• Video
  • Shop
  • Culture
  • Family
  • Wellness
  • Food
  • Living
  • Style
  • Travel
  • News
  • Book Club
  • GMA3: WYNTK
  • Newsletter
  • Privacy Policy
  • Your US State Privacy Rights
  • Children's Online Privacy Policy
  • Interest-Based Ads
  • Terms of Use
  • Do Not Sell My Info
  • Contact Us
  • © 2025 ABC News
  • Living

Family creates magical Christmas lights inspired by Disney's fireworks show

12:25
Family creates magical Christmas lights inspired by Disney's fireworks show
Courtesy Rick Carrillo
ByLaura Laughead
December 03, 2019, 11:20 PM

Putting up Christmas lights can be a Christmas dream or the stuff of nightmares for families during the holidays.

For one man from El Paso, what started as a sweet way to celebrate his daughter’s first Christmas became a Disney-inspired light show in his front yard.

“I’m thankful that everybody seems to be really enjoying it,” Rick Carrillo told “Good Morning America.”

On Dec. 1, Carrillo, a nurse from El Paso, launched a light show in his front yard to a crowd of 40 or 50 family, friends and neighbors.

The display, inspired by the "Happily Ever After" fireworks show at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, features everything from a projection of classic Disney movie clips to a giant tree to lights synchronized with festive music.

“As a kid, we didn’t have a lot of money, and my dad was able to take us to Disneyland any chance he could, so we have a lot of memories with Disney shows … you just get this feeling that anything is possible, your dreams can come true,” Carrillo said.

An image made from video shows a preview of the holiday light show put together by Rick Carrillo in El Paso, Texas, for the 2019 holidays. The show took months to plan and includes clips from classic Disney films.
Courtesy Rick Carrillo

Editor’s Picks

Too early for Christmas? Family told to remove decorations until closer to holiday

  • Nov 15, 2019

The heartwarming story behind Disney World's new holiday decorations

  • Nov 15, 2019

Royals unveil stunning Christmas decorations including epic 20-foot tree

  • Dec 02, 2019

This is Carrillo’s second year of creating multi-sensory Christmas decorations. He started last year to celebrate his daughter Susana’s first Christmas.

He spent three months stringing and wiring lights across his house and yard and then spent an additional 70 to 100 hours on his computer making the video, editing the music and sequencing the lights.

Related Articles

(MORE: The story of the very 1st Christmas card)

Because he did all the “dirty work” last year, this year, he started preparing in early October.

“It takes time to build something like this, and I think the results speak for themselves,” Carrillo said.

An image made from video shows a scene from the holiday light show put together by Rick Carrillo in El Paso, Texas, for the 2019 holidays. The show took months to plan and includes clips from classic Disney films.
Courtesy Rick Carrillo

He added that he wants his display to bring some much-needed Christmas joy to the El Paso community that has “been so good to (him and his family)” and has recently seen great suffering. Last August, a shooting at a Walmart in the city left 22 dead and dozens injured.

“This is a way for them to enjoy Christmas and get their mind off of things for a while,” Carrillo said.

This Christmas, he is planning to keep his lights up until Jan. 6. He also said that he hopes to continue the new tradition with his family for years to come.

“It’s going to be a lot of work, but we’re going to do our best to keep this going,” Carrillo said.

The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of ABC News and Good Morning America

Editor’s Picks

Too early for Christmas? Family told to remove decorations until closer to holiday

  • Nov 15, 2019

The heartwarming story behind Disney World's new holiday decorations

  • Nov 15, 2019

Royals unveil stunning Christmas decorations including epic 20-foot tree

  • Dec 02, 2019

Up Next in Living—

JCPenney to close 7 stores in May: See which locations are impacted

May 21, 2025

Costco launches 'Buy Now, Pay Later' service for online purchases

May 20, 2025

Service dog honored alongside college graduate: 'Everybody was cheering'

May 19, 2025

Viral bald eaglets get ready to fly

May 15, 2025

Shop GMA Favorites

ABC will receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

Sponsored Content by Taboola

The latest lifestyle and entertainment news and inspiration for how to live your best life - all from Good Morning America.
  • Contests
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Do Not Sell My Info
  • Children’s Online Privacy Policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Your US State Privacy Rights
  • Interest-Based Ads
  • About Nielsen Measurement
  • Press
  • Feedback
  • Shop FAQs
  • ABC News
  • ABC
  • All Videos
  • All Topics
  • Sitemap

© 2025 ABC News
  • Privacy Policy— 
  • Your US State Privacy Rights— 
  • Children's Online Privacy Policy— 
  • Interest-Based Ads— 
  • Terms of Use— 
  • Do Not Sell My Info— 
  • Contact Us— 

© 2025 ABC News