WATCH: NJ Family Puts On 20-Minute Disney Light Projection Show

HAZLET, NJ — Ryan Basile got a light controller for Christmas about five years ago. He had been decking out the house with holiday decorations along with his dad since he was a child, but the new gadget allowed him to start playing around with light shows.

"Since I was a baby, he always did crazy lights. He pushed me to do what I do now," he said.

This year, the 18-year-old took the holiday decorations to the next level, with a 20-minute Disney-themed light projection show that takes viewers on a journey of classics like "Little Mermaid," "Toy Story" and "Peter Pan."

The lights covering the whole house and front lawn flash to the beat of the songs and interact with the Disney clips.

Adding to the show, a snow machine sprays pine-scented fake snow every few minutes. And at the end, a 3D figure of Tinkerbell flies over the cul-de-sac on a zip line connected to the house.

Basile said he is now working with four light controllers and a total of 64 channels. He commands the lights to act every 1oth of a second to the song. For the past four years he's put on a light show, but this was the first year with projections.

"I love programming this. It's so much fun to me. It's a great hobby," he said.

The whole family is big on Disney and goes to one of its themes parks three to four times a year. Basile's dream job is to work as a programmer for the light show and fireworks at Disney. He is now a freshman at Monmouth University and is studying to become a software engineer.

"There's a certain feeling that you get when you're standing in front of the castle watching the firework show. And that specifically I wanted to be able to re-create," Basile said.

About 50 neighbors, family members and friends gathered on Wednesday for the show's debut. Basile's mom event set up a chocolate bar for the visitors.

"Everyone that was here the other night to watch the opening night, that's the same feeling everyone got," the teen said. "People came up to me telling me that they had tears to their eyes. It makes me feel like all my hard work pays off."

Hazlet residents will have plenty of chances to watch the light show until Christmas, as the family is planning on running it every Friday, Saturday and Sunday starting at 6 p.m. The address is 21 Meredith Way.

The lights will be on every night between 5 and 11 p.m., with music stopping at 10 p.m.

Basile said he starts taking out the computer to program the light show around July.

"That's when I start getting excited about it," he said. "My family makes fun of me because I keep an open tab on my phone and all year round I'm always — if I ever think of something I write it down because I don't wanna forget."

He's put in well over 100 hours of work to get everything together while going to school and holding down a part-time job.

"I come home from work and I'm immediately outside, no matter the weather," he said.

Basile is already thinking about what the next step will be.

"I want to expand and make it like a walk-through eventually," he said. "I always try to push the limits. My dad, they all make fun of me. They're like, 'We have no more room on the lawn.' Because I just buy and buy and buy."

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