Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

Streets of America, Disney's Hollywood Studios

The Streets of America at Disney's Hollywood Studios backlot sparkle brightly as millions of twinkling lights dancing to music illuminate the area, during the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights presented by Siemens. Amid "Florida snow" flurries, the building facades, trees and streets of the Studios backlot dazzle with three-dimensional and motion-based displays - some originally created at the Osborne home in Arkansas by businessman Jennings Osborne as a holiday display for the delight of his daughter.
  • Main Details

  • Park Disney's Hollywood Studios
  • Land Streets of America
  • Show Type Outdoor Holiday Light Display
  • Outdoor Show
  • Capacity High
  • Show Duration 6pm to park close from Nov 6 2015 to Jan 3 2016
  • Viewing

  • Suggested Arrival Time 15 minutes before dusk
  • Seating
  • Covered
  • Restrictions

  • Frightening for Kids

VIDEO - Disney's Hollywood Studios says goodbye to the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights
8 years ago

Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights final performance date pushed back
8 years ago

What's new at this year's Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights
9 years ago

Reservations for the Osborne Light's Merry and Bright Dessert Party and Dinner reception now available
9 years ago

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After the Arkansas home exhibit grew larger and brighter over the years, the million-light display was transported to Disney-MGM Studios in 1995, where the spectacle continues to grow larger and brighter each year. Some of Osborne's original creations still sparkling brightly at the park today include dozens of flying angels and Santa Claus light designs.

2015 Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

The 2015 Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights are to be held this year from November 6 2015 to January 6 2016.

2014 Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

The 2014 Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights are to be held this year from November 7 2014 to January 4 2015.

2013 Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

The 2013 Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights are to be held this year from November 8 2013 to January 5 2014.

2012 Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

The 2012 Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights are to be held this year from November 9 2012 to January 6 2013.

2011 Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

The 2011 Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights are to be held this year from November 10 2011 to January 7 2012.  There will be no show on December 8 2011.

2011 Dancing sequence audio track list

Trans Siberian Orchestra - Mad Russian's Christmas
Trans Siberian Orchestra - Christmas Eve Sarajevo 12/24
José Feliciano - Feliz Navidad
Parade of the Wooden Soldiers - Arthur Fielder & the Boston Pops Orchestra
Jingle Bells - Barbra Streisand
Christmas Is Starting Now - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
Gettin' Nuttin' for Christmas - Relient K
Here Comes Santa Claus - Elvis Presley

2010 Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

The 2010 Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights are to be held this year from November 8 2010 to January 3 2011.

New Phineas and Ferb sequence debuts this year.

2010 Dancing sequence audio track list

Trans Siberian Orchestra - Mad Russian's Christmas
Trans Siberian Orchestra - Christmas Eve Sarajevo 12/24
José Feliciano - Feliz Navidad
Parade of the Wooden Soldiers - Arthur Fielder & the Boston Pops Orchestra
Jingle Bells - Barbra Streisand
Christmas Is Starting Now - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

2009 Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

The 2009 Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights are to be held this year from November 10 2009 to January 3 2010. 

Video of the 2009 show
Photos of the 2009 show

2009 Dancing sequence audio track list

Trans Siberian Orchestra - Mad Russian's Christmas
Trans Siberian Orchestra - Christmas Eve Sarajevo 12/24
José Feliciano - Feliz Navidad
Parade of the Wooden Soldiers - Arthur Fielder & the Boston Pops Orchestra

2008 Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

This year's show runs from Nov. 28 through Jan. 4, 2009

2008 Dancing sequence audio track list

Trans Siberian Orchestra - Mad Russian's Christmas
Trans Siberian Orchestra - Christmas Eve Sarajevo 12/24
José Feliciano - Feliz Navidad
Jingle Bells - Barbra Streisand

2007 Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

Some facts on the 2007 Osborne Lights
  • More than 5 million lights in the display
  • 800,000 watts of electricity
  • 30,000 lights on the red canopy
  • 80,000 lights on the 80ft tree with 3 layers of color
  • 110 angels
  • 33 snow machines using 100 gallons of snow fluid each evening
  • More than 1500 dimmable channels used for the dancing effect
  • 30 miles of extension cords
  • 10 miles of rope light
  • 20,000 man hours to install the display
  • 2 million tie wraps
  • 40 hidden Mickey's

2007 Dancing sequence audio track list

Trans Siberian Orchestra - Mad Russian's Christmas
Trans Siberian Orchestra - Christmas Eve Sarajevo 12/24
José Feliciano - Feliz Navidad

2006 Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

Spectacle of Lights Transforms Disney-MGM Studios -- The Streets of America backlot area sparkles with millions of twinkling lights beginning Nov. 13 and continuing through Jan. 7, 2007, during the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights, presented by Sylvania. This year, the spectacle has been enhanced to include choreographed “dancing” lights which swirl and soar to an exhilarating medley of holiday music every 15 minutes, thanks to electronic wizardry featuring more than 400 dimmers. Every building façade, all the trees, wreaths, bells and holiday figures dance to classic tunes among “Florida snow” flurries. Also bringing the Disney-MGM Studios backlot to life are three-dimensional and motion-based displays – some originally created at the Osborne home in Arkansas by businessman Jennings Osborne as a holiday display for the delight of his daughter.

