A woman is using household objects to recreate Disney rides after her vacation was canceled due to coronavirus

Jess Siswick

• A woman named Jess Siswick is trending after sharing videos of herself using household objects to recreate beloved Disney theme-park rides.
• So far, she's recreated attractions like Soarin', The Haunted Mansion, and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
• Speaking to Insider, Siswick said she was inspired to create the videos after her upcoming trip to Florida was canceled.
• She's now encouraging others to join in on the fun by making their own DIY Disney attractions at home.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Disney World temporarily shut down Monday to help prevent further spread of coronavirus, which has infected more than 227,000 people worldwide.

Though the theme park plans to reopen after March 31, there's really no telling how long Disney World will actually remain closed. As a result, thousands of people have been forced to cancel trips, reschedule vacations, and find new ways to stay entertained while social distancing at home.

For one woman in Washington, however, her canceled trip turned into a chance to get creative.

Jess Siswick began creating DIY Disney rides from household objects after her upcoming Florida trip was canceled

Speaking to Insider, Siswick said she was planning to go to Florida for a work conference and Disney vacation when the coronavirus pandemic began. 

"My best friend was gonna fly in and we were gonna have this amazing weekend, and I had to cancel," Siswick said. "So I thought to myself, 'How can I still be part of this work conference?' And I started making these videos."

"I documented myself getting on the plane, waiting outside my gate — which was just me with my feet up on my suitcase outside my bedroom door — and just trying to have fun with it that way."

This eventually led Siswick to recreate her cancelled Disney trip. She began her first video by using an Amazon Echo Dot as a Magic Band reader, which allows parkgoers to enter Disney properties. She then used a rolling desk chair to "ride" the Mad Tea Party, and a crystal ball to mirror The Haunted Mansion, which she describes as her favorite ride.

She later recreated Spaceship Earth using a soccer ball, and poked fun at the long lines parkgoers typically encounter when trying to ride Frozen Ever After.

Similarly, Siswick highlighted the struggles of getting on one of the newest rides at Disney World and Disneyland: Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. 

"When the world is on fire outside, you'll do anything to make yourself laugh and feel happy," Siswick said.

So far, her most popular video has been her recreation of Soarin'

Soarin' is an attraction found at Disneyland and Disney World, during which parkgoers are placed in front of a giant screen that makes them feel as though they're flying over famous landmarks. The ride also utilizes scents and motion to make the experience more realistic.

Siswick told Insider that she "couldn't believe it" when her recreation of the ride started trending.

"I think what's made that one tickle people so much is the little details I put in there, like pulling on the yellow strap to make sure you're strapped in, and the smells you get as you're soaring over," she said.

People are now finding inspiration in Siswick's videos by creating their own Disney magic at home

Above each DIY video, Siswick includes the hashtag #homemadedisney. People have since started using the phrase to share their own homemade attractions.

"It's been great," Siswick said of the response to her videos.

"One kid sent me a video last night of him recreating all the droids in the line of Star Tours, and it just made me so happy," she continued. "I'm getting comments from people saying 'I needed this' or 'this made me smile today,' and it's just been so uplifting. It's just a break from all the terrible news that's going on right now."

Siswick says she plans on recreating more Disney attractions while social distancing

"This morning I found an old wig head in my closet, which I have an idea for," she said. "I'm still looking around to see what I can use to try and recreate more. I'm trying to do the classics."

Siswick also said she'd love to collaborate with people to create joint videos. However, she first must recreate the Disneyland version of Pirates of the Caribbean, which was a request from a fellow Twitter user.

There are tons of other ways to experience Disney World while stuck at home, according to Siswick

Whether your vacation has been cancelled or you're simply looking for ways to pass the time, Siswick says the best way to experience Disney at home is to "embrace the details" of what makes Disney vacations so magical.

"Play park music to lift your spirits," she said. "I saw someone posting a recipe to make Mickey pretzels and ice-cream bars. You can sit and watch ride point-of-view videos, but it's having those little details and those little magic moments that takes it over the edge."

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