why do super bowl winners go to disney

Super Bowl winners go to Disney because of a long‑running marketing deal, not just for fun or tradition’s sake.

How the Disney tradition started

In 1987, Disney launched a new ad campaign built around the question, “What are you going to do next?” asked right after a huge achievement. Disney CEO Michael Eisner got the idea after hearing pilot Dick Rutan casually say “We’re going to Disneyland” following a record‑breaking nonstop flight around the world, and his wife suggested it would make a perfect slogan.

Disney then arranged with the NFL for the Super Bowl MVP to be asked that same question on the field after the game. New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms was the first to respond, “I’m going to Disney World!” in Super Bowl XXI, and that line aired in a commercial the very next day.

What actually happens after the game

Typically, the game’s MVP (and sometimes another standout player) films a quick spot right after the win, delivering the famous line about going to Disneyland or Disney World. As part of the deal, the featured player is paid a fee and then actually travels to a Disney park—usually the next day—for a celebratory visit.

Once there, the player rides in a parade at either Walt Disney World in Florida or Disneyland in California, often joined by family and sometimes teammates. This has become as recognizable a part of the post‑Super Bowl imagery as hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Why Disney keeps doing it

Disney gets a massive visibility boost by linking its parks to one of the most‑watched broadcasts of the year. The simple line “I’m going to Disney World/Disneyland!” instantly connects the idea of the “ultimate reward” or “dream trip” with a Super Bowl‑level victory.

Because the campaign has been running nearly 40 years, it now carries nostalgia and pop‑culture weight, so fans expect to hear it each year. That cultural momentum makes the partnership valuable for both Disney and the NFL.

Is it always the MVP, and is it just football?

Most of the time, it’s the Super Bowl MVP who says the line and makes the trip, but there are exceptions. In 2017, for example, Tom Brady passed the Disney trip to teammate James White after White’s three‑touchdown performance in the Patriots’ comeback win in Super Bowl LI.

The catchphrase has also moved beyond football: stars from the NBA Finals, the World Series, the Winter Olympics, the FIFA Women’s World Cup, and even winners of American Idol have used the same “I’m going to Disney” line in similar ads.

Today’s context and why people still care

In recent seasons, media outlets still run explainers every February because new fans keep asking, “Do they really go to Disney?” and “Why do Super Bowl winners go to Disney?” Articles in 2025 and 2026 highlight that the tradition continues almost unchanged, with the MVP riding in a next‑day parade at Disneyland or Walt Disney World after the big game.

The phrase now functions as both an ad and a meme: people use “I’m going to Disney” online to joke about rewarding themselves after big or small “wins” in life. That blend of real trip, paycheck, and cultural in‑joke is why Super Bowl winners still “go to Disney” after they win.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.