OFFICIAL(ish) CANDLELIGHT PROCESSIONAL DINING PACKAGES INFO

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2xcited2sleep

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Jan 5, 2008
The Candlelight Processional is one of our favorite holiday traditions. Some basic/introductory info is in the first 3 posts of this thread.

Booking will open this year (2019) on Wednesday, July 3rd. Early booking for DVC and AP holders opens on July 2nd.

Event description from the official Disney site:

Relish a delectable breakfast, lunch or dinner… then take in an awe-inspiring show to cap off your night—booking available July 3, 2019.
The popular Candlelight Processional features a celebrity narrator, 50-piece orchestra and glorious massed choir—but this enchanting seasonal spectacular tends to fill up quickly! By reserving a Candlelight Processional Dining Package, you’ll be able to indulge in a leisurely holiday meal with loved ones, plus have peace of mind knowing that seating is guaranteed at this highly sought-after Christmastime event.
Candlelight Processional Dining Packages are available for breakfast, lunch and dinner—each meal includes an appetizer, entrée and dessert or one full buffet (where applicable), along with a non-alcoholic beverage. Simply select a restaurant, savor the sumptuous cuisine, then take your seat—the sights and sounds of this joy-filled family tradition are sure to lift spirits!


The 2019 event will run from Friday, Nov 29 (day after Thanksgiving here in the US) through Monday, December 30.

Dining packages are a way to get a guaranteed seat (generically a seat as in you’ll be admitted to the theater- not a specific seat like row D seats 2-5).

Here’s how Disney words it:
  • Guests will receive Candlelight Seating badges at the restaurant after their meal. The badge will specify the date and show time they have reserved.
  • Guests with the Dining Package will enter the theatre in a separate queue and will be seated on a first-come, first served basis. Seating guaranteed.
  • Guests who have not reserved a Candlelight Processional Dining Package will be seated at the Candlelight Processional on a first-come, first-served basis. Based on availability due to limited capacity.

Three (3) shows a night (~40 min each) at the American Gardens Theater (in the American pavilion):
5:00pm
6:45pm
8:15pm

When you book your reservation, you’re assigned a show time.

Other details & FAQ:
  • 2 TS credits on the dining plan
  • 48 hour cancellation policy
  • Pre-payment is now required - NEW in 2019. If on the dining plan, they will ask for your resort reservation # to confirm the plan. You will still need to provide a credit card # as guarantee (to be charged in case of no-show). UPDATE: some are reporting that you cannot "prepay" using the dining plan guarantee if booking online … only if booking by phone. Those who have booked online have had their credit cards charged.
  • No discounts (e.g. AP, DVC, TiW) apply
  • Prices shown in the next post and online do NOT include tax or gratuity. The price you are charged when you book WILL include tax but NOT gratuity.
  • You CANNOT convert an existing dining reservation into a package. You’d have to book package separately (subject to availability) and then cancel your regular reservation.
  • In the past you couldn't book a meal time for after your show. It appears that has changed this year. Some reports indicate the “dine after” option is only available at a few restaurants: Coral Reef, Garden Grill, Biergarten
  • Some menu exclusions apply.
    • Lobster entrees are excluded at all establishments (confirmed for 2019). At Via Napoli, if ordering pizza it’s individual only - can’t combine “tickets” to get a large or mezzo. Some exclusions reported at Tokyo Dining in 2018 as well.

* Nighttime fireworks: Illuminations (will be a new show this year) has traditionally been deferred from its usual 9pm start to 9:30pm during this period to allow those at the 8:15 show to find spots.

Even with the package/guaranteed seating, it is still recommended to get in line ~30-45 minutes before show time if selecting your seat is important to you (line forms toward Japan pavilion). Once admitted, package holders are free to select their seats (it’s not like you enter single file and fill rows sequentially - or at least it hasn’t been - you enter and can break off and go where you’d like). They will ask all to move toward the center in effort to accommodate standby. There are some obstructed views. I didn’t get in line until ~20 min to start (line was back to Morocco pavilion) and easily found seats off to the side - not the best view but it’s largely an audio event, in my view... just something we want a seat for, for 40 min.


