Walt Disney World has released the complete celebrity narrator lineup for the 2024 Candlelight Processional, plus dining package ADR dates & details. This post covers everything we know thus far about the Christmas-time special event, and the rest of EPCOT’s Festival of the Holidays.
For starters, this year’s EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays will run from November 29 until December 30, 2024. Unlike other Christmas-time offerings at Walt Disney World, the holiday festivities at EPCOT always start on Black Friday and end the day before New Year’s Eve to clear space for those festivities. With Thanksgiving falling later this year, that means the festival is almost a week shorter than normal.
Walt Disney World is once again releasing info about this year’s EPCOT Festival of the Holidays later than normal. This allows them to reveal the full list of narrators all at once, rather than trickling out the lineup over the summer as narrators are confirmed. This has the secondary benefit of reducing the likelihood of last minute cancellations by the narrator should a better offer or obligation come along.
Walt Disney World vacation planners may not like waiting longer for the roster of narrators and dining package info (many have told us so!), but it arguably beats the alternative of a piecemeal approach that ends up changing. To each their own, but we’ll take this approach–still plenty of time to plan holiday ADRs and park days!
This announcement basically fleshes out what is happening, providing new details about the “choirs singing, chestnuts roasting, kitchens cooking, cookies baking or gifts unwrapping” at EPCOT for the 2024 Festival of the Holidays.
Stroll around World Showcase where seasonal legends and stories come alive with Holiday Storytellers.
Meet the mischievous Barn Santa in the Norway pavilion for a great laugh or listen to the tale of La Befana in Italy, the kind-hearted witch who visits on the Eve of the Epiphany; take in the wonders of Lunar New Year with a Chinese Lion Dance viewing or discover the traditions of Hanukkah located between Morocco and France. Every culture has its special way of celebrating the holidays, and there’s no better place than EPCOT to experience the magic of it all!
Experience the joy of Christmas in the uplifting Gospel, R&B, and holiday songs of JOYFUL! A Celebration of the Season. Join the choir as they harmonize for the holidays in their new location at CommuniCore Plaza. This unique celebration happens only four times a day, so don’t miss your chance to catch a glimpse of the holiday cheer they bring.
In World Nature, Living with the Land: Merry and Bright Nights will return. During the Festival, ride Living with the Land for a special, sparkling boat tour. Enjoy a peaceful cruise and view twinkling holiday light displays throughout the greenhouses.
We absolutely love Living with the Land. It’s one of the Walt Disney World attractions we do the most. We also absolutely love Christmas lights. Put those two things together, and we are squarely the target audience for Living with the Land: Merry and Bright Nights. Unsurprisingly, we absolutely love this overlay.
I could go on and on about this, gushing about the calming atmosphere, thoroughness, and understated simplicity of it all. Suffice to say, do not miss Living with the Land: Merry and Bright Nights!!! (And don’t forget, there’s a Behind the Seeds Nighttime Christmas Tour this year!)
Walt Disney World has also shared details about the 2024 Candlelight Processional. This time-honored tradition has been a part of the holiday season at Walt Disney World since its opening in 1971. Experience the celebrity narrators, the Voices of Liberty acapella ensemble, a 50-piece live orchestra and glorious massed choirs as they present a heartwarming retelling of the traditional Christmas story.
EPCOT will once again share this tradition with the community, inviting guest choirs from across Florida to take part in the show. Choirs comprised of Walt Disney World Cast Members will also return, bringing magic to their performances as they do in their roles every day.
Walt Disney World has also released the FULL lineup of narrators for the 2024 Candlelight Processional at EPCOT.Showtimes this year have adjusted to 5:00 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. at the America Gardens Theatre in EPCOT’s World Showcase.
This year, the following celebrity lineup will lend their talents to the performance:
- Josh Gad – November 29-30, 2024
- Nico Santos (NEW) – December 1 and December 2, 2024
- Chrissy Metz – December 3 through December 5, 2024
- Whoopi Goldberg – December 6 and December 7, 2024
- Tituss Burgess (NEW) – December 8 through December 10, 2024
- Brendan Fraser – December 11 and December 12, 2024
- Ralph Macchio (NEW) – December 13 and December 14, 2024
- Gary Sinise – December 15 and December 16, 2024
- Neil Patrick Harris – December 17 and December 18, 2024
- Pat Sajak – December 19 through December 21, 2024
- Gloria Estefan – December 22 and December 23, 2024
- Edward James Olmos – December 24 through December 26, 2024
- Sterling K Brown – December 27 and December 28, 2024
- Jodi Benson – December 29 and December 30, 2024
Celebrity narrators, dates and other entertainment are subject to change or cancellation without notice.
