Two teenage brothers, Matteo and Nico Mucchetti, transformed their family’s basement into a fully functional, Disney-inspired dark ride over seven months. The project, dubbed “Big Hero 7,” is a continuation of the 2014 Disney animated movie, Big Hero 6, and has drawn crowds from friends, family, and local food drive donors.
From Sketch to Reality: A DIY Amusement Park
Matteo, 12, conceived the idea and sketched out the ride’s layout on paper, envisioning multiple scenes and an immersive experience. Older brother Nico, a high school sophomore, took on the role of tech lead, writing the attraction’s code from scratch using Arduino IDE. This included controlling the ride vehicle and triggering interactive elements like automated doors.
The ride’s design closely mirrors Disney’s immersive storytelling approach. Riders board an autonomous vehicle resembling a helmet from Big Hero 6, navigating a track shaped like a distorted infinity symbol, guided by reflective metallic tape and a Raspberry Pi Pico microcontroller. The system includes strategically placed transmitters that trigger lights and sounds when activated by the vehicle’s sensor.
The “Villain” and The Experience
The attraction culminates in an encounter with Baxter, a towering six-and-a-half-foot animatronic robot designed using Unity and 3D-printed components. Baxter, named after Disney imagineer Tony Baxter, appears to throw a fireball at riders, creating a thrilling moment that leverages the room’s acoustics. The entire ride lasts five to six minutes, beginning in a preshow area filled with props from Big Hero 6 and an animatronic Baymax.
A Community Project
The brothers opened their ride to the public in the fall of 2025, operating it as a food drive that collected enough donations to fill their family SUV. Approximately 100 people experienced the ride before the space was converted back for family use.
The project showcases the ingenuity and dedication of these young creators, who built a functioning amusement-style ride from scratch in their home basement. The brothers now plan to take on more projects, armed with the experience they’ve gained.
