Candlelight Narrator?

[MotoXPrincess99]

My BF got the e-mail today at noon and he's only had his AP since August.

 

[ArchOwl]

I got the email today. Boy, they sure don't give you much time do they? Just a few weeks? Crazy.

 

[MotoXPrincess99]

I got the email today. Boy, they sure don't give you much time do they? Just a few weeks? Crazy.

I know, right? If I had know last year I would have had time to save up.

 

[Malcon10t]

Not just $, but only 2 weeks to get the days off also. *I* could get them off, but my kids couldn't.

 

[ArchOwl]

Not just $, but only 2 weeks to get the days off also. *I* could get them off, but my kids couldn't.

Yep, seems like they are targeting Premier and Premium APers, many of whom are not local. We have to schedule time off and travel to get there. How am I supposed to do that with only a few weeks' notice? And the money on top of that. Just because I am a Premium APer doesn't mean I am a millionaire!

 

[lcasa]

What are the dates of the CP this year???

Never mind - looked at the $2500 linke (gulp)
dec 4/5. But that's a sunday/monday - hasn't it always been saturday/sunday? I'm going the 3rd for the gingerbread house building. Was hoping to just stay...

 

[MotoXPrincess99]

What are the dates of the CP this year???

December 4th and 5th.

 

[Malcon10t]

What are the dates of the CP this year???

Sat Dec 3rd and Sun Dec 4th.

 

[dalstitch45]

I received one of these invites on 11/16. After reading this thread, I called the number listed on the invitation. The CM I talked to told me the CP is by invite only to annual passholders. She also said even though as a passholder I would not need the tickets, it would still be $2500. I did ask whether I could see the CP without this "experience", and she said no. She said they would close the park (can this be right?) early those days. The official Disney site says the park closes at midnight. I have never been to the CP in DL, only WDW. It works much different there.

Since this was targeted to AP holders, it is kind of confusing it includes two days of park entry. We have Premier passes, so no need for that. It also has to be paid for by 11/25. I really wanted to see the CP at least once. I am hoping she had the wrong information.

I agree with you ArchOwl. I am not a millionaire either.

 

[sonnyjane]

I did ask whether I could see the CP without this "experience", and she said no. She said they would close the park (can this be right?) early those days. The official Disney site says the park closes at midnight. I have never been to the CP in DL, only WDW. It works much different there.

.

Huh. I was in the parks the night of the CP last year, but did not go to the CP. The park was very much open during the CP, so if what that CM said is true (which is so hit or miss nowadays with CM's on the phone), then it would be a change from what is usually done.

 

[Sherry E]

One of the offices at DLR e-mailed me an itinerary today (I am getting parade seats and WoC VIP viewing and had to reserve them through that office), and DL is most definitely open until midnight on Sunday, 12/4. So I'm not sure how anyone at Disney got the idea that it was closing early.

The way the CP was explained to me by a couple of CM's in an office at DLR earlier this year - back in May, I think - was that, since they no longer sell the dinner packages to the general public, the actual seats for the Processional are more along the lines of "You have to know someone who knows someone..." Or basically, you have to be invited, and only a certain group will be invited (like the people who are willing to pay $2500, perhaps??).

I was told that there are often no-shows among the people who have reserved seats (presumably, those people probably had free VIP seats), and when that happens, if you get there at the right time, you may stumble upon a random CM or two handing out 'tickets' to fill those seats, or giving out the open spaces to passersby. But you basically have to be in the right place at the right time to get those.

But other than the chairs reserved for those elite people, I was told that the usual viewing set-up was that mobs of people would just stand around to see the CP that way (with a less wonderful view, of course).

Now this was back in May that I learned this. Whether or not anything has changed since then, and now the general public is no longer allowed to stand around and watch the CP...I am not sure. It's possible that DLR is trying to make it even more exclusive than just limiting the chairs to the big money guests. I can't see that they would prevent people from standing around to see it, though - and for right now, all indications are that DL is still closing at midnight on the 2 CP days, and that would be for everyone, I assume.

 

[dalstitch45]

Sherry, I hope you are right. I didn't think the park closing sounded right. I am really hoping to see it once while I am there. I am going to try calling again today, and will probably get a different answer. Otherwise, I will find out firsthand when I get there. I didn't care about reserved seating for it, just wanted to see it.

 

[iLUVdisneyLAND]

Sherry, I hope you are right. I didn't think the park closing sounded right. I am really hoping to see it once while I am there. I am going to try calling again today, and will probably get a different answer. Otherwise, I will find out firsthand when I get there. I didn't care about reserved seating for it, just wanted to see it.

We are planning on the same thing. I will be really disappointed if they close the parks early and we can't even get a glimpse of the event. I am so surprised in this economy that they are making things more exclusive.

 

[Diznygrl]

No free viewing of the Candlelight Processional? That definitely doesn't sound right. This is a longstanding DL tradition that has been happening every year since 1958. If there were plans to make it completely exclusive, it would most likely be all over the web and Disney's head would be on a platter by now. I think whoever you talked to on the phone may have been misinterpreting the information given to her about the event. At least I certainly hope so.

 

[kailuagirl]

Can someone please explain what this is to me? I'm wondering if we should be shifting some of our park days around so we can be there. Is it worth it? We are not ones to line up and wait forever for something (I have DD4) so she can't handle that kinda thing. We are in the parks Sun-Friday next week. OMG!!! IT's next week!!!

 

[skiingfast]

Can someone please explain what this is to me? I'm wondering if we should be shifting some of our park days around so we can be there. Is it worth it? We are not ones to line up and wait forever for something (I have DD4) so she can't handle that kinda thing. We are in the parks Sun-Friday next week. OMG!!! IT's next week!!!

Might be something to avoid.

It runs twice a night. CMs make up a part of the choir, they walk down main street holding candles and assemble on the train station. Carols are sung. Guest speaker tells the story of Christmas from the bible. It's slow and calm. Very peaceful. But a lot of standing.

 

[M4travels]

snip..... Or basically, you have to be invited, and only a certain group will be invited (like the people who are willing to pay $2500, perhaps??).

Or make it through the Club 33 lottery!

Michael

 

[JimmyJam838]

Huh. I was in the parks the night of the CP last year, but did not go to the CP. The park was very much open during the CP, so if what that CM said is true (which is so hit or miss nowadays with CM's on the phone), then it would be a change from what is usually done.

They were rained out both days as far as I recall, unless they had them on a makeup night.

 

[eduk8r26]

The choirs used to be local churches and schools that were invited. Has that changed? I have been lucky enough to have seen the Processional a number of times in the past when they had some very big names as narrators--John Wayne, Cary Grant, Pat Boone, Dick Van Dyke. But that was ages ago when you could just stand and wait for it.