Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

Disney's Hollywood Studios

November 9, 2012 through January 6, 2013
Open from Dusk until Park Closing

 

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• Walt Disney World Holiday Highlights
• Osborne Lights Photos
  

Santa Goofy will make nightly appearances on the Streets of America and greet guests in Goofy's Winter Wonderland, an area in Tri-City Square.
An eighth song has been added to the nightly music for the dancing lights. Creative Entertainment Music Director Dan Stamper has done a special arrangement of "Winter Wonderland."

Disney's Hollywood Studios is again hosting the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights. Approximately every 10 minutes, the lights "dance" to holiday music, while "Florida snow" falls in the background, making this the perfect Christmas setting.

There are all sorts of easy-to-overlook details that will leave you smiling. A few to look for: the infamous mannequin leg lamp from "A Christmas Story", check out what show is on the TV, and look for the cat that the designers hide every year.

As the story goes, Arkansas resident Jennings Osborne and his family were very big on the Holidays. In 1986, Jennings asked his youngest daughter Breezy what her Christmas wish was. She replied that she would like to see their whole house covered in lights. They had quite a large house but Jennings was determined to make his daughter's Christmas dream come true. That first year the Osborne family covered their home with a modest 1,000 red lights. With each passing year, the family wanted to do more. The Osbornes eventually purchased property adjacent to their own in order to expand on their newfound hobby.

The display grew to millions of lights. There were flashing lights, multi-colored lights, custom-made light sculptures and a 75-foot Christmas tree adorned by lights. This drew onlookers from all over Arkansas. Displeased by the resulting traffic jams, the local residents asked that the Osborne family stop the annual display. Legal intervention was sought, and it appeared that the Osborne's beloved tradition was about to come to an end. When Mickey Mouse got word of this, he offered a venue where the Osborne lights could be shared with visitors from around the globe. In 1995, Residential Street at the Disney's Hollywood Studios became the home of this dazzling light show.

In 2003, Residential Street began undergoing a major renovation in preparation of the new stunt show scheduled to open in 2005. For the first time in 8 years, the Osborne lights were not displayed.  Fortunately, a new home was found for this magical attraction. The Streets of America (formerly New York Street) is now hosting the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights.

 

As in years past, once evening descends, this amazing display springs to life. Formerly drab buildings become twinkling light sculptures, while a host of angels fly overhead. Visitors are welcome to stroll through at their own pace. With over 5 Million Christmas lights, this is not to be missed. To enhance the experience, Florida "snow" flutters down while Christmas tunes fill the air.

In recent years, the lights have all been converted to energy-efficient LED lights.  Scenes and music from the ABC holiday show "Prep & Landing" have also been added. 

Admission to the display is free with admission to the park, and it's a MUST SEE if you're visiting Walt Disney World over the holidays.

• 2008 Osborne Lights Photos
• Osborne Lights from 2007
• Osborne Lights from 2006
• Osborne Lights from 2004
• VIDEO - Osborne Lights 2006