Candlelight Processional?? Should we do it?

[stamot]

We have been at Disney during Christmas before but we had never done the Candlelight Processional. This year will be me, DH (35), DD (11), DS (1) and my mother (54). I was thinking that with the baby the best choice is to reserve a dinning package. But I'm not sure if it is worth it. We have dinning plan but I don't want to use 2 credits for it. So my questions is: Is it worth it?? How everything works with the dinning package??
I'm thinking this as a surprise for the whole family.

 

[Robo]

We like it.

 

[Happy2BGoofy]

IDK about the DDP but as far as experiencing the candlelight processional I would definitely recommend it. My DGF and I did it just this past Xmas and it was awesome. The reader for our show was Amy Grant. We would do it again in a heart beat.

 

[JoeA]

My wife and I went this past Christmas and enjoyed the entire evening greatly. We ate at Coral Reef and then headed over to the show and had great seats. You also get premium seating for IllumiNations, as well.

Our reader was the dude from the All State commercials (can't remember his name off the top of my head) and he has a voice that is perfect for this! It was his last night and you could tell he was deeply moved.

 

[jaiminee krikit]

I think it depends on when you're planning on being there. We did it on Christmas day 2012, and the line was several hours long - hours before the first show even began! It was nice not having to worry about getting a seat.

We did the Biergarten package, and that was nice, too. They played holiday music during dinner and my DD had a blast. It was our first time doing the CP, and I'm glad someone at our table had done it before. None of us received our sticker for the show, and she asked the waitress when we should receive the sticker. The waitress didn't even realize that we all had the CP package!

The CP was my absolute favorite holiday thing we did that trip. It brought tears to my eyes several times, and it was just a beautiful experience.

 

[Linda Farrell]

I say do it! We do it whenever we are there at that time of year. I always say, you have to eat anyway, so why not do the package and have a seat for the show. And the show is always phenomenal. It amazes me that Disney puts on such a Christian show, but I'm so glad they do. The music, the choir, the narrator, all amazing!

 

[karly05]

Our reader was the dude from the All State commercials (can't remember his name off the top of my head) and he has a voice that is perfect for this! It was his last night and you could tell he was deeply moved.

That would be Dennis Haysbert. I would love to see him as the narrator.

 

[BuzzLiteyear]

We've done it twice and will be doing it again this year. I like the dinner package, it gives us guaranteed seating and a nice meal.

 

[ppony]

It totally depends if you like pageants like that. We did the dining package w/ our then 7 year old DS. If you want to do it. I'd recommend the package so you can be pretty assured of getting a seat. If you're not sure, or would like to be able to leave easily w/o bothering others or if it doesn't suit you, you can easily stand in the back and listen though you may or may not be able to see much. It's not really about the visuals so much anyway. For us, we're just not that keen on listening to the reading (we are Christian BTW) and the singing was honestly lovely, but nothing we haven't heard done beautifully a million times before. It was fine to do it once, but we really wanted to leave half way through and just didn't want to get up and bother anyone so we sat for the whole thing. My DS was bouncing off the walls. We didn't know it at the time but he had ADHD and he was a ping-pong ball. You don't really have a choice of where you can sit when they file you in there. You sit where you end up and the lines file in.

I'm glad we did it, once. That's enough for us.

 

[Deanie1]

My two sisters and I did this in Dec 2012. We had the dinner package and had a wonderful meal at Chefs de France. We attended the middle showing and I would recommend this time as it is dark outside and so pretty. The last showing may have you rushing to get to your reserved spot for Illuminations. The three of us enjoyed it immensely and felt that it was well worth it. Our narrator was Blair Underwood and he was terrific.

 

[sdjess]

We've done the package twice. Definitely worth it. Last year we saw Whoopie Goldberg. The lines were unbelievable. Even the lines for the dinner package were crazy, stretching all the way down to France. We found it was better actually not to get in line. We jumped in at the end right as they where letting the stand by line in and had somewhat of our choice of where to sit. We were at the first show.(which was a lunch seating and a little cheaper) It was not as dark but being in the theatre it did not matter that much. We then had a relaxing evening and we're able to have a reserved area for illuminations at the end.

In prior years we had not used the package and usually just listened from the back or skipped it all together because of the lines. I am very budget conscious but I think this was worth every penny.

 

[lynn46356]

We have done the package twice. We pay out of pocket for it also. I, like you, don't want to use 2 ts credits for it. As everyone says, the lines are huge. I think I've read that usually the first show is the least popular. It also depends on the narrator. We plan on doing it this year when we visit at Thanksgiving. I'm planning on eating at Biergarten for lunch. Happy Planning!

 

[MakiraMarlena]

the dining package is expensive but it is the only way to get a guaranteed seat. Don't use DDP to pay for it unless you choose something that isn't fixed price and you really want an appetizer. If you are going to use DDP choose the most expensive dinner package you are willing to take. If you want to choose something less expensive, paying OOP for the package is better than spending two credits on a one credit restaurant.

 

[ses1230]

I agree with Marlena. If you don't want to use 2 credits, consider the restaurants that ae lower priced and pay OOP. Last year Biergarten lunch CP was $35-40, so not much more than usual.

 

[Crazyhorse]

That would be Dennis Haysbert. I would love to see him as the narrator.

We had Dennis last year, he was great! We love the CP, we actually do a lunch thingy to get the tickets for the first show, 5pm I think it is. It's a little cheaper and leaves our evening open. We did Germany and it was a great lunch, and then we watched the sun go down as CP was going on. It's a great Christmas experience.

 

[Wendybird55]

I love the Candlelight Processional - it's my favorite Christmas activity at Disney. If you celebrate Christmas - it is a wonderful portrayal of the Christmas story with beautiful carols and wonderful guest speakers. I think it is definitely worth doing at least one time. There is one part that always gives me goose bumps and puts a lump in my throat.

 

[karenklo]

We are planning on doing the CP for the first time this year. Do you get to pick which show time you want to attend or are you assigned a show time?

 

[Sven]

our family loves Christmas music. specifically this kind of Christmas music. we also love to eat in EPCOT while in disney. having said that, it is not worth what it costs now to do the pkg. standby maybe, but not what it costs per person.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

We are planning on doing the CP for the first time this year. Do you get to pick which show time you want to attend or are you assigned a show time?

If you do the meal package, the show you attend depends on the time of the meal you choose. If you choose a lunch package, you're attending the first show.

For the dinner packages there is a time cutoff for the meal reservation, before it you attend the second show, after it the third show. I don't remember what the time cutoff is. It's always meal first, then show; you don't have the option of doing the show first and then your meal.

 

[DebbieB]

When are you going? I've gone the first week of the month and did standby during the week, getting in line about an hour early. Weekends are more crowded, as well as popular narrators.

Will your 1 year old be able to sit through it?