Is LOR behind The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights?

[McAllister]

I am a big Disney fan and new to LOR.  This year was my first year of shows (starting w/July 4th, then Halloween, and now Christmas).  Does anyone know about the technology behind The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights, currently in its last run at Disney's Hollywood Studios? We went 2 years ago and when they announced that this is the final year, we had to squeeze in a December trip to Disney World.

 

It is simply amazing, but I can't imagine how they run the show. The only info I can find on it is a Wikipedia article that states that it's been LOR-driven for the last few years. Does the same LOR software/hardware that I'm running have the power/bandwidth to run the entire Streets of America?

 

While there, looking at the lights, the buildings all appear to be vertical strands of plain ol' LEDs (i.e. not addressable/pixels or RGB). The mega tree seems to be 3 concentric trees of plain green LEDs, then Blue and Red (I think).  They will often do a wave from one end of the street to the other end, which I can totally conceive given that they appear to be vertically oriented strands; however, they clearly are able to do effects where they fade from the bottom of a building to the top of the building pretty smoothly. I can't quite figure that effect out.  My thought is that they are just in "chunks" - i.e. 1st floor, 2nd floor, 3rd floor, etc. and they ramp up the building so quickly the fade/chase makes it look smooth.  My family is pretty into the whole show and we have a good facade on our house to work with, so I'm trying to wrap my mind around how it works so I can start to plan next year's show.

 

My observations are that most buildings are covered w/5mm wide area conical LEDs in a vertical grid fashion.  Static displays seem to be wire frames (or objects - like lawn chairs, bicycles, BBQ grills) covered in rope light.  The only pixels that I spotted were the canopy over one of the streets (San Francisco I think), which seems to be a matrix of smart RGB pixels, but they didn't look like LOR's Cosmic Color Pixels.

 

Finally, since this is the last year, what are they going to do with all the hardware?!?!?!?!? As a growing show, I'd love to get in on an auction if they're having one!  Those angels would be a pretty sweet addition to anyone's show (and have awesome history with it too)!

 

So all in all - does anyone know anything about the technology in use there or have any contacts to get the "inside scoop" on what will happen to the hardware?

 

Please discuss!

 

Thanks!

[canadianchristmas]

I think they use pro grade LOR controllers, But have been told that they don't use LOR software and for the pixels I know that they run madrix. As for a auction I think it would all go in big bulk amounts of props for more then any residential decorator could afford, those angles would probably go for $5000+ 

[The Pest]

I know that when The Osborne Family lights first came to Disney they were using proprietary hardware and normal Stage Lighting control boards for controlling the light's. It has been almost 18 years since then. Not sure what they use today. But would like to find out how they are doing it currently.

[Orville]

Items will not be auctioned, the Osborne Lights, props and all associated hardware is being stored.   They did a news spot on this being the last year for it, but the spokeswoman for Disney was asked about whether or not the Osborne lights would be back, she said that chances are good, once all their updates and new revamping is done, that the Osbourne Lights could very well make a reappearance somewhere on the Disney property in Orlando.   

 

Even a possibility it could make it's way near or in downtown Disney {Disney Springs{?} - or whatever they are calling "Lake Buena Vista", the original name of the area}.  

 

Would be nice if it did make a comeback in the downtown Disney area, then anyone could see it and not have to pay an exorbitant admission fee just to see the display, if that's all they were going there for.   And is why I have never went to see it, Disney pricing is just too far through the roof for my wife and I to go there.

Edited December 29, 2015 by Orville

[Denny]

I don't know what they are using to control the lights now, but the first year they were synchronized to music, I believe it was Animated Lighting controllers.  It's my understanding that an inventory of the Osborne family props has been provided to the Osborne family by Disney and these items will be returned to them, including the Black Cat.

[Swedge]

I've been to WDW/Osborne 3 times and it is AWESOME! I would love to see a technical write up of their show.

[KStatefan]

I've been to WDW/Osborne 3 times and it is AWESOME! I would love to see a technical write up of their show.

 

I agree.  I I didn't live 24 hours away I would have gone again this year,

[Orion]

I have been "backstage" numerous times. Disney used animated lighting for their Osborne Lights. And also for Cinderella’s Castle. Disney however is using their own software to control them. 

[JHolmes]

Sorry Orion but I'm going to have to contradict your statement.

 

In November, 2015 I attended a backstage tour put on by Disney for the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions national convention

where we met the producers of the show and were able to discuss the behind-the-scenes aspects in a more open (and less "magic") way.

 

Here is what I gathered:

 

Hardware:

Osborne is using LOR Controllers for their standard LED lights and Stellascapes for their pixel canopy.

The lights are cut off the buildings each year, recycled, and new ones are purchased (but the frames are stored).

 

Source: Team Lead for Installation of the show

 

Software:

The show is programmed using a commercial-grade lighting console called the GrandMA.

I can't remember exactly what he said about the canopy but it's either Madrix or a media server (such as the Hippo brand servers).

 

Source: The Lead Programmer for the show

 

Cinderella's Castle was originally using a custom Animated Lighting hardware setup installed by Drew Hickman (Holiday Technologies) but that may have changed by now (not sure).