“Hey big time athlete MVP of the sport in which you just won the championship…what are you going to do next?” The answer is always the same (of sorts) “I’m going to Disney World!”. It’s a campaign that started in 1987 during the Super Bowl to help promote the Disney parks. It’s become an American Icon, and a tradition. Have you ever wondered why it’s always Disney? Wouldn’t you really like to see your favorite sports hero go to another park? Let’s forget that it’s all a paid endorsement, and look at just why other parks wouldn’t work so well.
Earlier this morning Cedar Point tweeter via their official Twitter thread
We just have 1 question for you: if you won the
#Superbowl, wouldn’t you say “I’m going to Cedar Point!”@Giants you are welcome anytime!
Personally, I’m with Cedar Point. I would rather visit Cedar Point instead of Disney, but the whole tradition is that the very next day the Super Bowl MVP motors down to the park and makes a big spectacle during a cruise down main street and a huge ticker tape parade. It’s a fun time. But with all the other parks in this country, why wouldn’t a football player (or any professional athlete for that matter) choose to go to another park instead? Well, the fact is…it simply works to go Disney, here’s why.
- Too big-Let’s face it, professional athletes are generally big guys. From the extremely wide football player, to the extremely tall basketball player, to the extremely built baseball player. Athletes are huge in physical stature, generally. Most roller coasters at other parks just won’t accommodate a person of that size. Disney rides are not only fat friendly (or as the Disney moms will correct you…Pooh sized) but also friendly to those that are blessed to be big. Did you know that when Dragon Challenge was Dueling Dragons Shaq couldn’t ride? He was too tall
- No Parade route-The biggest draw to having a champion in your park is having the ticker tape parade so that all the adoring fans can come and buy tickets to your park in order to catch a glimpse of the amazing hero, who did nothing but his job playing a game. Most parks have just enough room on their paths for foot traffic, and that’s it. Busch Gardens Williamsburg toyed with a parade during Illuminights, but the traffic jams it caused were unbearable.
- Not in Season-One of the biggest reasons is that Disney is open. Most of the other parks in the country, especially in the northern part of the country are closed. The majority of the coasters can’t run in cold weather, due to manufactures specifications, and what good would it do the park to have the park open for just one person, or team? It would be an amazing experience…but when the idea is to draw people into the park to swoon over the champion…it defeats the purpose.
- They can visit anytime-We run celebrity sightings all the time. The parks always give celebs the VIP treatment, in return they use their photos all over the place. Why make just one day special, when every single visit they make is special? Parks take care of celebs, especially athletes.
- They don’t have Mickey-Who is the most recognizable figure on the planet? Mickey Mouse is a household name for most people as soon as they can speak. Disney is a family tradition and a worldwide recognized name. Disney means success. It’s that simple. While I’d love to cuddle up next to Shamu, and more flags=more fun, it’s Mickey who turns even the biggest hardened athlete into a six year old kid
Again, the biggest reason an athlete says the world famous line is because it is a paid endorsement. Most parks wouldn’t be able to afford the air time, though it would be amazing for an athlete to pull out a wand and say “I’M GETTIN SOME BUTTERBEER!”
