Our Osborne Lights strategy (it actually worked!):

[Magpie]

I'm posting this, on the off chance it might help someone else (sorry if this has already been discussed to death!)...

We were at Disney last week, and the Osborne lights were packed every night, especially on the weekends. Even Fantasmic didn't seem to draw the crowds away.

So, we adapted our strategy to take advantage of the key fact that the lights stay on for an hour (or more, if there's a late Fantasmic!) after park close.

What we did was endeavour to get into Hollywood Studios by about 3pm in the afternoon or earlier (the rush to the lights starts as soon as it gets anywhere near dusk). We enjoyed the rides and shows and dinner until official park close, making sure to pop into line for Toy Story Mania just before it closed (ignore the posted wait time - at 5 minutes before close, you're basically getting a walk on).

Then, after the park was closed, we headed over to the Osborne Lights. It was still pretty crowded at this point, but we didn't have to wait in line to get in. And we could buy ourselves a snack and enjoy the lights at our leisure as the crowds slowly thinned out around us.

Sure, we didn't get to see the lighting, but I think the lower congestion is definitely worth that small sacrifice.

(We actually twice chose to eat at Pizza Planet, at the upper floor windows, just so we could watch the hordes of people streaming into the Osborne Lights at 6pm - it was amazing!)

 

[bc7ate9]

Good strategy! We went a night the park was open till 9:30. We saw the 8:30 Fantasmic and by the time we got to the lights afterward, it was nearly 9:30 and the crowds had definitely thinned out and were much less of an issue than we experienced the night before when we went earlier. The PhotoPass photographers were still out when we left a little after 10:30.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I was going to do this too on Dec. 1st and I'm glad I didn't. I went first, got my snack and drink I wanted to try and walked all over the area. Then after Fantasmic I went back for a final look.
All of the snack and drink carts in the area closed at the time the park closed and the photopass photographers were gone from that area too.

So if both those things are important to you, I wouldn't count on them being there after park close.

 

[Magpie]

I was going to do this too on Dec. 1st and I'm glad I didn't. I went first, got my snack and drink I wanted to try and walked all over the area. Then after Fantasmic I went back for a final look.
All of the snack and drink carts in the area closed at the time the park closed and the photopass photographers were gone from that area too.

So if both those things are important to you, I wouldn't count on them being there after park close.

That wasn't our experience at all, and we were there the same night...

We rode TSM right at 8pm and were noticing that they kept letting people in line behind us, even a few minutes after close.

Then we walked over to the Lights.

I know we bought hot chocolate in a souvenir cup, along with two stuffed pretzels, that night. And we inquired at Youse Guys about the passholder ornament (no luck!). Then again, I wasn't looking for Photopass photographers, or really paying attention to the stalls once we had snacks in hand. So I couldn't tell you when exactly they shuttered things that night.

I wonder what day bc7ate9 was there, when she saw Photopass photogs out an hour after close?

If your Fantasmic was at 7pm, you must have got to the Lights right before 8pm, which was park close...?

 

[scrappinginontario]

This is really helpful. Thank you for posting it!! We are going next Wed and the added challenge is that my Mom is in a scooter. We have a Fantasmic Dining Package and originally Fantasmic was only at 8:30 but now that they've added a 7:00 show and that's what our DP will be for it's changed everything.

My plan is that we'll go to the 7:00 Fantasmic then go to see the lights, possibly stopping to ride TSMM on the way then go to the lights. It will be the very last thing we do on our trip as we head home the following morning. The park closes at 8pm that night so hopefully we can get it all in. We won't need snacks or a photographer so those don't matter to us.

 

[yulilin3]

for people wanting to do this after Dec. 17th beware. There's still no word on when the lights will be turned off.
As of right now the Osborne lights are on the schedule (times guide they give out in the park) from dusk to 10 pm, with the park closing at 11 pm. I have a feeling that they are scheduled until 10 pm but will remain on until 11 pm. The Star Wars fireworks are at 11 pm. so that means that Pixar Avenue will be completely closed to people from around 10:15 pm on. So getting to the lights after 10 pm will only be possible taking the Echo Lake, Star Tours, Muppets route, a big headache if you ask me
Just a heads up, I'm planning on going tomorrow to DHS and asking about the actual time the lights will be turned off during the 2 weeks of Christmas and New Years

 

[RachaelA]

We were there until close on an EMH night and the photopass photographers shut down their lines early and told people they could do "standby" if there was time, but the second it hit 10:30, they had to be done.

