It is one of the most familiar sights in American sports. Confetti falls, cameras swarm the field and the Super Bowl MVP is asked what he plans to do next. The answer has become iconic. “I’m going to Disneyland.” The line feels spontaneous, but the tradition began with a carefully planned idea in the late 1980s and a quarterback who delivered it perfectly.
The origin of the famous phrase can be traced to a dinner party at Disneyland in January 1987. Disney CEO Michael Eisner and his wife Jane were speaking with aviators Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, who had just completed a record breaking flight. When asked what they were doing next, the pilots replied, “We’re going to Disneyland.” That simple answer sparked an idea for a new kind of commercial built around moments of triumph.
Disney moved quickly. Two weeks later, the company prepared to test the concept on the biggest stage in American sports.
On January 25, 1987, the New York Giants defeated the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXI. Quarterback Phil Simms delivered one of the most efficient performances in Super Bowl history, completing 22 of 25 passes and earning MVP honors. As he walked off the field, a camera crew approached and asked the now famous question. Simms responded on cue: “I’m going to Disney World.” It was the first time a Super Bowl MVP had ever spoken the line.
The commercial aired almost immediately, and the phrase became an instant part of Super Bowl lore.
The ad was a hit. It felt joyful, celebratory and perfectly timed. Disney had created a new kind of postgame ritual. What looked like a spontaneous moment was actually part of a planned campaign that would continue for decades. The tradition quickly became as recognizable as the Lombardi Trophy itself.
After Simms, Disney continued the campaign every year. The MVP would film the commercial on the field moments after the game, then travel to Disneyland or Disney World the next day to appear in a celebratory parade. The ritual became a badge of honor. Winning the Super Bowl was the achievement. Saying the line was the victory lap.
Over the years, the tradition expanded. Sometimes the MVP said they were going to Disney World instead of Disneyland, depending on the year and the marketing plan. The commercial became so expected that fans looked forward to hearing who would say it next. Players embraced it, and the moment became part of the mythology of the game.
The line has been spoken by quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and even defensive stars. It has appeared in countless highlight reels and Super Bowl retrospectives. Modern MVPs still film the commercial on the field, then appear in a Disney parade the next day, continuing a tradition that began with a single idea at a dinner party and a perfectly delivered line from Phil Simms.
The phrase works because it captures pure joy. It is simple, upbeat and instantly recognizable. It connects the biggest moment in American sports with the most famous theme parks in the world. It is also a reminder that even in the high pressure world of professional football, there is room for a little magic.
Nearly forty years after Simms said it for the first time, the tradition remains one of the most charming and enduring parts of Super Bowl Sunday.
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