Mickey lights for camper

[Mary7mack]

We camped at Fort Wilderness for the first time about 2 years ago. Everyone had beautiful Disney lights out. We are going back in a couple months. I would like to purchase some. I found some that are similar to Christmas lights on eBay. But have been unable to find the big beautiful outdoor lights that everyone seemed to have. Where does everyone purchase their lights?
Mary

 

[2goofycampers]

Some of the lights are bought. The Mickey head lamps are home made.

 

[bama_ed]

Some of the lights are bought. The Mickey head lamps are home made.

Yes, Mary7mack, the Mickey head lamps are hand made if this is the type you are referring to:

(orange and mask because it was October/Halloween on our last visit).

Our poster @CDNCruiser (Gary) put this out in a thread years ago with instructions:

https://www.disboards.com/threads/mickey-lamp-detailed-instructions.2330491/

Instructions are also on their personal website (probably more up-to-date):

https://www.carol-anne.ca/Mickey Lamp.htm

Bama Ed

PS - there is no set method for a base and some people get VERY creative so let your imagination go.

 

[Mary7mack]

Thanks so much! I will check it out. We also wanted some to hang from our awning. But can only seem to find small Christmas lights on eBay. I even have checked Etsy for homemade, but no luck so far. Disney should really sell some at the Fort. I bet they would make some money.

Mary Mack

 

[Stratman50th]

So I did a quick search and found a post with a string of lights hanging on an awning. The poster called them Tacky Lights. I think they may be what you're looking for. When I opened the link, low and behold it was from our very own @bama_ed from 2012!
https://www.disboards.com/threads/mickey-mouse-tacky-lights.3009800/

 

[bama_ed]

So I did a quick search and found a post with a string of lights hanging on an awning. The poster called them Tacky Lights. I think they may be what you're looking for. When I opened the link, low and behold it was from our very own @bama_ed from 2012!
https://www.disboards.com/threads/mickey-mouse-tacky-lights.3009800/

That Ed guy, again.

Don's link, if you click it, gives the backstory. But I bought two strings of 10 mickey globe christmas lights at the MK Christmas shop across from the Hall of Presidents and over the years have moved the globes to LED strings. That was years ago. I keep my eye also on the Christmas Store at Disney Springs for the same thing but haven't seen them in a long time. After all these years the globes are falling apart (they are actually two halves mated together) and they come loose, hit the pavement, and split apart. I keep them together with bubble gum and glue but would like to replace them with something newer.

Maybe they're seasonal and will get stocked closer to December.

 

[team bradfield]

We bought ours at Disney Springs, but that was in 2003 (Downtown Disney then) they are long gone now and we have become lazy and just use the LED awning strip now

 

[Mary7mack]

Thanks so much. More came up when I used the search term tacky. Go figure.

 

[JanszLoveOswald]

My DH and I are so happy we found this post!! We are DVC members and we also love to camp. Once we retire we plan on taking our rig on the road to Fort Wilderness. We had seen these lights before when we walked through the campground during Halloween and Christmas trips.

Now DH is going to make one for us

Thanks for the information!!

 

[bama_ed]

My DH and I are so happy we found this post!! We are DVC members and we also love to camp. Once we retire we plan on taking our rig on the road to Fort Wilderness. We had seen these lights before when we walked through the campground during Halloween and Christmas trips.

Now DH is going to make one for us

Thanks for the information!!

JanszLoveOswald and Mary7mack,

I will say here that one problem several of us encountered making these globes is that when working on the big (head) globe to drill the two ear holes, some people (including me) cracked the big globe.

In the link to the instructions on the personal website, Gary underlined the warning about cracking the globe. (He's a smart guy - I've met him at the Fort - nice man). So I had to order a replacement globe - many of us had to. Thus when cutting the ear holes go slowly but constantly/straight down the centerline until the hole is cut. If you stop mid-cut and wiggle the drill/hole cutter, the big globe will CRACK. NO WIGGLING!

Good luck!

Bama Ed

PS - JanszLoveOswald, to the DIS Camping Board

 

[Stork]

....I will say here that one problem several of us encountered making these globes is that when working on the big (head) globe to drill the two ear holes, some people (including me) cracked the big globe.
So I had to order a replacement globe - many of us had to. Thus when cutting the ear holes go slowly but constantly/straight down the centerline until the hole is cut. If you stop mid-cut and wiggle the drill/hole cutter, the big globe will CRACK. NO WIGGLING!....

Sadly, I can confirm that that happens.