Narrators:

2019 - completed (10/17)
  • Nov 29 - Dec 1: Ming-Na Wen
  • Dec 2 - 5: Neil Patrick Harris
  • Dec 6 & 7: Whoopi Goldberg
  • Dec 8 - 10: Isabella Rossellini
  • Dec 11 & 12: Chita Rivera
  • Dec 13 - 15: Gary Sinise
  • Dec 16 - 18: Pat Sajak
  • Dec 19 - 21: Warwick Davis
  • Dec 22 - 24: Steven Curtis Chapman
  • Dec 25 & 26: Edward James Olmos
  • Dec 27 & 28: Marlee Matlin
  • Dec 29 & 30: Lisa Ling

2018 Narrators for reference

    • Chita Rivera, Nov. 22 – 23
    • Helen Hunt, Nov. 24-25
    • Alfonso Ribeiro, Nov. 26-27
    • Robby Benson, Nov. 28-30
    • John Stamos, Dec. 1 – 2
    • Neil Patrick Harris, Dec. 3 – 6
    • Whoopi Goldberg, Dec. 7 – 9
    • Bart Millard, Dec. 10-12
    • Blair Underwood, Dec. 13 – 14
    • Gary Sinise, Dec. 15 – 17
    • Pat Sajak, Dec. 18 – 20
    • Auli’I Cravalho, Dec. 21-23
    • Joey Fatone *last minute change*, Dec. 24 – 25
    • Jodi Benson, Dec. 26 – 27
    • Cal Ripken Jr., Dec. 28-30
 
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2019 package details - prices shown below do NOT include tax or gratuity. Now that pre-payment is required, the amount you are charged will reflect the below plus tax.

48 hour cancellation policy

Some menu exclusions MAY apply.

Lobster entrees are excluded at all establishments in 2019.
At Via Napoli, if ordering pizza it’s individual only - can’t combine “tickets” to get a large or mezzo.
Some exclusions reported at Tokyo Dining in 2018 as well.

Choose from a variety of unique eateries at and around Epcot.

Select one of 16 unique eateries around Epcot, each offering a menu replete with global delicacies. 
Dining packages include an appetizer, entrée and dessert—or one (1) full buffet, where applicable—along with a non-alcoholic beverage and one (1) guaranteed seat per person to the Candlelight Processional held on the same day.

Lunch AdultLunch Child (3-9)Dinner AdultDinner Child (3-9)
Ale & Compass*
Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
$57.00$25.00$67.00$25.00
Biergarten Restaurant
Germany Pavilion
$60.00$34.00$60.00$34.00
Chefs de France
France Pavilion
$65.99$17.99$75.99$22.99
Coral Reef Restaurant
The Living Seas
$74.00$25.00$74.00$25.00
The Garden Grill*
The Land Pavilion
$68.00$41.00$68.00$41.00
La Hacienda de San Angel
Mexico Pavilion
N/AN/A$85.00$25.00
Nine Dragons Restaurant
China Pavilion
$52.00$16.99$59.95$19.00
Restaurant Marrakesh
Morocco Pavilion
$52.00$19.00$63.00$19.00
Rose & Crown Dining Room
United Kingdom Pavilion
$62.00$25.00$62.00$25.00
San Angel Inn Restaurante
Mexico Pavilion
$63.00$20.00$78.00$25.00
Spice Road Table
Morocco Pavilion
$52.00$19.00$63.00$19.00
Teppan Edo
Japan Pavilion
$72.00$20.50$84.25$23.00
Tokyo Dining
Japan Pavilion
$68.00$20.50$78.00$23.00
Trattoria al Forno*
Disney’s BoardWalk
$68.00$25.00$68.00$25.00
Tutto Italia Ristorante
Italy Pavilion
$64.00$22.00$70.00$25.00
Via Napoli
Italy Pavilion
$54.00$20.00$57.00$24.00

* The following restaurants also offer breakfast options:
  • Ale & Compass Breakfast Buffet: $40.00 for adults; $23.00 for children
  • Garden Grill Breakfast: $56.00 for adults; $34.00 for children
  • Trattoria al Forno Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast: $58.00 for adults; $35.00 for children

Make Reservations
  • Beginning July 3, 2019, you can reserve your spot at this limited-time experience.
  • To reserve your Candlelight Dining Packages, please call (407) WDW-FEST or (407) 939-3378.
  • Reservations are available 180 days in advance.
If you’re a Disney Vacation Club Member, you may book online or by calling Member Services at (800) 800-9800.
Guests under 18 years of age must have parent or guardian permission to call.
 
