Never been - Osborne Lights - give me details

[lpberg]

ok all.... we've never been to the Osborne Lights display.... give me details (as I can't seem to find what I want to know, which is EVERYTHING! - when I search the boards). We'll be there the week of Thanksgiving. Thanks!

 

[SadieDawn90]

But it's so much better when you're there and you're looking for something to do, and you remember you heard something about the lights so you head that way...and then you turn the corner and have your mind blown :]

I don't know too many details about performance times, when it runs, how long it lasts. I just know, don't miss it! I hope you get the info you're looking for :]

 

[BuzzinDownToDisney]

I believe they flip them on at 6pm till 30 minutes after park closing. I'd avoid it right at the beginning. We went on a Thursday Night in middle December and it wasn't too crowded. Santa Goofy meets at the entrance. Every 15 minutes or so a song starts, the snow begins to fall and the lights begin to "dance." It is really, really amazing. There are also MM photographers stationed around including in front of the largest of the many Christmas trees. Pay very close attention to the crowd calculators to decide when to go. Thursday Night was great, but we were back Friday night for and got out of the Frozen Sing Along just after the lights were flipped on and it was absolute pandemonium when the two crowds merged. Eventually the crowd ripped down the ropes of stroller parking and sent them all scattered. As we finally escaped the line to get in was longer than any I saw anywhere in WDW on that trip and that was at park closing.

Osborne Lights on a recommended night:

Osborne Lights on the night I mentioned before (This is exactly at DHS closing time)

 

[PetePanMan]

does it still have the fake snow fall at different times in the evening?

 

[Ceryssa]

The lights are strung up throughout Streets of America. Some of them (maybe all of them?) are synced with a Christmas music medley and "dance" to the music. It runs about 10 minutes or so. I don't remember how often it plays, but we were there 30 or 40 minutes and heard it at least twice. They have PP set up so you can get your picture taken with the lights behind you. And they hide things in the lights that people have fun finding every year--I know one is a purple cat. It's definitely fun to go see!

 

[lpberg]

Thank you all SO much! I had no idea what it was about - carolers singing holding candles?, osborne family members show up and light candles? Heck, I didn't even know it was at HS! LOL! At least this way I can hold the info in my "back pocket".... Is this something that runs every night at HS? And is it a "scheduled" performance? We were in Boston at Thanksgiving a few years ago, and were found it really cool for the lights and music to "magically" start playing and dancing at Faneuil Hall.

 

[NJ Goofy]

For your 1st time I think it is better to be there when they turn on the big switch ! It is something to see when the streets go from normal to being completely lit up. Our 1st time there we were lucky enough to be standing next to the widow of one of the cast member electricians who set up the lights. It was the 1st year for her to be there without him. Everyone from Disney knew her name and most of her family was there. She told us all about the lights and the entire process. She made it even more special. To top it off the electricians had his name badge on one of the toy soldiers. I've been to the World several times but that was one of the best nights I ever had !!!

 

[Bubblace]

The lights are simply spectacular. Despite the crowds, it is WELL worth seeing! Plan to spend a minimum of 1/2 hour wandering through the street with your jaw agape!

 

[CynBeth]

They also serve holiday drinks in collectible cups and goodies. Last time I had a hot chocolate and a gingerbread cupcake with some type of cream cheese filling and frosting and on top was an edible chocolate Mickey and a non edible thing that flashed to look like a block of ice. I have seen them twice and words can not describe how incredible they are. I will be here the same week as the original poster and can't wait to experience them again!

 

[eyehartdisney]

And, because I made this mistake, the Osbornes are not in reference to a certain musically inclined family that may or may not have a penchant for less than legal recreations. It's some rich guy in Podunkland who irritated his neighbors with his lights enough that a judge made him get rid of them. So him + WDW = match made in heaven. The cat a pp mentioned accidentally got mixed in from their halloween decor into the christmas stuff. It's been hidden in the christmas decorations ever since.

