Alright, level with us Disney. We need answers. How could you do these things that are so TOTALLY unforgivable?!
EPCOT Monorail
Disney World is constantly changing and sometimes that means that some of our FAVORITE things at the parks are affected. We get it, it happens. We love us some Disney World and we’ll recover, but WHY did Disney have to make THESE changes!?
1. Retiring the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights
RIP The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights. Disney’s Hollywood Studios just isn’t the same at Christmastime! The park used to be home to some absolutely spectacular Christmas lights. Literal MILES of lights were strung around the Streets of America section of Hollywood Studios from 1995 allllll the way to 2016. Oh, and the lights? They DANCED. TO. MUSIC.
The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights
Unfortunately, the lights had to end just prior to the Streets of America section closing for the development of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Yeah, we get it. It had to happen eventually — OR DID IT??? Look, Disney, all we’re saying is that we’d be pretty happy to waltz beneath a canopy of dancing lights again, OK? It doesn’t matter where or when. WE MISS OUR OSBORNE LIGHTS.
Osborne Lights — Extra Shiny in the Rain!
At least we can still get our fix of beautiful Christmas spirit elsewhere. Sunset Seasons Greetings is a fun continuous show in Hollywood Studios that is typically offered each night of the Holiday Season, and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party has the A-MAZ-ING Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks.
EPCOT is a reliable holiday favorite with the Festival of the Holidays and Candlelight Processional to enjoy. Plus, there are a TON of ways to celebrate in Animal Kingdom — a few years ago, they debuted park-wide Christmas decorations and PUPPET ANIMALS and entertainment! I guess we’ll be able to find stuff to do during the holidays without our fav lights. Sigh. But the ache continues in our hearts.
Click here for a look at everything coming to Disney World for the 2022 holiday season
2. Getting Rid of Sweet Spells in Disney’s Hollywood Studios and NOT ADDING A NEW CANDY STORE?!?!
You know what, Hollywood Studios? We have another bone to pick with you! How could you get rid of Sweet Spells and NOT replace it with another candy store!? We need our candy, okay? Sweet Spells was the go-to spot in the park for all your sweets needs like gourmet apples, Disney fudge, cookies, rice cereal treats, cupcakes, and more — and it’s been GONE since 2018 with no replacement. The audacity!
Sweet Spells in Disney’s Hollywood Studios
The spot where Sweet Spells resided is now a shop selling primarily Pixar merch. Pixar swag is good and all but it’s not as good as CANDY. We could maybe forgive this one if they had opened another candy shop in Hollywood Studios, but they didn’t. And now Disney guests are candy-less when they’re wandering the Studios.
Sweet Spells Candy Apples
You can still get your sweets fix in Hollywood Studios, just maybe not quite the same way! There are awesome ice cream concoctions at Hollywood Scoops, Dinosaur Gertie’s Ice Cream of Extinction, or 50’s Prime Time Cafe. Plus, you can usually find a version of the Carrot Cake Cookie from over at The Trolley Car Cafe (the park’s Starbucks location). Trolley Car Cafe is actually a great spot to find sweet treats, though these can change throughout the seasons, so check to see what’s available when you go.
The Trolley Car Cafe!
Be on the lookout for pre-packaged candy in some spots too. But is it the same as having a FULL candy store? No, not it’s not.
Click here to see our cookie showdown: Carrot Cake Cookie vs. Red Velvet Whoopie Pie!
3. No More Main Street Electrical Parade 😭
UPDATE: The Main Street Electrical Parade officially returned to Disneyland on April 22nd, 2022 for a limited time, but Disney World is still without this beloved spectacular.
And last but certainly not least: How could we EVER forgive the fact that Main Street Electrical Parade is gone for good? Wait, we know the answer to that. We CAN’T!
Main Street Electrical Parade was the beloved nighttime parade that ran off and on from 1977-2016. It had a few breaks from 1991-1999 and 2001-2010 to make way for SpectroMagic, another beloved Disney World nighttime parade that has since been permanently retired.
Main Street Electrical Parade
Main Street Electrical Parade featured impressive, light-covered floats like a Casey Jr. Train Dumbo float, a Cinderella float, and even a Pete’s Dragon float! With Main Street Electrical and similarly styled SpectroMagic running since the 70’s, generations of guests grew attached to these parades and made them beloved parts of their trips.
