Yeah, it makes sense since the DHS transformation is making the Streets of America area pretty unnecessary. I mean, really, the Osborne lights were the only real draw there, and they only ran for a couple of months a year. I do wish they could find a new place for them, but I struggle to think of where. Epcot is about the best I can think of. I doubt they'd ever do them at Disney Springs or a resort because there would be no admission price (and, let's face it, lights like that aren't cheap). I'm sorry I never got to see them in person.

 

[pagek83]

So sad. This trip will be our first time seeing them. Guess we'll have to go to HS a few nights during our trip.

 

[yulilin3]

May I suggest you edit the OP to include the dates, including the two dates with private parties? That way they won't get lost in this thread that may get long....

done, thanks for the suggestion

I'll miss the lights but not the wall of people. It became an unenjoyable event because it has just been entirely too crowded the last few years. Disney's method of "crowd control," which was herding people in one direction and restricting entrances and exits actually made the situation a whole lot worse. Plus they have just been phoning it in the last couple years with the purple cat.

It really depends at what time you go and how do you tour them. You could go early, maybe 20 minutes before they turn on the switch and hang around the LMA restrooms and get an awesome view without hardly anyone around you, and then walk around or you could go later. There's one entrance that is controlled by CM (the one by Commissary lane and Star Tours) but after you enter the actual Streets of America area you are free to roam around as you wish. Not sure what you mean about the Purple Cat phoning it in

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

Not happy about the news. I think that the expansions to DHS are probably a good idea (expansions, not replacements) but they have done an absolutely terrible job of explaining what to expect. We know that Toy Story Land is coming as well as Star Tours Land, but are they going to expand out (good idea)? Are they just replacing things that are already there and keeping the park the same size (bad idea)? Looks like they are choosing to replace with all of the closures going on. Not happy that The Osborne Lights will be one of the casualties in the expansions. I don't understand why they can't just be moved. Why can't they go up around Animation Courtyard? What about Hollywood Boulevard? Sunset Boulevard is an option, as well. Then there is the option of moving them to a different park. Epcot is currently a Future World graveyard so why not put them up there? Why not put them up around The American Adventure? Why not move them to Downtown Disney (er, is it Disney Springs yet? And am I the only one who thinks that sounds like a retirement community?)? Fort Wilderness would be a great place for them, as well, and they could put in another hard ticket event for "A Country Christmas" out there (hey, more money, right?). To just get rid of them is a mistake, in my opinion and just another example of Disney taking more and more things away every year to possibly "make way" for new things to come. Unfortunately for those who are vacationing prior to those new things arriving, they just get less for their money.

 

[JayLeeJay]

I know, I'm heartbroken, you will find me every weekend there and on the final night sobbing in the corner, a group of friends are already planning on going the last night, you're welcome to join, bring tissues

I hope to join you. Lewis and I will be flying into MCO on either Jan 2 or Jan 3. I'll have to try to work the times so that we can make it on the last day. Our families will just have to accept that we can't visit for longer and that there are things at disney we have to do.

 

[Luv2trav]

I am very sad. It's the only reason I want/wanted to go at Christmas. I have been lucky to see them 3 times but now that they will be gone I have no desire to visit at Christmas anymore.

 

[916chipndale]

Damn, at least Disney told us a year in advance and not save the announcement for next September or October. I find it crazy how there is no other spot for them. Oh well, I understand new things are coming to DHS and this was pretty much a given but it is still a bummer.

 

[palmtreelover08]

I have booked several short trips on the last few years just to experience the O-lights and Chistmas party/lights on Castle. Without lights or something fabulous to replace them, Disneh will be losing my "extra" trip a year.

 

[RAD]

So sad to see them go. After hearing the rumors last year about them going away I'm glad that we're going this year with the grandkids so they get a chance to see them before they are no more.