Standby for Candlelight Processional changed!

[Mambo Junkie]

Personally I don't think there are any bad seats. Perhaps the ones closest to the exits/entrances because of latecomers being seated. We went last night and got there maybe 15 minutes before seating. We were towards the back but center, and there was a break between the seats which gave us lots of leg room, enough distance that the heads in front of us weren't a problem, and a little space for the little ones to move around and not bother any one. Best of all, we didn't have any ipad cameras in front of us. Yay!

 

[yulilin3]

Personally I don't think there are any bad seats. Perhaps the ones closest to the exits/entrances because of latecomers being seated. We went last night and got there maybe 15 minutes before seating. We were towards the back but center, and there was a break between the seats which gave us lots of leg room, enough distance that the heads in front of us weren't a problem, and a little space for the little ones to move around and not bother any one. Best of all, we didn't have any ipad cameras in front of us. Yay!

actually this is the only show where they keep all cameras and recording devices at head level.
My son's High School choir sang for 4 years there and I took my camera and small tripod every year and I had to keep it below head level so I wouldn't block anyone

 

[lovethattink]

VIP line switched sides of the little building. Last year it was to the left of it.

That's great that they wristband then let you leave and have additional entrance.

 

[dddisrunner]

So what is the wristband hand out procedure for the 8pm show? What time do they start handing out wristbands for that?

 

[chrisxtwo]

OP here. Sorry if I confused the issue at all. Just wanted to let people know things had changed a bit since last year.

I was not at the wristband distribution so I'm not sure if you could pick which show or if they handed them out in order. I do know there were bands for all 3 shows. The entrance for wristbands was in the center of the rear of the theater near the building that holds the sound/tech controls.

These wristbands were NOT a FP+ option. They were also not advertised in any way. The CMs near the standby line seemed confused about what was going on.

I do know the dining packages for last night were sold out and NPH is a popular narrator. If you are going for another one of the more popular narrators, or on a weekend or closer to Christmas, you might want to plan for a situation similar to last night.

 

[disneymore2]

So what is the wristband hand out procedure for the 8pm show? What time do they start handing out wristbands for that?

I was there this Friday. As we were asking about the line forming around 330 ( we weren't sure what time the show started) we were told it was people standing in line for the 515 show. However we could stand in line and a CM was going around handing wristbands for the 815 show.

We went ahead and got in line. There was a couple of CMs going through the line asking every party if they would like bands for the 815 show or wait in line for the 515 show. Only about 10% of the people got the bands. It looked like everybody in your party had to be there to get the bands.

After about a 10 minutes waiting for the CMs to get us were able to get out bands. Unfortunately because of test track going down during our FP+ time- we never made the show

 

[Dan Murphy]

actually this is the only show where they keep all cameras and recording devices at head level.
My son's High School choir sang for 4 years there and I took my camera and small tripod every year and I had to keep it below head level so I wouldn't block anyone

Wow, that's a plus!!!! I have not been to the CP show for several years now, must be before the pad people started videoing with their tablets, and did not see any last time I went. But sure is annoying at places like Wishes, Fantasmic, etc.

 

[wareagle57]

Does anyone have any more info about if/when they hand out bands for the last show of the evening? Our plan was to just stand at the back outside the theater but if we can get bands then I might change things up. But as of now, we'll be at Magic Kingdom at 1:30 on the day we were planning to do CP.

 

[rangebob]

I always use the 5th option for seeing the show. I find a location right outside (behind the tree line) the theater and watch it from there. They have more location marked off for no standing due to fire marshal rules this year. I was at the entrance on the left side of the sound building (brick building). That isn't the entrance for the wristbands. It is the next entrance closer to Japan. The wristbands is completely new and from taking to the CM is was new for NPH so they may only use them for the most popular narrators. As we were leaving the 5pm show the standby line was to Germany even with the loop in Italy. When we walked up at 3:30 the dinner package line was in Japan.

They had black bands for the 5pm show, gold for the 6:15 show and was told that there was a third color. I watched them remove the band from each person as they were seated.

 

[Diegosmom]

We have never gone to the CLP so this is a priority for our family. I booked the dining package for next wed Dec10th. I dont believe it is a popular narrator. We are going to be on our sons Make a Wish Trip and really would just prefer to eat around the world and not have a dining reservation (especially because food is provided at GKTW). But we really do want to see the show. On a wed. night will it be crowded? We planned on seeing the 5pm show (lunch was cheaper) and we plan on being in epcot all day so could easily get wristbands but we also dont want to spend hours in line waiting. Any advice? Also I know our GKTW/Make a wish button give us more preferred access to the rides wondering if anyone knows if it would help at CLP.

