The Candlelight Ceremony and Processional at Disneyland is an annual tradition that dates back to almost to the beginning of Disneyland itself. Through the years, as the story of the original Christmas is told, celebrity guests have joined a mass choir and orchestra for this special event. This year, the Disneyland Resort has confirmed the dates for the Candlelight Ceremony. It will be taking place on Saturday, December 7th and Sunday, December 8th in front of the Main Street Station in Town Square. The news comes through the OC Register.
If this year is like most years, it will include the mass candlelight choir processing to the stage that is set up in Town Square on the front of the Main Street Station. This will happen twice a night. A surprise celebrity narrator will join the choir along with handbells, fanfare trumpeters, soloists, and an orchestra. Together, they will tell the story of Christmas through words, music, and pageantry.
Through the years, there have been some pretty impressive celebrities to grace the stage and help tell the Christmas story. This includes James Earl Jones, Chris Pratt, Dick Van Dyke, Chris Pratt, Chris Hemsworth, Henry Fonda, Jimmy Stewart, Gennifer Goodwyn, John Stamos, Kurt Russell, and many many more. While most years the narrator is the same for both days, some years have had different narrators for each day.
Generally each year there are chairs set up for special guests and Club 33 members. A standby area is often available sometime during the afternoon for general guests in the park who wish to see the Candlelight Ceremony and processional. Most years, the processional begins at 5:20 pm and 7:35 pm. The emptiest show is quite often the second show on Sunday night.
The Candlelight Ceremony also is presented at Epcot at the Walt Disney World Resort in Epcot throughout the holiday season. Rather than two days though, it is presented throughout the entire holiday season. The Candlelight Ceremony is the kickoff for Christmas for many who attend the event yearly at both the Disneyland or Walt Disney World Resorts.
What is your favorite Candlelight Ceremony memory? Who was your favorite narrator? Who would you like to see as a narrator? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
