Candlelight Processional 2015

[Malcon10t]

SMD-so they keep all of main street open and only on sidewalks can you watch? Crowd control at DL is amazing. I want to go just to see how it all works.

I think the real issue is several of us know how it works, and it is difficult to explain how small of an area we are discussing. Sidewalks are designated for walking, not standing and watching. The street section is roped off for the choirs, then for those lining up for the second showing. I am unsure how far the amplification goes down Main St. I know last year I was exiting during a second showing, and I know I couldn't hear it when we were half way down Main St. I'm looking thru our pics to see if I can find a crowd shot. If you are at the end of Main St, maybe around Coke Corner, you could see the choir entering Main St. They used to come all the way down the parade route from IASW, but I believe they now start near Plaza Inn.

 

[SMD]

Here's a trip report from 2012, when it ran 20 nights. Keep in mind, this year it will be 2 nights.
http://flowerstales.blogspot.com/2012/12/candlelight-with-john-stamos_20.html

You can see that the area had been closed off before 5pm and they were back by Gibson Girl, and it sounds like they may have cut in with some friends, so who knows how far back someone would be last minute, if the area is open at all. The actual show happens past the Christmas tree at the very far end of the picture. It blocks any view from Main St. The right side of the street is a standing line for the possibility of seeing the second show. The left side is people walking. I've been on the people walking side being rushed along by CM (I prefer to go through the stores, but they don't go all the way through, so you do have to walk out there sometimes.) With the new bypasses, I'm not sure the walking side is even an option. You can see the crowd control ropes keeping the street clear. There isn't anywhere to squeeze in, and, there really isn't a good way to get out and back to Adventureland from the second show line side. The people waiting on Main St in this shot are going to see the first show processional, and then once it passes, that's about it.

 

[motor58]

Thanks for sharing those awesome pics SMD. I would be *so* happy to be parked by Plaza Inn just to see that walk by! That looks so cool and special.

So the concert isn't mic'd or anything?

How do they move people that were just admitted into the parks past all this madness?

thanks again for the pics-the CP looks just beautiful.

 

[SMD]

Thanks for sharing those awesome pics SMD. I would be *so* happy to be parked by Plaza Inn just to see that walk by! That looks so cool and special.

So the concert isn't mic'd or anything?

How do they move people that were just admitted into the parks past all this madness?

thanks again for the pics-the CP looks just beautiful.

They stop letting people in, they use the bypass on the Opera House side, they keep people moving down the other side of Main St. Whatever needs to happen depending on how many people are in the area and how many are trying to get by. Again, it's a private event held in public. The mics/speakers are for the seating area, not people on Main St.

 

[MommyJKM]

That trip report does a great job of explaining what @Malcon10t and @SMD and I have tried and somewhat failed to do this whole time

It sounds like you would enjoy seeing it so I'd recommend deciding how much time you want to put into it and go from there. You don't have to wait all day in order to experience it, those are just the hard core people (mostly locals too). It really is extraordinary

 

[JadeDarkstar]

and make 1 of the candle light shows. Would it be correct to assume Sunday the last show might be less crowded then sat? We do not want to stake a seat out all day but he does want to see it all.
1. would the beginning be the best to see? If we wanted a curb spot,
2. how early must we be there for the second show?

I know there are a ton of posts about this already. I also know I will not have a seat this time. Any info on dinning reservations or tours that may give you seats for this?

 

[motor58]

MommyJKM-I really liked your suggestion of going at 4pm in front of the Emporium and seeing what happens. I think that is a good compromise. We arrive that day and I originally hadn't planned on a park day, but it's the only day we can see F! (we've never seen it) and the CP is going on too. I have a thought maybe I could park my husband there at 4 with a coffee/snack and do something with the kids for a bit and see what happens. I really do have low expectations, I have 3 kids and it's our arrival day. And honestly just hearing the choir for a couple of songs would be really cool!

My other strategy (if things are just scary and I am worried about making my BB dinner) is just to hang out by the Plaza and see what we can see go by.

Getting from the emporium to BB sounds nuts.

I see one bypass on wiki maps, behind the E side of mainstreet. Didn't you guys say there was another bypass area?

