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One of the holiday features at Disney World is the Candlelight
Processional at Epcot. Have you attended the Candlelight Processional
in the past? If so what did you think of this performance and would
you recommend it?What celebrity narrator did you see at this event?
Would you recommend the dinner package to get preferred seating
at the Candlelight Processional? What has been your experience with
the dinner package if you got it?
Answers posted to the list:
We have attended this ceremony 2 or 3 times actually seated in
the audience, and several times just standing out in back trying
to see in. Usually we are sitting at an umbrella table outside of
American Adventure restaurant. There we eat and enjoy the wonderful
holiday music. I would highly recommend the processional. It is
a beautifully spiritual experience, whether you are religious or
not, whether you are Christian, Jew, Buddist, whatever. I think
it draws everyone in with it's beautiful music and voices, and you
can feel the spirit of the season whoever you are. We never do the
dinner package, we just got in line early for whichever show we
wanted to attend, early or later. The dinner package is probably
a very nice way to go; we may try that sometime also. One of the
fun things about the show is you get to see some celebrities narrate.
We have seen people such as George Hamilton, Barbara Eden, Phylisia
Rhasad, Robby Benson, Billie Dee Williams, and Garry Sinese. (My
spelling is probably wrong here) There may have been a couple more
I'm forgetting, but it's been a nice event to see each time we go
to Disney during the Christmas Season.
Kathy
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-- We have done Candlelight every year at least once since we first
discovered it in about 1999. It is absolutely without a doubt my
very favorite thing at any Disney park! So imagine how excited I
was when the guy who WROTE Candlelight (arrianged the music) was
hired to be our church choir director! So last year, in one of the
highlights of my LIFE, I got to PERFORM Candlelight! OK, I'm gushing
a little here... Um, we've seen Robby Benson, Wayne Brady, I can't
really remember all of the narrators... We did the package last
year and really enjoyed it. Ate at Le Cellier-- one of the best
meals of my life! I'm not sure if we'll do the package again this
year or just go see it (maybe 2 or 3 times).
Grace
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-- We have gone several times. Our narrators were Cindy Williams,
Jodi Benson (the voice of Ariel), Gary Sinese and James Avery (who
was wonderful, he was probably the best of all). I think we did
the dinner package each time - we ate at the French restaurant,
but were very hurried and nearly didn't get it. We ate at Le Cellier
after the CP and missed Illuminations. We ate at Teppanyaki and
it was very nice. We had a great dinner and had plenty of time to
get in line. Last time we went on Christmas Eve and just about only
the dinner package people got in. It was a rainy day and they wound
up cancelling the later shows because of the torrential downfall.
Deborah
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-- We've seen it twice; both times it was wonderful! First narrator
was Robert Guilleaume (sp?), and second, just this past Christmas,
was Robby Benson. (Unfortunately, in the years between, they seem
to have done away with the handbell choir, which was a highlight
of the Candlelight Processional for me.) We find the dinner package
to be a good deal for us and have had great seats. We have booked
the first CP performance and dinner later, so we don't have to worry
about rushing through dinner to get to the CP. I Absolutely do recommend
seeing the CP, with or without the dinner package, if you're in
Epcot around Christmas.
Chris
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-- We have attended CAndelight every year since its inception,a
nd have had the dinner package every year also. Our first few years
we visited early December and just planned a night at Candelight.
The last 3 we were there for Christmas so we did it on Christmas
Night. We have seen many hosts the most memorable were Wayne Brady
and Gary Sinese, last year. Candelight is a good value, and the
resrved seating isa plus also. I do wish they would bring back the
15% shopping Discount!
Dennis
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-- I'm mostly a lurker, but I had to respond to this question!
Our family absolutely loves the Candlelight Processional, I think
it's our favorite of all of the special holiday festivities. We've
seen Wayne Brady and last year we saw Miss America. (I can't remember
her name right now.) We've booked the dinner package both times,
and have eaten dinner at LeCellier around 4 pm so we can catch the
last Candlelight performance, and then still have time to find a
spot for Illuminations. I would recommend the dinner package, I
think we've definitely gotten our money's worth out of it, and I
like knowing we'll have a reserved seat waiting for us. The music,
the singing, and the reading of the Christmas story literally give
me chills at times! It's a beautiful show, and I would recommend
everyone see it at least once.
Tracy
-----
-- I've seen it twice. Once we were walking around World Showcase
and timed it for the start of one of the shows. So we stood in the
back and watched and listened. The narrator was Robert Urich. He
did a very good job. Last year I went and did the dinner thing -
ate at Le Cellier, which is a favorite of mine. I would definitely
do this again. I thought I got a great value for the price of the
ticket and the food I ate. I think it depends on the night and how
late into the season you go whether you really need the package
or not. I personally would not want to wait in the stand by line.
People get there early and to me it's a waste of valuable time.
You do have to stand in a line to get in even if you do the dinner
package but it's not as long and as long as you aren't arriving
at the last minute, you can get a really good seat. My narrator
last year was Stephen Curtis Chapman. He did a good job but not
my idea of an outstanding voice to read the story. I've got the
CD and enjoy it with Phylicia Rashad. Of course the ultimate voice
is James Earl Jones or maybe David Ogden Stiers.
Pam
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-- We do the dinner package for the CP, too and our favorite places
to eat are the Rose and Crown and LeCellier. The food is wonderful!
Up until about 5 years ago we didn't feel it necessary to do the
dinner package...but back them the wait wasn't more than 45 minutes.
Another thing we do on another night, is get ourselves a hot chocolate
and sit outside the American Gardens Theater and listen...the music
is so beautiful we could sit there over and over and over just listening
to it. We love Gary Sinese, Edward James Olmos, and Robby Benson.
Maggie
-----
-- Unfortunately we've only attended the CP once about two years
ago. We did the dinner package (Nine Dragons which was good). When
we attened the performance Philisha Rashad was the narrator, who
did a wonderful job. We go to Disney every year early December but
I can't seem to get my husband to stand in the line to see the performance
again. Luckily, I bought the CD which has Ms. Rashad as the narrator
so I listen to it often throughout the year, and I almost feel like
I'm there in person. The music is wonderful (I am amazed that most
of the performers are high school students), when you have the dinner
package you get great seats, and the presentation of the Christmas
Story helps to keep me grounded/focused for the holidays on why
we actually celebrate the holidays. If I ever do get my husband
to see the show for a second time we will definitely do the dinner
package (but do a different restaurant) so that we don't have to
wait in the other line (which every time we've passed it has been
EXTREMELY long). Whether you do the dinner package or not, this
is definitely something you don't want to miss when you're in Epcot
during the holidays.
Goofymom
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