It might be a bit early to think of Christmas shopping, but it’s never too early to begin planning a trip to the Walt Disney World Resort during the holiday season.
By far, one of my favorite holiday offerings that takes place at Epcot is the Candlelight Processional. This show combines the talents of three choirs, a live orchestra and a celebrity narrator, who together tell the Christmas story through a one-of-a-kind performance of song and scripture.
We’re happy to unveil this year’s line-up of celebrity narrators. The current schedule (subject to change without notice) is:
- Mira Sorvino (Academy Award Winning Actor) Nov. 25-27
- Michael W. Smith (Grammy Award Winning Christian Music Artist) Nov. 28-Dec. 1
- Geena Davis (Academy Award Winning Actor) Dec. 2-3
- TBD Dec. 4-6
- Isabella Rossellini (Film/Television Star and Wildlife Conversationalist) Dec. 7-9
- Neil Patrick Harris (Emmy Award Winning, Broadway Star and TV Host) Dec. 10-12
- TBD Dec. 13-15
- Chita Rivera (Tony Award Winning Broadway Star) Dec. 16-18
- Trace Adkins (Award Winning Country Music Artist) Dec. 19-21
- Susan Lucci (Emmy Award Winning Actor and Soap Opera Star) Dec. 22-24
- Blair Underwood (Award Winning Television and Movie Star) Dec. 25-27
- Marlee Matlin (Academy Award Winning Actor and TV Star) Dec. 28-30
Guests attend these shows on a first-come, first-served basis, and due to its popularity, I highly recommend looking in to buying a Candlelight Processional dining package. Lunch and dinner packages, which include a meal, reserved seating at the show and pre-arranged fireworks viewing, will go on sale in July.
Have you ever attended the Candlelight Processional?
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My family and I had the opportunity to go two years ago. Angela Bassett and Courtney Vance were the narrators. We will be going back this year to ring in the new year. It was magical!!!!!!!!!!! There is nothing like Disney during holiday time!
Hi Jennifer, thanks for posting these. Any word on who the narrator will be for Dec 16-18, yet? Will we know before ticket sales open up?
How exciting!!! Thank you for posting the Narrators, Jennifer! Last Fall I was on my first College Program and went about five times and it made for a lovely Christmas Eve Service! =D
We also saw Steven Curtiss Chapman last year! It was the greatest blessing of our Disney trip to hear the scriptures read and music to praise Jesus! We love celebrating Christmas at Disney with our family and look forward to this years CLP!
The TBA listed after Whoopi, is that supposed to be Dec. 4-6?
I notice they don’t have all the dates for celebrities set yet. Is that why you can’t book a package at this time. Dinners are “usually” available 180 days in advance.
Just heard from the Dis Dining Reservation line that the Candlelight Processional Dinning Package can be booked on July 26.
oohh I totally second Rod’s suggestion of Nathan Fillion!!! I would move my trip days for that!
Will Steven Curtis Chapman be returning for the Candlelight Processional this year? I heard him last year and it was amazing!
We’ve had the pleasure of seeing Susan Lucci , Gary Sinise and John O’Hurley . We are looking forward to getting reservations for when we are there in Dec this year. Any word on when the reservations will open up? Will we be able to make them online? or must we call in?
I have been bringing my family to Disneyworld for Christmas going on five years and the Candlelight Processional on Christmas Eve has been a fantastic tradition. If you are in Epcot during the holidays this is a must see show!!!
We will miss Edward James Olmos this year as he has always been a favorite, very sad he is not returning this year.
Went to Candlelight with a dinner package a few years back! AMAZING experience. My sister and I will be there Dec 6 to 12 — can’t wait to see NPH!! How about asking Nathan Fillion from ABC’s Castle (and Firefly/Serenity) to be there on one of the TBD nights?
Love this show! In 2009 my wife and I had just finished dinner and decided to see if there were any open seats for that night’s show. Isabella Rossellini was the guest. It looked pretty packed when we got there so we just stood outside the area to listen.
Just before it started a cast member ran up to us and asked if we wanted to see the show. Of course we did! She grabbed both of our hands and ran us down to the front row. Perfect seats for an up close view. Made for a memorable show. Wish I could go back again this year!