 

[motor58]

oh! and thank you all so much for your patience. I've only been to DL 2x, most recently 1.5 years ago. I am no expert!

 

[JadeDarkstar]

I posted my own thread and got no answer . So I am going to go through this whole post and take notes. My Husband Cap Bane has now decided he wants to make on of the shows were thinking later night would be best.

Would it be correct to assume Sunday the last show might be less crowded then sat?

We do not want to stake a seat out all day but he does want to see the begging. Them going down main street and some of the songs we could hear. We don't expect to see it well at all.
If we wanted a curb spot, how early must we be there for the second show?

 

[JadeDarkstar]

I think I understand now. They come down main street only before the first show yes? So if that is what he wants to see we need to be there or around there by 3 or so to see them come down main street at 530?

How are parades dealt with nights of the Candle light? Where do they start from as they walk to the train station and stage? would Plaza inn tables be able to see them. Would a bench for a parade down main street be able to see them?
We'd be happy with a curb spot if that's what was there. Just now trying to fit this in.

 

[Malcon10t]

I posted my own thread and got no answer . So I am going to go through this whole post and take notes. My Husband Cap Bane has now decided he wants to make on of the shows were thinking later night would be best.

Would it be correct to assume Sunday the last show might be less crowded then sat?

We do not want to stake a seat out all day but he does want to see the begging. Them going down main street and some of the songs we could hear. We don't expect to see it well at all.
If we wanted a curb spot, how early must we be there for the second show?

Sunday might be, but it really depends on the narrator. If Sunday's narrator is Dick Van Dyke, Stamos, or Kurt Russell, it will be crowded regardless what show you see.

I think I understand now. They come down main street only before the first show yes? So if that is what he wants to see we need to be there or around there by 3 or so to see them come down main street at 530?

How are parades dealt with nights of the Candle light? Where do they start from as they walk to the train station and stage? would Plaza inn tables be able to see them. Would a bench for a parade down main street be able to see them?
We'd be happy with a curb spot if that's what was there. Just now trying to fit this in.

I do not know how they will handle PTN with Candlelight. Normally, the parade route is shortened and instead of going around Town Square, it turns left in front of the Christmas Tree.

 

[Sherry E]

Okay, guys.... as JadeDarkstar mentioned above, there were tons of posts about this, just in the last 2 months. I just merged about 5 or 6 different, individual threads into this one thread because they are all pertaining to Candlelight. Some of them even had identical titles. We really don't need to have soooo many threads about a Ceremony that isn't even promoted to the public.

The Search feature works really well when you want to locate threads, so that we don't have to have so many redundant threads. You can even just type in "Candlelight" and search by thread title only to narrow down the thread choices. Having so many threads about the same exact thing pushes other threads off of the first page, and many people do not go beyond page 1 to look for anything so they will miss a lot of threads.

Also -- and this should go without saying -- we have a whole Christmas/Holiday Season Superthread (and links to photos and/or reports of Candlelight in various places on page 1) that can be used for asking and answering holiday season-related questions as well.


Here is flyingdumbo127's Meet-Up thread for Candlelight - http://www.disboards.com/threads/candlelight-companion-s-wanted-saturday-12-5.3451843/.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Thank you Sherry for posting the meet up link. To everyone please PM me (don't post in here) or post in the meet up thread if you would like to meet. Again I am for sure going to the earlier CP on Saturday night not sure if I will do the same on Sunday. Thanks

 

[mre200200]

Thanks for sharing those awesome pics SMD. I would be *so* happy to be parked by Plaza Inn just to see that walk by! That looks so cool and special.

So the concert isn't mic'd or anything?

How do they move people that were just admitted into the parks past all this madness?

thanks again for the pics-the CP looks just beautiful.

Glad you enjoyed my write-up from the Candlelight Processional

One of my friends who is also a cast member gets to sing in it every year, so we've made it a tradition to go listen to him. I always try to do a Trip Report too and have pictures going back to 2008!

Disneyland Candlelight Processional Photos - 2014 (Beau Bridges), 2012 (Kurt Russell), 2012 (Edward James Olmos), 2012 (Dick Van Dyke), 2012 (John Stamos), 2011 (Gary Sinise), 2010 (Tom Skerritt), 2009 (Jon Voight), 2008 (John Stamos)

For those curious about the seating, standing, etc, I made a chart from our experience in 2014.

