Viral Christmas mansion in Dallas transforms with new Halloween display

DALLAS — A Preston Hollow mansion that went viral and caused traffic issues with its dazzling Christmas display last year has a new display up for Halloween. 

The nearly 9,000-square-foot home and yard in the 6200 block of Deloache Avenue were covered in lights from top to bottom for Christmas. Off-duty Dallas police officers were called to help with traffic flow as the Christmastime crowds increased, and, eventually, on-duty officers were also called in to work eight nights at the Preston Hollow home over the holidays, leading to $25,375 in personnel, vehicle, and helicopter costs.

Now, the yard at the same property is covered with decorative pumpkins, skeletons, spiders, and horror movie characters for Halloween, and the display is drawing spectators again. 

Earlier this year, the Dallas City Council’s quality of life, arts and culture committee discussed potential changes to city code to mitigate light, noise, and traffic issues caused by “extraordinary neighborhood events,” like the holiday displays.

Dallas Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Gay Donnell Willis says she’s been working with city departments to “strengthen” how the city can respond to “extraordinary neighborhood events.” Willis said the Dallas Police Department, City Attorney’s Office, Code Compliance, and Special Event Permitting have looked into ideas that she intends to bring before the city council’s quality of life, arts and culture committee in October. 

“For now, I ask that the neighbor with the display, as well as those who may visit this neighborhood, remember to obey the law, and behave as the kind of neighbor they would wish to have near their own homes,” Willis said. 

Visitors were already lining up the street when WFAA visited the home on Wednesday. 

They traveled from across North Texas to see the Preston Hollow display, with onlookers like Hector Arreola calling it “the real deal” and sharing that he came to the location because he saw it on TikTok. 

Erik Gomez estimated the cost of the display could “maybe be 20 grand,” comparing it to a month’s payment on the house. 

Some neighbors, like Reese Brooks, said it’s “great they’re able to do what they want with their yard.” Others, including a woman who only wanted to be named Linda, disagreed, calling the Christmas setup “obnoxious and overdone” and saying that last year’s December display had created gridlock, leaving her waiting nearly an hour to leave her street when she left to get prescriptions at her pharmacy. 

We did reach out to Dallas Police, who told us a third party hired off-duty officers for traffic control this time around. Police say residents will still be able to access their neighborhood.