In my opinion, last year was the best-ever Candlelight Processional narrator lineup. There was someone for everyone, with big-name newcomers like Brendan Fraser and Sterling K. Brown who have huge fan-followings. Well, the good news is that both of those popular narrators are returning to host the 2024 Candlelight Processional.
But many of the other newcomers from last year are not returning for 2024. Which is honestly fine, as there are still plenty of time-tested fan favorites here. This is basically the “play the hits” lineup of tried and true narrators, and there’s still someone for everyone with it. Disney fans love Josh Gad, Neil Patrick Harris, Jodi Benson, and Gary Sinise. (We might try to see that last one–Gary Sinise has narrated several times, but I don’t recall ever seeing him. He has a good voice and presence, and I really respect his charitable work.)
I am excited that we will definitely have the opportunity to see Brendan Fraser after missing him last year. Another actor who also seems like the rare good person, and has enjoyed a deserved career renaissance in the last few years. (He was good in the underrated No Sudden Move; Killers of the Flower Moon doesn’t need my recommendation, but I also loved that.) Hopefully someone gets Mr. Fraser his cup of coffee before his performance, or watch out!
As mentioned above, there are returning fan favorites like Josh Gad and Neil Patrick Harris. These are arguably two of the most popular Candlelight Processional narrators of all-time (right up there with John Stamos, who I really wish were returning!). Both are also big Walt Disney World fans themselves, and can frequently be spotted in the parks during their weekends, which I appreciate as a fan.
It’s also nice to see ‘old school’ narrators like Edward James Olmos and Pat Sajak make their returns. I thought both might’ve been done for good, enjoying their respective retirements. I’m glad to see that’s not the case! All in all, a really good lineup with a lot of range that we’re guessing Candlelight Processional fans will appreciate!
With that said, I wouldn’t mind if the 2025 Candlelight Processional mixed things up and had more newcomers. The concerts at EPCOT’s other festivals have taken that approach with newer bands, which has amusingly resulted in longtime fans complaining about subpar lineups with “unrecognizable” bands.
Meanwhile, the shows themselves have been more packed than ever. That discrepancy is the slow shift towards millennials becoming the dominant demographic. Expect millennial tastes to matter more to Walt Disney World going forward, with baby boomers less catered to–it’s only going to get better/worse (depending upon your age).
Candlelight Processional Dining Packages are also returning, and can be booked online beginning October 29, 2024. Advance Dining Reservations are highly recommended and can be made up to 60 days prior to your visit. This means that on October 29, ADRs are available for Candlelight Processional up until December 28, 2024. (Okay–that’s almost the end of the event…we were expecting this news much earlier.)
The remainder of the Candlelight Processional Dining Packages will be released on a rolling basis each day after October 29. Keep in mind that this is still subject to the 60+10 rule for on-site guests, so if you’re staying off-site, you very well might get shut out even at the 60 day mark for those later dates during the peak weeks of Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
Walt Disney World still has a “check back later for details” message on the Candlelight Processional Dining Packages page, so here are prices and info from last year. We’ll update this ASAP once Disney drops the rundown of restaurants (expect more options and higher prices).
UPDATE: Walt Disney World has now published a list of participating restaurants for the 2024 Candlelight Processional Dining Packages:
- Biergarten Restaurant – Germany Pavilion
- Chefs de France – France Pavilion
- La Crêperie de Paris – France Pavilion
- Coral Reef Restaurant – The Living Seas
- Garden Grill Restaurant – The Land Pavilion
- La Hacienda de San Angel – Mexico Pavilion
- Le Cellier Steakhouse – Canada Pavilion
- Nine Dragons Restaurant – China Pavilion
- Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue (same-day only) – American Adventure
- Rose & Crown Dining Room – United Kingdom Pavilion
- Spice Road Table – Morocco Pavilion
- Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya – Japan Pavilion
- Teppan Edo – Japan Pavilion
- Tutto Italia Ristorante – Italy Pavilion
- Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria – Italy Pavilion
Choose from a variety of EPCOT eateries that offer Candlelight Processional Dining Packages. Here’s what’s included with your meal:
- At Spice Road Table: 2 small plates, a shared tagine, a shared dessert platter and a nonalcoholic beverage (or alcoholic beverage for Guests 21 and older)
- At Other Participating Restaurants: An entrée and dessert, or a full buffet (where applicable)—as well as a nonalcoholic beverage (or alcoholic beverage for Guests 21 and older)
Plus, you’ll get one (1) guaranteed seat per person to one Candlelight Processional performance on the same day.