 

[Sherry E]

Glad you enjoyed my write-up from the Candlelight Processional

One of my friends who is also a cast member gets to sing in it every year, so we've made it a tradition to go listen to him. I always try to do a Trip Report too and have pictures going back to 2008!

Disneyland Candlelight Processional Photos - 2014 (Beau Bridges), 2012 (Kurt Russell), 2012 (Edward James Olmos), 2012 (Dick Van Dyke), 2012 (John Stamos), 2011 (Gary Sinise), 2010 (Tom Skerritt), 2009 (Jon Voight), 2008 (John Stamos)

For those curious about the seating, standing, etc, I made a chart from our experience in 2014.

Oh, is this Joe ^^^ (from the famous trip reports on MiceChat)? With the adorable child? I go through phases where I lurk on MiceChat a lot, just to see what 'the competition' is discussing or throwing around the rumor mill , and I have enjoyed many of your reports (Easter, the Holidays, Halloween, etc.)!!

 

[mre200200]

Oh, is this Joe ^^^ (from the famous trip reports on MiceChat)? With the adorable child? I go through phases where I lurk on MiceChat a lot, just to see what 'the competition' is discussing or throwing around the rumor mill , and I have enjoyed many of your reports (Easter, the Holidays, Halloween, etc.)!!

Yep! It's Joe!
I really should stop by here more often. Is it frowned upon to post identical trip reports in two places?

And speaking of children... my wife and I will be adding one more to the family before the week is out! By Friday, we'll have a little princess joining our crew!

 

[Sherry E]

Yep! It's Joe!
I really should stop by here more often. Is it frowned upon to post identical trip reports in two places?

And speaking of children... my wife and I will be adding one more to the family before the week is out! By Friday, we'll have a little princess joining our crew!

I remember seeing that you mentioned that a new addition was on the way a while back (again, when I was spying on MiceChat! Hee hee )! Congratulations on the new little princess! A Halloween time princess, too!

No -- it's not frowned upon to post the same TR here, if you have posted it elsewhere. Even though I know that a lot of our members here also frequent MiceChat, I'm sure that those who don't go over there would love to read your reports. We have a Disneyland TR forum as well, so it's just waiting for some new material!

 

[mre200200]

I remember seeing that you mentioned that a new addition was on the way a while back (again, when I was spying on MiceChat! Hee hee )! Congratulations on the new little princess! A Halloween time princess, too!

No -- it's not frowned upon to post the same TR here, if you have posted it elsewhere. Even though I know that a lot of our members here also frequent MiceChat, I'm sure that those who don't go over there would love to read your reports. We have a Disneyland TR forum as well, so it's just waiting for some new material!

Well then, let me dig up a couple of my more recent TRs and get this started! Thanks Sherry E!

 

[JadeDarkstar]

Love the map but have few questions. the red is general seating? How do you get that? Can ppl still sit on the curb and hear any part of the music? We would like to see them come down main street and maybe hear some songs. I keep thinking we would be ok for a curb spot a few hours ahead?

 

[MommyJKM]

MommyJKM-I really liked your suggestion of going at 4pm in front of the Emporium and seeing what happens. I think that is a good compromise. I have a thought maybe I could park my husband there at 4 with a coffee/snack and do something with the kids for a bit and see what happens.

Just FYI - if you try to have your husband wait, then you 4 arrive later, you are going to have a hard time. It's not like the parade where people wait with a spread out blanket and their family joins later...there are seriously hard core locals who are going to not be very "magical" about 4 people showing up to watch after only one has saved their spot. People don't save spots for this. You are either there or your not. It's so hard to explain, but basically Disney puts this on for a select few group of people (in the invited seating) and absolutely doesn't care if the crowd around those can see/view. So that's why I suggested you decide how much time you want to invest.

I HATE waiting for shows, I don't wait for WOC/Fantasmic - I'd rather pay for the premium dinner seating. But if we didn't get an invite to Candelight, I would probably put a good 3 hours into it...it's that gorgeous.