Even though summer is in full swing here at Walt Disney World, we’re excited to bring you information about this year’s holiday events at Epcot.
Part of the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays, the Candlelight Processional is one of the most beloved events at Walt Disney World. Many of our guests plan their holiday vacations around their favorite celebrity narrators. This year’s event starts on Thanksgiving Day, November 22, for the first time ever.
And, as Disney Parks Blog readers know, it’s probably MY favorite event. (Don’t tell the other Epcot event folks ☺)
The Candlelight Processional presents the traditional story of Christmas in truly spectacular fashion – with a 50-piece orchestra, a massed choir and a celebrity narrator. The processional is performed three times per night (5:00, 6:45 and 8:15 p.m.) during the holiday season at the America Gardens Theatre. Also available, on select days and evenings, Candlelight Processional Dining Packages which include a delicious meal and a guaranteed seat for one of the Candlelight Processional performances. Availability is limited.
Candlelight Processional Dining Packages go on sale Wednesday July 11.
We have a couple of names to share on the celebrity narrator front. Returning favorites include actress/host Whoopi Goldberg; entertainer Pat Sajak; actors Neil Patrick Harris, Chita Rivera, Gary Sinise, Blair Underwood and Edward James Olmos; and Jodi Benson, who voices Ariel in Disney’s animated classic “The Little Mermaid.”
Here is the lineup so far. We hope to share more names soon.*
- 11/22 – 11/23 – Chita Rivera
- 11/24 – 12/2 – TBD
- 12/3 – 12/6 – Neil Patrick Harris
- 12/7 – 12/9 – Whoopi Goldberg
- 12/10 – 12/12 – TBD
- 12/13 – 12/14 – Blair Underwood
- 12/15 – 12/17 – Gary Sinise
- 12/18 – 12/20 – Pat Sajak
- 12/21 – 12/23 – TBD
- 12/24 – 12/25 – Edward James Olmos
- 12/26 – 12/27 – Jodi Benson
- 12/28 – 12/30 – TBD
Lunch and dinner packages are available at some favorite Epcot restaurants like Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (Norway pavilion); Biergarten Restaurant (Germany pavilion); Chefs de France (France pavilion); Coral Reef Restaurant (The Seas pavilion); The Garden Grill Restaurant (The Land pavilion); La Hacienda de San Angel** and San Angel Inn Restaurante (Mexico pavilion); Nine Dragons Restaurant (China pavilion); Restaurant Marrakesh and Spice Road Table (Morocco pavilion); Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room (United Kingdom pavilion); Teppan Edo and Tokyo Dining (Japan pavilion); and Tutto Italia Ristorante and Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria (Italy pavilion).
Breakfast, lunch and dinner options are also available this year at Epcot-area resort restaurants at Ale & Compass at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, with breakfast and dinner options being offered at Trattoria Al Forno at Disney’s BoardWalk.
Candlelight Processional Dining Packages start at:
- For Breakfast: $38 plus tax per person for adults and $22 plus tax per person for children, ages 3-9.
- For Lunch: $50 plus tax per person for adults and $16.99 plus tax per person for children, ages 3.
- For Dinner: $55 plus tax per person for adults and $16.99 plus tax per person for children, ages 3-9.
Epcot provides an extravaganza of holiday entertainment, merchandise, food, beverages and festivities where guests can celebrate at Epcot throughout the holiday season. Time-honored traditions come alive through the sights and sounds of the countries of World Showcase, and live performances enliven the park throughout the day.
Book a Candlelight Processional dining package or find out more information here.
Keep checking the Disney Parks Blog for updates on holidays at the Walt Disney World Resort.
*Narrators and entertainment are subject to change without notice. Epcot admission is required and not included in the dining package price.
** Candlelight Processional Dining Packages are available for dinner only.
Comments
We recently found out my daughter’s chorus will be performing in this year’s Candlelight Priocessional on 12/17. By the time we got the date, all dining packages were sold out. I have been checking daily for cancellations, we would take any restaurant at any time to be able to see her sing. If we aren’t able to get reserved seating, how far in advance do we need to plan to be in the stand-by line? I’ve heard people say 1 hour and others say 4. Any tips on the best way to view the performance if we can’t get seats?