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Two ways to search online for availability. Note that sometimes one page experiences glitches whereas the other does not (lesson learned on opening day this year :rolleyes:):

(1) Via the Candlelight Processional page - use if you know the restaurant, date, and time you're looking for

(2) Via the regular
"Make Dining Reservations" page - use if you know the date and time you're looking for but want to see all restaurants with package availability for that date/time (or if option 1 isn't working). Scroll through the list of results (or filter based on Epcot to reduce # of results returned) and all availability associated with the package will be grouped together.


------------------------

"Know Before You Go" information from the Disney site: (bolded items are NEW in 2019)
  • This experience requires 2 table-service entitlements for Disney Dining Plan and Disney Deluxe Dining Plan.
  • Candlelight Processional Dining Packages are only offered during the holiday season.
  • Tax and gratuity are not included in the prices shown here.
  • Alcohol will only be served to Guests ages 21 and older.
  • Call (407) WDW-FEST or (407) 939-3378 for additional information and reservations. Guests under age 18 must have parent or guardian permission to call. You may also visit Epcot International Festival of the Holidays for the latest information.
  • Prepayment is required. Guests who cancel reservations within 48 hours of the event will forfeit the entire package price.
  • Advance reservations are highly recommended and can be made up to 180 days prior to your visit.
  • Guests will receive seating vouchers for Candlelight Processional at the restaurant where they are dining. The order of each experience may vary, with the dining component coming either before or after the show. If dining following the show, please check-in at the restaurant no later than 15 minutes prior to show time to receive your badges. Badges will specify the date and show time you have reserved.
  • Guests with the Dining Package will enter the theatre in a separate queue and will be seated on a first-come, first served basis. Seating guaranteed.
  • Guests who have not reserved a Candlelight Processional Dining Package will be seated at the Candlelight Processional on a first-come, first-served basis. Based on availability due to limited capacity.
  • Separate Epcot admission is required and is not included in the price of the dining package.
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Other reference:
----------------------------

2019 timeline for future reference:

June 3rd: packages added to the “all dining” list with 4 narrators announced (Goldberg, Sajak, Chapman, Olmos) and 7/3 booking

July 1st: two more narrators announced (NPH, Gary Sinese). Now total of 6 narrators announced. Still at least 4 TBDs at this point.

July 2nd: early booking for DVC and AP by phone only

July 3rd: booking opens for all both by phone and online


 
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Thanks for setting this up! SO EXCITED to book CP Package; this was the highlight of our Dec 2014 trip;we saw Levar Burton(Reading Rainbow), what a show, have only been once to CP! THIS YEAR we will be locals!:santa: CANNOT WAIT!:dance3:
 
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Does anyone know what the latest time you can eat and still get the 6:45 show? Also, if we make our reservations at 180 days out can we change them into resv for the processional?
 
Does anyone know what the latest time you can eat and still get the 6:45 show? Also, if we make our reservations at 180 days out can we change them into resv for the processional?

I’m not sure about the first part of your question... will try to research.

With respect to the second part of your question, unfortunately, no, you cannot convert a regular ADR to a CP package - you’d have to call and see if there was CPP availability.
 
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Tickets for the Holiday Fireworks Dessert Party (within Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party) opened today. That event starts earlier than Candlelight (Nov 8) but we must be getting close. Note that we don’t have a start date for Candlelight but know it can’t be earlier than Nov 20th as Eat to the Beat runs though the 19th. Last year the started Nov 22.
 
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