November 12, 2007 - January 6, 2008!

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DECEMBER 2004

Jason: We went to see the new Osborne lights on the Streets of America. What a disappointment. They didn't even use all of the lights, we saw a lot in storage in the old hunchback theater. They just seemes so crammed together, and so crowded. Cast members were waving lighted wands and shouting to keep everyone moving. Don't even think about stopping. We really miss the old beautiful display. Sadly underwhelming. No characters, like the snowmen, or Santa Goofy who used to greet folks. Probably couldn't due to the crowded conditions. A lot of the magic was lost.

Karen P. Campbell:I cannot say enough how very impressed I was with the Osborne Family Spectacular of of Lights at Disney-MGM Studios. It was truly magnificent and breathtaking. I am so proud of Disney for responding to Mr. Osborne's legal dilemma by offering to display them at Disney-MGM. May it continue for years to come!

Linda from PA: I just wanted to tell you I saw the Osborne light display on Thursday, Dec. 9th. My impression was much like yours in the crowds and being herded into the street area. Having seen the display first in Dec. 2001 I was very disappointed...too many lights in too small of an area, with too many people... you miss all the little details and hidden mickeys and the glow of the lights through the 3-D glasses, which were also missing. I hope that next year allows them more space to do justice to this beautiful display.

Sue S. We just returned from our 7th annual early December trip to Disney World and were eagerly looking forward to seeing the Osborne Spectacle of Lights again. Although the crowds at this time of year have been steadily growing, we were shocked to see the huge number of people at DW last week. We were told by several cast members that several conventions and conferences had been rescheduled because of the hurricanes. This fact, and the new way that the crowds are directed to walk through the Spectacle of Lights added to our overall disappointment with this year's presentation. We really missed the feeling of walking through a neighborhood of festive homes with decorated bikes and BBQ grills with holiday parties going on and everyone feeling a sense of community. We heard several others commenting how they liked the old Osborne lights much better. In years past, we would visit the Osborne lights several times during our week long stay, but although we were at MGM a few nights later, no one wanted to see the lights again this year.

Sharon: I agree with Deb. The Osborne display is not nearly as good as the previous one. I too was disappointed!

Jacque: I so agree with Deb Wills about the new Osbourne Lights. I had seen the original lights on the backlot in '96, '97, & '99. They were awe-inspiring and everyone went through them with a hushed inspiration. On Dec. 3rd, I saw the new Osbourne Lights, on the MGM streets. It reminds me of a K-Mart blue light special - gawdy, pretenioous, and no special meaning. I will NOT be going back to see them again!

PREVIOUS YEARS (PRIOR TO 2004)

Just returned from a wonderful holiday trip with my family at Disney. I wanted to thank you for the tip about keeping the special glass's that are given out at the start of the Osborne light display. They really made the other fireworks and Christmas displays come to life. The kids really liked the ones from the American pavilion also and are hanging on to thoes for the 4th of july. For the picture takers did you know that you can hold one of the lens over your carmera lens and you get a great resutl from tree lights and displays. Susan

Simply magnificent!!! This was the most unbelievable display of lights we have ever seen or probably will ever see!! It is absolutely beautiful. It is a must see!!! Words nor pictures can do this display justice.

One 'minor' thing would have made it better would be better organization of the flow of people. Maybe if people were able to board a tram or something which drove you through the area it would be even better. Kristen and Kati

My grandchildren were mesmerized by the lights; my daughter and her husband though they were beautiful; and my husband is planning our own little light show for next year here in New York!!! I enjoyed reading the fact sheets posted by the entrance. I would suggest a brochure be produced (even sold) to describe the light show, along with all the work to put the lights up, take them down, etc. One of my favorite activities at Disney World is to see "back stage" where the real work takes place!!! Bill&Doris Heuring

As new annual passholders, my husband and I really enjoyed the festivities on November 19, complete with cocoa and cookies, snow and lights! It was really early in the season, and Christmas seemed to go on FOREVER afterwards (but that's not really Disney's fault!), but we loved the opportunity and felt like we really got something extra special for being passholders. We revisited the Spectacle later in the season, and it was still a treat. I'm so glad Disney Studios found a home for these lights, and for all the merriment that went with them. Kris Wiley

WOW ! That was the first thing that ran through my mind when we first came across the lights, and that wasn't even the houses. The angles were great. My husband, put the glasses up to the camera lens to see if the pictures would turn out the way we saw them and they did. One can not imagine what five million light look like until you see them in person. Warmfuzzz aka Cheryl

