Olympic legend U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps won a record-setting eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. What did he do next? He went to Disney World! On August 29, 2008 Walt Disney World honored Michael Phelps’ achievement with a special “America’s Homecoming Parade.”
The accolades do not end at Disney World. Michael Phelps will host Saturday Night Live’s 34th season premiere with musical guest Lil Wayne on September 13, 2008. Lil Wayne, along with Young Jeezy, Jay-Z , Rick Ross, and other rappers are famously on Michael Phelps’ iPod. (See: The mystery of Michael Phelps’ iPod playlist).
Michael Phelps, fresh off winning eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics, is spending a few days at Disney World. On his agenda for Friday afternoon: going to a water park with some of his buddies. He’s also into roller coasters and thrill rides.
“I’m looking forward to Splash Mountain today,” he said Friday morning after a parade in his honor at Magic Kingdom. It’s Phelps’ first public appearance in the United States since the Olympics. After Beijing, he made stops in Portugal and England on the way home.
Phelps rode down Main Street in a convertible with Mickey Mouse. The streets were lined with camera-aiming, flag-waving theme-park guests and red, white and blue balloons. He wore a jersey with “United States” in script on the front and “Phelps” on the back, shorts and flipflops.
He wasn’t wearing any gold medals. He said handling them tends to make the ribbons fray, plus he don’t want to dent or otherwise damage them.
“I don’t want anything to happen to them,” he said. They are precious medals.
He said seeing folks line the parade route and the area near the Rose Garden where he was being interviewed was “incredible.”
“It’s a cool feeling to have that kind of support,” he said. “I’m living the dream.”
Source: Michael Phelps goes to Disney World
Photo credit: Photo 1, 2 Gene Duncan/Disney; Photo 3 Scott Audette/Reuters; Photos 4-5 Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
Video via - WDW Newsletter - Michael Phelps at Walt Disney World: Video
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- Photos: Michael Phelps Wins 8th Gold Medal at Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics
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- Eight Gold Medals Michael Phelps Sports Illustrated Cover August 25, 2008
- Michael Phelps Will Endorse Kellogg’s Corn Flakes and Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes
Video & Photos: Michael Phelps at Walt Disney World “America’s Homecoming Parade” 8-29-08
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