The Osborne Spectacle of Dancing Lights 2010

Millions of brilliant bulbs blanket the backlot with dancing lights and animated displays synchronized to high-energy holiday tunes at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Nov. 8, 2010, through Jan. 3, 2011.

Colorful wreaths, twirling carousels, flying angels and Santa and his reindeer bedazzle park-goers amid swirling snow flurries during The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights, a megawatt, multi-colored spectacle that Show Director John Phelan calls “the ultimate Americana Holiday lights display.”

“Imagine it,” Phelan said.  “One private citizen (Jennings Osborne), overwhelmed by the spirit of the season, created his own ‘Holiday Wonderland,’ complete with a giant rotating globe with ‘Peace on Earth’ above it and a massive canopy of red lights that people could walk under.  He said he wanted the people to feel like they were inside the lights, looking out.  Only in America!”

In fact, originally it was only in Little Rock, at the home of Arkansas businessman Jennings Osborne.  The rich tradition began some 20 years ago when he strung 1,000 lights as a Christmas gift to his daughter.  After the exhibit grew larger and brighter – into millions of lights – it was transported to Walt Disney World Resort in 1995, where the light display now delights guests from all over the world each year.