Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Saying Goodbye To Disney's Osborne Lights (With EYE CANDY!)

Disney's famous Osborne Lights danced for the last time this week, as that area of Hollywood Studios will soon be torn down to make way for Star Wars.


I was out of commission all of December, but happily John and I were able to see the lights on their final weekend after the new year - and of course I brought my camera. 

 

It was a fun challenge finding ways to photograph the lights that didn't include the 50,000 people crammed into the streets with us.
 

 Plus it's neat looking for all the new hidden Mickeys and little treasures tucked away in the windows and displays. (There's a hidden Mickey in the bike photo, did you see?)
 

 The giant Santa head in the Police cart always cracks me up.





One of my favorite finds this year was Kermit, perched way up high on this building ledge:

 


This building had a new Star Wars window:
 

 Here's a closer shot taken with my phone:

That's Kylo Ren's saber crossed with you-know-who's, plus the Rebel & First Order insignias.

With my wide-angle lens I wasn't able to photograph most of my finds, but I also spotted a tiny Baymax head, Jack Skellington, a Muppet themed balcony (with hanging Animal), and so much more around the streets.


I think the trade-off was worth it, though; I really like some of these wide shots.


 That light netting on the right is my favorite; it dances, fades, creates amazing patterns, and even spells out scrolling words!


 Photos don't capture the "dancing lights" experience, of course, so here's a quick video of me turning 360 degrees to my favorite song there. You will get dizzy, but hopefully in a fun way:


The slight pause is when John was ducking out of the way. :)

Little Roger Rabbit hitchin' a ride.
 


Stitch and a rather TARDIS-like phone booth.


 It helps that so many of the sidewalks were roped off; I was able to stick my camera over the ropes to get crowd-free shots like these.

Then, for some extra funky angles, I held my camera almost at ground level and aimed up:


 I, uh, looked a little strange doing this.


No photo excursion is complete 'til people start looking at you funny, that's my motto.


 And one final window shot, which I took on a whim for the reflection:


Hope you guys enjoyed the glowy eye candy!

39 comments:

  1. Makes me want to cry, this has been my favorite Christmas tradition for 15 years. You did an awesome job photographing it! Especially with all those people there!

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  2. Makes me want to cry, this has been my favorite Christmas tradition for 15 years. You did an awesome job photographing it! Especially with all those people there!

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  3. Arggggh! Where's the hidden Mickey in the bike photo?! Someone help me out, I must know!

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    2. Oh, I had to enlarge the photo to see it! The "ring" holding up the diamond is actually a hidden Mickey.

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  4. Thank you for the tour *and* the video! I never got to see the lights in person. I'm planning a trip for next holiday season, and was really looking forward to seeing them...and then came the announcement that they were leaving!! So sad. But I'm sure there will be lots of other amazing things to distract me from the disappointment! ;-)

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  5. Why are they called Osborne lights?

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    1. The original lights were donated by a family - the Osbornes - who would use them to decorate their own house each year. Over the years Disney converted the lights to LED and also added more, but many of the iconic features, like the flying angels, giant globe, and nativey scene are still original.

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    2. Fun facts - the Osbournes were some of the last decendants of the Rockefellers. They live in Little Rock, AR - they also funded the local Fourth of July fireworks. The husband died the same year my partner was in intensive care, at the same hospital, and a mutual friend kept us updated on his condition - he was a really nice guy.

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    3. We used to drive over and see the Osborne Lights each year when they were still able to do them here in Little Rock. It was always gorgeous. It was an amazing site and Jennings did so much to help local biz. I was really sad to hear the lights wouldn't go up anymore as a kid, and was unable to take my boys while they were still on display at Disney. I will have to show them these photos! Gorgeous.

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  6. Looks great Jen! Did you see the purple cat? Loved seeing Nemo in the window as well!

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    1. Yes, the cat was my first find, since we started in the back! I totally missed Nemo, though - boo!

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  7. So many gorgeous photos! Thank you so much!!

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  8. gorgeous as always jen! if you're ever in las vegas, nv you should check out freemont street!

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  9. I'd never heard of the lights before we started planning our Disney trip for the end of 2015, I'm so glad we got a chance to see them before they disappeared.

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  10. I'm so sad that I didn't get a chance to see these as an adult. I went in 2005, but my memories are kind of fuzzy. I was hoping to get down in December, but a work trip got rescheduled and I didn't get the chance. I hope Disney does something similar elsewhere in the World.

