Disney-themed house in Summerport shines for Christmas

“Rows and rows of Mickeys with color-changing lights, lots of Mickey candy canes brighten the season’s nights. It’s where everybody roams; it’s the house called Mickey’s Home.”

A song by children’s songwriter Judy Pancoast continues to describe the details of that house, which is in Summerport. It’s owned by Mickey and Minnie Baus.

Yes — those are their real names.

About 10 years ago, these Disney fanatics moved to the area to be closer to the Big Mouse’s headquarters. They decorate the yard with a different theme every month.

“If there’s no holiday, we’ll make one up,” Minnie said. “In September, we have Labor Day, but there aren’t a lot of characters for Labor Day, so we do a football theme.”

October and December are what the Bauses call “extreme.” Right after Thanksgiving, the Christmas decorations start to go up.

“At some point, we’ll stop,” Mickey said. “We never really finish.”

“We have a lot of kids who go by here every day on the way to and from school. They play a game they call ‘What’s New,’” Minnie added. 

Every decoration has a story, Minnie said. Some were gifts from friends or donations from neighbors. Some are from Walt Disney World itself, such as the light-up reindeer in the front yard, which were once on display at the Grand Floridian Resort. 

If you stop by in the early evening, you’re likely to meet the Bauses. They enjoy going out in the driveway to chat with guests about the display and getting to know their neighbors. Last year, they met visitors from many different states and 12 countries. 

If you pull up to the house in your car, you can tune into 99.9 FM to hear music that coordinates with the changing light displays. Songs include “Let It Go,” “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” and of course, “The House Called Mickey’s Home,” among others.

A “mega tree” in the side yard is programmed by a computer and displays a different light show for each song. Mickey has a background in theatrical design and lighting and looks forward to purchasing or designing programs for the mega tree each year. Some are pre-made, but he tweaks them — for example, he added Mickey ears to the Grinch for one song.

“To me, that’s the fun part, because it’s a lot of computer work too — it’s not just decorating,” Mickey said. “We always say our goal is to make you smile.”

Contact Catherine Kerr at [email protected].