I’m sad that Edward James Olmos won’t be back. I was looking forward to hopefully seeing him this year.
Michael W. Smith was the best person ever as the narrator! My family saw him twice & loved it!
When I went several years ago my narrator was Monique Coleman. This took place during the High School Musical craze so it was quite exciting!
I am thrilled the information if finally surfacing for the Candlelight Processional! This is the only dinner that I have left to book! I guess I have a week that I can take off and not get up @ 5am (our time) to see if Disney has opened up the reservations. Do you know if we are going to be able to book on-line, or will the reservations have to be made over the phone? If they have to be made over the phone, don’t think I am not going to have DH, M-I-L, mother, sister, and brother all trying to call @ 6am (along with my credit card info)….and then hooked up to chat to let us know if anyone was able to go through!!! What is really sad is that most of them are not even going to Disney with us, but they are going to try and help us get reservations! Trace Adkins (hopefully his dates won’t change), here we come!!!!!
I am going in december this year … already made reservations for dinner and then foundout the vigil was not available until july… will they add to my already existing rsvp? Will be very frustrated if that can’t be done since it was great in 2009. Thank you
They will NOT add a Candlelight package to your existing dining reservation. You have to book the package.
Any idea why December 15th isn’t listed? I’m trying to figure out our night & the 15th was one of them.
Hmmm…I’ll look into it.
Oooo…just had a thought. I believe it would be grand to have James Earl Jones as a celebrity narrator for the processional.
As a Disneyland passholder, I would love to see Candlelight performed more than 1 weekend the entire year. Who will be the guest speaker(s) at Disneyland’s Candlelight?
I attended the Candlelight Processional at Disneyland Park in Anaheim a few years ago with my elderly parents. We loved it! I’ve never been able to find advance info for it after that. Will some announcement be made for packages for Disneyland Park? I truly would love to go again! Florida is too far, alas.
I’m based at WDW, so I’ll check on Disneyland.
What about Edward James Olmos?? He’s always been a favorite of mine out of all the narrators
I was fortunate enough to see Steven Curtis Chapman in December 2009 and it was one of the highlights of my trip!
We did the dining/reserved seating package in December 2010 and it was AMAZING! We had Thomas Gibson (CSI, Dharma and Greg) for our show and we weren’t prepared for how moving the whole show was, my husband and I kept crying! But they were happy tears. We were in awe at how well done the show was. The candlelight processional is a MUST see for any Disney fan and for any Christmas fan for that matter!
Having the reserved seatings for the processional and Illuminations made our whole night so much easier as we could run around doing things without having to worry about whether we’d be able to get good seats. We have promised ourselves that we will go back and do it all again someday, thank you Disney!
I’m happy you liked it. I actually sang in the choir for 7 years…I as in the green Christmas tree section. 🙂
I have been checking daily for this news! We will be there for 10 days around Christmas and can hardly wait!
Cynthia – You will have a BLAST. Disney is a fun place any day of the year, but the holiday season is amazing!
I always enjoy seeing who the celebrity narrators will be for the Candlelight Processional. I LOVED seeing Jodi Benson as the narrator last year on my birthday. I’m hoping she’ll be one of the people that fill in the dates that don’t have narrators yet as I would love to see her again.
Jennifer–Will you post an unpdate here on the blog when the other celebrity narrators are announced for the blocks of dates that don’t have narrators yet?
Also, will you post once details are released about the dinner packages and when reservations will start being taken? Thanks.
OF COURSE! Attending the show is a holiday tradition for my family, and I know it is for many other Disney guests. I’ll post additional info as soon as I get it. Packages won’t go on sale until July, so you may not see anything else until then.
Any word on wether or not Lights of Winter will return this year? No dinner package or waiting in a line required to enjoy those!
No word yet, though World Showcase always looks AMAZING throughout the holidays, doesn’t it?
I think Jonathan Jackson would be an outstanding narrator for the Candlelight Processional. Plus, he already works for Disney through ABC/”General Hospital” and was born in Orlando. I’d fly down for that no matter what I had to do.
Yes! Thank you for positng this!
I do believe my dates will be Neil Patrick Harris! 🙂
I have done Candlelight twice before. love, love love it!
Neil P. Harris is GREAT.
This news is Legen- wait for it -DARY!
🙂
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