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

[rteetz]

You're both big fans of the lights and I can understand your need to defend the thing you love. I apologize for suggesting an explanation that conflicts with your notions of how and why the lights will be removed. But it doesn't change the fact that the Osborne Lights have been there too long and have become a pedestrian attraction. It's time to move on!

I'm a fan but I've never even seen them in person. My defense comes from your lack of proof that they are being taken away due to energy reasons. That's not true. They are going away because major construction is coming to DHS. Why wouldn't the lights be a pedestrian attraction? Isn't that what Christmas lights are supposed to be? Your idea of them being there too long doesn't work. Space mountain has been there longer does that mean that should go too?

 

[Disney Von Drake]

That is a generalization. I am speaking from a point of fact and not feeling. There are several of us in this thread who work/worked in some part of the power generation business and have a good breadth of knowledge on the subject and how the economics of power consumption can affect ROI on capital expenditures, like the Osborne lights.

Now it is time to...

...Move along

I'm a fan but I've never even seen them in person. My defense comes from your lack of proof that they are being taken away due to energy reasons. That's not true. They are going away because major construction is coming to DHS. Why wouldn't the lights be a pedestrian attraction? Isn't that what Christmas lights are supposed to be? Your idea of them being there too long doesn't work. Space mountain has been there longer does that mean that should go too?

I understand.

 

[Miumiu4me]

Getting rid of the best Holiday attraction at Disney is not a way to keep people coming back to your property.I've looked at all the parks in Orlando to see where a possible replacement would go and the New York area of Universal Studios would be the closest to its current location.Any rumor of them going to Disney Springs is pretty unlikely,maybe for a year or two if they announce it like a temporary location until a permanent location is set to go,but getting large crowds who are getting in free to see the lights is not smart in many ways.If Universal decided to get in the game for the lights their Holiday offerings would trump Disneys,Macy's Holiday parade followed by the lights and a Mannheim Steamroller concert at Universal and Grinchmas at IOA,that's enough for many to switch their vacations over to Universal.Disneys Christmas in my opinion is even below what Sea World Christmas and Busch Gardens Christmas Town offer as they've really stepped up their game in the last couple of years with their offerings,even if you compare the amount of lights throughout the parks you'll see lights throughout those parks while Disney has many areas of the parks decoration free.

This is accurate. Every year Disney cuts back on their Xmas offerings. The other parks completely outshine Disney at the holidays.

 

[HopperFan]

This is accurate. Every year Disney cuts back on their Xmas offerings. The other parks completely outshine Disney at the holidays.

Spent all day and early evening at Epcot today. I said to my DS that it felt like they had really cut back on the holiday decor (and we were here for a week last December but didn't feel that way). So often we could stop and look around and be totally unaware whether it was December or July. Made me kinda sad because I always felt the real plus of Epcot was the decorations. Magic Kingdom had the ice castle and parties, DHS had the Osborne Lights and Epcot had the traditional decor. Honestly with lights gone, unless they are replicated in a new way .... I'm not going to feel a draw to come over the holidays.

 

[kbelle8995]

Getting rid of the best Holiday attraction at Disney is not a way to keep people coming back to your property.I've looked at all the parks in Orlando to see where a possible replacement would go and the New York area of Universal Studios would be the closest to its current location.Any rumor of them going to Disney Springs is pretty unlikely,maybe for a year or two if they announce it like a temporary location until a permanent location is set to go,but getting large crowds who are getting in free to see the lights is not smart in many ways.If Universal decided to get in the game for the lights their Holiday offerings would trump Disneys,Macy's Holiday parade followed by the lights and a Mannheim Steamroller concert at Universal and Grinchmas at IOA,that's enough for many to switch their vacations over to Universal.Disneys Christmas in my opinion is even below what Sea World Christmas and Busch Gardens Christmas Town offer as they've really stepped up their game in the last couple of years with their offerings,even if you compare the amount of lights throughout the parks you'll see lights throughout those parks while Disney has many areas of the parks decoration free.

My goodness. How true just returned from a trip to Universal. And it was decorated beautifully. The most spectacular was Suess Landings as well on the New York and Hollywood area in the Studios. Not only that but entertainment at the resorts and the parks that went well with the holidays. I went away really impressed.

While Diagon alley was not decorated, Hogsmeade was lightly decorated and it looked really nice.

 

[LeeAndRobin]

I realize it's more convenient to skip over parts that don't agree with your notions. For the sake of clarity I'll again post the solution. And for your edification the word "conservation" refers to "greenness":

"...Reedy Creek says it is opting instead to plug the gap through a combination of surplus power from its own generator facility, conservation and additional purchases through existing contracts with other utilities, such as TECO Energy of Tampa."

For YOUR edification, I did not "skip over parts that don't agree" with my "notions". No where in that release is any green initiative mentioned. Also, conservation does not necessarily mean "greenness". The article states that WDW was using conservation as one way to keep to their power budget. No where did it say that this conservation was due to any green initiative. On the contrary, it's pretty clear that the conservation mentioned was only done to keep budgets in line. On a more general note, it is my observation that no matter what management says, they don't go "green" out of any concern for the environment. They do it solely because it reduces costs, which helps their bottom line. A perfect example are the little cards in hotels that ask you to only put towels you don't wish to reuse on the floor in order to "help save the environment" and be more green. While that's an admirable goal, hotels only do that because this practice saves them money. If it did not, you can bet those cards wouldn't be in your hotel room.

