Candlelight Processional is back in 2021

[cjsmom5]

Just heard that Disney announced the return of the Candlelight Processional. Disney announced today. I am super excited!! Can't wait to find out more.


September 14, 2021

As part of our Halfway to the Holidays celebration earlier this year, we shared a sneak peek of some of the magical experiences coming during a spectacular season of holiday joy during the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World Resort. That wasn’t everything we have in store, though, and today we’re thrilled to share that the “Candlelight Processional” will be back this year, Nov. 26 – Dec. 30, as part of the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays presented by AdventHealth!

“Candlelight Processional” is a long-standing Disney Parks tradition, dating back to 1958 at Disneyland park. Walt Disney World guests have enjoyed the annual “Candlelight Processional” since 1971, initially at Magic Kingdom Park and since 1994 at EPCOT. After being greatly missed during last year’s holiday season, this magnificent production will once again grace the America Gardens Theatre with a live orchestra, cast choir, and celebrity narrator retelling the traditional Christmas story in spectacular and heartwarming fashion.
Since all these performers – including cast members, musicians, singers, and narrators – will be required to be fully vaccinated, this year we are not planning to host choirs from different community groups and schools. Instead, to maintain the grandeur of the performance, we are expanding our cast member choir to fill the stage with voices. We’re optimistic that the guest choirs will be able to rejoin us next year for this special holiday opportunity.

We didn’t want to wait another minute to tell you this exciting news. Of course, we’re still working to confirm the schedule of celebrity narrators and details about “Candlelight Processional” Dining Packages, so stay tuned. We’ll share all the information as soon as it’s available.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

This news is SO welcomed for us. We were concerned having young choir members from all over the country might be a problem with Covid still a problem - but seemed like something they could work through to still do the show. It looks like they are doing that. What an awesome show to have returning in 2021. Looking forward to more details - and looking forward to actually seeing the show this year!

 

[igrsod]

I have never seen the show. If all goes well, we should be there at a time where we could see it. I will have to check it out.

 

[g3pak]

any news on release of Dining Packages for CP?

 

[maryj11]

Does anyone know what restaurants will be available for the dining package? I also wanted to know is there special seating for those who buy the dining package? We have never seen it. We have only been to DW one year back in 2010 during the Christmas season. So we are really excited about seeing everything involving Christmas .

 

[NYCgrrl]

Does anyone know what restaurants will be available for the dining package? I also wanted to know is there special seating for those who buy the dining package? We have never seen it. We have only been to DW one year back in 2010 during the Christmas season. So we are really excited about seeing everything involving Christmas .

Almost all the TS restaurants at EXPO have a CP package. You don’t get special seating but you do get a ticket for each member of your party at a specific time.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Almost all the TS restaurants at EXPO have a CP package. You don’t get special seating but you do get a ticket for each member of your party at a specific time.

Agreed that most EPCOT restaurants are usually available for the packages. But nothing has been announced officially yet. In the past, they'd have as many as 3 CP shows a night. For the earliest shows, you could even do a lunch instead of dinner. But what the package will do is get you a ticket that allows you into the queue to enter the theater first, for a specific showtime. Seating is FCFS. After the 'packages' queue is through, a standby queue is allowed to enter until the theater is full, or until the queues are empty. Typically, the dining package queue takes up a large percentage of the theater.

We're really hoping they announce specifics soon. If it's going to be part of the normal 60-day ADR process, as it has been in the past, they need to have announce it soon!

 

[MakiraMarlena]

There won't be any guest or student choirs. Cast members only, all vaccinated

 

[MusicalAstronaut]

So excited about this news!

 

[phoenixconfidential]

I wonder how long until they release more details or the actual packages. We're going 11/25-12/2 and never done this so its high on my list!

 

[thanxfornoticin]

I wonder how long until they release more details or the actual packages. We're going 11/25-12/2 and never done this so its high on my list!

As with most things Disney, they've been quick to announce some things that are coming, but then go silent on the details for awhile. In the past, the CP would begin shortly after Thanksgiving. Knowing that nothing is normal yet, I would hope they'll do the same this year. With no CP in 2020, and even with the adjusted version in 2021, I expect this will be very popular this Christmas season.

SO hopefully, very soon we'll know more!

 

[JereMary]

This may be a dumb question. Our dining reservation booking window opens tomorrow morning, and of course we are hoping to see Candlelight Processional. With the lack of info, we are going to book what has typically been a restaurant that is part of the package. Now my question: do you have to have the meal BEFORE the show? We were thinking of booking a later time, say 9:00-ish for dinner. Is that allowed?

 

[CynBeth]

In the past they gave you your sticker with show time when you paid.

 

[JereMary]

In the past they gave you your sticker with show time when you paid.

That makes sense. What if our dinner is scheduled for AFTER the show? I guess they would just charge us if we didn't show up to dinner so they should be able to do that, right? (That's not our plan, we definitely want to eat!)

 

[CynBeth]

All I know is what I mentioned before and that it is not a regular ADR you have to book a special CP dining package when they come out and in the past you could not convert an existing ADR to the package. I believe you had to have your meal before the show but I am not sure and even if that was the case in the past things could change this year.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I remember eating after seeing the first show. Maybe we didn’t get the package that year.

I’m anxious to know more. We are already less than 60 days away!

 

[Dizney73]

In the past you had to book a Candlelight Professional dining package with an assigned meal and show time. A regular ADR time did not get you into the show. There is, however, a standby line to get in.

 

[g3pak]

still no word on dining packages?

 

[sandlsmom]

This is crazy!! I don't see why they can't at least put out the packages. Those of us in the booking window want to cross it off our to-do-list!!

 

[PMart]

Any news yet ?