Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub Dear Disneyworld:: Hi. I just had a wonderful b-day trip to WDW and would like to thank you. I just have one complaint. Please explain to me why you moved the Nativity Scene in the Osborne Spectacle of Lights. I know I am not the only customer that questioned this. As I searched for the traditional location and stood in front of this spot I found only a bare stage with one single holiday decorated present to view. Of course I went to the nearest castmember to "discuss" this. I had to stand in line to wait because people in front of me also were demanding an explanation. We were told it was in a new location around the corner...It is on the ground AWAY from all the Angels and the 3 WISE MEN and the newest white Angel (floating above) pointing to the empty stage with the big box present . I guess I should be thankful that Disney still allows this religious display . I am also thankful for the nightly Candlelight Processionals. SO thank you. Please give the designers a chance to correct this next year. Please return the Nativity to the former stage so the Angels and the Wise Men are pointing to the correct message. Unless , you really wanted the Wise Men and the Angels above to behold the Heavenly Christmas Present. Thank You.
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub P.S. Dear traditional LP poster people. I hope this will not become a forum for all the "usual" comments. I worry the posts will be stronger in favor of complete removal of the Nativity Scene next year. I just wanted to comment that it seems strange to see the Wise Men and the angels above pointing to the heavenly xmas present empty box. It is decorated and it is BIG but empty. Maybe all the companies that were open for business on the traditional Thanksgiving Day this year will be the corporate sponsors for the Osborne Spectacle of Lights in the future. Since Mr. Osborne passed away this year it can be called the Wal-Mart Spectacle ...
Originally Posted By wahooskipper That is a shame. We seem to forget is freedom OF religion, not freedom FROM religion. In other words, Disney should feel free to express and religious values they choose. Christmas, Hannukay, Kwanza...knock yourselves out. It wasn't meant to sweep religion out of society.
Originally Posted By DlandDug Can anyone link to photos of this? How it has looked in the past, and how it looks today?
Originally Posted By DlandDug Here's an interesting take from AllEars: >>The popular Nativity scene has been moved to a place of honor closer to the Premiere Theater.<< <a href="http://allears.net/tp/h_osb.htm" target="_blank">http://allears.net/tp/h_osb.htm</a> I would think if they were to move the location, they would want to move the complete ensemble (Holy Family, Wise Men, Angels, etc.).
Originally Posted By DlandDug From the DisneyParks blog: >>Quick question, it looks like based on the concept art that Goofy’s Winter Wonderland is set up in the area that the Nativity has been in the past. Will that still be part of the Osborne Spectacle of Dancing Lights? Matthew – You’re right, but no worries. The Nativity, which has been part of the display since Jennings Osborne presented it at his home in Arkansas, will have a new home this year, closer to the Premiere Theater.<< <a href="http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2012/11/theres-always-something-new-at-the-osborne-family-spectacle-of-dancing-lights-at-disneys-hollywood-studios/" target="_blank">http://disneyparks.disney.go.c...studios/</a> Again, I think they need to move the entire ensemble. The stage with the "empty present" is apparently used for Santa Goofy now. But he doesn't need Wise Men and angels to assist him!
Originally Posted By DlandDug Okay. So I looked up some photos. It appears that the traditional nativity scene is not (as I assumed from the conversation here) composed of lighted silhouettes, but is a fully dimensional scene with large figures. Specifically, it is a Fontanini set. (I am very familiar with these.) So... does this mean that they left the three Wise Men from the Fontanini on the stage that is now used for the Santa Goofy show? Or are there also Wise Men and angels made of lights there? I can understand the impulse to make changes from time to time. If they needed a large stage for a show (more guest interaction), they could determine that this was the best one to use. It appears that the nativity is not being removed, just placed in a new location.
Originally Posted By DlandDug Photos of this year's Osborne from right here on LP: <a href="http://www.laughingplace.com/Lotion-View-1394.asp" target="_blank">http://www.laughingplace.com/L...1394.asp</a> The first page shows the new Santa Goofy Meet 'n Greet (with PhotoPass!), as well as the newly relocated nativity. Am I missing something? It looks like the whole nativity is there. The setting is different, yes. Frankly, it looks more serene and respectful to me. That's just my opinion, of course, and based only on photos. I have always had a problem with super-lavish Christmas light displays that throw in everything but the kitchen sink, including a nativity right smack in the middle of it all. (Again, just my opinion.) It seems to me that it gives equal weight to all aspects of the American Christmas: Santa, snow men, Frosty the Snowman, Jesus-Mary-and-Joseph, nutcracker princes, Phineas and Ferb, angels, candy canes, Wise Men, elves, Elvis, toy soldiers, and LIGHTSLIGHTSLIGHTS. (And maybe some shepherds.) See Who got lost in there?
