New “Peyton’s Places” Episode Visits Magic Kingdom

“You’ve won the Super Bowl, what are you going to do next?”  Those are famous words that follow up with either Disneyland or Walt Disney World! The very man who started the yearly tradition, NFL quarterback Phil Simms, alongside Peyton Manning, recently headed to Magic Kingdom to film an ESPN special.

“Peyton’s Places”

The ESPN+ Original Series, “Peyton’s Places,” follows NFL Quarterback Peyton Manning. He interviews former players, coaches, and key figures who have contributed to the world of football in the United States. The show originally aired in July 2019.

The newest episode of the show focuses on the history of the iconic, “What’s Next?” Super Bowl campaign with the winning team’s quarterback being asked at the end of the game, “What’s next?” to which they respond that they are either going to Disneyland or Walt Disney World.

The episode includes NFL Quarterback Phil Simms—the one who started the famous tradition.

How Disney’s “What’s Next?” Campaign Began

So, what are the beginnings of the “What’s Next Campaign? It all began in December 1986, when then Disney CEO Michael Eisner and his wife Jane were having lunch with two pilots who had just completed their first flight around the world without stopping or refueling.

Eisner asked, “What are you going to do next??  Their response was, “We’re going to Disneyland!”  It became the iconic Super Bowl’s “What Next?” Campaign inspiration.

This then transpired to Phil Simms, who was initially hesitant to utter the famous words after winning Super Bowl XXI. However, his agent called him five times daily leading up to the game.  It took Simms the Friday night before the Super Bowl on Sunday to agree to the catchphrase. Little did he know, right?

Peyton Manning and Phil Simms at Magic Kingdom

And that is precisely what happens for Super Bowl MVP players after the Super Bowl. They celebrate their victory while riding on a cavalcade down Main Street, U.S.A., in Magic Kingdom.  

In this particular “Peyton’s Place” episode, Manning and Simms relive their Super Bowl-winning moments for a one-of-a-kind chat throughout Magic Kingdom Park. Both quarterbacks are no strangers to reciting the famous catchphrase, as Manning won the Super Bowl in 2007 and 2016. It’s only been seven years for Manning but thirty-five years for Simms.

Despite being the first person to say the famous catchphrase, Simms never did get to take his trip to Disney World. Manning’s “Peyton’s Places” changed that! Disney’s behind-the-scenes pictures and videos show Manning and Simms riding classic Magic Kingdom attractions while eating a turkey leg!

Will you be watching the new episode of “Peyton’s Places” to learn more about the history of the “What’s Next” Super Bowl campaign? Please share this article with an NFL and Disney fan!