Standby for Candlelight Processional changed!

[ps17]

Does everyone in your party need to be present to get wristbands?

 

[Disneylover99]

Does everyone in your party need to be present to get wristbands?

Yes, because the cm's put them on your wrist.

 

[ValpoCory]

Bumping this to the top. Any 2015 reports on the wristband distribution for CP? Are they still doing wristbands every day? Any advice on when to get in line for each show?

We are going into EPCOT on Monday, 12/14 around 4pm on a Meredith Vieira night and then all day in EPCOT on Thursday, 12/17 which is a America Ferrera night.

Thank you!

 

[Cluelyss]

Bumping this to the top. Any 2015 reports on the wristband distribution for CP? Are they still doing wristbands every day? Any advice on when to get in line for each show?

We are going into EPCOT on Monday, 12/14 around 4pm on a Meredith Vieira night and then all day in EPCOT on Thursday, 12/17 which is a America Ferrera night.

Thank you!

According to a report I read from the first CP, they are not doing wristbands this year.

 

[ValpoCory]

According to a report I read from the first CP, they are not doing wristbands this year.

OK thanks for the reply.

Has anyone had success with the standby line this year? What time did you get in line and for which show?

 

[Magpie]

I think it's much easier to get great seats if you're a smaller party.

We had dining packages for both Neil Patrick Harris and Whoopi. We lined up about 50 minutes before each show, which wasn't actually a long wait as the line started moving at least half an hour before the show, if not sooner - with NPH, I had just enough time to pop out of line to buy hot chocolates for my husband and me. With Whoopi (a 5pm show where we were lined up closer to an hour early), the line started moving right away - more than 45 minutes before! Interestingly, the line for NPH was shorter. But, as there's only two of us, both times we got terrific seats, in front of the trees and in the center of the theatre, with a great view of the narrators. Couldn't be more pleased! (I'm also really loving my new glasses, which let me see people's faces clearly at a distance.)

Plus, the dining package gives us an excuse to try new restaurants. Spice Road was outstanding! And the Nine Dragons had really yummy desserts.

I can't imagine doing the Candlelight Processional without a dining package.

 

[ValpoCory]

I can't imagine doing the Candlelight Processional without a dining package.

Thanks. That's very interesting. The convenience and piece of mind is definitely worth something.

The dining packages are very expensive compared to a non dining package reservation, so in essence they are charging for the CP show. For instance, for me and my family of 4 (me, DW, DD10, DS6), we can go to Via Napoli and get a large pepperoni pizza for $41. Add drinks, an appetizer and tax and tip and we're at $70 or so. However, the Via Napoli dining package for us 4 is $181 ($54x3+$19). And I think tax and tip may be on top of that, pushing the total over $200.

Those prices make it unattainable for some families, especially when there is a standby option that with some planning, can be navigated for much less money.

So for those that actually went standby this year, what is your advice on how to best do it?

 

[sharonabe]

Thanks. That's very interesting. The convenience and piece of mind is definitely worth something.

The dining packages are very expensive compared to a non dining package reservation, so in essence they are charging for the CP show. For instance, for me and my family of 4 (me, DW, DD10, DS6) can go to Via Napoli and get a large pepperoni pizza for $41. Add drinks, an appetizer and tax and tip and we're at $70 or so. However, the Via Napoli dining package for us 4 is $181 ($54x3+$19). And I think tax and tip may be on top of that, pushing the total over $200.

Those prices make it unattainable for some families, especially when there is a standby option that with some planning, can be navigated for much less money.

So for those that actually went standby this year, what is your advice on how to best do it?

I agree that, for the most part, this "free" show now definitely has a price tag. Reports are there are only 3 or 4 rows being left for standby guests. That means, for some narrators, you could stand in line through the first two shows and still not get in for the third show. I think you will have a better chance for your Dec 17 day, but it does mean someone will need to be in line for awhile and miss out on the rest of EP.

