Florida Guide > Hollywood Studios
The Osborne Lights
If you go to Orlando at Christmas there are many “must do’s”. One of these is the Disney Hollywood Studios to see the snowy streets hosting the Osborne Lights. (Note the spelling – it is not Osbourne as in Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne). A friend travelling with us for the first time asked if it was Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne and my husband answered, “Yes, Ozzy comes on and says, “Turn the *& %*ing lights on Sharon”. ” That caused a few laughs around us I can tell you!
However, I digress: the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights started in Arkansas as a single home' s annual display. Every year, Jennings Osborne and his family set up a magnificent collection of Christmas lights and over the years, the collection of lights grew and grew! In 1995, the Osborne family decided to share their lights with the world, and Walt Disney World Resort happily offered to become the new permanent home for this exceptional display.
Millions of twinkling lights are synchronized to Christmas music. Entire buildings are blanketed in sheets of multi-coloured lights, and thousands more lights form twirling carousels. Every 10 minutes or so, the lights dim and then dramatically spring to life .
To add to the magic, Disney create “Snow”. Can you imagine the wonder on the children’s faces as it snows in Florida and it is still warm! The carols are playing and the lights are sparkling and it is the most spectacular Christmas display you will ever see. (It knocks Oxford Street London into a cocked hat)!
The whole of the street is covered in lights, the houses, shops, the railings, the garbage cans and bicycles outside the houses, the steps, post boxes, parking meters and the most spectacular of all is the Christmas tree which used to stand on top of the Osborne’s utility room. It is HUGE. They must have had an enormous utility room to have taken the weight of it.
Strung across the streets there are reindeer prancing and pulling a vast Santa Sleigh with Santa waving at the crowds below, angels blowing trumpets and others just flying. There are even all the toys left out in the yard and Bar-b-Que’s all light up. Looking up in the sky at the different buildings lit up, with the snow flakes falling on ones face and the carols playing on the tannoy is just the most amazing thing I have ever experienced in a theme park.
Although it is always crowded, that adds to the whole atmosphere of the night. It really takes one back to the anticipation of Christmas Eve and all the excitement of Santa Claus flying through the sky and then coming down the chimney with the presents. I challenge you not to feel like a child again.
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