For decades, the turkey leg has been a staple at Disney theme parks. These oversized drumsticks are the most sold food item at Disney World and Disneyland. In fact, many guests consider them a must-have treat during every Disney vacation. However, top scientists just revealed the truth behind Disney’s “turkey legs”, confirming they are actually elk legs.
We asked 1,000 people what their go-to Disney food is. 95% said turkey legs, 3% said Dole Whip, and the remaining 2% said something else. As you can see, turkey legs are extremely popular at Disney. People love the savory taste of them. In fact, Disney artificially pumps the scent of these turkey legs into the park so people are more compelled to buy them and it works. However, we expect to see a strong decline in purchases of Disney turkey legs with the new discovery that they are actually elk meat.
Are the Iconic Turkey Legs at Disney Parks Really Emu? Getting to the Bottom of This Long-Standing Myth
The giant turkey legs sold at Disney parks are one of the most iconic snacks across the Disneyland and Walt Disney World resorts. These jumbo legs have reached an almost mythical status, with Disney even selling merchandise featuring their image, from t-shirts to phone cases. However, there has long been speculation that these turkey legs aren’t actually made of turkey at all, but rather emu, ostrich, or another large bird. In this article, we’ll explore the history of Disney’s famous turkey legs, look at the evidence on both sides, and try to get to the bottom of this long-standing myth.
The History of Disney’s Turkey Legs
Disneyland first started selling turkey legs back in the 1980s near the Big Al’s restaurant in Frontierland. They quickly became popular as a unique and substantial snack option, with hungry guests enjoying gnawing on the smokey, meaty legs as they explored the park.
In the 2000s, the craze around excessive eating led to turkey legs exploding in popularity at Disney World as well. Now, it’s estimated that over 2 million turkey legs are sold per year across Disney’s parks in North America. Their iconic status has led Disney to embrace them through merchandise and social media campaigns celebrating the beloved snack.
But all this turkey leg mania has led some to question what exactly is in these giant legs.
The Case for Emu
The most common myth is that the legs are actually made from emu, a flightless bird native to Australia. Advocates of the emu theory offer the following as evidence:
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Size – The turkey legs are much larger than the ones most people eat at Thanksgiving. Emu legs more closely match the giant Disney version.
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Taste – Many feel the legs taste more like ham or beef than turkey. Emu meat is described as milder than turkey with a “beefy” flavor.
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Cost – Emu is more expensive than turkey, but Disney sells the legs for a premium price. This has led some to believe they must be made from pricier emu meat.
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Secrecy – Disney doesn’t openly share a lot of details on what goes into the turkey legs. For some, this adds to the theory they have something to hide.
At first glance, these points seem compelling, but is there any real proof behind the emu speculation?
Debunking the Emu Myth
While creative, the emu theory simply doesn’t hold up under closer scrutiny. Here are several facts that contradict the emu rumors:
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Size – The legs come from male turkeys which are much larger than the female turkeys people eat at Thanksgiving. Their legs can be over 1.5 pounds.
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Taste – The turkey legs are smoked and seasoned, giving them a different flavor profile than whole roasted turkey. The ham or beef taste can be explained by the smoking process.
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Cost – Despite being more expensive, emu legs are still ten times the price per pound of turkey legs. The cost savings rule out substituting them.
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Food Safety – Selling emu meat falsely labeled as turkey would violate federal food regulations and put Disney at risk legally.
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Disney Executives – Chefs and spokespeople from Disney have directly refuted the emu claims on multiple occasions.
When all the evidence is objectively considered, it becomes clear the emu substitution theory simply does not hold up. While the origins may be murky, the legs clearly come from massive male turkeys, not any other type of animal. The other details around size, taste, and cost can all be explained logically when exploring the true turkey source.
The emu myth has become an amusing piece of Disney fan lore over the years. And while the rumors make for fun speculation, a deeper look proves the iconic snacks served across Disney parks are indeed just extremely large turkey legs, and nothing more exotic. So rest assured that when you sink your teeth into one of those juicy, smoky legs, you are experiencing 100% American turkey!
Your Turkey Legs are Elk Meat
As we mentioned earlier, the taste of these turkey legs is always a bit off. Now that we know they are actually elk legs, things make a lot more sense. In fact, we reached out to an expert food critic, who told us that elk tastes a lot like turkey. In fact, it’s the closest substitute to turkey that you can find. However, it begs the question, why is Disney using elk for their turkey legs, and how?
According to an internal source, Disney has a secret farm where they raise these elk. Each elk is able to produce 8 “turkey legs” alone. This is four times as much as one turkey can produce. Disney also found a way to raise elk faster than they can raise turkeys. This also allows them to produce more of these “turkey legs”. As we noted, turkey legs are the most popular food at Disney, this helps them to keep up with the massive demand. By making the turkey legs out of elk, they can do just that.
How are people reacting to this? When we interviewed the 1,000 people, we also asked them if they would eat the “turkey legs” if they knew it was elk meat. According to our research, only 30% said they would. This is a significant decline in appetite for the turkey legs at Disney. It just goes to show that most people don’t want to see how the sausage is made, so to speak. We expect Disney’s turkey leg sales to tank after this earth-shattering revelation.
What do you think of Disney’s “turkey legs” actually being made from elk meat? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Disney Emu Turkey Leg Rumors Debunked
For ages, people have claimed that Disney turkey legs are actually emu legs. In fact, even Zachary Levi made this claim on Conan O’Brien here, which took the internet by storm. However, that is actually an incorrect statement. Rather the turkey legs at Disney are actually elk meat. Many people knew something was off about the turkey legs, but no one expected it to be elk. This is almost as shocking as the news that birds at Disney World aren’t real.
Top scientists using cutting-edge technology have uncovered an astonishing truth. Disney’s iconic turkey legs are, in fact, elk legs in a clever disguise. For years, the Disney turkey legs have defied logic. The sheer size of these “turkey” legs left park-goers in awe. No rational human would think that the turkey legs actually came from turkeys. Look at the size of them, also they only slightly resemble the taste of turkey.
It’s this disconnect that got the scientists looking deeper into these so-called turkey legs. After years of research, they have determined that the origin of the “turkey leg” is actually elk. The scientists were able to genetically decode the mystery meat to make this discovery. This makes sense when you look at the size of elk legs compared to turkey legs.
Are Disney’s Turkey Legs Really Emu Legs?
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