The Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights - 2004

-- Photo submitted by Carol Vandiver

I managed to haul myself up from the leftovers and make a quick trip over to Disney-MGM Studios to check out the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights on Sunday November 28. What a spectacle to behold!

The lights open up around 6PM and end when the parks closes. With the streets being wide the crowds weren't bad at all, and it was easy to take it all in on our own time.

You'll find the spectacle in the Streets of America area. Disney has done a great job of marking the path with hat and scarved CM's holding red blinking "wands" to direct the way. There is magic in the air (along with a little "snow") once you reach the spectacle, as you would swear that you are cold;)

Before I say anymore, I'll will verify the rumor: They are NOT handing out angel glasses this year.

I can't begin to describe what you see....let's just say it is amazing. If you are a fan of holiday lights, this is worth the visit. The amazing part is that it is created with things you can find at your local Walmart!

But let's discuss details.....holiday music fills the air....look all around for hidden Mickeys.....lighted and not. Also, there are many references to the Osborne family members. Those are fun to look for, too! You won't want to miss the picto-history of how the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights came to be at Disney- MGM.....you'll find that next to the soldiers. Also, there is a lovely nativity scene which is a nice place to sit and take it all in. Finally, be sure to look all over- up, down, behind you....it is amazing the different perspectives you'll get looking at the same lights, just at a different angle.

Watch out for the "cop on his beat".....he is lots of fun and in the same humor as other "residents" you'll find wandering at Disney-MGM studios. He was hassling a "bum" when we were there. Very funny!

There are LOTS of holiday items for sale. Definately not "dollarless", but cute none the less. Hot chocolate is sold in a mug that lights up ($10), but more affordably are the rice crispy trees ($2.50 and FRESH) and gingerbread stars ($2.50 FRESH and much better than at the GF). We tried the gingerbread and rice crispy trees and were happily surprised at how yummy they were!

Stitch is the character of the season! There are Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights shirts available with Stitch the center of it all! They also have quite a lot of Christmas Stitch plush, etc. He is the star of the holidays, for sure! If you're a Stitch fan, you won't want to miss the selection.

The whole visit didn't take long. You could complete it in as little as 20 minutes if you want to zoom in and out, or longer if you want to take a leisurely stroll. We found it relaxing, put you in the holiday spirit, and a great way to end the evening.

We plan to return to the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights this weekend, convinced that we will see new things and have a new experience. As with all things Disney, you have to experience it more than once to see it all!

See you at the parks....

Jane in FL
MFL Event Reporter