I'm going to Disney World!
"I'm going to Disney World!" and "I'm going to Disneyland!" are advertising slogans used in a series of television commercials by The Walt Disney Company that began airing in 1987.[1] Used to promote the company's theme park resorts in Florida and California, the commercials most often are broadcast following the Super Bowl and typically feature an NFL player (usually the Super Bowl MVP) shouting the phrase while celebrating the team's victory immediately after the championship game.[2] These commercials have also promoted champions from other sports, and winners of non-sport competitions such as American Idol.
Format
Disney refers to the campaign as "What's Next?" in reference to the commercial's usual format, which has the star appear to be answering a question posed by an unseen narrator—"What are you going to do next?"—after his or her moment of triumph. The narrator is Mark Champion, a veteran radio play-by-play announcer for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Detroit Lions, Detroit Pistons, and Westwood One.[3] Most ads feature the song "When You Wish Upon a Star" and end with a shot of fireworks over Cinderella Castle or Sleeping Beauty Castle.
Typically the star records two versions of the commercial, one for each phrase, so that the ads can be broadcast in different American media markets to strategically promote either the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida or the Disneyland Resort in California. In most cases, Disney arranges for its star to appear in a parade at either Disneyland or one of the Walt Disney World theme parks the day immediately following the victory in order to fulfill the spoken promise in one version.[4]
History
Original campaign
In his 1998 memoir Work in Progress, Disney CEO Michael Eisner credited his wife, Jane, with the idea for the campaign.[5] According to Eisner, during the January 1987 grand opening for the Star Tours attraction at Disneyland, the couple dined with Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, who in December 1986 had piloted the first aircraft to fly around the world without stopping or refueling. After Jane Eisner asked what the pilots planned to do next, they replied, "Well, we're going to Disneyland." She later told her husband the phrase would make a great advertising campaign.
Following Super Bowl XXI on January 25, 1987, a Disney commercial starred New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms, in which he was asked "Now that you've won the Super Bowl, Phil Simms, what are you going to do?" Simms, who replied "I'm going to Disney World", was paid $75,000; John Elway was paid the same amount, in case the Denver Broncos won.[6] The company later aired three more ads that year with other athletes following major sports championships.
Ray Lewis was named Super Bowl XXXV MVP, but because of a murder trial he was involved in the previous year, the phrase "I'm going to Disney World!" was given instead to quarterback Trent Dilfer.[7]
In subsequent years, Disney reportedly has offered $30,000 to athletes and other stars for participating in the ads and appearing at one of its theme parks.[8]
Although Tom Brady was named MVP of Super Bowl LI, he gave the Disney trip to teammate James White.[9]
2006 return
In 2006, the campaign resumed before Super Bowl XL as Disney projected scenes from the 20-year history of the campaign onto a Detroit skyscraper in the days before the game.[10] During the television broadcast, Disney aired a commercial showing members of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks practicing how they would deliver the famous phrase while preparing for the game. The following day, the company began airing a traditional "What's Next" commercial featuring Steelers Hines Ward and Jerome Bettis.[11] Even though it was not part of the ad buy in 2016, Peyton Manning said the famous phrase in an interview after Super Bowl 50.[12]
2020 overhaul
For Super Bowl LIV in 2020, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products was the official sponsor of that game's MVP ceremony;[13] Patrick Mahomes' announcement of the phrase was thus embedded into the broadcast post-game show, which included appearances by Mickey and Minnie Mouse alongside 10 year-old Make-a-Wish child Nathaniel from Austin, Texas.[14][15] During the Disney World parade honoring Mahomes, Nathaniel also took part, representing the Make-a-Wish Foundation.[16][17][18][19][14][20][21] Nathaniel also posed with Mahomes, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Bob Chapek, Mickey and Minnie, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Make-A-Wish America President/CEO Richard K. Davis when Chapek announced a $1 million donation to the Make-a-Wish Foundation in Mahomes' honor.[22] 17 other children from the Make-A-Wish Foundation also got free passes to attend the parade as well.[20][21]
Stars and celebrations
The commercials generally star a single NFL player immediately following the Super Bowl but the campaign also has featured athletes from other championship games and several non-celebrities.
