Disneyland’s Candlelight Processional happens two times nightly in early December. This submit provides 2024 dates & occasions for the display, viewing pointers, superstar narrator information, our evaluation and historical past of the development, which is held on the Primary Boulevard USA Educate Station throughout Christmas. (Up to date December 6, 2024.)
By contrast to Epcot’s Candlelight Processional performances which can be held dozens of occasions over the process the Christmas season in an outside theater, Disneyland’s Candlelight Processional is held 4 occasions, overall, and is an intimate affair. Additionally not like Epcot’s model, Disneyland’s Candlelight Processional is a mostly-private (we’ll get to what that suggests underneath) match.
The 45-minute display is a musical retelling of “The First Christmas” tale by way of track and scripture, that includes a mass choir as the center piece of the display. The Disneyland Symphony Orchestra, fanfare trumpets, hand bell ringers, and a star narrator sign up for the choir on this joyous vacation custom.
Disneyland’s Candlelight Processional can be hung on December 7 and eight, 2024 for invited visitors, Membership 33 contributors, and different VIP visitors with displays every night time at 5:30 pm and seven:45 p.m. Common park visitors also are ready to look the display from Primary Boulevard, which we quilt in with viewing suggestions underneath.
The narrator of the 2024 Candlelight Processional at Disneyland has now not but been introduced, and received’t be prematurely. Most often, the narrator is unknown till proper ahead of sound test on night time of the primary efficiency, with enthusiasts speculating about who it’ll be and rumors–in most cases unsuitable–circling previous to that.
That is being up to date on Friday, Dec. 6, ahead of the Saturday and Sunday performances of Candlelight Processional. As of this afternoon, there are 0 credible rumors about who the narrator can be.
The most efficient we will be able to provide you with are guesses, and we’ll move with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Alan Tudyk, and Auli’i Cravalho. In case you’ll be able to’t spot the commonality–they’re all from the solid of Moana 2. (Disney frequently pulls any individual from their largest film recently in theaters.) I suppose Ryan Reynolds is an opportunity, as Deadpool & Wolverine was once any other massive “Disney” film this 12 months!
If we pay attention the rest credible between now and the next day to come night time about who the narrator can be, we’ll replace this accordingly. So stay a watch posted right here or subscribe to our FREE electronic mail e-newsletter for instant signals and different Disney information.
Ultimate 12 months, Brie Larson was once the narrator of Candlelight Processional. That was once simplest discovered after studies of her being in Disneyland at the day of the primary Candlelight Processional. It wasn’t showed till a few hours ahead of the primary appearing started, when she seemed on level for a walk-through.
As intimated above, the narrator of Candlelight Processional at Disneyland is frequently a star showing in a Christmas season Disney, Wonder, Pixar, or Big name Wars film. Or any individual who just lately seemed in one of these movie. Those are the “contract legal responsibility” 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 not anything to advertise and is on no account a synergistic pick out. There are many examples of each all the way through the historical past of Candlelight Processional (extra in this underneath).
We visited Disneyland remaining 12 months throughout Candlelight Processional weekend however didn’t attend the performances.
As shared in Our Favourite Week of the 12 months at Disneyland, that is speedy changing into our favourite time to talk over with. It’s counter-intuitive since Candlelight Processional does building up congestion in portions of the park (extra on that underneath), however Candlelight Processional can in fact be an asset if what you’re doing and plan accordingly. Simply one thing to bear in mind for Christmas 2025 or 2026 while you’re fascinated with dates to talk over with–learn that submit for extra recommendation!
Now, let’s transfer on and canopy what happens throughout Candlelight Processional at Disneyland…
Those celebrities narrate the Christmas tale on the Primary Boulevard Educate Station whilst the Candlelight mass choir is sings gorgeous vacation songs. Disneyland’s Candlelight Processional has been a practice 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, which can be reserved for invited visitors. Those “invited visitors” are most often Disneyland VIPs, corresponding to Membership 33 contributors, media, and high-profile Disneyland visitors. We’ve got gotten numerous questions on the way to get seats for Candlelight Processional at Disneyland (that’s in fact our reason why for posting this), however the unlucky truth is that for those who don’t already understand how to get seats…you’ll be able to’t get seats.
There aren’t any dinner applications, no standby line for normal visitors, no price ticket lottery, nor any manner of changing into an invited visitor. On account of this, Disneyland does now not publicize the development. There are most often now not posts at the Parks Weblog, social media, or in different places till after the development. That’s why information on Disneyland’s Candlelight Processional is so scarce.
In spite of this, Candlelight Processional at Disneyland is held throughout park hours, and on the very entrance of Disneyland, the place it’s it seems that visual to visitors coming into the park. This, coupled with the small measurement of the reserved seating space, signifies that visitors who camp out in The town Sq. can get a just right view of the display. (Moreover, if there are empty seats, Disneyland every so often permits common park visitors to fill them–however no guarantees there.)
