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What happens to the turkey after it's pardoned?
Every year since Harry Truman was in office, the president pardons a turkey. President Bush pardoned Pumpkin the turkey (named by the American people via Web vote on the White House website) Wednesday morning.
So what happens then to a pardoned turkey?
It goes to Disneyland.
That's not a joke. The turkey really is going to Disneyland.
Like many a Super Bowl-winning quarterback before it, the pardoned turkey (and his less photo-friendly understudy Pecan, who also gets a pardon) gets an all-expenses-paid trip to Disneyland where Pumpkin will be the Grand Marshal of Disney's Thanksgiving Day parade.
Shortly after the White House pardoning ceremony is over, Pumpkin and Pecan will leave for an airport in the DC area to get on a United flight to the LA area.
Before boarding, they'll have to show their boarding passes. They'll also go through security, although as pardoned turkeys we're not sure what they could be hiding from TSA -- they're not stuffed after all. (Note: This picture is of the boarding passes from last year's event.)
Courtesy United Airlines
Then Pumpkin and Pecan will get on board a flight with United. Robin Urbanski, a spokesperson for the airline, tells us that the turkeys will fly first class, seat-belted into the seats with not one, but two seatbelts specially designed for their flight.
While the turkeys and their families (aka, the farmers who raised them) sit in first class, normal non-Thanksgiving affiliated folk will sit in the economy section. Urbanski says that those passengers are normal travelers "just like you and I," except they are fully aware of the celebrities on board. (Again, this picture is of last year's feathered friends.)
Courtesy United Airlines
While the plane makes its cross-country flight, First Class will be opened up to the common folk so they can "meet" and take pictures with the turkeys. Sundry turkey-affiliated games will ensue, Urbanski says. The flight attendants will hold gobble contests to see who can gobble the best over the intercom. The pilots will also give a turkey knowledge quiz. The winner (if over the age of 21) will get a bottle of -- you guessed it -- Wild Turkey. The kids on board get in on the action too -- Disney games and model United planes for the younger winners.
Upon arrival in the La La land area, the turkeys will be whisked off to the happiest place on Earth, where Pumpkin will be the center attraction as the Grand Marshal of the Disney's Thanksgiving Day parade. After the rest of the country is done watching Macy's version on TV, Pumpkin will be on a float headed down Main Street in what Disney spokesperson John McClintock characterizes as a "processional." (Yes, Disneyland is open on Thanksgiving. McClintock says the holidays are a busy time for them.)
Then Pumpkin and his sidekick Pecan will head off to Disney's Frontierland where they'll make their home in the on-site petting zoo for the remainder of their days.
-- Erin Green
What happens to the turkey after it's pardoned?
Every year since Harry Truman was in office, the president pardons a turkey. President Bush pardoned Pumpkin the turkey (named by the American people via Web vote on the White House website) Wednesday morning.
So what happens then to a pardoned turkey?
It goes to Disneyland.
That's not a joke. The turkey really is going to Disneyland.
Like many a Super Bowl-winning quarterback before it, the pardoned turkey (and his less photo-friendly understudy Pecan, who also gets a pardon) gets an all-expenses-paid trip to Disneyland where Pumpkin will be the Grand Marshal of Disney's Thanksgiving Day parade.
Shortly after the White House pardoning ceremony is over, Pumpkin and Pecan will leave for an airport in the DC area to get on a United flight to the LA area.
Before boarding, they'll have to show their boarding passes. They'll also go through security, although as pardoned turkeys we're not sure what they could be hiding from TSA -- they're not stuffed after all. (Note: This picture is of the boarding passes from last year's event.)
Courtesy United Airlines
Then Pumpkin and Pecan will get on board a flight with United. Robin Urbanski, a spokesperson for the airline, tells us that the turkeys will fly first class, seat-belted into the seats with not one, but two seatbelts specially designed for their flight.
While the turkeys and their families (aka, the farmers who raised them) sit in first class, normal non-Thanksgiving affiliated folk will sit in the economy section. Urbanski says that those passengers are normal travelers "just like you and I," except they are fully aware of the celebrities on board. (Again, this picture is of last year's feathered friends.)
Courtesy United Airlines
While the plane makes its cross-country flight, First Class will be opened up to the common folk so they can "meet" and take pictures with the turkeys. Sundry turkey-affiliated games will ensue, Urbanski says. The flight attendants will hold gobble contests to see who can gobble the best over the intercom. The pilots will also give a turkey knowledge quiz. The winner (if over the age of 21) will get a bottle of -- you guessed it -- Wild Turkey. The kids on board get in on the action too -- Disney games and model United planes for the younger winners.
Upon arrival in the La La land area, the turkeys will be whisked off to the happiest place on Earth, where Pumpkin will be the center attraction as the Grand Marshal of the Disney's Thanksgiving Day parade. After the rest of the country is done watching Macy's version on TV, Pumpkin will be on a float headed down Main Street in what Disney spokesperson John McClintock characterizes as a "processional." (Yes, Disneyland is open on Thanksgiving. McClintock says the holidays are a busy time for them.)
Then Pumpkin and his sidekick Pecan will head off to Disney's Frontierland where they'll make their home in the on-site petting zoo for the remainder of their days.
-- Erin Green