1994
- Nancy Kerrigan, U.S. figure skater, Winter Olympics
- While appearing in a subsequent parade at the Walt Disney World Resort, Kerrigan was recorded saying to Mickey Mouse, "This is dumb. I hate it. This is the most corniest thing I have ever done."[36] However, Kerrigan said her comments were taken out of context. She said that being in the parade was not corny, but wearing her Silver Medal during the parade was since her parents taught her never to brag or show off her accomplishments. Kerrigan also went on to say that she had nothing against the Disney Company or Mickey Mouse and said, "Whoever could find fault with Mickey Mouse? He's the greatest mouse I've ever known."[37]
References
- Disneyland Resort: "Dreams Come True as Super Bowl XLII MVP Eli Manning Proclaims, 'I'm Going to Disneyland!'", PR Newswire, February 4, 2008
- FitzGerald, Tom (February 3, 2008). "Super Bowl cameraman juggles to catch jingle". San Francisco Chronicle.
- "Pistons Announcers". NBA.com.
- Vacchiano, Ralph (May 8, 2008). "Eli Manning floats in for Disney parade". Daily News.
- Eisner, Michael; Schwartz, Tony (1998). Work in Progress. Random House. ISBN 0-375-50071-5.
- Litsky, Frank (July 12, 1987). "Different Fortunes for Two Champions". New York Times.
- "Endorsement exile: Disney, Wheaties among those passing on MVP Lewis". CNNSI.com. Associated Press. 31 January 2001. Archived from the original on 2001-02-08.
- Jolly, Tom (January 26, 1998). "Not Going to Disneyland". New York Times.
- "James White Celebrates In Disney World After Patriots Win Super Bowl LI". 7 February 2017.
- Walt Disney World Resort: "For Super Bowl XL, 'I'm Going to Disney World' Goes X-tra Large On Detroit Skyline", PR Newswire, January 25, 2006
- Bouchette, Ed (February 7, 2006). "Ward's MVP performance in Super Bowl XL puts him in special class". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
- Glover, Erin. "Peyton Manning 'Going to Disneyland' to Celebrate Super Bowl Victory". Disney Parks Blog.
- Fry, Darrel (31 January 2020). "Disney Parks To Make Dreams – and Wishes – Come True During Super Bowl LIV". Disney Parks, Experiences and Products. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-pu7MeIhUM
- Bevil, Dewayne (2 February 2020). "Patrick Mahomes after Super Bowl: 'I'm going to Disney World'". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=629Vbme6Yq4
- https://1063thebuzz.com/patrick-mahomes-heading-to-disney-world-with-make-a-wish-child-from-texas/
- https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/super-bowl-mvp-patrick-mahomes-205704685.html
- https://dfw.cbslocal.com/2020/02/03/super-bowl-mvp-patrick-mahomes-disney-world-make-a-wish-child-texas/
- https://www.kshb.com/sports/patrick-mahomes-going-to-disney-world-after-super-bowl-win
- https://people.com/sports/super-bowl-mvp-patrick-mahomes-joined-by-make-a-wish-recipient-at-disney-world-parade/
- https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2020/02/disney-parks-donates-1-million-to-make-a-wish-in-honor-of-super-bowl-liv-mvp-patrick-mahomes/
- Bock, Hal (8 February 1988). "Super Bowl may give Williams free ride". The Jackson Sun. Jackson TN. The Associated Press. p. 13.
- Friend, Tom (1 February 1993). "Open invitation" (Newspapers.com). Austin American-Statesman. Austin TX. New York Times News Service. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
- Roy, Michael (18 March 2010). Patrick Roy: Winning, Nothing Else. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0470737492.
- Elliott, Stuart (November 1, 2004). "With Curse Reversed, Marketers Love Red Sox". New York Times.
- Wilbur, Eric (2004). "St. Louis smiles". Boston Globe. Boston MA. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
- Associated Press (February 5, 2007). "Who's going to Disney World? Dungy, Rhodes". Archived from the original on April 20, 2008. Retrieved May 25, 2008.
- Donohue, Pete (5 February 2008). "Greet Eli & Co" (Newspapers.com). Daily News. New York City NY. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
- The Walt Disney Company (2008). "Walt Disney World commercial". YouTube. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
- Powers, Scott (May 22, 2008). "American Idol coming to Disney World — now and later". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on February 7, 2009.
- Borzillo-Vrenna, Carrie (21 May 2009). "Kris Allen: "I'm Going to Disney World!"". E! Online. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
- "Kris Allen: 'I'm Going to Disney World!'". The Oklahoman. GateHouse Media. 21 May 2009. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
- "American Idol winner Kris Allen says he's going to Disney World – Photos and Video". Attractions Magazine. 21 May 2009. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
- Duncan, Gene (7 February 2012). "Super Duo (photo)" (Newspapers.com). The Times-Tribune. Scranton PA. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
- Lowitt, Bruce (November 29, 1999). "Harding, Kerrigan are linked forever by skating incident". St. Petersburg Times. sptimes.com.
- "More Will Be Heard From Kerrigan".
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