Disney walking path brings cheer

When Madison and Steven Hunder opened their home to become a Disney Christmas Walking Path, they expected 30 kids to come down for opening night.
The display features a fantastical display of lights, Disney character cutouts and enchanted buildings which wrap around the house.
So, they bought 40 Mickey/ Minnie ears, expecting that every kid would be able to take home a souvenir. 
“Opening night, there were over 100 people that came because we handed out 40 Mickey and Minnie ears to kids and they were gone in like 15 minutes of people walking through,” Madison Hunder said. “We didn’t expect that many people to be there … so next year we’ll probably buy some more ears.”
They attribute the high turnout to word of mouth. Madison estimates that three to five families visit the display per night. This is the Hunders first Christmas season with a walking Christmas display.
Last year was their first year decorating outside, but they simply had a lights display that you drive past. But the display was still impressive, winning first place in the Chamber of Commerce lighting competition.
The couple decided that it would be more enjoyable to have a path that people could walk through, interact with and see the lights, so they decided to create the Disney Christmas Walking Path this year. The two were inspired by a display they saw in Billings last year where a man set up a North Pole walking path all around his house.
The man had built up the display over 15 years, and it was “way bigger” than the Hunders’ display currently is, Madison and Steven concurred. The display had a bunch of Santa themed decorations in the front yard. Instead of Santa, they decided to make a Disney display since every kid loves Disney.
Despite their early success, the Hunders aren’t content with riding off into the sunset and resting on their laurels. Next year they want their display to be bigger and better, building up year by year until their display rivals the one they saw in Billings.
“It’ll take us years to recreate it, but it is a goal,” Steven said.
Making the display took extensive preparation. Madison said she painted almost every day for three weeks straight to create the Disney character cutouts. Steven set up the walking path and built the castle frame and Ferris wheel display.
The Hunders kept their display on the down low until the week before opening night. People would drive by and ask if they were building a porch or something. The second Steven put up the walking path, people were suspicious, Madison said.
The most fulfilling part of creating the display is seeing the joy on children’s faces, they both said.
“The kids’ faces on opening night. I got quite a few tears in my eyes because I used to own a daycare,” Madison said. “And I had to quit daycare after I got spinal fusion surgery. So I don’t get to see a bunch of kids. I stay at home with my toddler. But I was able to see a bunch of kids’ days just being made that night and I loved it.”
Their 4-year-old child James loves the display, as well. He runs through the display “happy as can be” and shows people the lights, she said.
The couple is already planning for next year to be a lot bigger.
“Next year will be a lot bigger because we have more organized plans now,” Madison said. “We organized it as well as we could this first year, but now we have a lot more ideas. And we are super big with Disney.”
“We’re definitely taking suggestions for characters people would like to see,” Steven added.
“I’ll paint more characters,” Madison concluded.