If Tom Brady can lead the New England Patriots over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX, he could be the first player to utter the phrase “I’m going to Disney World” — three times.
Ever since Phil Simms won Super Bowl XXI and said the phrase (for a reported $75,000) athletes and a few American Idol winners have uttered the pitch phrase after winning.
While Disney has never come out and talked about its origins, Michael Eisner, who was Disney CEO from 1984 to 2005, credits his wife with the idea in his book “Work in Progress.” Eisner said it all began when he and his wife Jane were out to dinner with friends. After dinner Eisner’s wife asked the couple what they were planning on doing next, their reply: “Well, we’re going to Disneyland.”
 |
Disney publicity photo.
Tom Brady signs autographs in 2004 after winning Super Bowl XXXVIII |
Most of the people used for the campaign have been athletes, and mostly from the Super Bowl, but starting in 2008 “American Idol” winners joined the crowd. That coincided with the opening of the American Idol Experience at Disney Hollywood Studios in Disney World.
There have been five people who have appeared twice in the campaign: Joe Montana (1989 and 1990), Emmitt Smith (1994 and 1996), John Elway (1998 and 1999) and Tom Brady (2002 and 2004), Eli Manning ( 2008 and 2012).
If Brady wins, he could the first to do a three-peat for the campaign.
Here is a look of all those who have participated in the campaign:
2014: Super Bowl XLVIII (Malcolm Smith, Seattle Seahawks)
2013: Super Bowl XLVII (Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens)
2012: Super Bowl XLVI (Eli Manning, New York Giants)
2011: Super Bowl XLV (Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers); American Idol Winner (Scott
McCreery)
2010: Super Bowl XLIV (Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints); American Idol Winner (Lee Dwyze)
2009: Super Bowl XLIII (Santonio Holms and Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers); American Idol Winner (Kris Allen)
2008: Super Bowl XLII (Eli Manning, New York Giants); American Idol Winner (David Cook)
2007: Super Bowl XLI (Tony Dungy and Dominic Rhodes, Indianapolis Colts)
2006: Super Bowl XL (Hines Ward, with Jerome Bettis, Pittsburgh Steelers)
2005: No commercial
2004: Super Bowl XXXVIII (Tom Brady, New England Patriots); Major League Baseball World Series Champions (Curt Schilling, Pedro Martinez and David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox)
2003: Super Bowl XXXVII (Jon Gruden and Brad Johnson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
2002: Super Bowl XXXVI (Tom Brady, New England Patriots)
2001: Super Bowl XXXV (Trent Dilfer, Baltimore Ravens); Major League Baseball home run record (Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants)
2000: Super Bowl XXXIV (Kurt Warner, St. Louis Rams)
1999: Super Bowl XXXIII (Terrell Davis and John Elway, Denver Broncos); Women’s World Cup (United States Championship Team)
1998: Super Bowl XXXII (John Elway, Denver Broncos); Major League Baseball home run record (Mark McGwire, St. Louis Cardinals)
1997: Super Bowl XXXI (Desmond Howard, Green Bay Packers); Holiday Gift-Giving (Santa Claus)
1996: Super Bowl XXX (Emmitt Smith, Dallas Cowboys)
1995: Super Bowl XXIX (Jerry Rice and Steve Young, San Francisco 49ers)
1994: Super Bowl XXVIII (Emmitt Smith, Dallas Cowboys); Olympics (Nancy Kerrigan, U.S. Figure Skater)
1993: Super Bowl XXVII (Troy Aikman, Dallas Cowboys); Stanley Cup (Patrick Roy, Montreal Canadiens)
1992: Super Bowl XXVI (Mark Rypien, Washington Redskins)
1991: Super Bowl XXV (Ottis Anderson, N.Y. Giants): NBA (Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls)
1990: Super Bowl XXIV (Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers); Graduation (Jim Thompson of Temple University, and Matt Kaldenberg, Phyllis Kaldenberg and Laura McEwen of Simpson College)
1989: Super Bowl XXIII (Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers); NHL (Al MacInnis, Calgary Flames); NBA (Joe Dumars, Detroit Pistons)
1988 :Super Bowl XXII (Doug Williams, Washington Redskins); Miss America (Gretchen Carlson); World Series (Orel Hershiser, L.A. Dodgers); NBA (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, L.A. Lakers)
1987: Super Bowl XXI (Phil Simms, N.Y. Giants) ;America’s Cup (Dennis Conner); NBA (Magic Johnson, L.A. Lakers); World Series (Frank Viola, Minnesota Twins)