Who are the narrators during 11/24-11/27 Candlelight Processional events? I hope to decide on which day since my Fastpass window opens up next week. Thank You!
Any idea when some of the TBD narrators will be announced? Anxiously awaiting November 28-30 dates to finalize my park days before our fast pass selection date. Thanks!
It’s right on the Disney website under Candlelight pkg info (it just wasn’t put there until the pkgs officially opened up for booking):
* The following restaurants also offer breakfast options:
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall Breakfast: $65.00 for adults; $38.00 for children
Ale & Compass Breakfast Buffet: $38.00 for adults; $22.00 for children
Garden Grill Breakfast: $48.00 for adults; $28.00 for children
Trattoria al Forno Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast: $52.00 for adults; $30.00 for children
I had the same tech issues someone else mentioned, having the time show up as available and then not being able to select it (it went no further) that morning pkgs opened up at 4 am my time (Mtn)….wound up being on the phone once the Dining line opened up an hour later, for an hour – but it was worth it to get the pkg I wanted. I’d even tried other restaurants just to have the same tech issue on the site. I’m glad to see it wasn’t just me, though – can’t blame my computer or my MDE account like I’ve done in the past. And please announce more narrators soon! I booked for Dec 22nd and am hoping we get someone good for that night – they’re all good, I just want to know who it will be. A Marvel man, perhaps? I don’t want to have to try the site or phone lines again to change anything.
I found a way to make your reservation. If you have a pc, not a Mac, right click on the time you want then select the option: open in new tab. It worked for me!
Trying to make reso and nothing happens when I click on selected time. Tried again and got message they could not search for available times at this time. Site definitely having tech issues.
Tried chat service and was told I could call to make reso or try using a different browser.
I just booked the package for GG breakfast. So it’s available.
Is the website down? I have been on my computer since 6 AM and now on the phone on hold and it says up to 60 minute wait time! What’s the problem?
Garden Grill is available for breakfast as I have just booked it.
Availability for all packages is only showing on the website for me and not via the app.
For those hoping for breakfast at Garden Grill, have faith! I just booked the exact time and date I wanted at Garden Grill:) Good luck!
La Hacienda is only available for dinner.
Trattoria Al Forno has breakfast and dinner.
Ale & Compass has breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Everywhere else has lunch & dinner.
There is no in-park breakfast.
I believe the statement at the end of the post that states “** Candlelight Processional Dining Packages are available for dinner only.” is referring to the asterisk by one particular restaurant, La Hacienda de San Angel** They must only be offering a dinner package at this particular restaurant instead of lunch and dinner.
I’m one of several on here hoping for breakfast at Garden Grill!!!
Can somebody explain this statement at the end of the story, “** Candlelight Processional Dining Packages are available for dinner only.” Yet, the rest of the story states that, “Breakfast, lunch and dinner options are also available this year.”
I’ve got a few placeholder reservations already (need to make one of them a pkg on the 11th and then cancel the placeholder but will keep the other 2 ressies anyway since we’ll like the food)….really hoping you can get John Stamos for one of the TBDs (as someone else said) or one of the famous Chris’es (Pratt, Hemsworth, Evans). If we don’t go on the 22nd we’ve got the 26th with Ariel so that’s nice too. Now, to just get up super early in the Mtn time zone for booking.
Disney, please schedule John Stamos into one of those TBD’s!!
Yes I’d like to know about in-park breakfasts as well and time reservations open! I see at the bottom of the blog post it says only dinner is available for this pkg, but I saw two breakfast options and several lunch options, can you confirm? Will more dining choices open or is this it?
We’ll likely have to wait for details to be posted, but the way the article is written is confusing. It is clear by the ** that breakfast will not be offered at La Hacienda de San Angel, and it is clear breakfast will be offered at A&C and Trattoria, but it is unclear where it will be offered inside EPCOT.
I’d also like confirmation about breakfast at Garden Grill as that was our plan for Christmas Eve.
From reading this post it appears that there are no breakfast options within the park this year.
Will you be releasing information for Disneyland’s Candlelight Processional?
I also wonder if there will be breakfast at Garden Grill?
Will these packages go on sale online at 6am that day?
Am I reading correctly that there is no breakfast for Akershus or Garden Grill? And I’m assuming it’s 2 credits on the dining plan like last year?
Comments are closed.