Curiously, this list leaves off prices, which is not Walt Disney World’s normal MO when releasing Candlelight Processional Dining Package details. It’s possible this was an unintentional oversight, in which case we’ll update accordingly once pricing is posted.
We suspect the omission of pricing was purposeful. If so, it’s never a good sign when companies don’t publish prices up front. I’m guessing that it’s not because Walt Disney World is worried that they’re so low you’ll hoard ADRs.
With that in mind, below are prices and other assorted details from last year. If my theory is correct, these are the minimums. And more likely given how quickly ADRs filled up last year, you can expect increases of 15-25% across the board:
| Adult (ages 10 and up) |
Child (ages 3 to 9) |
|
|---|---|---|
| Akershus Royal Banquet Hall Norway Pavilion |
$71.00 – Breakfast $83.00 – Lunch/Dinner |
$45.00 – Breakfast $53.00 – Lunch/Dinner |
| Biergarten Restaurant Germany Pavilion |
$65.00 | $37.00 |
| Coral Reef Restaurant The Living Seas |
$78.00 | $32.00 |
| Garden Grill Restaurant The Land Pavilion |
$63.00 – Breakfast $78.00 – Lunch/Dinner |
$40.00 – Breakfast $50.00 – Lunch/Dinner |
| Le Cellier Steakhouse Canada Pavilion |
$104.00 | $42.00 |
| Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue (same-day dining packages only) American Adventure Pavilion |
$41.00 | |
| Rose & Crown Dining Room United Kingdom Pavilion |
$66.00 | $29.00 |
| Spice Road Table Morocco Pavilion |
$55.00 | $24.00 |
Planning a last-minute visit? You may be able to purchase a same-day dining package, which allows you to:
- Dine without reservations at Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue that day
- Enjoy guaranteed seats to a Candlelight Processional performance later that day
To check availability for same-day dining packages, visit Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue during the Festival. Packages are subject to availability and may not be available on peak dates.
(Note that this is a change for the 2024 Candlelight Processional. In previous years, same-day availability was also offered at Spice Road Table. We suspect that’ll be true again on an informal basis, as it’s possible that last-minute ADRs will be available for Candlelight Processional Dining Packages at Spice Road Table. We wouldn’t bank on that, though!)
We’re happy to see Biergarten Restaurant make the cut once again. This is always our top recommendation thanks to its jovial Christmas atmosphere, music, and value for money. Read Our Christmas Feast at Biergarten Restaurant for what the holiday time experience is like there.
We would strongly recommend those who want a 2024 Candlelight Processional Dining Package be online bright and early the day their ADR windows. These will sell out fast–probably far faster than normal. Even as ADR demand has otherwise dropped off precipitously this year, we wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to see these sell out for all available dates right on the ADR drop day.
With that in mind, pack your patience if you’re planning on doing opening day ADRs for the 2024 Candlelight Processional Dining Packages. As with any ADR drop days, glitches and slow-to-load inventory are distinct possibilities. We’d recommend being up earlier than normal, being on multiple devices, and budgeting more time than you might expect. If it ends up being smoother sailing, consider it a small victory–but prepare for headaches.
See our Guide to Advance Dining Reservations at Walt Disney World for tips & tricks to increase your chances of success! This will also offer assistance and reassurances if you get shut out of ADRs when they’re first released and need to fall back on something last-minute.
In terms of other basic info, guests will receive Candlelight Seating badges at the restaurant after their meal. The badge will specify the date and show time they have reserved. Dining Package participants will enter America Gardens Theatre in a separate queue and will be seated on a first-come, first served basis. Seating is guaranteed for those who purchase the Candlelight Processional Dining Package.
If you have other questions, see our Guide to Candlelight Processional at EPCOT. While that hasn’t been updated with all of this new info, it should mostly be accurate. The basics of Candlelight Processional–showtimes, seatings, and more–should be more or less the same this year. We’ll keep you posted as we learn more about the Dining Packages and everything else coming to the 2024 EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Are you excited to experience the 2024 EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays? Excited for Candlelight Processional? What do you think of the celebrity narrator lineup for the 2024 Candlelight Processional? Looking forward to the Holiday Kitchens, live music, or anything else? Think there will be any pleasant surprises? Any tips you want to share to make the most of the experience? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