Our main issue here is that there are now NO MORE nighttime parades during the regular park day in Disney World. The daytime parades are cool and all but there’s something really special about seeing all of the awesome lighting effects that come with a nighttime parade.
Main Street Electrical Parade at Disneyland
Now, luckily, there is actually a special way to still catch a nighttime parade in Disney World, but you’ll have to head to a separately ticketed event. You can see Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party (though it is sometimes offered during the day to all guests). And if you head to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party you can catch the Boo-To-You Halloween Parade at night too.
Such a Great Parade
The Main Street Electrical Parade did return to Disneyland in 2022, and we might have been a little bit jealous. Okay…a lot, but who can blame us! This parade is full of classic Disney magic, and it even got an upgraded finale in the new Disneyland version featuring Encanto!
But the parade was only available there for a limited time and has since ended its 2022 run.
We’re SO Jealous
We might be able to forgive you, Disney, if and only if this parade returns to the Magic Kingdom.
Want to make sure you’re ready for all the changes in Disney World? Click here!
So, you see? There are definitely some things that Disney has done that we just can’t bring ourselves to forgive. We still love ya, Disney World, but we REALLY loved these things in the parks, too! With so much always evolving in Disney World, maybe they’ll find a way to make it up to us.😉
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What I miss the most is Soarin’ over California. I really miss it. Over the world is ok, but we did it twice and we were done. I don’t really care about the great wall of china or the Austrailia opera house. Bring back California! 🙂
So incredibly sad that the Main Street Electrical Parade is never coming back! It’s the most magical memory of my childhood & was THRILLED to be able to share that memory with my son in 2004.
I still miss the Adventurer’s Club!
Money, Profit, and Greed drive the reason why these things are cancelled!
Tell Me I’m Wrong !!!
I think what I will miss the most are my points from DVC! Stolen money. Why doesn’t Disney take ALL of the people who have reservations and not give their money back? Now that would make everything equal. Take their money too. Not just the people who have put their retirement into this unforgettable lie! My grandkids were so excited that we did this . Now what do we tell them? We’ve been robbed? Mary H Kosloske’! Wrong in so many ways! The happiest place on earth has just become another lie.!!!
Country bear xmas overlay at magic kingdom ,epcot winter of lights, Osborne lights are still greatly missed by me and my family
Really miss the Osborne Family Spectacular of Dancing Lights.
Fountain of Nations…I will sorely miss you…As a “local”…I used to take my yarn and crochet hook, sit by the fountain and create…I will find another place, but I will miss MY fountain…:)
The two that hurt the most are the Osborne Dancing Lights and the Electrical Parade. And no, I really don’t mind that these things are gone. But what’s unforgivable is they weren’t replaced with something — ANYTHING! And I understand the dancing lights had to be removed because of space, but… there is a crap-ton of space and Disney World. So… Construct some faux building facades, prop them up behind the Cirque theater during the holidays, and string up the lights. Done. And if you’re worried about the ROI, then just fill the “streets” with food trucks and souvenir carts. Done. And with regard to the electrical parade… Instead of building yet another overpriced hotel, just simply design a nighttime parade that will last for 15-20 years — AND will be memorable and nostalgic for the next generation of Disney fans!
Osborne Lights, Adventurer’s Club and Off Kilter are my three biggest MIA disappointments. Special mention would include Sweet Spells AND Starring Rolls— was a perfect match. Not a Starshucks fan.
I miss Starring Roles in Hollywood Studios. (next to Hollywood Brown Derby) The Starbucks and kiosk lines are too long.
How is nobody going to mention Toon Town in WDW??? That was one of my favorite things as a kid
I still miss off kilter. What a talented group. #2 Osborne Lights #3 the swan boats in front of the castle. Anyone else remember these ?
Oh— and the original Pleasure Island with the New Years celebration every night.
We miss River Country!! Hard to explain the sheer joy you felt playing and swimming there that just did not translate over to the other water parks.
I agree completely. Let Disney know that some decision are not good. The candy store was a place I’d hit 2-3 times a day. And every kid should get to see the Electric Parade!
TMSEP belongs to Disneyland.
