As time goes by, some traditions are forgotten while others remain. When it comes to the Super Bowl, there’s one tradition that prevails strongly. Once the game is over, the winner wastes no time in turning to the camera, flashing a grin, and saying the following words: “I’m going to Disney World!”
But, how did this ritual of the Super Bowl MVP visiting the Walt Disney Park in Florida begin?
The history behind MVPs visiting Disney World
The story behind this famous ‘after game’ response dates back to January 1987. During that year, Michael Eisner, the then CEO of Disney, and his wife, Jane, were dining with Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, a couple who, a year earlier, had flown a plane around the world without stopping.
After their dinner, the Eisners asked the pair what their next destination would be. The two replied: “well, we’re going to Disneyland.” Michael and Jane thought that a phrase similar to that would be great publicity for the amusement park of Florida.
So, at Super Bowl XXI, they offered New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms, who became the MVP of that match against the Denver Broncos, $75,000 to replicate the famous phrase.
From then on, every year, the Super Bowl MVP travels to Disney World to celebrate the team’s triumph. According to different sources, Disney offers around $30,000 to athletes who mention the park after having achieved some victory or if they’re outstanding stars.
Super Bowl Parade at Disney World
After the Super Bowl’s key player says the now well-known phrase, the magical celebration continues the next day, with a parade and fanfare at the amusement park of Florida.
Fans of football as well as Disney lovers gather throughout Magic Kingdom’s Main Street to get the chance to peek at the game’s star players. Some of the players who have been in this parade are Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Flacco, Hines Ward, among others.
In 2021, Disney World had to put off the parade of Super Bowl LV. Despite its cancellation, the traditional “I’m going to Disney World” commercial was still aired following the big game.
Photos from Instagram: @patrickmahomes and @waltdisneyworld