This Man Built Disneyland's "Matterhorn Bobsleds" in His Backyard While Self-Isolating
Since self-isolation started back in March, many of us picked up (and subsequently dropped) new DIYs and hobbies, from knitting and baking to completing jigsaw puzzles and rollerskating. Well, one man took shelter-in-place projects to a whole new level and recreated Disneyland's "Matterhorn Bobsleds" ride in his backyard.
Sean LaRochelle of Napa, California, started building the two-story roller coaster towards the end March and completed it in July, ABC7 News reports. So what inspired him to recreate the ride at home? "I always wanted to build a ride and Disney rides are always special to me because they're themed, they tell a unique story," he told the outlet. "They talk about all the negatives of COVID, but one of the benefits of COVID is you have all this time and you realize you know, what can I be doing with all this time? "
LaRochelle's YouTube video reveals that he incorporated all of the important details that bring the Matterhorn story to life. The single-passenger car passes through shadowy caves and snowy chutes of the mountain. There's even a waterfall and animatronic Yeti that looks just like the ride's Abominable Snowman!
Completing this project in just four months is an incredible feat that LaRochelle, who is going to graduate school for architecture, accomplished with some help. According to ABC7 News, his brother, who he described to the outlet as "the mechanical genius," helped him build the ride, along with some of his friends.
Disneyland has been closed since mid-March. And while some stores and restaurants are open in Downtown Disney, it doesn't look like the theme parks will be reopening any time soon. In the meantime, you can still bring some Disney magic home—even if you're not as handy as LaRochelle—thanks to these virtual Disney parks rides.
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