I’m sorry but Disneyland will always be #1
Toon town, the night time electrical parade and now no Grand Floridian Musicians.
They need to spend less money on building new hotel and refurbing things and let us enjoy what we all know and love.
Soon Splash Mountain will be added to the list- will never get over it.
Do you ever write something positive?
Why is the Adventurer’s Club gone? The fans that loved it, killed it. These devoted fans went and rarely spent a lot of money..
Toon town was always meant to be temporary. it long outlived its shelf life.
Splash Mountain was questioned by some imagineers when it was getting built. You have an attraction that hasn’t been shown in nearly 50 years and will never be shown.
I miss Disney the way it use to be. Try explaining to someone who can’t tolerate a mask that they’re not welcome. WDW use to be a place for everyone. Not anymore.
#2 is about 1/100 the importance of #1 and #3! And what happened with the Osborne Lights anyway. Are they all in boxes somewhere. Did they give them back to the Ostbornes?
I do not know about number two as I have not eaten there BUT I sure do miss one and three. The Osborne Lights were a favorite of mine as was the light parade.
Christmas at WDW just isn’t the same without the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights. I am also very disappointed at the loss of Off Kilter. I still enjoy British Revolution, but guessing they’ll go the same way, assuming they haven’t already.
Some part of the Osborne lights are currently up at the Presbyterian Church in Celebration!
Grand floridian orchestra!!! Can’t believe they got rid of them. Unbelievable. And the pool at the grand floridian that is deeper than 3 feet that an adult can actually swim in for a decent length! That was a beautiful pool for everyone. Did they really need a third kiddie pool?
The Electrical Parade was what we looked forward to most back in the day. We would stay until midnight and watch it twice. Talk about decisions Disney Corporate is making these days…. a lot of them need explaining and they aren’t all in the parks 🙁
Closing the Great Movie Ride, unforgivable
Walt is on the rotisserie spinning round and round. After Eisner, the place was transformed from the Happiest Place on Earth to most expensive place on earth to vacation. I am so sad with the changes that started with the Eiger a distraction. No one will dispute that the Christmas show at the Country Bears was a welcome site every holiday season… now it is gone and the summer show pales in comparison. Osborn lights were real Disney Magic and now that is gone. Prices up, content down… very sad
Doing away with the Osborne lights was criminal! It’s not a brick and mortar attraction, they could literally have put it ANYWHERE!
Disney world has made way too many changes so many things things that made it so much fun the Osborne lights were such a wonderful thing to go to see my family loved it Spectro magic was awesome and now no night parades and too many other changes besides that what r they thinking
Replacement of the original Journey into Imagination is WDW’s greatest failure. It incorporated everything that EPCOT stood for, and embodied Walt’s spirit more than any other attraction. The current version isn’t even close in terms of beauty and story. EPCOT will forever be incomplete unless the original version of the pavilion is restored.
Got to admit we never really like the Main Street Electrical Parade. The music drove us batty. But yes the Osborne lights were a favorite. We still have those special twinkle glasses they gave to passholders a few years back. Got them out on Christmas Eve and our tree looked magical. Surely there is some location they can use to recreate the dancing lights.
The Adventurers Club is the thing I can’t forgive. I’ll never be ok with it. Never.
Agree with all three, but I’d add several more, especially at Hollywood Studios. One of the saddest rides to see go was The Big Movie Ride.
I loved the streets of NY and SanFran back in the Studios. Ot took me back to my childhood everytime I walked through there. Im not a big starwars fan and i wish it never changed.
Missing Osborne lights and electric light parade but even more recent things….British invasion…now …Christmas storytellers…Julinisen…and let’s not forget the buffets at Germany, Trails End,and Cape May. Does Disney ever take surveys to see what fans like or do they just base everything on profits??
The original EPCOT Center Future World Attractions Horizons and Journey into Imagination were fantastic. SpectroMagic was my favorite parade. Osborne Lights for Christmas. Alien Encounter and Timekeeper were also great. In general all the parks have changed for the worse, becoming crowded with kiosks hawking Disney junk or food, and ruining the site lines of the original park. Rest areas and open spaces are becoming fewer and smaller and/or covered in order to make more space for merchandising.
Prices continue to climb while offerings drop in number and quality. THE MAGIC IS GONE.