 

[ValpoCory]

I agree that, for the most part, this "free" show now definitely has a price tag. Reports are there are only 3 or 4 rows being left for standby guests. That means, for some narrators, you could stand in line through the first two shows and still not get in for the third show. I think you will have a better chance for your Dec 17 day, but it does mean someone will need to be in line for awhile and miss out on the rest of EP.

Thanks sharonabe. There definitely is an opportunity cost involved with waiting in line for this. We'll probably just stake it out on the 14th and see if we can get lucky on the late show standby line, and then make a much better attempt on the 17th.

 

[scrappinginontario]

We have a Dinner Package for the 6:45 show next Monday evening. I'm planning that we will get in line between 5:45 and 6:00. for those who have been in 2015 with Dinner Packages, how early do you recommend getting in line? Meridith Vieira will be the narrator the evening we are there.

I find it's a catch 22. We are taking my parents who have never been before so I'd like some of it to be a surprise but don't want to risk being separated when seated.

Thoughts?

 

[Magpie]

Thanks. That's very interesting. The convenience and piece of mind is definitely worth something.

The dining packages are very expensive compared to a non dining package reservation, so in essence they are charging for the CP show. For instance, for me and my family of 4 (me, DW, DD10, DS6), we can go to Via Napoli and get a large pepperoni pizza for $41. Add drinks, an appetizer and tax and tip and we're at $70 or so. However, the Via Napoli dining package for us 4 is $181 ($54x3+$19). And I think tax and tip may be on top of that, pushing the total over $200.

Those prices make it unattainable for some families, especially when there is a standby option that with some planning, can be navigated for much less money.

So for those that actually went standby this year, what is your advice on how to best do it?

Yes, we definitely have an advantage in that we're only feeding two, and we always opt for the lunch packages (which are a little bit less expensive)!

When we order a la carte, we never order desserts or appetizer and we always drink water. So, for us, a dining package or two is a special treat - it's an opportunity to justify trying an appetizer, a dessert and some sort of specialty(ish) drink (ie, Nine Dragons' Blackberry Jasmine Iced Tea).

We have done it with our kids, twice in the past, but that was several years ago. And then it was the one big dining splurge for our trip, with us eating quick service the rest of the time.

It was definitely still worth it, though, in our opinion, as the kids and us ate at the Biergarten both times - great Christmas show and yummy buffet.

 

[larryz]

Well, I guess they haven't yet made CP a FP+ event...

Maybe next year.

 

[sharonabe]

Well, I guess they haven't yet made CP a FP+ event...

Maybe next year.

Why should they? They are practically selling out the theater with CP dinner packages. That's MONEY for them. If they do FP+, they will certainly lose a good bit of that MONEY. I don't see FP+ for this coming at all.

 

[larryz]

Why should they? They are practically selling out the theater with CP dinner packages. That's MONEY for them. If they do FP+, they will certainly lose a good bit of that MONEY. I don't see FP+ for this coming at all.

They know how many CP packages they sell... They could make the available stand-by seats FP+.

 

[ValpoCory]

They know how many CP packages they sell... They could make the available stand-by seats FP+.

Exactly, and remove some of the uncertainty for standby guests.


Has anyone done/tried standby for the Candlelight Processional this year? What worked? What didn't? Thank you.

 

[PhoenixWright]

I agree with that, the little bit of standby would be cool for FP+ as they should have a good idea how many seats they can fill with the CP Dining Package.

Two dining credits is a bit rough to just be able to watch the show though, the narrator would have to be someone we'd really want to see, and that is not the case for when we're going. Maybe the next couple years.

 

[yulilin3]

they wouldn't take away the standby line for CP. One reason is that the chaperones and parents of those singing don't get any special seating, they have to make the line with everyone else, also it would make it an impossible event for those with AP that can only make fp reservations 30 days in advance. And people who buy a one day pass would have zero chance of attending

 

[teachertink]

Are they still doing the wrist band this year?

 

[DebbieB]

Are they still doing the wrist band this year?

No

 

[teachertink]

No

Wonder if they will during Christmas week when it is busier.