On the other hand–and this can be a massive on the other hand–it’s now not merely a loose for all up entrance. As a result of Disneyland is so busy those nights and seating/status spaces are in excessive call for, there are strictly-enforced barriers on the place you can’t stand or sit down to look at Candlelight Processional. In case you’re making an attempt to attend and watch in a thoroughfare, you are going to learn to transport in brief order by means of crowd keep an eye on Forged Individuals.
Some visitors camp on the perimeter of the reserved seating space for all of the day on Candlelight Processional days. We’ve rope-dropped Disneyland on at the present time, and as an alternative of racing to Peter Pan’s Flight and Area Mountain, we’ve noticed visitors racing to spaces on the fringe of the reserved seating space.
That is over the top, even by means of crazed-Disneyland fan requirements. We’re sharing this information so what you’re probably getting your self into must making a decision to camp out for Candlelight Processional. In equity, you’ll be able to most often display up “simplest” a few hours prematurely and nonetheless get a tight view of the level, but it surely’s now not going to be splendid.
On the other hand, don’t be expecting to be strolling by way of Primary Boulevard 10 mins ahead of Candlelight Processional begins and easily prevent to look at. It doesn’t paintings like that. There’s a great opportunity you received’t be allowed to forestall in The town Sq. even an hour ahead of Candlelight Processional starts.
Moreover, a few of the ones people who camp out early within the day will depart following the primary efficiency of Candlelight Processional, so for those who display up in opposition to the tip of this, you may be able to wiggle your approach into a greater place. Once more, no promises, as maximum visitors who camp out all day will keep for each displays.
One phrase of caution: Candlelight Processional is hung on two busy weekend nights throughout the Christmas season, which is already a hectic time of 12 months at Disneyland. On the entrance of the park. Which means that the gang in The town Sq. is mainly a stressed mob by the point Candlelight Processional rolls round, packed into the general public spaces like sardines. We’d simplest suggest this to locals with a surplus of time.
In case you’re vacationing at Disneyland, this isn’t a just right use of your time. Additionally, for those who’re vacationing at Disneyland throughout the Christmas season and can be visiting the park throughout both of at the present time however aren’t serious about Candlelight Processional, keep away from the entrance of the park ahead of, throughout, and in a while after the showtimes. Getting folks into and out of The town Sq. (or even the Hub) is an operational nightmare, and it is going to take a very long time to navigate to/from Primary Boulevard.
If you have an interest in Candlelight Processional at Disneyland, however now not tenting out for a place to view it, the processional does come down the parade path. Visitors who line the curb on Primary Boulevard in a while ahead of the processional begins can be handled to one thing gorgeous and uniquely “Disneyland.” Whilst we don’t suggest tenting out for the display, we do suggest this. It’s a distinct little second that you’ll be able to experience with out just about the time dedication.
We did Candlelight Processional a few years in the past at Disneyland with Kurt Russell because the narrator, and we have been blown away. It’s a lavish manufacturing this is splendidly offered, and it felt like an intimate enjoy that almost definitely nonetheless bears so much in commonplace with the 1958 version.
We a long way choose the Disneyland model to how it’s carried out at Epcot, however the distinction is that one has stayed true to its roots whilst the opposite has opted for a extra guest-friendly providing that tries to deal with the excessive degree of call for for the display. It’s onerous to fault both model for his or her way, however it’s too unhealthy that there’s now not a possible approach of getting the most efficient of each worlds.
If you’re fortunate sufficient to be invited to wait Candlelight Processional at Disneyland, don’t cross up the chance. It’s a shockingly memorable enjoy. Our simplest advice could be to regard it just like the lavish match that it’s: dress up, have a pleasant meal at Napa Rose or Carthay Circle Eating place, after which experience Candlelight Processional at Disneyland. It’s best for a Date Nite at Disneyland!
Making plans a Southern California holiday? For park admission offers, learn Guidelines for Saving Cash on Disneyland Tickets. Find out about on-site and off-site resorts in our Anaheim Lodge Evaluations & Ratings. For the place to consume, take a look at our Disneyland Eating place Evaluations. For distinctive concepts of items that’ll give a boost to your shuttle, take a look at What to Pack for Disney. For complete recommendation, seek the advice of our Disneyland Holiday Making plans Information. After all, for guides past Disney, take a look at our Southern California Itineraries for day journeys to Los Angeles, Laguna Seashore, and plenty of different SoCal towns!
Your Ideas
Have you ever ever performed Candlelight Processional at Disneyland? Did you may have reserved seats or did you camp out? What did you recall to mind the enjoy? Was once it price it? Any pointers so as to add? Do you settle or disagree with our overview of Candlelight Processional at Disneyland? Any questions? Listening to your comments—even while you disagree with us—is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please percentage your ideas underneath within the feedback!
