Lion King Signature Lunch at Hakuna Matata – Review

For the duration of the Lion King and Jungle Festival (30th June – 22nd September 2019) a special Lion King character lunch is offered at the Hakuna Matata restaurant in Adventureland. This menu is the meal included in the special Lion King Signature Experience with the Disney Hotels over the summer, but can be booked separately for €39.

The menu is decidedly simple, there are essentially two options to pick from. The adult menu features a Yassa Chicken, Plantain, Beef Meatballs, sautéed shrimps, vegetable salad with a peanut dressing; the Vegan menu which contains a Vegan sauté with tomato sauce, plantain and a vegetable salad with the peanut dressing.

Ordering takes only a few minutes and the meal is presented on a tray much like a standard quick service meal, once you have tray in hand you will be taken to a seat by a Cast Member.

The food is actually delightfully tasty. The chicken dish is nothing particularly special but is a cut above all other quick service chicken dishes; where this meal delivers on flavour is the delightful plantain – a cooked banana – this is both very tasty and unique, more importantly, it was cooked very well allowing all the flavours of the banana to be tasted. The meatballs in sauce were also very good.

The whole dish worked really well together, each part of the main having its own very unique flavour and texture. It felt more like a tasting platter where I got to try a little of everything and I came away wanting more of everything on the regular menu.

Major points go to the presentation of the plates, the bamboo plate and cutlery added something quite special and unique. It’s refreshing to see such effort going into a quick service meal; of course this also helps it be elevated above any of the other quick service meals.

For desert the coconut and banana flavour ice cream which has a number of flavours on it and a Simba motif – this was exceptional, a real themed snack that is Instagram heaven. Whilst it looks really good, it also tastes brilliant, the banana flavour is really evident and refreshing – add in that the ice cream is actually surprisingly large, we have a winner here.

The character meet and greet element to the meal is also super relaxed and chilled – just like the signature packages last year – Mickey, in a very cute new adventurer outfit – and Rafiki will walk casually up to your table and you have a very relaxed pace meet and greet, there’s no time pressure and the characters are brilliant.

Overall, I would not hesitate to recommend this lunch to anybody who loves the Lion King, or who just wants to be further immersed in this wonderful season. This is one not to skip during your visit, you will not be disappointed!


The Lion King Signature experience lunch runs daily from 30th June – 22nd September 2019. It is priced at €39 for adults and €35 for children. Dining reservations can be made by phoning the Disneyland Paris dining reservations line on +33 1 60 30 40 50.

Share:

Facebook
Twitter

Related