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

[rickybobby]

BRING BACK TAPESTRY OF NATIONS.
Sorry, off topic. Excuse me please.

 

[thepops]

My guess is that the Osborne lights are going away to stop paying for royalties on the name. I'm sure they are getting something for having their name on them. So they ship them back their old lights (which there are very few of since the LED upgrade) and drop the name. Then they re-imagine them as something else, under a new name, get a similar crowd draw at a lower cost. They may have to wait a year or two so that there isn't a connection to be drawn from the old to the new. Just a thought...

 

[Spacedog1975]

I do hope that after the dust settles, we'll see the triumphant return of the Osborne Lights.
On the plus side, these aren't being stored by the same team that stored SpectroMagic.

If they don't return, I'm glad to have seen them, but they've certainly proved that they can be a traffic driver.
They might even get more mileage out of them if they displayed them every other year, or in anniversary years.

 

[Spacedog1975]

My guess is that the Osborne lights are going away to stop paying for royalties on the name. I'm sure they are getting something for having their name on them. So they ship them back their old lights (which there are very few of since the LED upgrade) and drop the name. Then they re-imagine them as something else, under a new name, get a similar crowd draw at a lower cost. They may have to wait a year or two so that there isn't a connection to be drawn from the old to the new. Just a thought...

I don't know how much the contract is worth, but I've always been under the impression that it has been a very friendly agreement.
I don't think the cost-benefit of cutting the Osborne's out is there here.

 

[Nancyg56]

I have read every post and while I agree that Disney is energy conscious, I really do not believe that the decision to remove the Lights was based on the energy consumed. There is no place in DHS to move them right now, and as much as folks may want to see them in DS there is no way Disney would agree to move them there. If there is nothing to be gained, and honestly there is everything to be lost, IMO, why would Disney expend the resources to maintain this display within DS. Without an entry fee, people would be there just to sightsee, take up parking spaces and take away from retail business while they stroll with their home made cup of cocoa. I know I would not battle a crowd to have dinner or to shop and I bet many others would opt to eat and spend their cash elsewhere as well.

I believe that if Disney wants to relocate this display they will do so with the idea the Lights will generate revenue. If they do not think they will, in terms of foot traffic that will spend money or increased incentive for park goers to stay and spend, they will jut let the idea rest in peace. If after this year, Disney believes that the increased crowds throughout the Season were not just an anomaly, they will find a suitable spot, even if it is a scaled down version. I would love to see them in Epcot somewhere, but I think that poor park needs a little help and this may do the trick. The WS has the Storytellers and the CP, but FW is woefully lacking in Holiday Seasonal incentives for guests to increase their touring time.

 

[andyman8]

Interestingly enough, Disney (at least after Jennings died) does pay a licensing fee to use the "Osborne" name, which is part of the reason I believe that the Osborne Lights are going away. That said, Disney still is apparently pursuing other light display ideas. While many of the existing lights are supposedly being returned to the Osbornes, like another poster mentioned, they still have the expensive backend equipment to make this kind of show possible. I know they've looked at possibly setting up a similar light display on Hollywood Boulevard, working in the Christmas lights with the neon. Jim Hill has suggested that they might let the winners of ABC's Great Xmas Light Fight reality show decorate a part of the park (unsure where), and I can say they have considered this. Another thing they've even considered is a Frozen-themed light display. It's all still very up in the air, so I'd be surprised if they have something ready for next year, especially with all the construction about to begin at DHS.

 

[rteetz]

My guess is that the Osborne lights are going away to stop paying for royalties on the name. I'm sure they are getting something for having their name on them. So they ship them back their old lights (which there are very few of since the LED upgrade) and drop the name. Then they re-imagine them as something else, under a new name, get a similar crowd draw at a lower cost. They may have to wait a year or two so that there isn't a connection to be drawn from the old to the new. Just a thought...

I don't think they are getting rid of them because Disney is paying for the name. I also doubt the family gets a whole lot from Disney anyways.

 

[Spacedog1975]

I desperately hope they don't rely on winners from the Great Christmas Light Fight. While I'm sure it provides some brand synergy, I just don't see it being nearly as classy as the Osborne display.

 

[rteetz]

Interestingly enough, Disney (at least after Jennings died) does pay a licensing fee to use the "Osborne" name, which is part of the reason I believe that the Osborne Lights are going away. That said, Disney still is apparently pursuing other light display ideas. While many of the existing lights are supposedly being returned to the Osbornes, like another poster mentioned, they still have the expensive backend equipment to make this kind of show possible. I know they've looked at possibly setting up a similar light display on Hollywood Boulevard, working in the Christmas lights with the neon. Jim Hill has suggested that they might let the winners of ABC's Great Xmas Light Fight reality show decorate a part of the park (unsure where), and I can say they have considered this. Another thing they've even considered is a Frozen-themed light display. It's all still very up in the air, so I'd be surprised if they have something ready for next year, especially with all the construction about to begin at DHS.

Logistics with construction at DHS is really the main reason they are going away at least for the immediate future. I will agree that an eventual return of something is likely but not for a couple years at least.

 

[rteetz]

I desperately hope they don't rely on winners from the Great Christmas Light Fight. While I'm sure it provides some brand synergy, I just don't see it being nearly as classy as the Osborne display.