 

[bc7ate9]

That wasn't our experience at all, and we were there the same night...

We rode TSM right at 8pm and were noticing that they kept letting people in line behind us, even a few minutes after close.

Then we walked over to the Lights.

I know we bought hot chocolate in a souvenir cup, along with two stuffed pretzels, that night. And we inquired at Youse Guys about the passholder ornament (no luck!). Then again, I wasn't looking for Photopass photographers, or really paying attention to the stalls once we had snacks in hand. So I couldn't tell you when exactly they shuttered things that night.

I wonder what day bc7ate9 was there, when she saw Photopass photogs out an hour after close?

If your Fantasmic was at 7pm, you must have got to the Lights right before 8pm, which was park close...?

Saturday, December 5. The park closed at 9:30 PM. I have PhotoPass photos time stamped at 10:06 PM and there was a line behind us. I also visited Youse Guys after close. I simply NEEDED a Santa Duffy (impulse shopping at its finest... )

 

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

We will be there on 12/20 and I know it will be packed. We have a dining reservation at 5:45pm so plan to take our time and we don't need to there for the lights coming on (it's not our first time). Can anyone estimate when the crowds start to thin out at all if its not at closing? We likely won't be staying until close and we will hit TSM with FP around 730pm and them aim for the lights any time after that.

Thanks OP - great info!

Heather

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

That wasn't our experience at all, and we were there the same night...

We rode TSM right at 8pm and were noticing that they kept letting people in line behind us, even a few minutes after close.

Then we walked over to the Lights.

I know we bought hot chocolate in a souvenir cup, along with two stuffed pretzels, that night. And we inquired at Youse Guys about the passholder ornament (no luck!). Then again, I wasn't looking for Photopass photographers, or really paying attention to the stalls once we had snacks in hand. So I couldn't tell you when exactly they shuttered things that night.

I wonder what day bc7ate9 was there, when she saw Photopass photogs out an hour after close?

If your Fantasmic was at 7pm, you must have got to the Lights right before 8pm, which was park close...?

I must have just missed the snack area being open. I walked by the closed special drink bar not far from Herbies snack area that was closed and wandered around the lights more and then went to the snack area right near Youse Guys and both Youse Guys and the snack area were closed.

I think it's so fascinating how 2 groups can hit something on the same night and get different experiences. Just goes to show that timing can be everything.
I'm going to miss the lights. I just love them.

 

[quinnc19]

for people wanting to do this after Dec. 17th beware. There's still no word on when the lights will be turned off.
As of right now the Osborne lights are on the schedule (times guide they give out in the park) from dusk to 10 pm, with the park closing at 11 pm. I have a feeling that they are scheduled until 10 pm but will remain on until 11 pm. The Star Wars fireworks are at 11 pm. so that means that Pixar Avenue will be completely closed to people from around 10:15 pm on. So getting to the lights after 10 pm will only be possible taking the Echo Lake, Star Tours, Muppets route, a big headache if you ask me
Just a heads up, I'm planning on going tomorrow to DHS and asking about the actual time the lights will be turned off during the 2 weeks of Christmas and New Years

Please let us know what you find out! Will be there on the 23rd!

 

[Monoxide]

Do the lights stay on after the 2nd Fantasmic when there are 2 Fantasmic showings?
Will be down next week and trying to decide If I should go to the early Fantasmic or the late.
Thinking of going to the early then heading over to the lights and hoping the crowds have thinned by then.

 

[revdon64]

We were there last week for the initial lighting. Now let me preface this with the fact that I've never seen the lights in person before, just pics and videos.

Here's the thing, I write and speak for a living. I'm not usually someone who finds himself at a loss for words. But standing in the middle of that street when those lights came on... speechless. All I could think was, WOW! DW asked me why Disney would get rid of such a great attraction. Again, I had no words. If this is really going away for good then it's a darn shame.

