Mahomes celebrates Chiefs' win at Disneyland
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes says Disney is going to need to build more theme parks if he wins another Super Bowl now that he's already visited Disneyland and Walt Disney World as MVP of the NFL's championship game.
Mahomes made good on his televised post-game promise of “I'm going to Disneyland” on Monday after the Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl the night before in Glendale, Arizona.
Thousands lined the Disneyland parade route on Monday as a cavalcade of pompom waving dancers marched in front of a float carrying Mahomes, Mickey and Minnie amid showers of red and gold confetti.
Chiefs fans in football jerseys, T-shirts and hats lined Main Street, U.S.A., amid visitors wearing Mickey Mouse T-shirts and ears. A smattering of opposing fans hoping for better results next season came dressed in Rams, 49ers, Packers, Vikings, Dolphins and Patriots gear.
Noticeably missing from the crowd: Eagles fans. Magic Key annual passholders in Chiefs colors said lastminute reservations started showing up just before midnight on Super Bowl Sunday — presumably from Philly faithful who canceled plans to celebrate at the Happiest Place on Earth after the devastating last-second Super Bowl loss.
Daily tickets and reservations were available for Southern California Chiefs fans who decided they wanted to see the Disneyland parade for Mahomes.
Monday's partly cloudy skies with a gentle breeze and temperatures in the low 60s was sweater weather by Southern California standards — but still much warmer than the upper 40s forecast for the Chiefs victory parade planned for downtown Kansas City on Wednesday, Feb. 15.
The Disneyland celebration marked the second post-game trip to a Disney theme park in four seasons for the two-time Super Bowl MVP.
Mahomes went to Disney World after he led the Chiefs to a Super Bowl win in 2020 over the San Francisco 49ers in Miami — a short trip from Florida's Magic Kingdom.
“They're gonna have to make some more parks so I can do a world tour,” Mahomes told Washington Post NFL reporter Nicki Jhabvala after the Super Bowl LVII victory.
If Mahomes wins a third Super Bowl, the Chiefs QB wants Disney to send him to China, Hong Kong, Japan or France for the victory parade.
“I've heard Shanghai is a great park,” Mahomes said on Monday during an interview in front of Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle. “I would like to travel to them all at some point. I'll have to get to work and win some more Super Bowls.”
Where should Disney build another theme park?
“Kansas City wouldn't be a bad place,” Mahomes said to cheers from the Disneyland crowd.
The Disney theme park's “What's Next” commercials have been part of the Super Bowl for decades. The players typically record two versions of the commercial — one for Disneyland and another for Walt Disney World — that can be played in different television markets depending on their proximity to the California and Florida parks.
Most Super Bowl winners end up going to Disney World for their victory parades — largely because of post-game logistics.
Disneyland has hosted back-to-back Super Bowl parades with the game at SoFi Stadium in 2022. Next season will likely make it a three-peat for Disneyland with Super Bowl 58 planned for Las Vegas.
In recent years, Disneyland has thrown Super Bowl victory parades for the Rams' Cooper Kupp, Aaron Donald and Matthew Stafford (2022), Broncos' Peyton Manning (2016), Patriots' Julian Edelman and Malcolm Butler (2015) and Giants' Eli Manning (2008).
The list of Super Bowl winners who have uttered the now famous lines include NFL legends Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, John Elway, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers. Seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady has said the phrase multiple times.
Through the years, Disney has expanded the advertising campaign to include winners of the NBA Finals, World Series, Stanley Cup, Winter Olympics and even “American Idol.” The Lakers' Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dodgers' Orel Hershiser, Angels' Scott Spiezio and Ducks' Teemu Selanne have all uttered the phrase after championship seasons.