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub I guess it is hard to describe the former location vs current if you have never experienced this. Compare it to the DL Main Street with a hub. If you look down the streets of New York you see New York type businesses and townhouses maybe but the hub has Town Hall. I am not sure where the Premier theatre is but in my memory it seems like the new location is closer but behind the "Theatre". So the nativity is not even on the Main Street but in the back alley, sorta. So the angels and the wise men lights fly overhead of the Main hub town hall city center pointing towards the former location of the Nativity completely in the wrong direction. I also don't think the stage is the Goofy meetngreet because children would never be climbing up and down stairs on Disney property. I think the Goofy photo op is where the toysoldiers and xmas trees and light switch flip is performed at the very beginning of the nightly show. Sorry that i am not certain but the night I attended was so crowded I had to leave and return another night. I am rarely bothered by crowds on Disney property but this was not fun and you are talking to somebody that is always in front of a castle for New Years Eve or the Fourth of July! I think Disney moved it to "create" another official photo pop because I noticed the camera person setting up . All hail the mighty dollar . All I know is the other location setting was truly beautiful. Perhaps the most pretty i have ever seen but now the blue lights behind does not create a starry night. I should add a compliment for Disney. I think the new addition of the white angel in memory of Mr. Osborne who passed this year is very honorable. Wouldn't you love to have created something like this in your lifetime and be remembered in this perfect way.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I also have to agree with DlandDug that I think the whole Osborne lights thing is a little overblown to begin with. There comes a time when more is not better.
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub Thats why it is called a Spectacle...just thought it was strange to move a nativity scene only to replace it with a box representing the true spirit of Xmas.
Originally Posted By DlandDug I haven't seen Osborne this year, so I really have no sense of where the nativity is currently located. The original location was apparently a loading dock. I do recall that when I saw this a few years ago, I was pleased to see that the family had included a nativity. But it did not seem very prominent. My reaction before was not to generally "overblown" light displays. This truly is a "spectacle." I am bemused when, in the midst of all the glitz, there is a nativity. It's just a personal reaction.
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub I guess that is what I found so remarkable...in the middle of the noise and the spectacle is a moment that reflects peace. I guess that is why i am so disappointed and ask for an explanation. I am also dismayed that Disney has not "placed" the snowman in the old-fashioned telephone booth for the past two years. And I did not notice the cute little spotted dalmation dogs on the doorsteps either this year. Since I am on a tirade I guess I should tell Disney that I preferred the Osborne Spectacle of Lights when we could walk thru the suburban neighborhood cup-de-sac...and they used to hand out FREE cardboard holographic glasses...As if we needed more visual stimuli to appreciate this spectacle, Then they sold them for a few years and now gone. But hey , thanks RT for giving DD credit for knowing more about Disney than I do.
Originally Posted By danyoung I have to agree that I liked the Lights much more when they were on the backlot. I miss that backlot. . .
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<But hey , thanks RT for giving DD credit for knowing more about Disney than I do.>> Never said who had more experience than who with WDW. I just thought the following comment implied that DlandDug had NO experience with the Osborne lights, and I know that is certainly not the case! <<I guess it is hard to describe the former location vs current if you have never experienced this.>> But hey, thanks Mickeymousclub for being so easily offended.
Originally Posted By 999HAUNTS I guess I'm confused as to why this is such a big deal. Why would it warrant a complaint? This portion of the park is included in your admission, and frankly, Disney has the right to do what the heck they want.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<I guess I'm confused as to why this is such a big deal. Why would it warrant a complaint? This portion of the park is included in your admission, and frankly, Disney has the right to do what the heck they want.>> Why? Because the OP viewed this as another "attack on Christmas" and wanted to express his/her outrage! Page 437 of the conservative handbook on when to express outrage.
