OFFICIAL(ish) CANDLELIGHT PROCESSIONAL DINING PACKAGES INFO

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We have a package booked for 12/3, 5:00 show. Narrator is Neil Patrick Harris. What time should we get in line for the show? We’ve only done the Candlelight Processional once before, and I remember being surprised at how long the Dining Package line was already when we got in line.
I always show up way too late (they still let me in though). Maybe an hour before? I don't think I'd care to wait any longer than that, since I know I'll definitely get in.
 
Blergh. Reviving this thread a bit to ask a question & the answer might be "call Disney" but here we go. I have a CP reservation for one person. This year, they're pre-paid, so I've paid for one person. This was because it was going to be a solo trip & I wasn't going to pre-pay on the off chance a friend wants to go with. In the past I haven't had an issue bringing one friend with me to a 1 person ADR, even for CP. I'm not sure now with having to pay in advance. Any thoughts on it or should I just call? In my experience what someone on the other end of the phone says & what a CM actually does when I ask politely are two different things, but since we had to pay in advance, I don't know if they could let someone eat with me/charge them for the CP package at the restaurant, you know?

My best guess is that you'd have to call. While the restaurant could almost certainly accommodate you (you'd likely be at a table for two anyway), there is still presumably a capacity # for the processional they need to keep track of. Also not exactly the same thing, but know for various Food & Wine prepaid lunches you can't "purchase on-site" even if the restaurant confirms they have room because they apparently don't have a way to charge you for the event. If you are able to work it out, please let us know how it went!

We have a package booked for 12/3, 5:00 show. Narrator is Neil Patrick Harris. What time should we get in line for the show? We’ve only done the Candlelight Processional once before, and I remember being surprised at how long the Dining Package line was already when we got in line.

I think it depends on how much you care about what kind of a seat you get (e.g. as close as possible, under cover, center, no obstruction etc.). The package line will start forming probably ~90 min in advance, maybe more. Last year I attended NPH's last show and I got in line maybe 20-25 min ahead of time. At that point the line extended through Japan and into Morocco. I'll admit I was a little nervous. We were a party of three and found seats with no trouble... a bit further back and off to the right. The smaller a party you are, the easier it is to find a spot to fit in (once admitted to the theater you are free to select any section/row you want (excl. handicapped); it's not - or at least hasn't been - an organized seating approach where you are directed to a row by a CM). I personally wouldn't spend much time in line with the package but I've seen the show many times and feel like it's more audio than visual event. It can be difficult to resist the "peer pressure" when you see people lining up and can feel like maybe you missed something and need to be in line as well. As a dining package holder you are guaranteed a seat as long as you arrive at least 5-10 min before start (they will at some point allow the standby guests in, if there's room). I hope that you enjoy! Neil Patrick Harris is a great narrator and this is such a fun event!
 
Went to candlelight processional tonight. It was beautiful. Even with package I would recommend getting in line at least 45 minutes before. We didn’t even have a well know narrator and it was backed up. The stand by line started about 2.
 
Went to candlelight processional tonight. It was beautiful. Even with package I would recommend getting in line at least 45 minutes before. We didn’t even have a well know narrator and it was backed up. The stand by line started about 2.

Ming Na Wen is very well known. ER, Agents of Shield, voice of Mulan...
 


No one in my family had ever heard of her. She was not comfortable in the role as narrator
That's too bad...she's super. I felt the same way when we saw some Broadway dude on our first time. Had no clue who he was. And our last trip we passed on seeing the concert with some famous Christian music singer who everyone loves but we had necer heard of (songs that song "I believe")I think this is Ming na-web's first year. I heard Alphonso Ribeiro was super nervous last year on his first time too.
 


She did good when she was reading and staying on script. She was nervous and awkward when trying to interact with audience off script.
 
