Disneyland’s Candlelight Processional happens twice nightly in early December. This submit presents 2024 dates & occasions for the present, viewing suggestions, superstar narrator data, our evaluate and historical past of the occasion, which is held on the Most important Avenue USA Practice Station throughout Christmas. (Up to date December 6, 2024.)
In distinction to Epcot’s Candlelight Processional performances which can be held dozens of occasions over the course of the Christmas season in an outside theater, Disneyland’s Candlelight Processional is held 4 occasions, complete, and is an intimate affair. Additionally not like Epcot’s model, Disneyland’s Candlelight Processional is a mostly-private (we’ll get to what which means beneath) occasion.
The 45-minute present is a musical retelling of “The First Christmas” story by way of track and scripture, that includes a mass choir because the centerpiece of the present. The Disneyland Symphony Orchestra, fanfare trumpets, hand bell ringers, and a star narrator be part of the choir on this joyous vacation custom.
Disneyland’s Candlelight Processional will likely be held on December 7 and eight, 2024 for invited visitors, Membership 33 members, and different VIP visitors with exhibits every evening at 5:30 pm and seven:45 p.m. Common park visitors are additionally capable of see the present from Most important Avenue, which we cowl in with viewing suggestions beneath.
The narrator of the 2024 Candlelight Processional at Disneyland has not but been introduced, and received’t be prematurely. Often, the narrator is unknown till proper earlier than sound test on evening of the primary efficiency, with followers speculating about who it’ll be and rumors–normally incorrect–circling previous to that.
That is being up to date on Friday, Dec. 6, earlier than the Saturday and Sunday performances of Candlelight Processional. As of this afternoon, there are zero credible rumors about who the narrator will likely be.
The perfect we may give you might be guesses, and we’ll go together with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Alan Tudyk, and Auli’i Cravalho. In case you possibly can’t spot the commonality–they’re all from the solid of Moana 2. (Disney typically pulls somebody from their largest film at present in theaters.) I assume Ryan Reynolds is a risk, as Deadpool & Wolverine was one other enormous “Disney” film this yr!
If we hear something credible between now and tomorrow evening about who the narrator will likely be, we’ll replace this accordingly. So preserve a watch posted right here or subscribe to our FREE e-mail publication for rapid alerts and different Disney information.
Final yr, Brie Larson was the narrator of Candlelight Processional. That was solely discovered after studies of her being in Disneyland on the day of the primary Candlelight Processional. It wasn’t confirmed till a few hours earlier than the primary exhibiting started, when she appeared on stage for a walk-through.
As intimated above, the narrator of Candlelight Processional at Disneyland is commonly a star showing in a Christmas season Disney, Marvel, Pixar, or Star Wars film. Or somebody who not too long ago appeared in such a movie. These are the “contract obligation” narrators. The previous couple of years have a number of examples of this, together with Lin-Manuel Miranda, Chris Hemsworth, and Chris Pratt.
Different occasions, the Candlelight Processional narrator is solely a well-known or well-respected Disney Legend who has nothing to advertise and is on no account a synergistic decide. There are many examples of each all through the historical past of Candlelight Processional (extra on this beneath).
We visited Disneyland final yr throughout Candlelight Processional weekend however didn’t attend the performances.
As shared in Our Favourite Week of the Yr at Disneyland, that is quick changing into our favourite time to go to. It’s counter-intuitive since Candlelight Processional does enhance congestion in elements of the park (extra on that beneath), however Candlelight Processional can truly be an asset if you realize what you’re doing and plan accordingly. Simply one thing to remember for Christmas 2025 or 2026 if you’re desirous about dates to go to–learn that submit for extra recommendation!
Now, let’s transfer on and canopy what happens throughout Candlelight Processional at Disneyland…
These celebrities narrate the Christmas story on the Most important Avenue Practice Station whereas the Candlelight mass choir is sings lovely vacation songs. Disneyland’s Candlelight Processional has been a convention since 1958. Celebrities like Cary Grant, John Wayne, Dick Van Dyke, Gary Sinise, Kurt Russell, Jon Voight, Geena Davis, Chris Hemsworth, Viola Davis, Sterling Okay. Brown, and James Earl Jones being previous narrators.
Disneyland units up seats for Candlelight Processional, that are reserved for invited visitors. These “invited visitors” are sometimes Disneyland VIPs, comparable to Membership 33 members, media, and high-profile Disneyland visitors. Now we have gotten a variety of questions on the right way to get seats for Candlelight Processional at Disneyland (that’s truly our purpose for posting this), however the unlucky actuality is that in case you don’t already know the right way to get seats…you possibly can’t get seats.
There aren’t any dinner packages, no standby line for normal visitors, no ticket lottery, nor any technique of changing into an invited visitor. Due to this, Disneyland doesn’t publicize the occasion. There are sometimes not posts on the Parks Weblog, social media, or elsewhere till after the occasion. That’s why data on Disneyland’s Candlelight Processional is so scarce.