I'm all for Disney being green, but this particular case isn't one that they were being green. It's also clear to those of us that have a familiarity with how the power grid actually works that you don't really understand how the grid works.

 

[mummabear]

Disney springs doesn't charge admission.

Yet

 

[rteetz]

Yet

No I don't think it ever will. It's a mall not a theme park. They make plenty off of the shops and restaurants.

 

[mummabear]

No I don't think it ever will. It's a mall not a theme park. They make plenty off of the shops and restaurants.

Plenty of places that have a cover charge. Pleasure Island itself used to.

 

[ColoradoDreamin]

IMO not a shot they would charge admission. They would lose profit for that. PI was different, it wasn't centered around shops as much as entertainment. They want people there. Same reason the lights wouldn't go there is the reason they wouldn't charge to get in.

 

[rteetz]

Plenty of places that have a cover charge. Pleasure Island itself used to.

Pleasure Island was a club area not a mall.

 

[SoCalTrojanSkip]

,

When I was a kid, they used to decorate the homes in the backlot with the lights, and that is what you walked through. They have moved those lights around the park, as they have changed the layout of DHS. I expect they will find a new home somewhere else.

From what the interwebs have been saying, by this time next year, Streets of America will sleep with the fishes....

 

[DOOM1001]

My goodness. How true just returned from a trip to Universal. And it was decorated beautifully. The most spectacular was Suess Landings as well on the New York and Hollywood area in the Studios. Not only that but entertainment at the resorts and the parks that went well with the holidays. I went away really impressed.

While Diagon alley was not decorated, Hogsmeade was lightly decorated and it looked really nice.

also try Sea World and Christmas Town at Busch Gardens,incredible amounts of lights and decorations throughout the park.I couldn't get to Busch for Christmas this year but was highly impressed with it last year.Sea Worlds O Glorious night and Winter Wonderland on ice shows are magnificent.

 

[brazzledazzler]

Just saw the Osborne lights this weekend...I don't even remember it being as crowded. It's a fun holiday treat, but if is the last year, than so be it. Considering they replaced all the lights with LED lights only a few years ago, I have a suspicion we will see them again in a few years. I enjoyed finding all the hidden Mickeys in the lights!

In the end, I will miss the streets of America backlot area, but I'm really excited about the changes coming to DHS.

 

[eXo]

Average CM's don't know jack about future plans, yet they seem to think they know everything. Take for example the guy at my resort last week who, upon hearing us talk about DHS, boldly stated that the old Canyon area is being demolished for a new Cars Land. Not quite buckaroo.

The number of other misinformed statements I heard about the upcoming construction was simply mind boggling.

 

[DOOM1001]

Yet

Will never happen,they're turning it into a mall,from 75 stores and restaurants to over 150,you want to bring people to these stores and restaurants not turn them away.They won't even charge for parking,talk to Pointe Orlando and Shoppes at Sunset Place both of which opened around the same time and see how many issues they've had,what do both have in common,they both charge parking.No way will you see admission or parking fees at Disney Springs.

 

[Eoghann]

Pleasure Island was a club area not a mall.

And also doesn't exist any more so either way it's not an argument for a cover charge at Disney Springs.

Yes clubs sometimes do that, but not shopping malls.

 

[Disney Von Drake]

For YOUR edification, I did not "skip over parts that don't agree" with my "notions". No where in that release is any green initiative mentioned. Also, conservation does not necessarily mean "greenness". The article states that WDW was using conservation as one way to keep to their power budget. No where did it say that this conservation was due to any green initiative. On the contrary, it's pretty clear that the conservation mentioned was only done to keep budgets in line. On a more general note, it is my observation that no matter what management says, they don't go "green" out of any concern for the environment. They do it solely because it reduces costs, which helps their bottom line. A perfect example are the little cards in hotels that ask you to only put towels you don't wish to reuse on the floor in order to "help save the environment" and be more green. While that's an admirable goal, hotels only do that because this practice saves them money. If it did not, you can bet those cards wouldn't be in your hotel room.

I'm all for Disney being green, but this particular case isn't one that they were being green. It's also clear to those of us that have a familiarity with how the power grid actually works that you don't really understand how the grid works.

You contradicted yourself.

 

[kbelle8995]

Will never happen,they're turning it into a mall,from 75 stores and restaurants to over 150,you want to bring people to these stores and restaurants not turn them away.They won't even charge for parking,talk to Pointe Orlando and Shoppes at Sunset Place both of which opened around the same time and see how many issues they've had,what do both have in common,they both charge parking.No way will you see admission or parking fees at Disney Springs.

You know I used to argue that it was not a mall. But since I heard that they are putting a Sephora in there (possibly?) Yep it's a mall

 

[LeeAndRobin]

You contradicted yourself.

How? Or do you still believe that when someone says conservation, they mean greenness? Conservation might RESULT in "greenness" but the reasons for conservation can be many. Just because greenness is a side effect of conservation doesn't mean that management gives a wit about the green part of the equation. It's just a nice side effect. What they care about is the bottom line.

The university where I work is going through a huge green/sustainability initiative right now. It's sad to watch people's research labs get destroyed because the contractors turned off the heat over winter break to meet their quotas, thus causing the pipes to freeze and the building to flood. Or to hear that all the snakes in the animal facility froze to death because of the same reason.

Greenness can be taken to a point, but when you go beyond that point, bad things start to happen. It's not all sunshine and happy days.