 

[CDNCruiser]

Yes, it's very important to keep the hole-saw moving until the hole is done. Push gently on the drill and let the saw melt the plastic as it cuts . . . but do not stop until it's through. The instructions are in the link below. Watch the video at the bottom and you can see me as I drill a globe.

http://carol-anne.ca/Mickey Lamp.htm

 

[Teamubr]

when cutting the ear holes go slowly but constantly/straight down the centerline until the hole is cut. If you stop mid-cut and wiggle the drill/hole cutter, the big globe will CRACK. NO WIGGLING!

Sadly, I can confirm that that happens.

Yes, it's very important to keep the hole-saw moving until the hole is done. Push gently on the drill and let the saw melt the plastic as it cuts . . . but do not stop until it's through.

I have made 5 Mickey lamps so far.

A trick for cutting the holes that has always worked. I learned this from siding my house.

Run the hole saw in reverse.

Even a fine tooth hole saw will grab the plastic and crack it running it "forward" and trying to "drill" the hole. When cutting vinyl siding you put the blade in the saw backwards. Running the hole saw backwards rubs/melts the hole and will not grab the plastic. You still go slow and don't push too hard. I cracked the very first globe I did until I tried this. Haven't broken one since.



j

 

[PaHunter]

All this talk of lamps reminds me, I need to construct my base, and need to make another Mickey for out front.

 

[morrik5]

Thanks so much! I will check it out. We also wanted some to hang from our awning. But can only seem to find small Christmas lights on eBay. I even have checked Etsy for homemade, but no luck so far. Disney should really sell some at the Fort. I bet they would make some money.

Mary Mack

We got our Mickey lights at Lowe's here in Canada. They probably sell them in the US as well but maybe only closer to Christmas decorating season??? Not sure. Good luck, we love ours.

 

[bama_ed]

Yes, it's very important to keep the hole-saw moving until the hole is done. Push gently on the drill and let the saw melt the plastic as it cuts . . . but do not stop until it's through. The instructions are in the link below. Watch the video at the bottom and you can see me as I drill a globe.

http://carol-anne.ca/Mickey Lamp.htm

There he is, folks. You've met the author of our Mickey Lamp instructions, Gary hisself.

The man ....

The myth ....

The legend .....

Seriously, he has helped TONS of us get our lamps done with his instructions (and who knows HOW MANY others that read but don't post).

And he writes pretty well too. He's been on Allears.net LOTS of times: https://allears.net/author/gcruise/

And SO MANY WDW trip reports available on their personal website: https://www.carol-anne.ca/disney room.htm

It makes me regret the one time I made fun of his mustache. Won't do it again, Gary.

Bama Ed

PS - he likes to keep a low profile but I will bump that profile up a little bit because we all benefit from it.

 

[CDNCruiser]

I remember your visit Ed, I think we were in site 707 that time. It's one of our favourites!
I don't remember the moustache comment though . . . so all is forgiven!

Carol and I are sure hoping that Covid-19 is behind us all soon and the Canada/US border reopens.
We have reservations at The Fort for Halloween, then two more stays in early 2022 so we can spend some time at Festival of the Arts and the Flower & Garden Festival.

We haven't been to WDW in over 14 months . . . that hasn't happened in over 20 years and we're SO READY TO TRAVEL!!

 

[morrik5]

I remember your visit Ed, I think we were in site 707 that time. It's one of our favourites!
I don't remember the moustache comment though . . . so all is forgiven!

Carol and I are sure hoping that Covid-19 is behind us all soon and the Canada/US border reopens.
We have reservations at The Fort for Halloween, then two more stays in early 2022 so we can spend some time at Festival of the Arts and the Flower & Garden Festival.

We haven't been to WDW in over 14 months . . . that hasn't happened in over 20 years and we're SO READY TO TRAVEL!!

Yes Gary, we were to be at the Fort next week but alas with closed borders and still the unknown and only one of two vaccine shots so far, it's best we delayed this trip to next year. We've already cancelled two attempts at going back to Hawaii.

 

[DL1WDW2]

I really like the Halloween Orange with mask. Is that painted Orange or an Orange lightbulb?

 

[bama_ed]

Orange LED bulb for halloween use. And a green (DIS color) LED bulb for regular Fort use.

The mask is a cheap walmart one that had an elastic string to go around one's head that I removed and use some rolled up duct tape to stick it to the globe. I wanted the contrast between the lighted and masked sections. Didn't really care what the mask itself looked like - just liked its outline.

Bama Ed