Aliso Viejo family's Stanley Haus Halloween display returns with Universal Monsters theme
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The gist
The Stanley family in Aliso Viejo reopened their home Halloween display this season with a Universal Monsters theme.
The elaborate yard attraction draws crowds, so the family asks visitors to respect neighbors.
Background
Mike Stanley is an Aliso Viejo resident and semi-retired former beverage-industry worker who created the Stanley Haus Halloween display, which takes over the cul-de-sac in the Oak Ridge Circle neighborhood. He began decorating his home for Halloween 20 years ago because he loved the holiday as a child and wanted his own children to love it too. The display is a family effort: his wife Dawn co-runs a nitro iced coffee company, and son Wyatt, now a full-time sculptor artisan for Disney, helped create the displays for years. After a two-year break, the family returned this season with a Universal Monsters theme.
How it unfolded
- 2021The Stanley family's front yard drew national attention for a large-scale replica of the pirate ship from Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean ride.
- 2024 -2025Stanley Haus took a two-year break.
- Oct 10, 2026The Stanleys reopened for the Halloween season with a Universal Monsters theme, despite high heat and sudden rain.
- Oct 22, 2026The Los Angeles Times reported that the Aliso Viejo family's famous Halloween display is back.
Who’s saying what
- Creator
- Mike Stanley said they took notes and studied the entire land and all the cool design, referring to time spent studying the burning windmill inside Dark Universe at Universal Epic Universe in Orlando.
- Public
- During their Haunted Mansion season, the family saw a huge influx of fans asking for commissions of those characters, which led to a side business building custom props for events beyond Halloween.
- Caution
- The Stanleys ask guests to be respectful of neighbors, keep children on the sidewalk, look but don't touch, and park outside the cul-de-sac and walk in.