Disneyland’s Candlelight Processional happens twice nightly in early December. This publish presents 2024 dates & instances for the present, viewing ideas, movie star narrator data, our assessment and historical past of the occasion, which is held on the Principal Road USA Practice Station throughout Christmas. (Up to date December 7, 2024.)
In distinction to Epcot’s Candlelight Processional performances which are held dozens of instances over the course of the Christmas season in an out of doors theater, Disneyland’s Candlelight Processional is held 4 instances, 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 meaning beneath) occasion.
The 45-minute present is a musical retelling of “The First Christmas” story by means 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 celeb narrator be a 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 company, Membership 33 members, and different VIP company with exhibits every night time at 5:30 pm and seven:45 p.m. Common park company are additionally in a position to see the present from Principal Road, which we cowl in with viewing suggestions beneath.
The narrator of the Candlelight Processional at Disneyland just isn’t introduced upfront. Often, the narrator is unknown till proper earlier than sound examine on night time of the primary efficiency, with followers speculating about who it’ll be and rumors–normally incorrect–circling previous to that.
UPDATE: We now know who the narrator will likely be. It was Agatha, all alongside…
The 2024 movie star narrator of Candlelight Processional at Disneyland is Kathryn Hahn. She’s at present one among Disney’s high-profile celebrities after this Halloween’s hit Disney+ Marvel unique sequence, “Agatha All Alongside.” The sequence was a derivative from “WandaVision,” the place Kathryn Hahn first appeared as Agatha Harkness. She (Agatha, not Hahn) additionally appeared at this yr’s Oogie Boogie Bash, subsequent door at Disney California Journey (pictured above).
Disneyland did not announce that Kathryn Hahn is the narrator of Candlelight Processional–she merely materialized for rehearsals after which the primary presentation of Candlelight. It’s all the time attainable that there’s a unique narrator on Sunday night time, however that’s extremely unlikely. The precedent is for a similar narrator each nights. So anticipate to see Kathryn Hahn reprise her function as host tomorrow.
Previous to this, we (incorrectly) guessed that the 2024 Candlelight Processional narrator could be Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Alan Tudyk, or Auli’i Cravalho. In case you possibly can’t spot the commonality–they’re all from the forged of Moana 2. (Disney usually pulls somebody from their largest film at present in theaters.) I suppose Ryan Reynolds is a risk, as Deadpool & Wolverine was one other enormous “Disney” film this yr!
Final yr, Brie Larson was the narrator of Candlelight Processional. That was solely realized after stories 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 celeb showing in a Christmas season Disney, Marvel, Pixar, or Star Wars film. Or somebody who just lately 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 instances, the Candlelight Processional narrator is just 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 12 months at Disneyland, that is quick changing into our favourite time to go to. It’s counter-intuitive since Candlelight Processional does improve congestion in elements of the park (extra on that beneath), however Candlelight Processional can really be an asset if you understand what you’re doing and plan accordingly. Simply one thing to bear in mind for Christmas 2025 or 2026 while you’re fascinated about dates to go to–learn that publish 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 Principal Road Practice Station whereas the Candlelight mass choir is sings lovely 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 Ok. Brown, and James Earl Jones being previous narrators.
Disneyland units up seats for Candlelight Processional, that are reserved for invited company. These “invited company” are sometimes Disneyland VIPs, similar to Membership 33 members, media, and high-profile Disneyland company. We’ve got gotten plenty of questions on tips on how to get seats for Candlelight Processional at Disneyland (that’s really our cause for posting this), however the unlucky actuality is that for those who don’t already know tips on how to get seats…you possibly can’t get seats.
There are not any dinner packages, no standby line for normal company, 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 company coming into the park. This, coupled with the small measurement of the reserved seating space, signifies that company who camp out in City Sq. can get view of the present. (Moreover, if there are empty seats, Disneyland typically permits common park company 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 not stand or sit to look at Candlelight Processional. When you’re making an attempt to attend and watch in a thoroughfare, you may be advised to maneuver briefly order by crowd management Forged Members.
Some company camp on the perimeter of the reserved seating space for your complete day on Candlelight Processional days. We’ve rope-dropped Disneyland on nowadays, and as a substitute of racing to Peter Pan’s Flight and Area Mountain, we’ve seen company 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 understand what you’re doubtlessly getting your self into must you resolve to camp out for Candlelight Processional. In equity, you possibly can sometimes present up “solely” a few hours upfront and nonetheless get an honest view of the stage, however it’s not going to be very best.
Nonetheless, don’t anticipate to be strolling by means of Principal Road 10 minutes earlier than Candlelight Processional begins and easily cease to look at. It doesn’t work like that. There’s probability you gained’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 for those who present up in the direction of the tip of this, you would possibly be capable of wiggle your method into a greater place. Once more, no ensures, as most company who camp out all day will keep for each exhibits.
One phrase of warning: Candlelight Processional is held on two busy weekend nights in the course of 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 might solely suggest this to locals with a surplus of time.
When you’re vacationing at Disneyland, this isn’t use of your time. Furthermore, for those who’re vacationing at Disneyland in the course of the Christmas season and will likely be visiting the park throughout both of nowadays however aren’t all in favour of Candlelight Processional, keep away from the entrance of the park earlier than, throughout, and shortly after the showtimes. Getting folks 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 Principal Road.
In case you are all in favour of Candlelight Processional at Disneyland, however not tenting out for a spot to view it, the processional does come down the parade route. Company who line the curb on Principal Road 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 would be able to take pleasure in 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 have been blown away. It’s a lavish manufacturing that’s splendidly introduced, and it felt like an intimate expertise that most likely nonetheless bears quite a bit 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 degree of demand for the present. It’s onerous to fault both model for his or her strategy, however it’s too unhealthy that there’s not a possible method of getting the perfect of each worlds.
In case you are 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 could 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 take pleasure in Candlelight Processional at Disneyland. It’s excellent for a Date Nite at Disneyland!
Planning a Southern California trip? For park admission offers, learn Suggestions for Saving Cash on Disneyland Tickets. Study on-site and off-site accommodations in our Anaheim Lodge Opinions & Rankings. For the place to eat, take a look at our Disneyland Restaurant Opinions. For distinctive concepts of issues that’ll enhance your journey, take a look at What to Pack for Disney. For complete recommendation, seek the advice of our Disneyland Trip Planning Information. Lastly, for guides past Disney, take a look at our Southern California Itineraries for day journeys to Los Angeles, Laguna Seaside, and lots of different SoCal cities!
Your Ideas
Have you ever ever finished Candlelight Processional at Disneyland? Did you’ve gotten reserved seats or did you camp out? What did you consider the expertise? Was it value it? Any ideas so as to add? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation of Candlelight Processional at Disneyland? Any questions? Listening to your suggestions—even while you disagree with us—is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