WE LOVED THEM. The "snow" coming down was very picturesque and I was very glad it was fake snow (it was, after all, almost 80 degrees!!!). We went to see the lights after the 6:30 Fantasmic and the crowds were manageable. We weren't sure what the glasses were for but we found out fast. Chris Mak

We arrived at MGM 15 minutes before closing. It was unbelievable! What a site to see. The kids loved all the houses decorated with lights and kept wanting their picture taken with lighted fixtures. (i.e.., soldier, teddy bear, Santa) Gina

We had heard about the lights, but frankly couldn't understand was all the excitement was about. This year, we happened to be just outside the New York Street when the lights were lit, so we decided to take a peek. It is totally overwhelming and nothing that could have been imagined. It was beautiful. As you walked towards down the New York Street, cast members were giving out holographic glasses. They made all the lights look softer and more beautiful (they can be used on any lights for the same effect, so we carefully packed them to take home). I would highly recommend a slow stroll through the streets and really look at the fine details. It is quite amazing. The P. Marshall Family of Freehold, NJ

For the first time, we purchased annual passes and I wanted to try the Osborne Light Show. We went to the Annual Passholders Event. The lineup was LONG and I didn't realize there were so many annual pass holders! We stood in a long line for our family picture and then, went to an even longer line for chocolate and cookies. The street was packed so you could hardly move--you just had to wait until the show started and move very slowly forward with the crowd. The lights/displays are festive and definitely got you in the holiday mood. The "snow" falling on the New York streets was a nice touch. I think people overall were tolerant and we just all were going with the flow and enjoying the experience. I don't know if I would do it again anytime soon, (maybe when my kids are older and not in strollers) but it was a good Disney experience. Margaret Price

Once again fake snow was coming down on New York, and we walked through the display, which was really crowded. The glasses they give only make things fuzzy, so we did not use them. The lights were nice, but I am one for simple displays, and this was way over the top. Lights were every where, on the basketball net, gas grills, bikes. John Heeren

We took the advice of a cast member to stay to the far left facing the stage, and were able to get in at a pretty good angle to see everything we wanted. Talk about bright! We lined up an hour before the show, and we were glad we did. By show time, New York Street was PACKED full of people all wanting to see the lights! Cindy Connell

My friend and I took my folks to the AP preview of the Osborne Lights on Sunday night. We loved it. My mother thought it was spectacular! She did wonder what that stuff was falling from the sky. I replied that it was 'snowing' and she said, "no we're in Florida". I told her it was 'Disney Snow', but she didn't get it until I pointed out the "snow" making machines on the roof. Then she thought it was pretty neat. My folks especially liked the "snowflake glasses". These glasses made all the lights look like they had snowflake halos! As a matter of fact, my folks used them at their house during Christmas to look at their own tree lights! Nancy L. Gessner

Having never experienced this before, we were in for a treat. As it begins to snow (courtesy of Disney) there is a short pre-show. You are given special glasses that make lights appear to be snowflakes. The entire stroll through the lights takes about 30 minutes, depending on how fast you walk, and it is a remarkable sight. My six-year-old kept telling me to take a picture of this and take a picture of that. There was so much to see we just had to stroll through once again. There were people in front of us who were trying to find all the "Hidden Mickeys" and the only "Minnie Mouse." This is definitely a must during the holiday season. As my son told me, "Mommy, it rocks." Debbie Shulman

What's not to love about the Osborne Lights? It's a fabulous show and never fails to take your breath away. However, we were disturbed to see hot chocolate marketed recently at the event for $4 a pop in old, unsellable Dinosaur movie mugs. NOT a Disney trademark (or rather, should not be) to push old junk in an effort to save a few bucks. Thanks for listening. Mary Frassinelli

The Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights is one of the reasons I make a point of going to WDW at Christmas time. This fabulous light display at Disney's MGM is a "must see." I was disappointed in the crowded conditions for viewing the Osborne Spectacle of Lights which began at 6:00 P.M. The park closed at 7:00 P.M. during weekdays so you were left with very little time to enjoy the lights. People were crowded onto New York Street waiting for the lights to be turned on each night. Then it was a stampede into the back lot to see everything. With such crowded conditions it really took a lot away from the entire experience. I would recommend only going to the MGM on nights when this park is open late to avoid crowded conditions. Nancy McHolme

