Do you snicker and laugh every time you see someone walking around Walt Disney World holding one of those massive Smoked Turkey Legs? My wife and I do too. There’s nothing better than sitting back watching someone try and look respectable as they gnaw into this prehistoric looking bone with fat and meat wrapped around it. You can’t help but laugh and sometimes even take a few pictures when they’re not looking! 
Well, I was reading today and was surprised to hear that Disney sells about 1.5 MILLION turkey legs every year! Just to put that in perspective, that would be about 7 turkey legs for every man, woman and child that lives in Orlando, Florida! Each of these monstrous bird legs weighs in at 1.5 pounds and they supposedly come from 40-50 pound turkeys! So you’re probably thinking ‘hey, it’s Turkey so it has to be good for you.’ Well, if you think that 1,092 calories, about a days worth of fat and two days worth of sodium PER TURKEY LEG is good then you’ll need to go see a nutritionist for a refresher.
But, leave it to Disney to find better and more creative ways to sell odd things. If you would have asked me a few years ago whether I thought the whole turkey leg idea would have worked I probably would have said no. I don’t know whether it’s the taste or whether people just see them and have to try them but whatever it is, it works. For me I just can’t see buying one as I’m not a fan of grizzly looking turkey meat and fat hanging off a bone the size of my forearm. I think I would rather head to the Plaza Restaurant (Magic Kingdom) for their Turkey Sandwich, but that’s just me.
So next time you visit the mouse, unless you’re super hungry and have the metabolism of a 12-year old to burn the calories, I would steer clear of the Turkey Leg. My guess is you could find something better for you if you can resist your prehistoric urge!
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13 comments ↓
I will personally send $100 via PayPal to the first person who can find me the recipe/technique for cooking one of these masterpieces of meat.
Went to Florida’s Disney Park a few years ago and my son who lives there told me I had to try the smoked turkey legs here. I sent my wife over to purchase some and she came back with 1 per person. Man, it’s huge and delicious. Couldn’t finish it in one sitting so I had it again for a snack. What an experiance.
I LOVE turkey legs, next time I’ll be on the watch for people taking picture of me when I’m not looking…
The first time we went to disney world I saw someone with the leg and had to know where he got it. It was awesome, tastes like a roast ham to me. And yes, while on vacation one should not worry about calories or the thousands of dollars to pay for the trip
I am a huge fan on the turkey leg and at 44 years of age, 5′1″ and 105 lbs I can attest to the fact that the calories get burned during the day while walking the park. And don’t you go to Disneyland to feel like a 12 year old again?
Umm Why snicker? But it is astroonomical how much disney sells every Year. In total from a website I found out that about 5.32 million turkeys are killed.
LOL, spoken like one who has never actually eaten one of these wonderfully tasty treats.
And lets be honest. Is its nutritional make up really an issue?
People are on vacation, and when you are on vacation, you SHOULD do things you normally wouldn’t. Eat that desert you would normally skip. Have fries instead of veggies with your steak.
And eat the Flinstonesque portion of Turkey.
I have to concede with the writer, seeing people knaw on these ‘turkey’ legs was definitely NOT the most pleasant part of our experience at Disney World when we went. Hmm….40 – 50 lb. turkeys, eh? Is that what they’re saying? Hah! That’s a load of baloney! We had a friend that worked for Disney for 8 years that let us in on a little secret…turkeys don’t have legs like that. That’s emu meat. Yes, you heard it…emus. Don’t ask me why…but maybe you’ll think twice before you decide to knaw on some meat on a bone!
I am a big fan of your Turkey Legs .
As soon as I walk in to the Park I know I have to have one ….
I feel like tell everybody in the Park about this delicatessen …..
I only have one complain … Where is the recipe ? ?
Would you share it with me ? ? ….
Thanks ! !
The turkey leg in disney is so good. I haven’t had one in a while but I wish that wasnt true, anyway, account for the amount of walking one would do around the parks while on vacation. Keywords, walking and “vacation”. So people dont need to worry all that much about calorie counting and should worry more about enjoying themselves.
You’re missing out! I’ve been to Disneyland many times and I would snicker at those people walking around with those huge turkey legs, too. I’m also not a huge fan of turkey, it really is enormous and it’s just not like me to gobble up something 3 times as big as my own arm. For a girl, it just doesn’t look pretty.
Although, during our last visit, for whatever reason, we decided to try one. It is now my most favorite treat at Disneyland. I’ve been looking for the recipe online which is how I found your blog. You really should try it. It is DE-LISH!!! 
I actually bought one of these humongous legs last year but couldn’t stomach more than a couple of bites. They do look and smell just delicious
I love your blog – just found it the other day and am now steeped in my favorite subject. Thanks
I love Turkey Legs!!! It is one of the things that i look forward to when going to Disney, granted I worked there for several months, but I know how you feel. But hey, don’t knock it to you tried it.
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