 

[cassie58]

We also love, love, love the lights and will be there on the 19th, and figured we'd do our usual, as OP mentioned, going down towards closing, and staying for the hour with thinning crowds.(Thanks to people on here who informed us several yrs. ago like OP!) Previously, during our Thanksgiving trips it's been us and maybe 30 people, gradually down to us and about 4 people by the end. Obviously we knew it would be crazier closer to Christmas, and with it being the last yr., but did not anticipate the start of Star Wars fireworks this week. As yulilin3 mentioned above, the fireworks will be at 11, and I feel like even if we get down there earlier, it will stay packed while people will hang out till the fireworks, and then mass crowds trying to see fireworks and leave the park. Due to flying at 5:30am that morning, and having a very early ADR at MK the next morning, had planned to leave park after our extra hour with the lights (before park hours were changed), around 10. We now will have to leave earlier if we don't want to get stuck in the crowds before fireworks start, in the hopes of getting a bus more easily, so we can get some sleep. At least we have seen them twice, but really wanted to use that extra time to soak them all in for the last time! We will see what happens, and then plan accordingly when we hop back over on 12/22 for Minnie's Holiday dinner. Can't wait to be immersed in the experience either way - as revdon said above, just speechless and amazed!

 

[lovndisney12]

for people wanting to do this after Dec. 17th beware. There's still no word on when the lights will be turned off.
As of right now the Osborne lights are on the schedule (times guide they give out in the park) from dusk to 10 pm, with the park closing at 11 pm. I have a feeling that they are scheduled until 10 pm but will remain on until 11 pm. The Star Wars fireworks are at 11 pm. so that means that Pixar Avenue will be completely closed to people from around 10:15 pm on. So getting to the lights after 10 pm will only be possible taking the Echo Lake, Star Tours, Muppets route, a big headache if you ask me
Just a heads up, I'm planning on going tomorrow to DHS and asking about the actual time the lights will be turned off during the 2 weeks of Christmas and New Years

Thanks for doing homework for us! We'll be there the 21st-27th with our first night being at DHS. We were trying to figure out the logistics of everything. If you go by posted times now, there basically isn't anything open for a half hour or so before the fireworks so I guess we are all just suppose to stake out our spot and wait. Hoping the lights stay on but I would anticipate them being packed.

 

[yulilin3]

Thanks for doing homework for us! We'll be there the 21st-27th with our first night being at DHS. We were trying to figure out the logistics of everything. If you go by posted times now, there basically isn't anything open for a half hour or so before the fireworks so I guess we are all just suppose to stake out our spot and wait. Hoping the lights stay on but I would anticipate them being packed.

the only things not open are TSMM and GMR and that's because of fireworks fall out. All the other attractions are going to be operating

 

[gometros]

That wasn't our experience at all, and we were there the same night...

We rode TSM right at 8pm and were noticing that they kept letting people in line behind us, even a few minutes after close.

Then we walked over to the Lights.

I know we bought hot chocolate in a souvenir cup, along with two stuffed pretzels, that night. And we inquired at Youse Guys about the passholder ornament (no luck!). Then again, I wasn't looking for Photopass photographers, or really paying attention to the stalls once we had snacks in hand. So I couldn't tell you when exactly they shuttered things that night.

I wonder what day bc7ate9 was there, when she saw Photopass photogs out an hour after close?

If your Fantasmic was at 7pm, you must have got to the Lights right before 8pm, which was park close...?

We were at the dessert party on Thursday night and first wandered into the crowd at 7:30. Stayed until closing. Found all for Photopass locations and even a rover. Crowd thinned out noticeably after 8. It was great.

 

[yulilin3]

I'm at the lights right now, talked to a technician
During the sw fireworks, when the schedule show fireworks at 11 and Osborne lights until 10 they will leave the lights on until 11. He's not sure if they will stay on after 11.
He recommends everyone to come before 11 just in case they do torn them off.
If they do leave them on during fireworks, they dim them to 15% and have the fireworks feed on, I thought that was cool
Same thing when fireworks are At 12 the Osborne lights say until 11 but should be on until 12
Hope that makes sense to everyone

 

[PirateD]

Will the lights be open during late EMH until 1:00 AM? Will they shut down TSMM and GMR and then reopen after the fireworks at 11 PM? Just wondering what the operating hours for everything will be in that situation. We are thinking about doing the late EMH at DHS during Christmas week. Thanks for any advice!