My late husband, eldest daughter, son-in-law, their two sons and I made a special, last minute trip to WDW to see the Osborne Lights before they were gone. Long drive from Pennsylvania, but worth it. Saw many people, including grown men with tears streaming down their faces. Very upset that they are gone! Also, both my daughters grew up sitting on Main Street, waiting for an hour to see the Electrical Light Parade. We all loved the floats and the music was in our heads the rest of the night! Miss both of them so much.
I love sweets but they can be bought many places. But, I really miss Osborn Lights and the Light Parade. Neither of these can you see other places. Both mean Disney to me! I guess I should say – “Meant”.
Kinda agree,
Electric parade is a loss, loved it since I was a kid, but SpectroMagic to Mr was a bigger loss.
Hollywood Studios, I miss the bakery on the corner of sunset, which is now a Starbucks. Bakery was so good, had to best snacks!
I agree Spector magic was a total loss and the Osborne lights also journey into the imagination universe of energy and the list goes on and on b 4 long we won’t b able to even k ow we r at Disney world and that is so sad and leave splash mountain there they can put princess tiana n another place she does not go with the frontier land theme and am sure they can do that
“refurbishing” Journey into Imagination 1.0, The Great Movie Ride, adding the Park Pass Reservation System, too many unforgivable sins to count.
We agree that is absolutely unforgivable they took something that wasn’t broke and fixed it then thusly broke please stop this madness and then the Spector magic parade and the Disney Halloween what r they going to destroy next and Disney world won’t even b recognizable as any more r they try ing to make it another universal. Studio they r destroying Walt Disney’s dream what a shame it breaks our hearts my family is so sad about it and please get rid of bob chapek he is damaging Disney world put Mickey and Minnie n charge they k ow what we want to keep the magic
They need our benches back on Main Street m the magic kingdom and n other places we hated when they removed the round sitting n fro t of the castle it was so nice for people to sit another thing that was needed for people to relax on not all people
Can stand and watch the shows on the castle stage
This ridiculous replacement for fastpast including paying extra for popular “fancy” rides on top of the price of admission and how you have to make reservations for rides constantly looking down at your phone is beyond stupid. The greed of disney now is just intolerable. I dont know how it can ever be fixed. It’s the way this whole country is going. Folks say “get rid of chapek and the top brass”. But who is there to fire them? So sad
The Osborne lights should have been moved to Disney Springs.
When we go to Disney world do. It want to b on the phone ha I f to make all this making reservations to get on rides is not having a vacation we go to have fun and get off our electronics there is so much more that we have to do to try to get in attractions that it ruins the magic that once up on as the happiest place on earth and it is being ruined now it’s a place where have to work every day that we r there to have a magical day and the we all know who ruined that get rid of the greed that chapek and the powers that b have done and make it like Walt Disney created
We find the absence of the Electrical Light Parade bitterly disappointing and we still hope this might (selfishly) be in time for our visit in late August. We watched during 1992 and 1994 and have never forgotten the magic of this experience. Our sons are now 30 years older and both talk about seeing the parade and the possibility of its return. PLEASE Disney bring this back for the rest of the 50th Anniversary as it was such a spectacular way to end the day and left such a lasting impression.
Taking away Fast Pass and now practically forcing us to use Genie+ at $15.00/day for each member of your party. In addition to signing up for it, I have a friend coming down from up north and we have hotel reservations since I have DVC, but I don’t think she has a smart phone, so how am I supposed to get Genie+ when she probably won’t be able to even use it? I do have a smart phone , but what’s the sense of me having it when she apparently has to have it also and can’t without a smart phone?
Every time I go into my Disney app apparently I have My Disney Experience, but I never see anything that specifically says I do. I would love to know how to use my phone to the best use, but my husband always stayed up to date on that and now he’s passed and I have to figure this out also in addition to all the items you have to change to your name including legal documents. Just a nightmare. Plus the ticket I had to get for her was ridiculous in price for one day at Epcot. Greedy Disney is just disgusting. I have an annual pass with no blackout dates when we go to the park in April. Yes, I got reservations.
How about Tarzan Rocks in Animal Kingdom? Off Kilter for sure and Cranium Command and the Christmas Light Arches in EPCOT !!