Land O’ Lakes family transforms home into immersive North Pole experience for third year

Unique holiday home display in Land O' Lakes

A Land O’ Lakes family has turned their home into a walk-through “North Pole Experience” for the third year in a row. FOX 13's Jennifer Kveglis reports.

LAND O'LAKES, Fla. - When the sun goes down in Land O’ Lakes, the Mueller family’s home transforms into a full-scale North Pole, complete with gingerbread cottages, Santa’s Village, a post office, cinema, and even a scavenger hunt that begins in "Peppermint Park."

Now in its third year, the North Pole Experience is drawing families from across the Ballastone community and beyond, with crowds lining up before opening time on busy nights.

Everything visitors see is handmade, built and designed by homeowner Greg Mueller, with help from his family, neighbors, and local business donations.

What they're saying:

"It’s harder to put into words how much this means to us," one family member said. "It’s what keeps pushing us to try to do more every year."

Neighbors say the joy is contagious. "There’s something about what Greg does here that just brings so much happiness," said neighbor Jeremy Smith. "We enjoy watching the impact it has on people."

Kids, too, are feeling the magic. "It’s fun to just go there and have fun with all my friends," said 9-year-old Kynslee Sins.

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The backstory:

The North Pole Experience is deeply personal for the Muellers. Greg Mueller says the attraction is a tribute to his mother, who loved Christmas and paid close attention to every detail, a tradition he now carries on through the display.

Alejandra Mueller said, "He was doing this back in the day in Chicago about twenty-five years ago with his mom, and it was a way that they would connect over the holidays and then right when we got pregnant, his mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. So, we were working through all of that and unfortunately, she passed away before our firstborn, Isabella was born."

What began as a passion project has grown each year, expanding into new areas of the home and adding more interactive elements and characters.

What's next:

Mueller says planning for next year has already begun, with drawings and ideas already in the works.

The North Pole Experience is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. through Jan. 4 in Land O’ Lakes. Pasco County Schools have provided Oakstead Elementary as a parking location for visitors. To learn more, click here.