Candlelight Processional Dining

[Mal]

Just a quick question, more for reassurance than anything. I am smack in the middle of a week of booking ADRs for our December trip. (We haven't booked our room yet because we're waiting on the winter discounts, so I'm up every morning at 4:55am CST which is so fun.) Today was my day to book our dinner for our Epcot day, and since the Candlelight Processional Dining Package isn't available yet, I went ahead and booked the restaurant we wanted (Via Napoli) for the window we want to be in for the Candlelight Processional. We want to do the 8:15pm, so according to the window we needed to have our ADR between 5pm - 6pm, so I got a table at 5:25pm.

Am I correct in thinking that as soon as they open up Candlelight Processional Dining Packages, I can call the WDW Dining line and just have them update our reservation to that? I just didn't want to not book anything and then even when the package is released, there not be a table available. Does anybody have prior experience with this?

 

[sxeensweet]

Just a quick question, more for reassurance than anything. I am smack in the middle of a week of booking ADRs for our December trip. (We haven't booked our room yet because we're waiting on the winter discounts, so I'm up every morning at 4:55am CST which is so fun.) Today was my day to book our dinner for our Epcot day, and since the Candlelight Processional Dining Package isn't available yet, I went ahead and booked the restaurant we wanted (Via Napoli) for the window we want to be in for the Candlelight Processional. We want to do the 8:15pm, so according to the window we needed to have our ADR between 5pm - 6pm, so I got a table at 5:25pm.

Am I correct in thinking that as soon as they open up Candlelight Processional Dining Packages, I can call the WDW Dining line and just have them update our reservation to that? I just didn't want to not book anything and then even when the package is released, there not be a table available. Does anybody have prior experience with this?

No they can't just change your regular reservation to a CP package they actually have to have a CP package slot/table available. Only so many tables at each restaurant are held for CP packages. They don't pull from the regular dining tables available. So it is no guarantee you will get a spot for CP just because you have a regular table booked already.

 

[71dsp]

No they can't just change your regular reservation to a CP package they actually have to have a CP package slot/table available. Only so many tables at each restaurant are held for CP packages. They don't pull from the regular dining tables available. So it is no guarantee you will get a spot for CP just because you have a regular table booked already.

Exactly. We've been through this exact thing before. Messed up our timing (didn't pay close enough attention to when CP ADRs were released), so we ended up having to change restaurants to get the CP package even though we had ADRs already (non-CP) at the restaurant that was our first choice.

 

[cslafferty]

A side note - December discounts are part of the fall promotions, which have already been announced. We are going Dec. 11-17 with free dining.

 

[Mal]

Ahhhh, that makes sense. I'll have to make sure I pay attention closely to when the CP packages get announced then. Thanks for the heads up!

I saw that free dining for December is out, but not just plain old room discounts. For it just being my roommate and me, the room only discount is a better savings.

 

[Jess G]

A side note - December discounts are part of the fall promotions, which have already been announced. We are going Dec. 11-17 with free dining.

I'll be there 10-17!!

 

[21stamps]

Ahhhh, that makes sense. I'll have to make sure I pay attention closely to when the CP packages get announced then. Thanks for the heads up!

I saw that free dining for December is out, but not just plain old room discounts. For it just being my roommate and me, the room only discount is a better savings.

Me too. Last year a room only discount saved me @ $1k over taking free dining, and that $1k is after adding the DDP myself.
I'm going 11/25- I know that no discounts will be available for those dates so booked the Swan. But then we are returning 12/3-12/7 at CR- still hoping that a discount comes out. I'm not overly optimistic though. The monorail resorts all seem to be sold out or close to sold out that week, so I don't know why they would put out a promotion.

11/25 is our CP night, didn't book a dining reservation yet- hoping to get Garden Grill when packages get released.

 

[cslafferty]

I know the first week in December is part of their fall rates, which is already cheaper because it's a slower time. The rates increase the following week, which is when free dining kicks in. I had to weigh the cheaper rates/no dining vs higher rates/free dining, and it was kind of a wash - until we also took into consideration the Pop Warner football/cheer kids during the first week. Free dining won!

 

[alh]

Like many of you I've been booking my ADR for December. Does anyone have any idea when the Candlelight Processional Packages will be available? I already have my Fantasmic Dining Package but I'm keen to get a Rivers of Light dining package too. Is there anyway we can get alerts?
Many thanks

 

[sxeensweet]

Like many of you I've been booking my ADR for December. Does anyone have any idea when the Candlelight Processional Packages will be available? I already have my Fantasmic Dining Package but I'm keen to get a Rivers of Light dining package too. Is there anyway we can get alerts?
Many thanks

No way to get alerts(well you can put to get alerts when new threads open On here which it will have a news thread about it once released), but historically the CP packages are released in July. They will post on here as soon as they are available to book so just keep an eye out.

 

[21stamps]

I know the first week in December is part of their fall rates, which is already cheaper because it's a slower time. The rates increase the following week, which is when free dining kicks in. I had to weigh the cheaper rates/no dining vs higher rates/free dining, and it was kind of a wash - until we also took into consideration the Pop Warner football/cheer kids during the first week. Free dining won!

My dates are set in stone because of our cruise, but I will be there during Thanksgiving and Pop Warner week. From my understanding this doesn't have any impact on the parks at all..did you notice a difference?

 

[sxeensweet]

My dates are set in stone because of our cruise, but I will be there during Thanksgiving and Pop Warner week. From my understanding this doesn't have any impact on the parks at all..did you notice a difference?

I never noticed the parks being affected from Pop Warner and we have been those weeks many times. They mainly effect the values resorts and some moderate resorts where they stay. They are attending events all day so usually don't venture to the parks until the evening but still never thought it really affected the crowds much at all.

 

[cslafferty]

In the evenings you will see large groups of kids in the parks. And, yes, they mostly stay at the All Star resorts and I think one mod.

 

[21stamps]

I never noticed the parks being affected from Pop Warner and we have been those weeks many times. They mainly effect the values resorts and some moderate resorts where they stay. They are attending events all day so usually don't venture to the parks until the evening but still never thought it really affected the crowds much at all.

In the evenings you will see large groups of kids in the parks. And, yes, they mostly stay at the All Star resorts and I think one mod.

Ok awesome. We are staying at the contemporary so shouldn't impact us. Both of our MK days are party days, one we will be attending the party and the other leaving before 7, so hopefully won't catch those extra crowds on those days.

 

[sxeensweet]

Ok awesome. We are staying at the contemporary so shouldn't impact us. Both of our MK days are party days, one we will be attending the party and the other leaving before 7, so hopefully won't catch those extra crowds on those days.

You should be fine as most likely they won't be going to the party either. Also even in the evenings it really was nothing we noticed but a few groups here and the and they were well behaved.