We headed to New York Street about quarter to 7 (just follow the crowds). The snow was great and there was tons of it!! The lights were spectacular. We liked it so much, that when we were done, we headed right back to the beginning and did it over again. I may have walked it a third time if we hadn't planned to see Illuminations that night. Magical, wonderful, absolutely enchanting !! I loved the Osborne Family Lights!! Probably the highlight of our trip! Jill (bagger)

The Osborne Lights are awesome. I just keep walking through and see more and more each time. I love the snow on New York Street. Having lived in Florida for over 20 years, it makes Christmas a little like back home. Enid Hadfield

We went both times after the Fantasmic show and took our time getting over there. We were able to stay behind the crowds and enjoy the lights. They were filming a TV special there that night so they were trying to move people through. The kids really liked the bikes lit up and the grill. I tried to convince my husband that he had really been slacking on his outdoor light displays! It was really great and make sure you take the time to walk slowly and look at everything. Too many people were walking in the middle of the street and missed too many of the cute detail stuff. The kids also enjoyed looking at the lights with the special glasses. Julie McKeever

We were there for the first night of the Annual Passholder event - what a zoo! The lines for the pictures were way too long to even think about standing on line; the lines for the special pins were disorganized with people purchasing non pin merchandise mixed in and getting annoyed. The poor cast members who were staffing had a really tough time staying pleasant. The lights as usual were unbelievable; my 88 year old father in law when looking at a sky filled with angels said this must be like heaven! For a Disney venture, the crowd control and lines were not Disney like! Leslie Allain

(Deb's Note - I too was there for the first passholder night and it was VERY VERY crowded. I agree with Leslie's comments!)

The Osbourne lights was something I was so looking forward to, and it was so unbelievably crowded that you didn't get the chance to enjoy the lights. You were forced to move with the crowd, and with the park only being open until 7:00 PM, everyone was in there together trying to see the lights. They really should think about keeping the park open later just for this reason. Stacy Young

We did the Fantasmic dinner at Brown Derby and saw the second show of the evening. From what I heard from other people almost everyone had been to the Osborne Lights before Fantasmic and it had been horribly crowded. So crowded a lot of people said they only saw one side of the street. We went after Fantasmic and that is the only way to go. We walked through the light display with absolutely no one else around. We had some fun moments with the cute snowman and penguin but the only other people around were the CM's selling hot chocolate, etc. Ruby D

I had read about the Osborne Family Lights and I made a point of seeing it. We entered the park at closing (around 7pm) and fought our way through all of the people leaving the park. Each house was lit up in a theme. One was all red, another green, another blue and white, etc. We're not talking about a simple string of lights on the gutter, but every square inch of the house was decorated. In some cases, they decorated things left in the yard. A bike left in the yard was covered with lights that reminded me of moss covering an old log. In another, they had fashioned a barbecue in lights. Even down to the glowing red coals (in lights). Plus they had a "roof" of lights that pulsed in sequence over about a 1/3 of the street. It was overwhelmingly beautiful. My wife and I thought it was the highlight of our Christmas visit. We were glad we had made the effort to stop in and see it. Jeff Wooden

We took our two daughters and four grandchildren at this time of the year because of MVMCP and the Osborne Lights. As for the Osborne lighting it is just incredible. If we can ever plan such another vacation it will surely be same time of the year. Disney really knows how to decorate and make people have a marvelous time. Charlene Gourdouros

We didn't have a lot of time there but I wanted to do the Osborne lights. My husband was not looking forward to it but he went along anyway. Well from the minute we walked up and saw the "snow" we were mesmerized. We don't get snow in New Orleans so the kids loved it. They played in the snow for over an hour. Then the lights - they were breathtaking. It wasn't crowded so we had a chance to let the kids walk through on their own - they were skipping and singing Christmas songs and looking for the hidden Mickeys. It was one of the best memories we had of our New Year's trip. LYDIA

Osborne lights was a spectacle indeed! Ann Lestarjette

The Osborne Lights were amazing to say the least. How long does it take to put up all those lights??? Margie Cupaiuolo

The Osborne Lights is so massive, that to describe it to someone who's never seen it, is impossible. My tip is to stay on one side and hug the barriers all the way through.You can go back around and do the other side.This insures your photos will be full of lights and not people's heads. Freddie L