Some of those houses are incredibly well done. Some even better than Osborne in my opinion. I also don't necessarily find Osborne classy.

 

[andyman8]

Logistics with construction at DHS is really the main reason they are going away at least for the immediate future. I will agree that an eventual return of something is likely but not for a couple years at least.

Interestingly enough, Disney (at least after Jennings died) does pay a licensing fee to use the "Osborne" name, which is part of the reason I believe that the Osborne Lights are going away.

 

[rteetz]

Ok but we don't know if the naming rights is part of the reason at all. It could very well not be which I believe it isn't part of the reason because if it was the lights wouldn't have lasted 20 years.

 

[Spacedog1975]

I think the naming had way more to do with honoring the man who originated the display than anything else.

 

[Nancyg56]

Some of those houses are incredibly well done. Some even better than Osborne in my opinion. I also don't necessarily find Osborne classy.

LOL! Fun? Yes. Classy.....no. LOL!

 

[Spacedog1975]

I used the term classy intentionally and comparatively.
Not descriptively

I will leave it to those who watched more episodes of TGCLF to determine if there were better displays.

 

[circus4u]

Seems that I read a post by his son on the DisBoards some time ago (within the last year) that there was no money involved with Disney using the Osborne lights/name.

Here is the thread I was thinking about: http://www.disboards.com/threads/osborne-family-spectacle-of-dancing-lights.3365883/

Started by Tristan and answers some questions.

 

[Disney Von Drake]

I think the naming had way more to do with honoring the man who originated the display than anything else.

It wasn't really an honor. It was more like a freak show. The Osborne name was known internationally due to all the legal problems his light display had caused. News crews including newspapers, magazines, radio and television from Arkansas and around the world came to do stories about the wacky old Jennings Osborne light display and his desire to punish his neighbors with the gaudy show. It was no coincidence that the Arkansas Supreme Court shut down the display in 1995 and that same year it appeared for the first time at WDW.

The light display itself was not well designed and it was rather tacky, but the controversy surrounding the display was wonderful publicity that WDW could not pass up. I first saw it in 1995 at WDW because I was curious as to what all the fuss was about. It was very much like the Frankenstein monster. It wasn't pretty, it wasn't well put together, it was kind of ugly but it was huge!

The Osborne Light show is the perfect example of the old saying, "There is no such thing as bad publicity".

 

[rteetz]

It wasn't really an honor. It was more like a freak show. The Osborne name was known internationally due to all the legal problems his light display had caused. News crews including newspapers, magazines, radio and television from Arkansas and around the world came to do stories about the wacky old Jennings Osborne light display and his desire to punish his neighbors with the gaudy show. It was no coincidence that the Arkansas Supreme Court shut down the display in 1995 and that same year it appeared for the first time at WDW.

The light display itself was not well designed and it was rather tacky, but the controversy surrounding the display was wonderful publicity that WDW could not pass up. I first saw it in 1995 at WDW because I was curious as to what all the fuss was about. It was very much like the Frankenstein monster. It wasn't pretty, it wasn't well put together, it was kind of ugly but it was huge!

The Osborne Light show is the perfect example of the old saying, "There is no such thing as bad publicity".

Were you one of his neighbors? Why do you care about him punishing his neighbors so much?

What do you expect from a Christmas lights display, I'm honestly asking. Do you like Christmas lights? And what would make this a good display in your opinion?

I have my own display done to music with around 20000 lights. It gets bigger every year but it's obviously no Osborne. My neighbors also don't hate me at least from what I can see. My neighbor across the street loves it in fact. There are thousands of large scale residential displays around the country and that evident in the Christmas light fight on ABC.

You just seem to hate the display so much so I am really just curious as to why?

 

[OKW Lover]

It was no coincidence that the Arkansas Supreme Court shut down the display in 1995 and that same year it appeared for the first time at WDW.

As I remember it was a win/win solution. Not a coincidence at all.

 

[Disney Von Drake]

Were you one of his neighbors? Why do you care about him punishing his neighbors so much?

What do you expect from a Christmas lights display, I'm honestly asking. Do you like Christmas lights? And what would make this a good display in your opinion?

I have my own display done to music with around 20000 lights. It gets bigger every year but it's obviously no Osborne. My neighbors also don't hate me at least from what I can see. My neighbor across the street loves it in fact. There are thousands of large scale residential displays around the country and that evident in the Christmas light fight on ABC.

You just seem to hate the display so much so I am really just curious as to why?

You don't seem to be at all familiar with this situation. I suggest you review the press accounts and research the story. This was not simply a case of wanting to celebrate Christmas with a light display. The bottom line is that Osborne was a complete scofflaw in the way he dealt with his neighbors, city, county and state officials and thought he was above the law.

The light display was not appropriate for a residential area. Osborne was very wealthy and apparently felt that his wealth gave him the right to make unreasonable demands upon his neighbors and flout the law. He was wrong.

Of course, he was ultimately held in contempt of the Arkansas Supreme Court.

http://law.justia.com/cases/arkansas/supreme-court/1995/93-1303-0.html

As I remember it was a win/win solution. Not a coincidence at all.

Your comprehension is correct. As I said, "It was no coincidence...". It was in fact a win/win situation. Disney got the controversial light display and the neighborhood locals were no longer plagued with the inappropriate light display.