After the home exhibit grew larger and brighter over the years, the million-light display was transported to Disney-MGM Studios in 1995, where the spectacle continues to grow larger and brighter each year. Some of Osborne's original creations still sparkling brightly at the park today are a giant Mickey Mouse light, dozens of flying angels and Santa Claus light designs.

The "Hollywood Holly-Day Parade," a festival of favorite Disney characters dressed in their dazzling holiday best, jingles down Hollywood Boulevard this holiday season as well.

See video of the 2006 show

2005 Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights (Nov. 14 2005 -Jan. 8 2006) -- Talk about magic: As snow falls overhead, the Streets of America backlot cityscape at Disney-MGM Studios comes alive with millions of sparkling lights each evening. The lightshow is in collaboration with Arkansas businessman Jennings Osborne, who developed the display for his daughter. The dazzling spectacle is included with Disney-MGM Studios admission.

See video of the 2005 show

2004 Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

Back by popular demand at Disney-MGM Studios is one of Disney's biggest holiday spectacles -- The Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights. This Disney holiday tradition returns to Disney-MGM Studios bigger and better than ever before. After eight years of holiday cheer on Residential Street, Disney-MGM Studios took a short break from the tradition last year to begin construction in the area on the new "Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show" (opening 2005). Now the lights will once again brighten the Streets of America backlot inside the theme park.

Illuminating everything from trees to spinning carousels, some of Jennings Osborne's original creations include 3-D and motion-based displays, a giant holiday-light Mickey Mouse, dozens of flying angels and several giant Santa Claus light creations. Plus, "Florida snow" and other surprises are in store for guests.

The holiday light display on the theme park backlot features millions and millions of sparkling holiday bulbs designed by Osborne, an Arkansas businessman and philanthropist. The Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights display started at the Osborne home 18 years ago when Jennings strung 1,000 red lights as a Christmas gift to his daughter Breezy. Soon their 22,000-square-foot home was covered in millions of lights. By 1995, the display had made its way to the guests of Walt Disney World Resort when it made its first appearance at Disney-MGM Studios.

Dates for the sparkling spectacle are Nov. 24, 2004, through Jan. 2, 2005. Included in Disney-MGM Studios admission.

See video of the 2004 show
Photos of the 2004 Streets of America show

2002 Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

The 2002 show marked the last time that the spectacle was displayed on Residential Street. In order to make way for the new stunt show, Residential Street was removed. This left the Osborne Lights without a home for a year until 2004 when the display returned to the Streets of America.

"Disney-MGM Studios is aglow with 350 miles of Christmas lights illuminating the avenues of Disney’s Tinseltown when the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights returns to Walt Disney World Resort each year.

The luminous light show was started by Arkansas businessman Jennings Osborne, who received worldwide attention for the Little Rock light display he created for his daughter more than a decade ago.

Osborne brought his homespun spirit and sparkling spectacle to share with Disney guests six years ago. It has grown in size to more than 5 million lights that decorate Residential Street, Washington Square and New York Street in festive displays including two 30-foot-tall carousels, 170 flying angels, 50 lighted Mickey Mouse figures and more.

The dramatic display is illuminated nightly through Jan. 2.

And if that’s not enough, a white Christmas is guaranteed with snow flurries falling on New York Street. Other festivities include a Hollywood-style celebration featuring favorite Disney characters and live stage performances.

Photos of the Residential Street display

What's it take to make The Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights come to life?
  • Number of watts of electricity: 800,000
  • Hours to install: 21,000
  • Extension cords (in miles): 32.2
  • Tie Wraps: 1,000,000
  • Christmas lights (in miles): 350
  • Number of angels: 150
  • Total number of lights: 5,000,000

See video of the 1999 show

The Origins of the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights

The Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights was born at the Osborne home in Little Rock, Ark., in 1986. That year, Jennings Osborne strung a modest 1,000 red lights as a holiday gift to his 6-year-old daughter, Breezy. She had asked her father to make their house sparkle with holiday lights.

Thus, a new tradition was born.

“I added more lights each year,” says Osborne. “And I just kept adding. I’m always chasing a dream.”

In fact, Osborne’s dream kept growing until 1993, when he strung more than three million lights. His 22,000-square-foot home, bathed in bulbs, was the site of curious sightseers and long lines of traffic -- crowds too large for those who lived in the neighborhood. Calling his display a nuisance, Osborne’s neighbors took legal action -- all the way to the Arkansas Supreme Court.

Shortly after the court battle, Osborne packed his bulbs and took them to Walt Disney World Resort, where theme park guests -- surrounded on all sides by bright bulbs -- actually walk into his multi-colored display.

Photos of the Little Rock display

The Purple Cat

When the lights were transported from Little Rock to Walt Disney World, a purple cat from the Osborne's Halloween display was accidentally sent along with the Christmas lights. The cat is now part of the holiday display and is hidden in a different spot each year for guests to find.