“I’m going to Disneyland!”
New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms was the first NFL player to utter the phrase after a Super Bowl victory, but that tradition will continue shortly after Super Bowl LX concludes.
The history behind the famous phrase goes back to the late 1980s and can be credited to Jane Breckenridge, wife of Disney CEO Michael Eisner. In January of 1987, Eisner and Breckenridge hosted a dinner party at Disneyland with filmmaker George Lucas, aviators Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager and other celebrities. Rutan and Yeager, known for co-piloting the first aircraft to fly nonstop around the world on one tank of gas, were asked by Breckenridge what was next for them. Rutan responded, “We’re going to Disneyland.”
Rutan’s response resonated with Breckenridge. She told Eisner it would be the perfect slogan for an advertising campaign. The rest is history.
Eisner and Breckenridge decided that they would get the Super Bowl MVP of the matchup between the New York Giants and Denver Broncos to utter the phrase. After Simms led the Giants to a 39-20 win over the Broncos, Disney paid the quarterback $50,000 to say, “I’m going to Disney World!” To Simms’ credit, the Giants quarterback did show up at Disney’s Magic Kingdom. Players now are part of a parade at Disneyland or Disney World.
The phrase has been uttered by the game’s MVP or a significant contributor to the win every year, except for Super Bowl XXXIX (2005). Disney put the campaign on hiatus that year, but returned the following season.
The tradition will continue on Sunday night with a member of the Seattle Seahawks or the New England Patriots. Last year, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was featured in Disney’s ad after Philadelphia’s blowout win over the Kansas City Chiefs. The quarterback was part of a parade on Main Street, U.S.A. at Magic Kingdom.
A new face will utter the phrase on Sunday night. Sam Darnold, Drake Maye and Jaxon Smith-Njigba are the likeliest names to declare that they are Disney-bound at the conclusion of the game, but a surprise star of the game could end up making the trip instead.
Super Bowl LX will be nationally televised on NBC and can be streamed on Peacock. Kickoff will be at 6:30 p.m. ET.