The Interesting Origins of “I’m Going to Disney World/Disneyland” Super Bowl Phrase

One of the most famous moments that happens each year at the Super Bowl is the moment after the game when a player looks into the camera and says, “I'm going to Disneyland!” or “I'm going to Disney World!”

This has been a tradition for decades, and there is an interesting origin story behind this iconic Super Bowl phrase and advertising campaign! This year as we gear up for Super Bowl LIX with the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Philadelphia Eagles, we wanted to share some of the history behind this famous Disney campaign and how it has become a tradition over the years.

Keep reading for the story of how the “I'm going to Disneyland!”/”I'm going to Disney World” phrase came to be.

Disney Phrase As Super Bowl Tradition

Each year after the Super Bowl game, it has been a tradition for a player of the winning team (usually the MVP) to say that they going to Disneyland or Disney World, which is followed by their appearance soon after (often the next day) as part of a celebratory cavalcade.

The commercial shows highlights of the game, with “When You Wish Upon a Star” in the background. Then, the MVP is asked “What are you going to do next?” and answers with “I'm going to Disneyland!” or “I'm going to Disney World!”

According to ABC News, the idea behind the phrase at the end of the Super Bowl was a product of a dinner celebrating the opening of Star Tours at Disneyland that Disney CEO Micahel Eisner and his wife Jane Eisner had with George Lucas and Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, the first people to fly around the world without stopping.

The story of how Jane Eisner came up with this idea is told in Eisner’s 1998 memoir, Work In Progress: “It was late and the conversation hit a lull as we waited for our food,” Eisner wrote. “So I asked Dick and Jeana, ‘Well, now that you’ve accomplished the pinnacle of your aspirations, what could you possibly do next?' Rutan responded, without hesitation, ‘I’m going to Disneyland' And of course I go, ‘Wow, that’s cool! You made the right choice.' But my wife interjects: ‘You know, that’s a good slogan.'”

And so the tradition started with New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms, who after Super Bowl XXI in 1987 was reportedly paid $50,000 to look into the camera and say, “I'm going to Disney World!”

As quoted in an article by USA Today, Simms commented, “It was a big deal. I was the MVP of the Super Bowl and had more people asking me about the Disney commercial than how I played the game. When the commercial came out the next day, everybody just wanted to know all about it.” Simms was initially very hesitant to take part in the commercial but eventually agreed to do it.

Since 1987, this tradition has continued every year with the exception of 2005, when there was no commercial. The most recent player to participate with an “I'm Going to Disneyland” statement was MVP Patrick Mahomes after the 2024 Chiefs' Super Bowl victory. In addition to getting paid for the commercial, the MVP enjoys the celebratory parade and a VIP tour with their family the following day at either Disneyland or Disney World whichever is closest.

Patrick Mahomes has now made three Super Bowl appearances at Disney, but even before this, he was dreaming of being the person to say this iconic phrase. In a 2013 post on what is now X, he said:

I bet it feels amazing to be the quarterback who says “I'm going to Disney World” after winning the Super Bowl #Qbs

— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) February 6, 2013

The phrase has also been spoken at other sporting events beyond football, including the NBA Finals (with major names like Magic Johnson and Michael Jordon participating), the MLB World Series, and the Stanley Cup Finals. The phrase even extended beyond the world of sports as winners of American Idol participated in the campaign for a few seasons.

This video from Flea Flickerr Football on YouTube shows a compilation of the times this phrase has been spoken at the Super Bowl since 1987.

Read More Disney Planning Advice

For the best resource and helpful information for planning your Disney trip, make sure to subscribe to our FREE Deals newsletter​. We’ll provide you with helpful planning information, exclusive Disney deals, and access to the lowest-priced Disney tickets anywhere.