5 Things To Know About Disney's Famous Turkey Legs

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The Disney Turkey leg is more than just a snack, in many cases it is actually a full meal.

For years it has been the butt of many snide jokes about Disney Food. Its source is a long held point of urban legend. For most Disney Fans it is a must have on every trip. For first timers it is a right of passage, like drinking the water from Pirates of Caribbean or it’s a small world ( I am kidding that is not a tradition it is just a joke, really don’t do it). So if you want to see what it was like to sit and eat like a medieval ruler with an absurd sized Turkey Leg in your hand give it a try.

Let’s talk about the Turkey Leg and maybe teach you a bit about the delicious hunk of meat. (All info provided is pertaining to Walt Disney World Resort, sorry not Disneyland)

1) Where Can I get Turkey Legs?

Turkey Legs of one name or another can be found in all 4 Main Parks. In Magic Kingdom you can find them in 4 locations Liberty Square Market, Prince Eric’s Village Market and Tortuga Tavern Restaurant and also Frontierland Turkey Leg Cart (My Favorite Source In MK). In EPCOT in Future World just past the MouseGear overhang on the path to Test Track, and at the Fife and Drum in the American Pavilion (don’t confuse it with the Funnel Cake Stand). Still in other parks, Hollywood Studios at Sunshine Day Cafe, and Animal Kingdom at the Yak and Yeti Cafe and Trilo-Bites. Outside the park it is located in Disney Springs at The Smokehouse, and finally Blizzard Beach at Frostbite Freddy’s, cause nothing is more enjoyable when at a water park than a warm huge chunk of Turkey meat.

2) Are the Made from Turkey or Emu?

As awesome as it would be to if they were Emu Legs, but alas it is not the case. The source for the size is that they come from Tom Turkeys instead of hens, male turkeys have much larger legs and each leg is about 1.5 pounds. They are cure in a brine of salt water and then hickory smoke, both of which combine to give it a taste similar to ham. It is far from a healthy meal, with each leg being 720 calories and 36 grams of fat. So maybe after eating you might consider walking around the park for a few hours. In total 1.6 Million Turkey legs are sold in Disney World Resort and Disneyland, which is about 2.5 million pounds of Turkey.

3) How long have they been around?

It would be great to say this was one of Walt’s great ideas but it was not. The turkey leg appeared in Disney World for the first time in the late ’80s. It was sold at one food cart, at Big Al’s Coonskin Caps in Frontierland at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World, and as there popularity grew they made their way to Disneyland.

4) It is no longer just food?

It’s popularity has grown so large in pop culture it is available as on Hats, Shirts and Pins. If you long for the odor of a fresh Turkey leg pick up a Turkey Leg Car Air Freshener (Yes it is real). It is so popular that some park, whose name we dare not say, also have a leg, as well as there are Turkeys from the SEA if you get the gist (this actually can come wrapped in a pretzel).

5)Is it a good deal?

It won’t cost you an arm and a leg, actually it only cost 1 turkey leg, tee hee. Last I check it is just under $12 to buy a turkey leg. Considering that it is about 1.25 lbs of meat, that can feed 2 to three even four people, for my clan it is about 3 people. the meat is plentiful and not too messy to eat. The meat comes of in big chunks so it is meant for groups. It is easily a meal that can fill the gap between a breakfast and evening meal, not leaving you hungry of craving more to eat.

So the next time you visit Disney World or Disneyland (yes they have it also), don’t load up and spend an hour in a restaurant, grab a Turkey Leg and a piece of Disney Nostalgia and load up on tasty tasty emu ( I mean Turkey, really it is Turkey)

Thanks to my Disney Friends who provided me with photos: Bridgette Lea Cenac, Patricia Pratt Franks, Christa Avello Lanford and Sarah Lezzer. If it wasn’t for you this would be just words.