Candlelight Processional

[Mystic]

My mom and I are planning our next WDW vacation for November 29 - December 6, 2006 and are trying to get everything sorted this year so that we're ready to get everything together next year. I've already noted when the tickets for Mickey's Christmas Party go on sale and I've noticed the days of the week tend to be fairly standard so we've already worked that into our itinerary. My question is this. How do I go about getting a dinner and show package for the Candlelight Processional? Do I just call the Disney Dine Line when the dates/narrorators are announced and book it that way or do I have to call a different number? I realize that my trip is a year and a half away but I like to have everything sorted before I have to call and make reservations/order tickets. Also what are the crowd levels like at this time of year? We were there just before Thanksgiving last year and it was really busy, they even opened MK up until Midnight every night. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[mousermerf]

They may have a seperate number, I think they usually do, like how Food and Wine is 407-WDW-FEST, but it goes to the same people as dining.

The first week of december is usually dead. News for you: Christmas Parade at MK tapes nov. 29th through the 5th. The parade parts and show on the castle stage tend to be during whatever days are a weekend (and they end up crowded when locals find out - free concert!) with the regis/kelly narration and other on the street segments taped the other days.

 

[A "Ghost" Host]

OHH! OHH! My school's Chorus department does that every year!! Look for The Osceola County School for the Arts!!!!

 

[Mystic]

Thanks for the info MouseMerf. My trip is over a year away and I'm already planning everything out. I can't wait. Christmas is my absolute favourite time of year and what better place to be then WDW during the Christmas season.

 

[swimmom]

If I am not mistaken the dinner tickets go on sale the end of August each year. Also they list the tentative narrators at that time. Here's a link with the 2004 Candlelight Processional information that will probably be updated by the end of August. We went last year and plan on going again this year!
http://www.allearsnet.com/tp/h_cpfaq.htm

 

[hcswingfield]

They may have a seperate number, I think they usually do, like how Food and Wine is 407-WDW-FEST, but it goes to the same people as dining.

The first week of december is usually dead. News for you: Christmas Parade at MK tapes nov. 29th through the 5th. The parade parts and show on the castle stage tend to be during whatever days are a weekend (and they end up crowded when locals find out - free concert!) with the regis/kelly narration and other on the street segments taped the other days.

It has been my experience that even when everything else is pretty empty, the candlelight processional and the whole world showcase gets pretty full. dinner reservations become hard to come by, because of all the people going to the processional. A lot of that is the families of the local choir members, and fans of whoever the narrator might be that night. Book as soon as you can!

 

[lscott933]

last year they went on sale the first week of sept. last year the first week of december was packed. it depends on when the pop warner football stuff is taking place there. too. it was the end of the first week and all of the second week. but i call about two months before time to get my dinner rev for the candlelight dinner. i am planning on going the weekend after thankgiving this year.

 

[hcswingfield]

My personal favorite show for getting into the holiday spirit is the Voices of America at the USA pavillion in World Showcase. They do a really lovely job with the Christmas songs, and the different casts do different shows. I try to see them at least twice when I am there in December, so I can catch both casts.

 

[Lionking]

Last year I made my dinner package reservstions with the regular disney dine line I did not have to call any special number. The when we got to our resort we were able to pick up our tickets for the event. If you have more question I will try to answer them

 

[Gucci65]

Same here. I just dialed (407) WDISNEY and punched the number in for dining. No problems, no shutouts.

Enjoy!!

 

[ssidiouss@mac.c]

What about if you don't do the dinner package?

If the processional starts at 8:15pm and we get in line at 7pm.. a full hour and 15 minutes early.. do you think we'll get a seat?

 

[KaliSplash]

We did the package last year. One important thing to do. Pick up your package ticket early and get to your seat ASAP.

We picked up our ticket package there at the American Adventure about 30 minutes before showtime and while we did get a seat in the reserved location, it was NOT a wonderful seat. It's first-come, first-seated in the reserved section.

As to getting a seat for an 8:15 show by getting in the regular line at 7, it would have worked last year in late December (12/28 or 12/29 if I remember correctly.) That obviously depend on the crowd any given day. In any event, you can stand outside and see and hear, albeit from far away, even if you don't get a seat.

 

[swimmom]

And not all the seats up front are good. We sat in the 4th row to one side. We would have had a better view from the center even if it was farther back.

