Halloween time: Aliso Viejo family transforms their home into a haunted mansion
The three hitchhiking ghosts of Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion attraction are always looking for a ride out of the mausoleum. This year, they may have found it.
Ezra Beane, Professor Phineas Plump and Gus are part of the Haunted Mansion-themed home haunt at the Stanley family home in Aliso Viejo.
“We do Halloween yard displays. We have been doing it for many years,” said homeowner and father, Mike Stanley. “We started doing Disney themes last year, and we change it up every year. This year we did the Haunted Mansion.”
Mike and his youngest son, Wyatt, began the tradition of creating detailed Halloween displays when Wyatt, now 22, was a little boy.
“We’ve been doing this pretty much my whole life,” said Wyatt.
Wyatt attended the Orange County School of the Arts and advanced his set-design skills and background in animatronics, which has made for more elaborate displays each year. Last year’s display had a Pirates of the Caribbean theme, complete with a pirate ship.
“I put together all the characters, I sculpted the faces, I made all the frames,” said Wyatt. “It has been pretty fun.”
The front of the Stanley Haus, as the family refers to it, has the façade of stately columns and oxidized wrought-iron found at the Haunted Mansion attraction. Besides the hitchhiking ghost, spectators will also find familiar haunts like the clairvoyant Madame Leota in her crystal ball, the singing busts known as the Phantom Five and the Hatbox Ghost, who is known to lose his head.
“The fun part is now our neighbors want to be involved,” said Mike.
Mike and Wyatt choose a theme in January and start sketching and planning the scenes they would like their display to feature. They start building in February, and by midsummer, they share what they have planned with any neighbors in the cul-de-sac interested in participating.
“Then we will build it for them on the lawn. This year is the most we’ve ever had, eight of 10 houses participated.”
Buildout starts in September with a target opening day of Oct. 1. Neighborhood kids get in on the fun by helping in small ways, like painting.
“Everybody has a job,” said wife and mother, Dawn Stanley. “It brings the community together, and any kid that wants a job, we will find them a job.”
This year, after the display started drawing crowds, Dawn suggested the family bring in a charity component. Each night, the family sells snacks, coffee and hot chocolate, with the proceeds benefiting the Dana Point 5th Marine Regiment Support Group. The organization raises funds for materials needed by the 5th Marines, wherever they are deployed, or their families in need of assistance at Camp Pendleton and nearby housing areas.
“My Dad was a 5th Marine out of Dana Point; he is Purple Heart recipient,” said Dawn. “We’ve always given to that group anyway so that is why we choose them.”
The family has the support of the city and community, with a 30-day permit paid for by the Aliso Viejo City Council, and the Home Depot and Lowe’s Home Improvement sponsoring this year’s theme.
“We get to have fun together as a family and truly provide something for the community that is fun and free,” said Mike. “Everybody comes out and they are smiling. We get a lot out of that.”
The display even received the approval of legendary Disney Imagineer Bob Gurr, who visited the home this month. Gurr is responsible for the design of many attractions at Disneyland, including the Doom Buggy cars at Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion.
“For him to come out and look at each scene,” said Mike, “it was a dream come true.”
The home haunt is on display nightly from 6 to 9 at 8 Oak Ridge Circle in Aliso Viejo until Oct. 31 — which leads to one of the top five questions the Stanley family gets each year: What do they have planned for Christmas?
All the latest on Orange County from Orange County.
Get our free TimesOC newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Daily Pilot.
