What's News: Walt Disney World

Millions of Lights, Sparkling Nights Create Holiday Magic in 2002 at Walt Disney World Resort

Photo copyright (c) 2002 the Walt Disney Company.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- What began as a family tradition in the mid-1980s in Little Rock, Ark., has blossomed into a new holiday tradition for many guests to Disney-MGM Studios at Walt Disney World Resort.

“I often meet people who say they don’t miss a year of seeing our lights at the Disney-MGM Studios,” says Jennings Osborne, the Arkansas businessman behind the theme park’s annual Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights. “My family and I consider ourselves fortunate to be able to help make people happy. The magic is still there.”

Osborne’s display features five million holiday lights that turn the entire studio backlot into a winter wonderland. Guests at the theme park may stroll through the sparkling scenery, soaking in the beauty of the multi-colored bulbs and intricate ornaments.

It’s all part of a sleighful of holiday activities across the Florida Vacation Kingdom. Other seasonal fun includes the “Holidays Around the World” celebration at Epcot, “Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party” at Magic Kingdom and “snow” aboard Disney Cruise Line.

Beginning in July, Disney’s technical “elves” began testing, replacing and stringing Osborne’s light displays on the backlot area of Disney-MGM Studios -- preparing the urban and residential facades with elaborate aerial creations like spinning carousels, giant globes, “chasing” lights and sparkling holiday trees.

The Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights was born at the Osborne home in Little Rock, Ark., in 1986. That year, Jennings Osborne strung a modest 1,000 red lights as a holiday gift to his 6-year-old daughter, Breezy. She had asked her father to make their house sparkle with holiday lights.

In fact, Osborne’s dream kept growing until 1993, when he strung more than three million lights. His 22,000-square-foot home, bathed in bulbs, was the site of curious sightseers and long lines of traffic -- crowds too large for those who lived in the neighborhood. Calling his display a nuisance, Osborne’s neighbors took legal action -- all the way to the Arkansas Supreme Court.

Shortly after the court battle, Osborne packed his bulbs and took them to Walt Disney World Resort, where theme park guests -- surrounded on all sides by bright bulbs -- actually walk into his multi-colored display.

Now in its eighth year at the theme park, Osborne’s dream has not stopped growing. Thanks to a little Disney magic, the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights now boasts five million lights and even enjoys its very own Florida “snowfall.” And guests are able to view the lights through special holographic glasses provided to them.

Included in park admission to Disney-MGM Studios, the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights will be presented nightly Nov. 27, 2002-Jan. 5, 2003, as one of the many family-fun holiday activities planned for Walt Disney World Resort in 2002.

Holiday headlines from around the “world”:

Deck the Halls with Donald

Disney’s Animal Kingdom will celebrate the yule with a little help from Donald Duck, Santa Goofy and other ‘toon pals. From Nov. 29, 2002-Jan. 1, 2003, Donald will host a special holiday edition of “Donald’s Breakfastosaurus” in DinoLand U.S.A. For more information or priority seating arrangements for the special character dining experience, guests may call 407/WDW-DINE.

Tasty Treats, Artful Sweets Take Center Stage

Disney pastry chefs have a season to remember on the 2002 menu, with elaborate confectionary creations and larger-than-life, edible displays planned for locations across Walt Disney World property:

• A life-size spinning carousel will glide in the lobby of Disney’s Beach Club Resort. Featuring ponies made of sugar, giant candy cane poles, hand-crafted poinsettias and portraits of famous Disney characters on a lighted roof of gingerbread, the carousel will greet guests next to the resort’s giant holiday tree. As Walt Disney World Resort continues the 100 Years of Magic celebration through the holidays, it’s fitting that Disney pastry chefs will work with more than 100 pints of eggs, 100 pounds of icing, 100 pounds of flour and 100 pounds of sugar to create the colossal confection.

• Disney's BoardWalk features a 15-by-20-foot display depicting a boardwalk area with a five-foot-tall Ferris wheel, carousel, water slide, buildings and a beach area. Everything is made of chocolate, sugar and gingerbread.

• At Epcot, The American Adventure pavilion in the park’s World Showcase will be home to Santa’s Bakeshop, a life-size house made entirely of gingerbread, icing and cookies.

• A few miles away from Epcot, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa will again feature its 16-foot-high house made from more than 16,000 pieces of gingerbread.

  In fact, both gingerbread homes are so large that merchandise locations -- selling fresh cookies and seasonal beverages -- will be inside each structure!

