On January 25, 1987 Phil Simms guided the New York Giants to their first Super Bowl victory. While his MVP performance that day has become the thing of legend, it’s Simms’s words after the game that have become iconic.
“I’m gonna go to Disney World!”
And thus, one of the most famous marketing campaigns of all-time was born!
Since then, a who’s-who of NFL icons such as Joe Montana, Tom Brady, and Peyton Manning have delivered some variation of the catchphrase; and either Walt Disney World or Disneyland has hosted the Super Bowl’s Most Valuable Player in a parade the day after the big game. In 2022, with the game being held in Los Angeles, Super Bowl LVI MVP Cooper Kupp was greeted with a parade at Disneyland in Anaheim.
The Super Bowl will be held in Arizona in 2023 and Las Vegas in 2024, so it is likely that the next two Super Bowl MVP’s will also be going to the “Happiest Place on Earth,” but in 2025 the game will be played in New Orleans so you can expect the parade to return to Walt Disney World then!
The parade isn’t the only way to celebrate the Super Bowl at a Disney park! There are plenty of world-class options to enjoy the game! The ESPN Club at Disney’s Boardwalk is yet to re-open since the park closure of 2020, but when it does it’s expected to return as the premiere place to watch any sporting event on Disney property. In the past, the ESPN Club has offered a prefix Super Bowl party!
My husband and I recently enjoyed watching the Super Bowl at Rix Sports Bar & Grill at Disney’s Coronado Springs. The hostesses divided the restaurant based on what team you were cheering for, and at times it got so loud with cheers that you felt you were at the game! The food is similar to Buffalo Wild Wings or Applebee’s so you can get all of your gameday favorites. We really enjoyed this experience, and we would definitely go again! Due to the lack of true sports bars at Walt Disney World, I highly recommend getting reservations in advance for either of these dining options.
Over at Universal CityWalk there is also a top-notch place to watch the game: NBC Sports Grill & Brew. Super Bowl LV was actually broadcast by NBC so it was the stars truly aligned for a one-of-a-kind experience for all who enjoyed the game there! The game likely won’t return to NBC until 2026, but that doesn’t stop this from being a great place to watch the game if you’re staying on or near Universal property.
If you’re looking to watch the game and enjoy the parades at Disneyland these next few years, there are tons of sports bars right outside of Disneyland property, but Splitsville Luxury Lanes in the Downtown Disney District will be the only place where you can bowl, dine, and enjoy the game! There’s also a Splitsville location in Disney Springs so you can get a similar experience at Walt Disney World!
Disney Parks and the Super Bowl are two treasured aspects of American culture. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for this relationship and look forward to seeing more parades in the future!
