How to see Candlelight Processional without a long wait?

[ontheuptick]

My family will be me, DW, ds8, dd5, dd2 on our next trip in December. I want to see the CP on Thursday 12/17 or Saturday 12/19.

I hate the thought of using 2 dining credits for all of us to do the CP Dining package. But I also can't justify making my whole family wait in line for an hour plus. What have you done to see the CP without doing the Dining package or waiting a long time.

Is one of the shows easier to walk up to than others (the early, middle, or late show)? Maybe there are times when getting there 30 minutes early is enough?

Can you almost always find a spot standing behind the theatre to walk up and watch?

If waiting in line is required, can I get in line and wait as proxy for my whole family while my wife entertains the kids and then comes back to join me? Or is that frowned upon?

Thanks!

 

[Lorilais_mommie]

I know you don't want to use 2 dinning credits.
Maybe try looking for the cheapest package. And pay out of pocket?
the Germany package is not a bad price of pocket.. My husband and I did this and enjoyed.
I can't remember if they had a lunch options or not.
It was Worth every penny. People were lining up as soon as the world showcase opens!

 

[Disneylover99]

Last year they gave out wristbands to people who were in the standby line at 1pm. Each member of your party had to be there to get a wristband, and then you just came back in time for the show with zero wait. It was amazing! If they opt to do it like this, this year, it's the way to go. Reserved seats for us standby people were 3/4 of the way back but in the centre.

 

[ThistleMae]

Can you hear the music if you are near the processional but not inside?

 

[Disneylover99]

Can you hear the music if you are near the processional but not inside?

Yes, but you may not be able to see anything, depending on how many people are standing around outside the show.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

Even with the dinner package, we still had to wait a good 30-45 minutes in the world's longest line, and we still got crappie seats. That was the biggest waste of money. Next time we will just try for standby or stand around out side the theater and watch.

 

[goofy4tink]

It depends on who the narrator is. If you're heading there and someone like Neil Patrick Harris or Whoopi are the narrators....well, the crowds are crazy!! I've waited in the dinner package line and it can be long...I've gotten in line about 40 mins prior to the show and ended up in line back by Japan!!! But, I've never had a 'crappy' seat. I'm one of those that prefer to be in the second section...hate being right up front!
You can stand outside the theater and watch. But again...depends on the narrator. When NPH or Whoopi are there, the crowds are at least 5 people deep!!! It's crazy! I've actually just sat on the wall by the fountain area across the street in the American pavillion and enjoyed it there. But, you can't see much. But the music is still pretty iincredible.

 

[Indio]

With kids the age of yours, I'm not sure they will enjoy it. If you've been to a Christmas Cantata at a church, it's kind of like that - lots of choir singing and narration. I wouldn't waste my dining credits on it. We stood at the back of the theater and watched as much of it as we wanted to see - didn't line up at all. My family was done with it after a few songs (and we all sing in the choir at home). You can hear the music all around the America pavilion area.

 

[larryz]

You can watch it on YouTube...

 

[ontheuptick]

You can watch it on YouTube...

You are a life saver! In fact, we can just cancel our whole Disney World vacation and watch Youtube Videos of the rides and shows instead! Thank so much!

 

[disnut8]

Can you almost always find a spot standing behind the theatre to walk up and watch?

If waiting in line is required, can I get in line and wait as proxy for my whole family while my wife entertains the kids and then comes back to join me? Or is that frowned upon?

Thanks!

What we did (with Gary Sinese on Christmas Eve s while ago) was just sit with all five of us outside the theatre at the Liberty Inn outside seating area. We all got beverages and a few snacks and then waited until both lines were let into the theatre. Then we joined the stand by line once the masses had their seats and were fine. Unless you NEED to be right up front, anywhere in the theatre is fine. It's more of a musical and spoken event, it's not really a visual effect.

 

[mchelle77]

We agreed that 2 credits wasn't worth it to us either. We ended up doing 2 credits for CRT and then paying OOP for Biergarten LUNCH. We weren't crazy about all of the food, but the entertainment was well worth that price.

 

[larryz]

You are a life saver! In fact, we can just cancel our whole Disney World vacation and watch Youtube Videos of the rides and shows instead! Thank so much!

Think of all the money you'll save.

 

[ontheuptick]

Is one of the times more/less popular than the others? My guess would be the 5:00 would be the easiest to get into, with the 8:00 being the hardest - but that's just my guess and I've never been. Thoughts?

 

[siskaren]

I think the narrator is more of a determining factor than the time.

 

[Wood Nymph]

Is one of the times more/less popular than the others? My guess would be the 5:00 would be the easiest to get into, with the 8:00 being the hardest - but that's just my guess and I've never been. Thoughts?

Your Thursday date should be less crowded than the Saturday date. And a 5pm show would most likely be less crowded than the later shows.

The concert can be heard clearly anywhere in the courtyard that is opposite the pavilion. People sit around the edges of the fountains or sit at the tables in front of the Liberty Inn to hear the show.

I never buy dining packages to shows that are free. It just seems like an unnecessary waste of money to me. But that's just my preference. And since you still have to wait in line and are not guaranteed a seat even if you buy the dining package, well, that just makes it a definite no for me.

 

[ThistleMae]

Thank you all for the information. I would like to be able to hear the music...not necessarily see the choir singing. It sounds like there are places to sit and hang out to hear the performance. Is it ever so crowded that you can't find anywhere to sit outside the theater?

 

[JaimieJ]

In 2012 we waited in line for about an hour and a half ish, and were one of the gast groups let into the theater (The stand by line was for all the shows so if you line up for the 5:00 show there waas no gaurentee you would get in but might make it into the 645 or later show..) This past year we decided that we didn't want to waste time waiting in line and came about 20 mins before the 5:00 show and stood outside the thearer by the roaps(they had standing areas taped off for people to watch).. Funny thing, we could see so much better outside the thearter than when we seated inside, without the wait.

Thank you all for the information. I would like to be able to hear the music...not necessarily see the choir singing. It sounds like there are places to sit and hang out to hear the performance. Is it ever so crowded that you can't find anywhere to sit outside the theater?

Theres seating in the American Pavilion, i'm not sure how well you would be able to see, it gets pretty crowded during the show, but you would definitly be able to hear the show.

 

[goofy4tink]

A few addtl thoughts....
I have seen many, many instances (with popular narrators) where those in the standby line didn't get in. Some did, but not everyone. I have seen one or two times when no one from the standby line was allowed in...doesn't happen often, but it can.
As far as seating in the area goes....again, depending on the narrator, seating could be hard to find. I have seen the outside seating area at the American Pavillion get filled up...especially with those families with larger than normal groups grabbing chairs from other tables, leaving some tables with no seating!!
You can stand along the walkway...but again, if it's a popular narrator, you'll have a lot of company! There was the year that Neil Patrick Harris was there (same thing happened when Whoopi narrated) that the crowd standing in the walkway was about 6 or 7 people deep!! CMs finally had to step in to keep a small area clear for those actually walking by!!!

I figure that I have to eat dinner anyway, so I usually book one of the cheaper restaurants for the package. I still have to wait in a line for 30+ mins but I know I'm getting in, and will be able to sit with my group vs being split up. I do it every year. Last Dec was the first time in over 10 years that I didn't do the CP!!! I was in DL!! I really missed it...it truly is the start of my Christmas holiday.

 

[georgina]

Last year, mid-December we found a spot to stand behind the fence about 15 minutes before the performance. Great view, as there was a large empty area in front of us. It was the performance just before Illuminations, because we left after CP to find a spot to watch Illuminations. I don't remember who the narrator was.