The New Osborne Spectacle of Lights - An Early Review

[CaptJackZodiac]

From Nov 24 - Jan 2 you'll all be able to see what I've seen, but, before you do, I have good news and bad news.

First, the good news: The wonderful Osborne Spectacle of Lights has returned to WDW after a two year absence! Once again, there's millions of beautiful colored lights and "snow" falling on NY Street (or Streets of America, whichever you prefer) at the D/MGM Studios. It's a beautiful canvas painted with the glowing lights of Christmas and a lovely visual treat that marks the onset of the Holiday season. It's easily been my favorite WDW holiday tradition since it began in 1995.

Now, the bad news:

It's a fraction of its original size. The long leisurely walk through the Backlot with all the houses decorated like a Christmas fantasy has given way to a short circular walk around NY St. that lasts maybe 10 - 12 mins, tops. On a slow night, you could be done in 5 mins. Previously, you could spend a magical 30-45 mins strolling the streets and seeing a seemingly endless display of muti-colored lights around every corner. That's all gone. Forever.

As everyone knows, the Backlot was torn down to make room for the new auto stunt show and with it, went the Osborne Spectacle of Lights as you knew it. While I'm glad that the lights are back, I'm downhearted to see it's been reduced to such an abbreviated version of its former glory.

Definately go see it, it's still beautiful but be prepared for a shock at how much smaller it is now.

Pics of the 2004 Osborne Spectacle of Lights

[Andrew]

Thanks for the review and photos!

[DisneyMom2]

Thank you for the great pictures and review. How sad that they had to cut the size of the display so much. I am still looking forward to seeing it though. Only 22 days to go and we will be in the World for Christmas.

[yecats]

They were trying them out when I was last year and I was so happy to see them on. I think that they look very nice over there knew facades but the areas will be very cramped when it is crowded. Of course I saw it on 11/15 or 11/16 and was just to be getting a sneak peak as I didn't expect them to be on until they flip the switch on Thanksgiving. It was a great surprise.

[MikeScopa]

Jennings Osborne started this tradition in a residential setting, not in an urban setting.

Once Residential Street was wiped out, I never even thought they would bring back the Osborne lights...not like this.

Mike

[CTX]

The actual path you take through the lights might be shorter than before, but reportedly, there is practically the same amount of individual light bulbs as before ( 5 million+ ). The difference is that they are strung on A LOT more buildings that are A LOT taller and are VERY tightly packed together vs a handful of shorter, smaller, more spaced out facades in the residential setting. The amount of lights that are directly on facades now are many times more than the amount of lights put on facades before. In order to string so many lights in the old residential setting it involved stringing them on all available trees and even making some of their own "light trees". The difference in the new setting is that the focus is now on the lights on the actual facades, and I've got to give them a lot of credit for doing a wonderful job.

Either way, I'm thrilled that they found a way to bring them back this year. I wouldn't have just kept residential street with its old 80's TV facades just for a month long holiday spectacle when something more worthwhile could fill that land (and it is), so I'm glad they found a way to do both the lights and add something new. The lights look fantastic by the way, but they do have a different "feel".