 

[lovndisney12]

Ditto - our first time we were there when they turned the lights on - awesome - even with the crowds.

 

[mgentry210]

Thank you all SO much! I had no idea what it was about - carolers singing holding candles?, osborne family members show up and light candles? Heck, I didn't even know it was at HS! LOL! At least this way I can hold the info in my "back pocket".... Is this something that runs every night at HS? And is it a "scheduled" performance? We were in Boston at Thanksgiving a few years ago, and were found it really cool for the lights and music to "magically" start playing and dancing at Faneuil Hall.

This is unlike anything you have ever seen! It's very immersive and cool. BTW, there are carolers holding candles at Epcot. Its called the candlelight processional. If you want to do it (and you should!) do it with the dinner package.

 

[Mrs Eeyore]

And, because I made this mistake, the Osbornes are not in reference to a certain musically inclined family that may or may not have a penchant for less than legal recreations.

Thank you! I thought I was the only one who had assumed for an embarrassingly long time that the light show was connected with Ozzy and Sharon.

 

[siskaren]

And, because I made this mistake, the Osbornes are not in reference to a certain musically inclined family that may or may not have a penchant for less than legal recreations.

Thank you! I thought I was the only one who had assumed for an embarrassingly long time that the light show was connected with Ozzy and Sharon.

Ozzy and Sharon's last name is Osbourne; this is the Osborne (no u) Spectacle of Dancing Lights. And I wouldn't exactly call Little Rock, Arkansas Podunkland.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Osborne_Family_Spectacle_of_Dancing_Lights

 

[Deanie1]

I went with two os my sisters in 2012 the week after Thanksgiving. One day we did the Fantasmic dinner where we had resewrved seating for Fantasmic. Right after that, we headed over to the Osborne lights. We were just star struck! The crowds were beginning to thin slightly. You walk in one direction, through the street. Once we were done, we turned around and went through it again. Took tons of pictures. My sister bought a necklace that had Christmas lights all around. Very cute but it stopped working even before we got back to the resort. (Had it rreplaced at DTD).

Another night, we went to Epcot for the Candlelight Processional. We did the dinner pkg and ate at Chefs de France. Excellent dinner. The pkg allows guaranteed seating for the Candlelight Processional and also a roped off viewing area for Illuminations. Blair Underwood was the narrator for CP and he was excellent. This was such a great day!

I would suggest booking the Fantasmic dinner pkg, if it is in the budget although you will still likely find a seat for Fantasmic without it. I would definitely book the CP package though as you likely would not get seats for it otherwise.
Different restaurants have different prices and lunch is cheaper but then you go to the 5pm show. I really preferred the 6:30pm show as it was getting dark and was much more magical.

For more info, click on Disneyworld in the Disboards and then events and it should list all WDW events for the year.

 

[eyehartdisney]

Ozzy and Sharon's last name is Osbourne; this is the Osborne (no u) Spectacle of Dancing Lights. And I wouldn't exactly call Little Rock, Arkansas Podunkland.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Osborne_Family_Spectacle_of_Dancing_Lights

If it isn't Orlando or NYC, it's podunkland

 

[itchin2go]

does it still have the fake snow fall at different times in the evening?

They did last year.

OP - we did this last year Thanksgiving night - for the first time. I had read up on it, but I was unprepared for how overwhelming (in a good way) and magical it was. Definitely make plans to see it. It was crowded, but it was fine.

 

[JRx3]

The Osborne Lights are my favorite thing about Christmas at Disney - a must see! As other posters mentioned the snow with the lights dancing to the music are amazing. We head that way right after Fantasmic and while it can get crowded, they keep a nice traffic flow pattern by blood cking certain streets as entrances so you can walk through and enjoy.
Be sure to look for the photo pass photographers if you have memory maker. The photos are fantastic!

 

[mmafan]

check them out on youtube

 

[joannamet]

Great info. We'll be there the week before Tgiving and I'm so excited about this (and so glad it's still free).