 

[Disneylover99]

Thank you to all who posted this information and their experiences.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

We have never gone to the CLP so this is a priority for our family. I booked the dining package for next wed Dec10th. I dont believe it is a popular narrator. We are going to be on our sons Make a Wish Trip and really would just prefer to eat around the world and not have a dining reservation (especially because food is provided at GKTW). But we really do want to see the show. On a wed. night will it be crowded? We planned on seeing the 5pm show (lunch was cheaper) and we plan on being in epcot all day so could easily get wristbands but we also dont want to spend hours in line waiting. Any advice? Also I know our GKTW/Make a wish button give us more preferred access to the rides wondering if anyone knows if it would help at CLP.

Does your wish child use a wheelchair because they have an area for that at the clp that is more upfront anyway.

I dont know the answer to your other question, maybe on another board they might be able to answer that. We are going the day before you but we have a pkg. and I usually sit in the wheelchair. Enjoy your trip!

 

[Diegosmom]

Does your wish child use a wheelchair because they have an area for that at the clp that is more upfront anyway.

I dont know the answer to your other question, maybe on another board they might be able to answer that. We are going the day before you but we have a pkg. and I usually sit in the wheelchair. Enjoy your trip!

Thanks. My son does not use a wheelchair. In the past we have used stroller as wheelchair but he is insisting that he can walk...not sure how that will go especially if it is in the 70s but if we do get stroller we probably wont get the wheelchair tag because he can walk from that to attraction.

 

[Jennifer in WA]

Thanks for the info on the wristbands! Hoping to use this when we are there in 2 weeks. Didn't book a package, but also don't think my family will stand in line for hours waiting. We'll try for a wristband or just see what happens when we show up just before the show...may just watch from outside.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

biggest question for this would be: is this permanent for all shows, or is this just something being done for extra popular narrators like NPH? I would like to see more reports from nights with other narrators.

 

[jaysmom4285]

I agree with MakiraMarlena. We're arriving at WDW on the 12th for a week, and the CP narrators for the week we'll be there are people I've practically never heard of. In previous years, I've never waited in line for CP and have been able to just walk into a CP show on a weeknight with a less popular narrator. I'm hoping the wristbands are just for the incredibly popular narrators like Neil Patrick Harris and Whoopi Goldberg. I too would love to hear people's experiences with the lesser known narrators at CP.

 

[wareagle57]

I agree with MakiraMarlena. We're arriving at WDW on the 12th for a week, and the CP narrators for the week we'll be there are people I've practically never heard of. In previous years, I've never waited in line for CP and have been able to just walk into a CP show on a weeknight with a less popular narrator. I'm hoping the wristbands are just for the incredibly popular narrators like Neil Patrick Harris and Whoopi Goldberg. I too would love to hear people's experiences with the lesser known narrators at CP.

I've never done the CP, this will be our first time. But the only way I've ever heard people talk about it, walking up and getting a seat never sounded like an option. So I'd like to know too.

 

[yulilin3]

I've never done the CP, this will be our first time. But the only way I've ever heard people talk about it, walking up and getting a seat never sounded like an option. So I'd like to know too.

Like I said before, my son did CP for his 4 years of High School (he graduated this year) and you can get a good seat if you are there early and wait in the standby. I did that every year, we're local so I didn't miss any attractions, I just brought books and made friends with the people around me.
This is the first year I did the wristband thing and it really did help, to get out of the sun and in some A/C

 

[fishhunter]

Saw Neil Patrick Harris tonight for the Candlelight Processional. The standby line was long but not too bad. What I didn't realize is that they now hand out wristbands starting at 1:30. A certain amount for each show. Then, once they are out, the standby line starts. That standby line is limited to sitting in the last 3 rows of the theater. The rest of the seats were roped off for dining package and wristband guests. I got in line for the 5:00 but was at least 100 people back when they cut it off. Also, they didn't even start letting us in until 4:50. So, I waited for the 6:45 show. (Thankfully about 40 people left the line once they didn't make it in). When they let us in, the line stretched well into Germany. After the show, at 8:00, the dining package line stretched well into France.

All this to say, and I realize NPH is very popular, if you are not using the dining package, you should probably try and get there by 1:30 to get a wristband. If not, be prepared to possible wait through one show in line and to sit in the back.

So let me get this straight. I will be attending the show on 12/24. We DO have the package. I also have to get in line early with all the package families to try and get a good seat? What, about 1.5 hours before the 5 pm show?

 

[yulilin3]

So let me get this straight. I will be attending the show on 12/24. We DO have the package. I also have to get in line early with all the package families to try and get a good seat? What, about 1.5 hours before the 5 pm show?

I would say at least an hour before. Or you will still have a seat but your family might need to be separated.