View Full Version : Osborne Family Lights
floridadreamvilla.co.uk
01-02-2002, 01:58
What did we miss? This December exhausted from a full day out at Magic & Animal Kingdom, we got the Disney Transportation to MGM Studios to view the Osborne Family Lights, however, when we got there our one year old daughter decided she had had enough, shortly followed by our three year old son. What did we miss out on and is it worth making the effort to go this year?
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John Rooke
I have to tell you that you missed a real treat!!
I've never seen so many beautiful lights before, and when viewed through the free 'magic specitcals' they are awesome! I'm told that it is one of the largest collections of lights in the world, and used to be owned by the Osborne's as a private show for their family before Disney purchased them.
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Roger
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Roger
Ken and Julia
12-02-2002, 02:46
Weve seen these lights 3 times in the past 4 or 5 years and they are well worth the trip, I came away with a pocket full off the special glasses that they give away one year and we decorated our house at home, all the kids that came around we gave them the glasses to look through, so brought a little disney magic to our home.
always look on the bright side
Hint - don't drive whilst wearing the glasses - even though it looks spectacular at night.
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Rob
steph_goodrum
12-02-2002, 12:12
All my nieces and nephews think the "magic" glasses are brilliant. It is definitely worth it, we went New Years Eve and the lights and the atmosphere was terrific, walking round with mugs of hot cocoa and looking at all the fantastic lights, we'll be going back this year without a doubt.
steph
orlandobabe
12-02-2002, 13:37
My daughter and boyfriend got to see them-but I missed out. They went early and rang to say that the park was incredibly busy (not a special day) and eventhough the sun was shining it was freezing cold and there was nowhere warm to shelter.
If we'd had an annual pass we could have popped in for the lights only-but it seemed a lot to pay to go and be miserable!
Some day.
She did say that they were brilliant and was able to view the street lighting with the magic glasses on the long drive home from the airport with them-which was fantastic
Orlandobabe
A real treat - we spent New years Eve there too, fabulous, although my daughter did mention it was difficult to believe it was really New Year and not just another Disney New Year!! Did you not see us - we had black top hats and hooters!!!
Osborne lights were amazing - well worth making the effort to go, and New York Street, especially with the glasses and the SNOW, was brilliant.
We'll be there next New Year.
orlandobabe
13-02-2002, 16:02
Lucky you Ian-I just sold Xmas-yesterday!
Orlandobabe
Hi Orlandobabe,
I sold Christmas/New Year 2002/03 about 5 weeks ago!!
We're thinking of Clearwater or StPetes while our home is full and then going up for a few days.
Christmas past was our first away from home, and we thoroughly enjoyed it, and certainly planning to do it again this year.
ian
athurstance
13-02-2002, 22:28
The Osborne lights are fantastic. Definitely worth making the effort to see them. We saw them twice this year and they are really magical.
We were told that there were 5 million, yes million of them and the number increases every year!
blott
imported_n/a
03-03-2002, 17:47
Does anyone know how long these go on for, we may go second week in January next year and wondered if they would still be on then.
They usually start around the beginning of December and end the week after New Year (in 2003 this is probably January 05) so it looks as if you're going to miss them unfortunately <img src=icon_smile_sad.gif border=0 align=middle> Can you change your travel plans? It's worth it!
Blott
orlandobabe
04-03-2002, 22:25
The story behind the Osbourne Lights is that the Osbourne family each year used to decorate their house for Christmas and each year added more and more lights- attracting more and more visitors -until eventually the usual neighbourhood killjoy objected.
It was taken to court and they were granted leave to switch their lights on only until 9pm. Well the inevitable happened and this family drove miles and miles to see them-only to arrive just after 9pm. So the kindly Mr and Mrs Osbourne-so as not to disappoint -this family and switched them on.
Course they then found themselves in breach of the court order and had a hefty fine to pay.
Disney then heard of their plight and took them over and added more and more every year.
This is how the story was told to me-unless you know different!
Orlandobabe
orlandobabe
04-03-2002, 22:31
If you do a search on osborne family lights
you can read the story for yourselves.
The fine they had to pay was $10,000-just for giving joy to so many people.
Orlandobabe
athurstance
04-03-2002, 23:30
The website is http://www.jenningsosbornefamily.com/christmaslights/default.asp
I exchanged emails with Mitzi before we went at Christmas. She is really a lovely lady and they travel to Orlando to see their own lights. Even though their neighbours forced them to stop putting the lights up in their own street they still pay for local lights at Xmas which I think is very charitable of them.
orlandobabe
05-03-2002, 18:44
I hope Disney gives them a lifetime (free) pass.
What a lovely story. I bet it must have been so hearbreaking for Mitzi Osbourne to lose all her children like that.
I think this is one family that really deserve their success.
Orlandobabe
SunLover
08-04-2003, 00:41
Whatever you do, DO NOT miss seeing these amazing lights ! Breathtaking doesn't begin to describe them. Go, go, go... and enjoy ! [8D]
Chris