Help with Candlelight Processional

[mickeysgal]

Hi - I posted these same questions on the restaurant board since it has to do dining, but I thought it also would apply here. Hopefully between the two boards, I can get some solid advice.

We are going to WDW this Thanksgiving and hope to see the Candlelight Processional at Epcot. We didn't book a Dinner Package (very expensive for us and would really prefer not to spend that kind of money) but after reading info on this event, it looks like we may not be able to get in on the stand-by line. Even the article on DIS says that there are just a few seats held back for stand bys. Does anyone have any experience with this? Is it really vital to book a Dinner Package? Are any days of the Thanksgiving weekend historically less crowded so that we would have a chance at the standby line? Or do you recommend that we try to see if there are any dinner packages left? Thanks.

 

[CHIPSTER]

If you are still there on Sunday I would try the stand-by line - probably the earlier show.

 

[webmomom]

If you don't acutally have to see the CP but want to enjoy the music and message you could do what we are doing this year. We are going to grab something to eat and then sit outside in the general area and listen. I know it is not the same, but it sure does cost less.

 

[helenk]

I was able to see the earliest showing of the CP without the Dinner Package, but had gone during the week. We were in line just about 20 minutes, but this was the week after Thanksgiving.
I think that the earliest show is the least popular because it is not completely dark when the show starts, so folks wait for the later showings.
I would get in line at least a half of an hour before the show starts. As another poster stated you do not have to be inside the theater itself, you can stand outside and you can get a seat at the table outside of the restaurant outside of the American Adventure. You would be able to hear the singing and most likely the narration from there.

 

[DebbieB]

Thanksgiving weekend is going to be tough. I would get in the standby line at least 60 minutes before. The 5:00 show might be easier. I don't know how many seats they leave for standbys. I know we walked in about 10 minutes before on a Thursday night last year (Dec 11) and got seats about 3/4 back.

 

[leebee]

I am booked for CP package on Thursday, Dec. 9, but DH is boo-hoo-hooing about the money. Do you really think we could get walk-in seats for this, and skip the package?

 

[DebbieB]

Originally posted by leebee
I am booked for CP package on Thursday, Dec. 9, but DH is boo-hoo-hooing about the money. Do you really think we could get walk-in seats for this, and skip the package?

Yes, get in line about 30 to 45 minutes before.

 

[Chuck S]

Originally posted by leebee
I am booked for CP package on Thursday, Dec. 9, but DH is boo-hoo-hooing about the money. Do you really think we could get walk-in seats for this, and skip the package?

leebee, depending on what you order and the restaurant you chose, the cost of the CP Pkg generally is very near the same to what you would pay for a full meal at your chosen restaurant. We usually eat at Akershus in Norway for our dinner pkg for several reasons..it is the least expensive tier of the pkg; we normally have our "big" meal of the day at lunch time, thus would not want to eat a BIG dinner at the other restaurants; and the price (when you figure the beverage, dessert and tip) is within a few cents of the CP Pkg. We are booked for the 8th. Could you see the show without the Pkg, probably...but figuring that it doesn't cost us more than the "normal" meal would, it is worth it to us to not have to "wonder" about availability.