 

[Mystic]

Last year I made my dinner package reservstions with the regular disney dine line I did not have to call any special number. The when we got to our resort we were able to pick up our tickets for the event. If you have more question I will try to answer them

So we'd be able to pick up our tickets when we checked in at our hotel? I know you can pick them up at EPCOT guest services but it would make it so much easier for us if we could pick them up at our hotel as we were planning on being in AK that day and then heading over to EPCOT for dinner and the Processional and if we can pick them up at our Resort then we can take the back entrance into World Showcase by catching a bus to the Beach Club instead of the EPCOT Main Entrance. I realize my trip is a long way off yet but I like to know as much as I can well before I go.

 

[swimmom]

So we'd be able to pick up our tickets when we checked in at our hotel? I know you can pick them up at EPCOT guest services but it would make it so much easier for us if we could pick them up at our hotel as we were planning on being in AK that day and then heading over to EPCOT for dinner and the Processional and if we can pick them up at our Resort then we can take the back entrance into World Showcase by catching a bus to the Beach Club instead of the EPCOT Main Entrance. I realize my trip is a long way off yet but I like to know as much as I can well before I go.

Last year when we checked into WL, the cast member checking us in saw that we had candlelight procesisonal dinner reservations and told us that we could pick up our tickets at guest services at the hotel. I picked them up that day for our reservation that was three days away. However, guest services informed us that the tickets could not be replaced under any circumstances, which is completely understandable.

And I know exactly how you feel. Last year was our first trip in December and I wanted to know everything there was to know about all the special events. We loved it so much, we're going back again this December! :xmas:

 

[Mystic]

Thanks Swimmom. We always stay at the Lodge so knowing we can pick up the tickets when we check in is great. We pick up our Hoop-Dee-Doo tickets when we check in so we can just pick them both up together and it will make it easier for us to get to our dinner if we don't have to go the EPCOT Main Entrance. We're thinking of eating in Italy for the Candlelight Processional so if we can enter at the International Gateway it will be much easier for us to get to dinner.

We were down there last year for 8 days and left the day before Thanksgiving and they we're still decorating everything. Christmas is my favourite time of year so being down in my favourite place is something I've always wanted to experience. The Lodge was so inviting with all the decorations and the roaring fire. It's welcoming anytime of year but there was a different feel in the air with all the decorations and the carols playing in the background.

 

[swimmom]

I know what you mean about WL! Since December is so umpredictable, I wasn't able to pack enough shorts and jeans for all of us for the entire trip, so I had do do some laundry during our visit. The night I did laundry, we got back to WL sometime around 11:00 or 12:00 so I was finishing about 1:00 a.m. It was really cool walking through the lobby with all the decorations & music playing all to myself.

 

[Dwarful]

Last year we did a grand gathering of 12 for all newbie WDW Christmas visitors! we did not get the dinner package for CP but were able to wait about an hour or so and got seats w/o problems for Gary S. it was incredible and we can't wait to go back

 

[JPVonDrake]

Let me help some here...


Last year's Candlelight Processional Dinner Packages were availiable to book starting 9/20/04. Expect a simular date this year. As attendance is higher this year then past years, you will want to book as soon as the Packages are availiable. For example over 50 % of the Food & Wine Events for this year were sold out by 4 pm on the day they went on sale, expect the same for Candlelight. I will be happy to post this year's information once dates and narrators are officially released.

:sohappy: :xmas:

 

[mousermerf]

Let me help some here...


Last year's Candlelight Processional Dinner Packages were availiable to book starting 9/20/04. Expect a simular date this year. As attendance is higher this year then past years, you will want to book as soon as the Packages are availiable. For example over 50 % of the Food & Wine Events for this year were sold out by 4 pm on the day they went on sale, expect the same for Candlelight. I will be happy to post this year's information once dates and narrators are officially released.

:sohappy: :xmas:

Umm, not quite *patpats the nice Mr. Drake who happens to be a little off this time*

Candlelight seats roughly 400-500 people in the theater for each showing (depending on if they want to sell out the show or just take a majroity of the seats for ressies, last year it was every seat)

With 3 shows a night, and the entire event going on sale at once, only the busiest days will sell out right away. Those 2-3 days aside, that still leaves bazillions of ressies for other shows.

The restaurants are another story - each dedicates certain tables, at certain times, for each show. Can't get the time you want to eat? Try another restaurant, it has nothing to do with the restaurants actual avialability for a given night.

Info should be published soon on disneyworld.com about Holidays Around the World and that should included Candlelight. It begins booking in the not so distant future, though a public announcement hasn't been made yet.