Unwrapping a Disney holiday tradition, the Candlelight Processional
A beloved holiday tradition returns to Walt Disney World on Friday, the Candlelight Processional at EPCOT.
Each year, guests look forward to the live, celebrity-narrated retelling of the Christmas story accompanied by a 180-member choir, Voices of Liberty vocalists, a 50-piece orchestra, and herald trumpeters.
"It has become a part of so many of our guests’ special traditions, holiday traditions this time of year,” David Duffy, vice president of Live Entertainment at Walt Disney World, told Paste BN. “For our cast members, it's the same thing. They love performing in it year after year and having the chance to share the story of Christmas and to share the beautiful music of Christmas with the guests.”
Here’s what’s so special about the Candlelight Processional.
A family affair
For years, Michael Wallace would watch the Candlelight Processional with his family.
“We would come and be in the audience like I want to be up there one day,” he told Paste BN before a dress rehearsal late Monday. “When the opportunity came, I jumped on it.”
He and his wife Sandi, who both work for Disney, started singing with the choir in 2009 when their son Parker was still in grade school.
“When they would drive me to school, pick me up, I would listen to them rehearse these songs, so I kind of grew to know them and love the show,” Parker recalled.
A few years ago, Parker also started working for Disney and got to join his parents on stage. Any Disney cast member may audition for the Candlelight Processional.
"We’ve got bus drivers and managers and your servers at the restaurant you went to earlier that day and the people you never get to see, people like us that work in office buildings,” Parker said.
Roughly 1,500 cast members are selected, with only a fraction performing in each show, voluntarily after hours.
On some nights, Parker and Michael get to stand next to each other on stage, which is an extra treat. This is their third year performing all together.
“Each year that we've done it recently has meant even more to me. And I don't know if it's because Parker's been singing with us or just because of the state of the world right now, but it's just this glorious 35, 40 minutes where a couple thousand people who don't know each other, who probably don't believe all the same things, are sitting there and just being part of the magic of Christmas,” Sandi said.
“You will not leave the audience the same way. You'll be moved,” Michael added.
When did the Candlelight Processional start?
The Candlelight Processional originated at Disneyland in 1958.
“Walt was really looking for special ways to celebrate the holidays at Disneyland and wanted to embrace the community of Anaheim and Southern California,” Duffy said. “And then when Walt Disney World opened in 1971, it was one of the great traditions they brought from Disneyland to Walt Disney World.”
When did Candlelight Processional move to EPCOT?
Disney World’s Candlelight Processional moved from Magic Kingdom to EPCOT in 1994.
“When it was just at the Magic Kingdom, it was just a couple of evenings in December as a special celebration. This really opened it up to all of the guests,” Duffy said.
What's the difference between Disneyland and Disney World’s Candlelight Processionals?
Duffy, who previously worked on Disneyland’s show, said the cores are very similar: “the telling of the story, the music, many of the arrangements are exactly the same coast to coast, so that part will resonate and feel very familiar, but sort of the experience of the show would be very different.”
He noted Disneyland’s show only runs two nights and is more of a community outreach and appreciation event.
“It has kind of a very specific, targeted audience, even though guests can gather around Town Square and watch,” he explained. “What's very different for us is we've created a much more inclusive show by having the 32 nights and three performances an evening, a place to sit down and watch the show, which isn't always possible at Disneyland.”
Is EPCOT Candlelight Processional free?
The show is included with park admission.
One-day, one-park tickets to EPCOT start at $159 for guests over age 9 during the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays.
Is the Candlelight Processional at EPCOT religious?
“The core is the retelling of the traditional Christmas story, as we say in verse and in song, and verse doesn't change a lot,” Duffy said with a chuckle, referring to the biblical passages.
However, the show also incorporates universal themes of love and empathy.
“As we wrap up the show each evening, we like to let our celebrity host share a message, kind of from their own heart, about inclusivity in this time of year and the importance that we all feel about peace and joy being spread around the world,” he added. “We need that message every year, no matter what may be happening in the world.”
Duffy also noted that the Candlelight Processional is part of the larger EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays, which celebrates an array of holidays and traditions.
What time is the Candlelight Processional at EPCOT?
Shows are held at 5 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. nightly from Nov. 29 through Dec. 30 in EPCOT’s America Gardens Theatre, across from the American Adventure Pavillion.
Guests should plan to arrive early because seats fill up. Those who want to guarantee a spot can buy a Candlelight Dinner package, starting at $48 for adults at participating EPCOT restaurants.
“But the great thing is, with three shows a night, there's really lots of opportunities to enjoy the performance,” Duffy said.
Who are the narrators for Candlelight 2024?
◾ 11/29 – 11/30 Josh Gad
◾ 12/1 – 12/2 Nico Santos (New)
◾ 12/3 –12/5 Chrissy Metz
◾ 12/6 – 12/7 Whoopi Goldberg
◾ 12/8 – 12/10 Tituss Burgess (New)
◾ 12/11 – 12/12 Brendan Fraser
◾ 12/13 – 12/14 Ralph Macchio (New)
◾ 12/15 – 12/16 Gary Sinise
◾ 12/17 – 12/18 Neil Patrick Harris
◾ 12/19 – 12/21 Pat Sajak
◾ 12/22 – 12/23 Gloria Estefan
◾ 12/24 – 12/26 Edward James Olmos
◾ 12/27 – 12/28 Sterling K. Brown
◾ 12/29 – 12/30 Jodi Benson
“We have a great assortment of celebrity narrators from every discipline, recording artists and Broadway, Disney movies, TV shows, really pulling from a lot of different places,” Duffy said. While they’re always looking for new voices, they welcome back narrators like Neil Patrick Harris, who love being part of the show. "It has absolutely become a part of their holiday traditions, as well.”