@mthds @only hope - thanks for the "on the ground reporting." As more of us attend (I'm going next week :yay:) I would love to hear more experiences and reviews. Please keep them coming ... what time did you get in line, what was it like, when did you notice stand-by forming and how long was it and do you know if they got in, where did you dine, were there any exclusions, now that it's prepaid were tax and gratuity included as some confirmation emails suggested, what did you think etc.

Happy Holidays everyone! Hope that everyone enjoys their trip!! :santa:
 
There were only three rows held back for stand by for the 5:00 show. We talked to a cm afterwards. There were 1,000 dining packages sold and an even higher number for the next show. We got in the standby line about 3:40 and were in the first row after the turn towards the water. The entire line filled the set up ropes in that area but didn’t go past into Italy. In years past you’d have no problem getting in if the line was that short. When we were seated only the last group of benches hadn’t been filled. At 5:00 as it was starting they filled in empty dining package seats with standby people, but we could see people still in line. The ratio of package to standby is very unfair to those who can’t afford it. Plus if I’d paid $50+ for a package I’d be irritated to end up four rows from the back. We’ve watched the rope separating standby from package creep further back every year for the past several years. Now almost the entire theater is for packages.
 
No one in my family had ever heard of her. She was not comfortable in the role as narrator

We were there Friday, and she seemed a little nervous, like she was not sure how to start. But once she got going I thought she was very good.
 
We attended the 5pm show on 12/1 with a garden grill breakfast package. We had pre paid with a credit card but wanted to refund it and use our dining credits insteead; they were eventually able to do this but it took a little while to figure out since they are not used to having the packages prepaid or having to do refunds

We arrived at the theater at 445pm and they were letting standby people in. There was no line for package holders as they were already seated. The package seating was roped off from standby and remained that way; no standby people were allowed into the reserved sections even at 5pm when it wasn’t full.

We got a good spot for 5 slightly right of center even arriving so close to start time. It doesn’t seem like there is a bad seat in the house. People with the dining package continued to arrive right up until 5pm and filled in the reserved seating though it definitely wasn’t packed.

I took my 4 and 6 year old — 6 year old was engaged the entire time, 4yesr old’s interest started to wane about 30 minutes in. But we broke out some snacks and that kept him quiet and happy.

Our narrator was fine though I have no comparison. The narrator had a much smaller role than I was expecting — it’s much more about the music. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience and it definitely set the tone for Christmas.
 
We attended the 6:45 show on Friday 11/29 (first night of the CPL). We had a dining package (Biergarten dinner at 4:00 PM). We got in the dining package line (closest to Japan) at 6:05 and they started letting people in at 6:15. There were plenty of good seats available (I don't think there are "bad" seats). I don't really see the benefit of paying for the dining package and still getting in line super early. I paid for the dining package so that I WOULDN'T have to wait in line. We could have gotten in line at 6:20 and still had good seats.

The show was amazing and I highly recommend it!
 
Any idea how long it takes for a refund to come through when cancelling these packages? I had a Garden Grill lunch package with my parents for Saturday, 12/7, but life got in the way and they won't be able to come, so I cancelled the reservation last night. I got my email confirmation of the cancellation last night, but there's no mention of the refund. Given I cancelled well outside of the 2-day cancellation policy, I sure hope I will be getting a refund for the package.
 
I saw him last year and thought he was really good...so much so I've booked another package to see him again this year. I've also seen NPH (twice), Whoopi, and Gary Sinise in past years and enjoyed them all too.
Thanks so much. I am so excited. This is our first time visiting during Christmas and was hoping he was well-liked.
 
We had Ming Na Wen on Saturday night and we thought she was great. She did stumble once and made a joke about how Disney was going to take away her legend status. She was funny and very down to earth.

I remember her from As The World Turns.. she played Lien Hughes.
 
Just a little vent now. Why is it that a search for a party of 1 returns nothing, but when I do a search for a party of 2 I get several options? If a table can seat 2, it should be able to seat 1...and if there are two seats for the CP, then there should be 1. Doesn't seem fair to exclude those who for whatever reason do not have a companion for a dining package.
 
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