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  11. Thanks for sharing such pretty photos! Even if I had ever been able to go see the display in person, I wouldn't have been able to look at anything - LEDs give me migraines, so Christmas light viewing has become something I'm getting less and less able to do as everything switches to LED. Photos and videos will have to do and yours are always great! =)

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  12. I didn't know this was a thing! and it's so amazing!

    I'm so jealous that you live close to a Disney park and can just pop-over whenever something catches your fancy. We don't have that sort of magic in Houston :*(

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  13. Absolutely gorgeous!!! Love that last one (love it extra hard because it's Mr. Gold's shop from Once Upon A Time!)

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    1. I noticed that for the first time this year, which is embarrassing because we've been pass holders, on and off, for the last ten years. And yes, I may have squealed.

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    2. Don't feel bad. I'm pretty sure Mr Gold's shop is new (in the last few months). My friend and I were wondering why they would bother to add that when I think the whole street is going away soon to make way for something new.

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  14. Even though that area of Hollywood Studios was barely used, I liked the look and feel of it, I'll miss it. Is that little coffee shop going away too?

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  15. How did I not know about this?! How awesome is that?! Nice job, Jen!

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  16. Do you know what they are going to do with the lights? The Mr. and I are hoping they bring them to DCA (Disney's California Adventure). They would be PERFECT in the area near the formerly-Aladdin-soon-to-be-Frozen theatre!

    Love your pictures! So pretty.

    -Just Andrea

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  17. So beautiful! Great photos, too. You are a master!

    Wish I'd gotten to see that in person, but glad you were sweet enough to capture it for all of us. Thank you so much!

    KW

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    1. I was there on Monday and was so disapointed with my sad camera phone pictures. I thought to myself "someone will have good pictures on-line". Then I check Epbot, which I read anyway, and here they are. Thanks Jen!

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  18. So pretty! We saw them one last time on December. I'm such a sucker for Christmas lights, my family had to drag me away! When talking to a Cast Member, they told us that they aren't even saving the lights- too many man hours involved- they're just cutting them down with shears!! So sad! Of course, take it with a grain of salt, since this isn't official word. But still, makes me sad. :(

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    1. Nooooo!

      - Just Andrea

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    2. Oh no! I was a Pizza Planet cast member for 6 months after college, so I worked in this area. I do hope, hope, hope that they save them and find somewhere to use them!

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  19. That last fuscia town home has a scary face. He looks like he is getting ready to chomp down on the poor little pedal car! And now I've just created a bucket list and put "See Disney at Christmastime" on the top. I may never get to see this bit, but I'm sure it is all equally spectacular!

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  20. As far as I'm concerned, you can lay down and take pictures anytime! Always enjoy your adventures...especially being out here on the West Coast.

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  21. Legit tearing up because we weren't able to make it this year. I've not seen them in years and the hubby has never seen them.

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  22. I love this so much! I got to see this only once in 2000 I think it was. It was magical! That was back before I backed up my pictures, and I lost them all when my laptop fried. These are much better than mine anyway. Thanks for taking them and sharing them! They are wonderful.

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  23. I love how you always spot the little things! I went to see the Osborne lights for the first time this December and didn't notice half these things. I think it was just a little overwhelming (in a good way!).

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  24. Thank you for posting the video. The pictures are wonderful, but the video really captures what it is like being there, in the crowds, with the music; just enjoying all things Disney, Christmas, and bright. We saw this several years ago on a DW Christmas - bucket list - trip. When I was looking at your post two of my kids were excited and remembered it (they were still pretty little at the time). When I told them this was the last year for it, they both got a little sad. Made me nostalgic too. Thanks for the post and the walk down memory lane :)

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  25. Thanks! Living in Wyoming and usually snowed in for Xmas, there's no way I would have ever gotten to see these. Gorgeous! I admit though, that I had a moment of slight disappointment though when I realized that the eye candy was the pretty lights and that Keanu Reeves would not be featured in this post.

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  26. Jen, these photos are amazeballs! :D You are such a good photographer! I know next to nothing about photography, but the colors are so vibrant! Does that mean these were... (what is the thing...?) HDR?

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    1. Aw, thank you! And not HDR, no; I just boosted the color saturation and vibrance to really give the lights a good glow.

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