Coronavirus: Walt Disney World cancels annual Super Bowl parade

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Walt Disney World announced it will not host its annual Super Bowl parade down Main Street U.S.A. at the Magic Kingdom this year, park officials said Friday.

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Concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic are the reason the Florida theme park canceled the event. However, the iconic commercial featuring the game’s star will continue.

“Although Walt Disney World won’t host the annual Super Bowl parade down Main Street U.S.A. at Magic Kingdom Park this year, Disney will continue the time-honored tradition of featuring the Super Bowl star player in the iconic ‘I’m Going to Disney World!’ commercial on Sunday night,” officials said in a statement.

Disney Parks officials stated that they hope to be able to bring back the other Super Bowl traditions in 2022, including letting football and Disney fans see and cheer on their favorite player inside the theme park.

Since Super Bowl XXI in 1987, either the game’s most valuable player or another star from the winning team has been featured in a commercial, declaring, “I’m going to Disney World!” The line was first uttered by New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms.

After winning the Super Bowl, the star player has been treated to a parade at Disney World. Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes was the featured guest last year after leading the Chiefs to victory against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV.

Mahomes will have another chance Sunday, when the Chiefs attempt to make it two straight Super Bowl titles when they face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium.

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