What are you going to do next? I'm Going to Disney World!

Chances are, many of you have heard this popular phrase at one point or another. When someone wins a big game, graduates from college, or hits the lottery, there something inside them that yearns to ride on "Its a Small World" and get a hug from the coolest mouse on the planet, Mickey. But where did this tradition come from? Was it organic? Did people just start saying it because that's how they really felt? The answer may surprise you.

What if I told you the origin of the phrase was created by none other than two people who had just completed one of the greatest accomplishments of their time? That's right. Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, who are most known for piloting the first aircraft to fly around the world without stopping or re-fueling, were greeted right after they landed and asked "What are you going to do next?" Their answer was simple, "Well, we're going to Disneyland."

Seeing as how this was a very popular interview (heard by people all over the world), the phrase immediately caught the attention of Jane Eisner, wife of then Disney CEO Michael Eisner. Once she heard it, a light bulb went off. She immediately called her husband and told him the phrase would make an excellent advertising campaign.

Wasting no time, Michael Eisner decided that Superbowl XXI on January 25, 1987 would be the perfect time to showcase their new campaign. Starting with former NFL superstar Phil Simms (who received a reportedly $75,000 for his participation) as the first athlete to ever be a part of this infamous advertising campaign, the rest was history.

Since then, the campaign has targeted the best of the best in every sport (even some non-athlete celebrities), and upon winning, had them say "I'm going to Disney World!"

Here are a few of the people that also participated over the years:

• Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA Finals (1987)
• Al MacInnis, Calgary Flames, Stanley Cup Finals (1989)
• Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls, NBA Finals (1991)
• Mark McGwire, St. Louis Cardinals, Major League Baseball home run record (1998)
• Tom Brady, New England Patriots, Super Bowl XXXVI (2002)
• David Cook, Season 7 American Idol winner (2008)
• Bruce Springsteen, Super Bowl Half-Time Show (2009)

So next time you see see a celebrity answer the question "What are you doing next?" with "I'm going to Disney World", you'll know exactly how that campaign started and what they're getting out of it. (FYI In subsequent years, Disney reportedly has offered $50,000,000 to athletes and other stars for participating in the ads and appearing at one of its theme parks).

-Florida Orlando Tickets Team