Regardless of this, Candlelight Processional at Disneyland is held throughout park hours, and on the very entrance of Disneyland, the place it’s plainly seen to visitors coming into the park. This, coupled with the small measurement of the reserved seating space, implies that visitors who camp out in City Sq. can get a great view of the present. (Moreover, if there are empty seats, Disneyland generally permits common park visitors to fill them–however no guarantees there.)
Nonetheless–and this can be a enormous nevertheless–it’s not merely a free for all up entrance. As a result of Disneyland is so busy these nights and seating/standing areas are in excessive demand, there are strictly-enforced limitations on the place you can’t stand or sit to look at Candlelight Processional. For those who’re trying to attend and watch in a thoroughfare, you’ll be informed to maneuver briefly order by crowd management Solid Members.
Some visitors camp on the perimeter of the reserved seating space for the complete day on Candlelight Processional days. We’ve rope-dropped Disneyland on lately, and as an alternative of racing to Peter Pan’s Flight and Area Mountain, we’ve seen visitors racing to areas on the fringe of the reserved seating space.
That is extreme, even by crazed-Disneyland fan requirements. We’re sharing this data so you realize what you’re probably getting your self into must you determine to camp out for Candlelight Processional. In equity, you possibly can sometimes present up “solely” a few hours prematurely and nonetheless get a good view of the stage, however it’s not going to be very best.
Nonetheless, don’t anticipate to be strolling by way of Most important Avenue 10 minutes earlier than Candlelight Processional begins and easily cease to look at. It doesn’t work like that. There’s a great likelihood you received’t be allowed to cease in City Sq. even an hour earlier than Candlelight Processional begins.
Moreover, a few of these people who camp out early within the day will go away following the primary efficiency of Candlelight Processional, so in case you present up in direction of the tip of this, you may be capable of wiggle your means into a greater place. Once more, no ensures, as most visitors who camp out all day will keep for each exhibits.
One phrase of warning: Candlelight Processional is held on two busy weekend nights through the Christmas season, which is already a busy time of yr at Disneyland. On the entrance of the park. Which means the group in City Sq. is principally a stressed mob by the point Candlelight Processional rolls round, packed into the general public areas like sardines. We’d solely suggest this to locals with a surplus of time.
For those who’re vacationing at Disneyland, this isn’t a great use of your time. Furthermore, in case you’re vacationing at Disneyland through the Christmas season and will likely be visiting the park throughout both of lately however will not be excited by Candlelight Processional, avoid the entrance of the park earlier than, throughout, and shortly after the showtimes. Getting individuals into and out of City Sq. (and even the Hub) is an operational nightmare, and it’ll take a very long time to navigate to/from Most important Avenue.
If you’re excited by Candlelight Processional at Disneyland, however not tenting out for a spot to view it, the processional does come down the parade route. Visitors who line the curb on Most important Avenue shortly earlier than the processional begins will likely be handled to one thing lovely and uniquely “Disneyland.” Whereas we don’t suggest tenting out for the present, we do suggest this. It’s a particular little second that you could get pleasure from with out almost the time dedication.
We did Candlelight Processional a few years in the past at Disneyland with Kurt Russell because the narrator, and we had been blown away. It’s a lavish manufacturing that’s splendidly offered, and it felt like an intimate expertise that most likely nonetheless bears so much in widespread with the 1958 version.
We far choose the Disneyland model to the best way it’s carried out at Epcot, however the distinction is that one has stayed true to its roots whereas the opposite has opted for a extra guest-friendly providing that tries to accommodate the excessive stage of demand for the present. It’s laborious to fault both model for his or her method, however it’s too dangerous that there’s not a possible means of getting one of the best of each worlds.
If you’re fortunate sufficient to be invited to attend Candlelight Processional at Disneyland, don’t go up the chance. It’s an extremely memorable expertise. Our solely suggestion can be to deal with it just like the lavish occasion that it’s: dress up, have a pleasant meal at Napa Rose or Carthay Circle Restaurant, after which get pleasure from Candlelight Processional at Disneyland. It’s excellent for a Date Nite at Disneyland!
Planning a Southern California trip? For park admission offers, learn Ideas for Saving Cash on Disneyland Tickets. Find out about on-site and off-site resorts in our Anaheim Lodge Opinions & Rankings. For the place to eat, try our Disneyland Restaurant Opinions. For distinctive concepts of issues that’ll enhance your journey, try What to Pack for Disney. For complete recommendation, seek the advice of our Disneyland Trip Planning Information. Lastly, for guides past Disney, try our Southern California Itineraries for day journeys to Los Angeles, Laguna Seashore, and plenty of different SoCal cities!
Your Ideas
Have you ever ever accomplished Candlelight Processional at Disneyland? Did you’ve reserved seats or did you camp out? What did you consider the expertise? Was it price it? Any suggestions so as to add? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation of Candlelight Processional at Disneyland? Any questions? Listening to your suggestions—even if you disagree with us—is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
