Video: Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights Closing Night

After twenty years of warming holiday memories at Walt Disney World’s Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights has flickered out for the final time. Following a few days extension, the beloved annual tradition was extinguished for the last time ever on January 6, 2016, and we were there to capture the Dancing Lights closing seconds for you in ultra-sharp 4K video.

 

The last night of the Dancing Lights drew huge crowds to Disney’s Hollywood Studios during the evening. I attempted to park at the theme park around 6:30 p.m., and was redirected to Animal Kingdom instead. The busses arrived for us a a rapid pace, but the detour added at least a half-hour my trip.

At the entrance to DHS, cast members were distributing complimentary refractive glasses that made certain lights look like snowflakes.

 

Once inside, guests were thronging the streets in anticipation of the 8 p.m. Star Wars fireworks. Unlike during my last visit to DHS, the Osborne Lights were allowed to continue through the fireworks, though a section in front of Lights Motors Action was roped off for fallout.

 

Before braving the sea of Osborne finale fanatics, I fueled up with some Star Wars food from Backlot Express. The chicken salad with black beans and avocado was one of the best quick service salads I’ve had lately, though the edible paper with R2-D2 stamps was totally tasteless.

 

The Corellian spice fries were a generous portion and had plenty of grated cheese, but could have used some more actual spice.

 

The BB-8 cupcake was the best of the character cupcakes that I’ve tried so far. The cake was nice and fluffy, and the frosting wasn’t overwhelmingly sweet with a light lemony zest. Bonus points for the colorful candy-coated chocolate rocks!

 

Ok, time to say goodbye to the Osborne Family Spectacle! As the published 9 o’clock ending time approached, the Streets of America’s population swelled.

 

Here’s a look around the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights as the final curtain approached:

 

 

With the streets still stuffed, Disney disregarded the originally announced curfew and allowed the lights to continue until the park’s 10 p.m. closing time. When that time finally came, the finale farewell — appropriately set to the Mickey Mouse Club’s “See Ya Real Soon” closing song — brought tears to many in attendance.

 

Here are the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights closing seconds, recorded in full 4K 2160p if you have the appropriate equipment:

 

 

The Osborne Family Spectacle will now live only in memories and YouTube, but that doesn’t mean that Disney is done with Christmas lights forever. While nothing is officially confirmed, I expect another spectacle (albeit under a different name and in a new location) to light up Walt Disney World before too many holidays pass.