‘Tis the Season to Shop

It’s “Christmastime in the City” -- Downtown Disney, that is -- and the entertainment, shopping and dining center is celebrating with seasonal songs and Santa. Two new retail shops at Downtown Disney Marketplace -- Once Upon A Toy and Disney’s Pin Traders -- highlight holiday shopping. Once Upon a Toy is a 16,000-square-foot, interactive toy shopping experience and Disney’s Pin Traders is the largest pin location at Walt Disney World Resort. From Nov. 29 through Christmas Eve, Santa Claus will make appearances at his very own chalet, right outside World of Disney, the world’s largest Disney character store. In all, there are more than 50 one-of-a-kind stores and merchandise locations across the 120-acre Downtown Disney area.

Candlelight Processional at Epcot

Celebrity narrators deliver the traditional Christmas story to guests during the Candlelight Processional at Epcot Nov. 29-Dec. 30.

Candlelight Processional, one of Disney’s most beloved holiday traditions, is a joyous retelling of the Christmas story by a celebrity narrator accompanied by a 50-piece orchestra and a mass choir. Celebrity narrators scheduled for the 2002 Candlelight Processional include actor Gary Sinise, performers Jodi Benson and John Tesh, and actress Marlee Matlin.

Special dining packages at Epcot restaurants that include preferred seating for the Candlelight Processional are available by calling 407/WDW-DINE.

Candlelight Processional is part of the “Holidays Around the World” celebration at Epcot, Nov. 29-Dec. 30. Epcot World Showcase hosts observances of Kwanzaa and Hanukkah, as well as a daily tree-lighting ceremony. Legends and lore of the holidays come alive with seasonal stories from traditional holiday figures including France’s Père Noel, Italy’s LaBefana, and Santa Claus at American Adventure.

Holiday Magic Hits the High Seas

On sailings between Nov. 24, 2002, and Jan. 1, 2003, Disney Cruise Line is planning a magical holiday season on board Disney Magic and Disney Wonder. Guests will find both ships decked with boughs of holly and filled with entertainment.

The Disney Cruise Line culinary team will prepare holiday meals in each of the ships’ three themed dining rooms, and families can make their own gingerbread houses on-board. And despite the tropical weather on the high seas, “snow” will magically fall around the three-deck-tall tree in the ships’ atrium lobby areas.

Ship-wide New Year’s Eve parties will be held to ring in 2003, and for those who want to enjoy the college football bowl games on New Year’s Day, Disney Cruise Line is planning a special Tailgate Party at its ESPN Skybox.

To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a Disney Cruise Line vacation, guests can contact their travel agent, visit disneycruise.com or call Disney Cruise Line at 888/DCL-2500.

‘12 Nights of Christmas’ Light Up Magic Kingdom

“Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party” in Magic Kingdom returns in 2002 as the first Walt Disney World theme park celebrates more than 30 years of holidays with fireworks, parades, sweet holiday treats, special stage shows and plenty of fun for the whole family.

For 12 nights -- December 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20 -- Magic Kingdom will “re-open” from 7 p.m.-midnight for this special event. Advance tickets are $33.95 plus tax ($23.95 plus tax for children ages 3-9). Tickets on the day of the event (if available) are $38.95 plus tax ($28.95 plus tax for children ages 3-9). Children under 3 are admitted free.

Highlights of the jolly frolic include greetings by Santa Goofy on Main Street, U.S.A.; two showings of “Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Parade”; a special edition of “Fantasy in the Sky” fireworks; holiday cookies and cocoa; a souvenir family photo and button; strolling carolers; and two holiday stage shows featuring many of the favorite Disney characters. And it’s even been known to “snow” on Main Street, U.S.A.!

In addition to all the festive fun, guests at “Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party” are able to enjoy unlimited use of the most popular Magic Kingdom attractions.

For tickets or more information about “Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party,” guests may call 407/W-DISNEY or visit disneyworld.com.

As part of “Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party,” Liberty Tree Tavern in Magic Kingdom will offer a family-style holiday meal featuring Disney characters. For more information about the dining experience, guests may call 407/WDW-DINE.

Walt Disney World Resort is a 47-square-mile, world-class vacation kingdom featuring four theme parks -- Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom; water adventure parks; themed resort hotels; golf and other recreational opportunities; Disney’s Wedding Pavilion; Disney’s Wide World of Sports complex; and two nighttime entertainment districts. Walt Disney World Resort is also included in vacation packages of Disney Cruise Line.

The Walt Disney World 100 Years of Magic celebration, which marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of company founder Walt Disney, continues through Feb. 28, 2003, across all four Walt Disney World theme parks.

For more information, tickets and reservations, guests may call 407/W-DISNEY, a travel agent, or go online at disneyworld.com.

For More Information visit Walt Disney World.

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