Disneyland China falls a-fowl of huge turkey leg demand

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Over nearly a century Disney has exported US culture across the globe, but the company was astonished to find one slice of Americana wildly popular in China: The turkey leg.

The entertainment giant opened its 5.5 billion US dollars worth theme park in Shanghai in June last year, expecting to shift mainly bokchoy, Mickey Pork Buns and Minnie Red Bean Buns to hungry customers.

"If you go to Disneyland or Disneyworld, we sell gigantic turkey legs and they're like the size of my arm," Bob Iger, chairman and CEO of the Walt Disney Company, told reporters on Wednesday.

Bob Iger, CEO of Walt Disney Co., speaks during a Bloomberg Television interview at Disneyland in Shanghai, China, on June 16, 2017. /VCG Photo

"And when I heard we were putting them on the menu in Shanghai I thought our group was crazy. Why are we selling turkey legs in China?"

Iger was quickly proved wrong, however. Glazed in a special Disney-recipe hoi sin sauce, thousands of the turkey legs began selling every day.

"We were there a few weeks ago for the anniversary and we sold 4,500 in one day. We couldn't buy enough of them," Iger said at a panel for the international press in the company's Burbank, California, studio lot.

People wait in line to buy turkey legs in Shanghai Disneyland resort in Shanghai, China. /VCG Photo

Demand for the juicy snack quickly grew to 4,000 units a day in Shanghai alone, more than Disney's Polish supplier could manage. Buyers were sent to track down more of the poultry legs in South America.

"That surprised us, and there were other things about food that surprised us, not bad, by the way, just things that we had to adjust to," said Iger.

Shanghai Disneyland is Disney's sixth theme park and third in Asia, which pulled in nearly a million visitors within its first month of operation.

Stargazer Grill restaurant located in Shanghai Disneyland resort is full of people during lunch time. /VCG Photo

From the traditional peony flower on the castle to murals that replace the animals of the Chinese zodiac with Disney characters, the company is aiming to be culturally aware.

Incorrect rumors that the turkey legs sold at its theme parks are actually emu meat have circulated online for years, boosted most recently by segment on Turner Broadcasting System(TBS)'s "Conan" talk show on March 9.

Taking a photograph with a smartphone during the one-year celebration of Walt Disney Co. Shanghai Disneyland resort at the theme park in Shanghai, China, on Friday, June 16, 2017. /VCG Photo

In fact, they look bigger than normal turkey legs simply because they are from the male and not the female. Americans are used to seeing in their traditional Thanksgiving meals.

(Source: AFP)

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