Please help me choose! (Candlelight Processional related)

[momtoprincesses]

We will be in Epcot November 29, which is the first day of Festival of the Holidays, so I know it will be very busy. Right now I have two reservations booked. The first is for Via Napoli without the Candlelight Processional package. My kids (ages 15, 13, and 10) love the pizza here. The second is at Tutto Italia with Candlelight Processional. It will cost my family of five $375 plus tax and tip to eat here and they only have pizza on the children's menu as opposed to on the adult menu. I am torn as to whether the Candlelight Processional is "worth it" for the price and eating at a different restaurant than we originally planned. Would love your thoughts to help me decide!

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Wow, you have a tough call. IMO, opening night of the CP combined with the extremely popular Josh Gad narrating? It's going to be a very popular show and is likely to be limited on the standby seating. We would do the package to make sure we have seats. It really depends on how important sitting for the show is. I know it's expensive, but it's also a magical show to sit and enjoy. Good luck with your choice - have a great trip!

 

[Hubalorian]

I experienced the Candlelight Processional last year for the first time and it was magical. It has become a must do if we are ever there again when it is occurring. I would recommend getting seating for the show.

 

[scrappinginontario]

If Josh Gad is the narrator I would personally keep the dining reservation. If you choose to wait in the standby line I would anticipate you needing to line up hours in advance and then not be guaranteed a seat. I've seen guests waiting in the standby line through an entire presentation hoping to get into the following one. Personally, it would be keep the ADR as you will save time in line and be able to enjoy the park more which needs to be counted against the price of the ADR.

 

[kdka421]

We will be in Epcot November 29, which is the first day of Festival of the Holidays, so I know it will be very busy. Right now I have two reservations booked. The first is for Via Napoli without the Candlelight Processional package. My kids (ages 15, 13, and 10) love the pizza here. The second is at Tutto Italia with Candlelight Processional. It will cost my family of five $375 plus tax and tip to eat here and they only have pizza on the children's menu as opposed to on the adult menu. I am torn as to whether the Candlelight Processional is "worth it" for the price and eating at a different restaurant than we originally planned. Would love your thoughts to help me decide!

Keep checking and maybe you can change your dining package reservation to Via Napoli, if that's what you really want!

But also I'll add, we're attending the same day, and I desperately want to see Josh Gad, so while I didn't want to spend the money either, I absolutely booked a package to ensure we got seats. So I think the package is definitely worth it if you want to see the show.

 

[NYCgrrl]

We will be in Epcot November 29, which is the first day of Festival of the Holidays, so I know it will be very busy. Right now I have two reservations booked. The first is for Via Napoli without the Candlelight Processional package. My kids (ages 15, 13, and 10) love the pizza here. The second is at Tutto Italia with Candlelight Processional. It will cost my family of five $375 plus tax and tip to eat here and they only have pizza on the children's menu as opposed to on the adult menu. I am torn as to whether the Candlelight Processional is "worth it" for the price and eating at a different restaurant than we originally planned. Would love your thoughts to help me decide!

You really have to decide just how important the inside seats are to your family.
Initially, I booked VN without the package because other years we sat outside the theatre near Regal Eagle and were perfectly happy there even though we often had tickets ( the old version of the dining plan made it easy to get them).

However, this may well be our last trip together and the first time for one of the kids so yeah I’ll pay the extra for the tickets this time. Still it’s only about $50.00 extra for us not hundreds of dollars (gulp!).

Oh and I switched to La Creperie because I couldn’t stomach paying that much extra for pizza (which is what my kiddos would order as well). At least the meal will be more substantial at the France Pavilion.

 

[NYCgrrl]

My kids (ages 15, 13, and 10) love

Haven’t the kids aged out of the children’s menu for most menus already?
Might help you make a decision with that factor.

 

[kdka421]

Haven’t the kids aged out of the children’s menu for most menus already?
Might help you make a decision with that factor.

I read this twice too, but I think the OP just meant that their kids would prefer to order pizza and at Tutto it's only available on the kids menu.

 

[momtoprincesses]

Yes, they have officially aged out. I'm hoping if the kids really want pizza they will allow it since it is a fixed price we are paying anyway? Maybe I'm overly optimistic about that though...

 

[momtoprincesses]

Keep checking and maybe you can change your dining package reservation to Via Napoli, if that's what you really want!

But also I'll add, we're attending the same day, and I desperately want to see Josh Gad, so while I didn't want to spend the money either, I absolutely booked a package to ensure we got seats. So I think the package is definitely worth it if you want to see the show.

This would be ideal!

 

[momtoprincesses]

I read this twice too, but I think the OP just meant that their kids would prefer to order pizza and at Tutto it's only available on the kids menu.

Yes, they have officially aged out. I'm hoping if the kids really want pizza they will allow it since it is a fixed price we are paying anyway? Maybe I'm overly optimistic about that though...

 

[gottalovepluto]

You really have to decide just how important the inside seats are to your family.

Seats. Most dining seating last year on my NPH night was not covered, the covered area was mostly all roped off for VIPs.

And this year, it could be as simple as deciding if access at all is important. Disney added a bunch of dining options this year and we don’t know how much standby will even be available. I would think for Josh Gad- forget standby if you don’t want to be in line hours and hours.

OP- do you want to see CP? If yes, keep the package. I was gonna say switch to a cheaper restaurant but I’m not seeing any availability at all now for 11/29- either means Disney glitch (and CP booking has been a GlitchFest today) or it’s already sold out…