Stupid Question

[Disdad13]

This is probably a stupid question, but why are the Osborne Family Lights called the Osborne Family Lights? Who is the Osborne Family?:confused:

[MickeyMousse]

They are a family who live in Little Rock who at one time would have approx 3 million Christmas lights up on their property. If I recall correctly, the state took them to court over their display! :deer:

[wdwfansince75]

As best I recall...Mr. Osborne was from Arkansas....used to decorate his home....eventually, it got so big, neighbors griped about traffic.....moved lights to Disney about mid-90's....wonder if neighbors now gripe about the drive!

[PirateLover]

This seems to be their official site
http://www.jenningsosbornefamily.com/christmaslights/default.asp

Basically a guy named Osborne put up lights at his child's request and each year it grew and grew until it was such a magnificent display that people came from all over to see it. However this of course posed problems (remember the couple that lived next to the Griswalds) and Disney stepped in to give the lights a nice home for the holidays :santa:

[LibertyTreeGal]

You mean it's not Ozzy Osbourne's family? Now THAT would be a spectacle! :D

[Aggie97]

The Osbornes are a family who put up a huge Christmas light display (millions of lights) at their home in Little Rock, Arkansas, for several years. I believe that it turned into a pretty big tourist attraction, and the Osbornes' neighbors eventually took them to court to take down the display. Disney contacted the Osbornes about having their light display brought to WDW, and it appears at the Studios every year! :mickey:

[TBY2225]

Thanks for the post! Great question! I had been wondering that myself!

[big blue and hairy]

You mean it's not Ozzy Osbourne's family? Now THAT would be a spectacle! :D

Well, the train never looked too crazy, so....I guess not....:D :rocker:

:sulley:

[Disdad13]

Thanks for all the responses! I had always wondered and I knew you guys would know. We have been at Disney the last three years in September when they were putting up all the lights, but we have never seen them on. Maybe we will have to schedule a trip later in the year when we can see them on. I'm sure it is amazing.

[Tick-Tock]

My dad lived near the Osbornes in Little Rock, and one year we walked over to see the lights. It was pretty amazing. Jennings O. lived in a nice house with a big wall around it on a major four-lane artery (actually, it was interesting just to see what was behind that wall that we drove past almost every day!). Apparently he actually bought the houses on either side of his house so he'd have more room for his lights. Every night, there was so much traffic going past the display that all four lanes of that road were congested and backed up quite a ways. I can see why the city said "no more."

I remember a lot of the pieces at the Studios from seeing them at his house that year.

[diz_girl]

I always wondered that too.

[youngOx96]

That wasn't a stupid question at all. I had been wondering the same thing but hadn't gotten around to asking. I'm glad to know the answer.

[heidi614]

You have to go and see the lights! Go for a weeked to look at the lights and all the cool decorations at MGM and Mk. It is the family from AR. Donated his light collection to Disney. I think a lot of ppl thought is was Ozzy, but Ozzy and Disney don't really match! Anyway I highly recommend seeing the lights all over Disney at Christmas! :Santa:

[T_I_Double Guh_Err]

They are a family that had so many lights it was unbeleivable! Their neighbors were complaining that they were too bright and distracting, so the decided to donate them to Disney. Now, every year Disney adds more and more to them. It is amazing isn't it!:jaw: