Hollywood Lights

One of the places we definitely wanted to see again this Christmas season was the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Hollywood Studios.  What began as a father’s Christmas gift to his daughter in the mid-80s and became a wonderful holiday tradition for thousands of Walt Disney World guests for 20 years is
being shuttered at the end of the season in early January.  Why, you ask?  They are making room for the new Star Wars-themed and Toy Story Lands.

Every night during the Christmas season at exactly 6 p.m. the music starts and millions of colored lights suddenly brighten every building façade, tree, window, and holiday figure in the Streets of America.  It’s quite a sight to see!  Many of the displays were originally part of the Osborne’s yard display in Little Rock, AR, but over the years Disney has expanded it to include over 5 million
lights and a relay circuit that allows the lights to “dance”.  Every 15 minutes thanks to the magic of more than 400 dimmers, the choreographed “dancing” lights move in time to the music creating quite a show.  After each choreographed performance, the lights remain steady for about 7
   minutes while music continues to play until the next “dance”.  (It takes about 20,000 man-hours to install the display each year starting in Sept.)  Below are some before and after comparison shots we thought you might enjoy.

We had gotten to the park a couple hours earlier because we had a FastPass for Toy Story Midway Mania!, and since there was no line at Muppet*Vision 3-D afterwards, we decided to kill a little time there.  This adorable attraction combines 3D film with audio-
animatronic characters and special effects.  Though flash photography is not allowed during the show, right at the end I managed to capture a couple shots keeping with that before and after theme.  Notice the wall around the balcony where the old guys are heckling the Muppets?  Well, at the end of
   the show the Swedish Chef sets off a large cannon that “blows-up” the theater, seeming to tear a hole in the main screen and “revealing” some of the bricks and sheetrock throughout the theater.  Pretty impressive, huh?

 

  A few nights later it was off to Epcot where Mickey and Minnie were waiting to greet everyone!  OK, so they’re topiaries and not the real thing. J  We were heading to see one of our other favorite things this time of year, the Candlelight Processional.  A 50-piece orchestra
   led by conductor Dr. John Sinclair, a mass choir of approximately 200 cast members and high school and church groups from around the country, members of the nationally acclaimed Voices of Liberty, a guest celebrity narrator reading the nativity story, and a sign language interpreter…what’s not to love! 
    The narrators change every few nights with 3 performances nightly, and this time we were privileged to see the fabulous actor Gary Sinise (Forrest Gump, Apollo 13, CSI: NY).  Though each narrator reads the same script, each person brings their own personality and passion to the reading with some better than others.  Gary is among the best, and no matter how many times we see this show, we marvel at the beauty and majesty of the sound, the story, and the performers.  Truly a magical experience.

 

While waiting in line for the Processional I zoomed in the camera for a beautiful picture across the World Showcase Lagoon of Spaceship Earth and Epcot’s Christmas tree.  Afterwards we found the perfect spot to watch Illuminations: Reflections of Earth,
   Epcot’s fireworks show that takes place every night on the Lagoon. The show features fireworks, lasers, fire, and water fountains all timed to a musical score. A large rotating globe of the Earth with curved LED screens is the centerpiece and is used to project images of people and places. 
During the Christmas season there’s an additional 7 minutes of fireworks timed to one of my favorite songs, Let There Be Peace On Earth, along with greetings of good will and peace on Earth in many languages.  Always the perfect ending to a wonderful evening.