PDA

View Full Version : [Candlelight Details] Do we need tickets for Candlelight Processional?



Pages : [1] 2 3

Goofy4Goofy
11-02-2012, 09:03 PM
Hi, We will be at the Park on Dec. 19 & 20 and would like to attend the Candlelight Processional. We've never been before. I looked on the Disneyland website and can't find the information on it.

Do we need separate tickets for this? (like the Halloween parties?)

How do we purchase tickets or make reservations?

Thanks for your help!

currence
11-02-2012, 09:25 PM
Hi, We will be at the Park on Dec. 19 & 20 and would like to attend the Candlelight Processional. We've never been before. I looked on the Disneyland website and can't find the information on it.

Do we need separate tickets for this? (like the Halloween parties?)

How do we purchase tickets or make reservations?

Thanks for your help!

Those are all very good questions, unfortunately without any good answers.

Disney has publicly stated that there will be 20 days of Candlelight and that tickets will be available to annual passholders and purchasers of dining packages, but to date no specific information has been released. You can try to call them for more information, but I don't think that anyone who you will be able to speak with will have access to the needed information.

I think your best bet is to keep watching the announcements on this website as there will almost certainly be information here once the details are revealed.

3Princesses1Prince
11-03-2012, 07:42 PM
Just to add to what currence posted, I don't believe it's a separate ticketed event like the Halloween parties. None of the information released has indicated that it would be. As to how to get seats at the performance.....that's still unknown.

Malcon10t
11-03-2012, 07:46 PM
There will be free standing room.

Disney will also be running a lottery for the APs for seats.

And finally, you can buy a dining package if you can get through when they finally decide what they are doing there.

DesertWorshipGuy
11-04-2012, 05:47 PM
A lottery system for AP's? How do you know this??

olegc
11-05-2012, 04:04 PM
So Disney events posted a teaser about the Candlelight Ceremony
Candlelight Opportunity (http://disneyland.disney.go.com/entry/2012-december-candlelight-for-passholders/?CMP=EMC-DLRUSENFY13Q1APCLEM10005)

It sounds like a sweepstakes - like the Carsland previews, etc.

So I guess its good that everyone has a chance to get in - but you always wonder in the back of your mind if they will handle the registrations correctly. And because not each performance is the same, and you can't make some nights, I wonder if you will get to choose alternate dates or would they select for you - or not offer alternates at all. Hmmmm - more questions.

November 12th they will reveal. Unfortunately I think that is also the day they probably will start taking sign ups for the opportunity.

from the AP site
"As it has since 1958, the Disneyland Resort Candlelight Ceremony and Processional will illuminate Town Square on Main Street, U.S.A., in Disneyland Park, with the beauty and wonder of Christmas.

During each night of the Ceremony, a celebrity narrator — accompanied by a choir of more than 600 singers and the Disneyland Orchestra — recounts the story of the first Christmas.

Celebrity Narrators and Dates

December 3, 4, 5: Kurt Russell
December 6, 7, 8: Edward James Olmos
December 9, 10, 11: Lou Diamond Phillips
December 12, 13: Dick Van Dyke
December 14: Marcia Gay Harden
December 15, 16: Patricia Heaton
December 17, 18, 19: Molly Ringwald
December 20: Dennis Haysbert

There will be 2 performances nightly during these dates. Information —including list of narrators — and event are subject to restrictions, change and cancellation without notice. Seats to all performances are limited and are subject to availability.

Opportunity for Annual Passholders

As a special thank you to our valued Disneyland Resort Annual Passholders, seats during the December 3 through December 20, 2012 performances have been reserved for Passholders. "

tea4two
11-05-2012, 04:19 PM
I noticed that there will be no dining plans for CP this year. Didn't the earlier announcement say there would be? Hmmmm... Sounds like they realized that they bit off more than they can chew this year.

tea4two
11-05-2012, 04:21 PM
A lottery system for AP's? How do you know this??

See the post today at the Disney Parks Blog. Also, see the thread in the DL News forum.

MammaSilva
11-05-2012, 04:22 PM
As always you can go on any night that is open but it's the seats that may or may not be available to a passholder on the night they would wish for. For me, I don't care if I had to camp from open til the performance, it would be that important to me to listen to Mr. Van Dyke read. My second choice would be Kurt Russell...then Edward James Olmos. I agree that the sweepstakes kind of smells like the Carsland opening. I hope a lot of padders get the nights they want most.

tea4two
11-05-2012, 04:34 PM
Agree, MS. If we get seats on a night we want, great! But even if we don't, we'll still camp out if necessary for the narrator of our choice. Since we want to see more than one narrator, we may end up camping out a few times.

Malcon10t
11-05-2012, 04:36 PM
I think the hard part is for those who have to travel down. It has to be hard to try and plan around all this. At least CarsLand preview was open to thousands. There are only about 400-500 seats a night for this.

MammaSilva
11-05-2012, 04:39 PM
Agreed Mal, I think that the reality is if someone has a speaker that is important to them they should just plan to go old school camp out and if they get lucky and hit the seat 'lotto' more power to them but at least they can go into planning mode to be there on the night that is most important to them. I know in past performances at the very 'end' of the seating time if there are open seats the CM's tend to fill them with guests that are in the standing room only area so someone might get lucky that way as well.

olegc
11-05-2012, 04:54 PM
I noticed that there will be no dining plans for CP this year. Didn't the earlier announcement say there would be? Hmmmm... Sounds like they realized that they bit off more than they can chew this year.

correct. that's what was posted on the blog today (no dining packages).
And you are right - it was mentioned before that they would be available OLDER POST ON THE BLOG (http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2012/08/an-early-holiday-gift-for-disneyland-guests-twenty-nights-of-disneyland-candlelight-ceremony-performances-scheduled-for-2012/). oh well, I guess it got too late in the year to organize that.

tamagaal
11-05-2012, 05:02 PM
This makes me so upset. Upset enough, that I left a rather long comment on the blog about my disappointment. My husband and I have never been able to attend a Candlelight Processional before, nor have we won any of these "sweepstakes," so this, for me, is probably the worst thing that could've happened. Maybe our luck will be different this time, but it's hard to stay positive. We have been fortunate enough to participate in a lot of events at the park, but that is because we have always been prudent and waited long hours in order to do so. Because of that, I don't mind the concept of pre-registering, but these "sweepstakes" things are making me so mad!! Ugh! :mad:

Not trying to offend anyone by this, but what is the point of being an Annual Passholder anymore? It really seems like a waste of 650 dollars. Sad. Just sad. :crying:

Malcon10t
11-05-2012, 05:32 PM
Not trying to offend anyone by this, but what is the point of being an Annual Passholder anymore? It really seems like a waste of 650 dollars. Sad. Just sad. :crying:I would hope you aren't an Annual Passholder simply for Candlelight. The "sweepstakes" are the only way to make "free" events fair. There are over a million annual passholders. There will only be close to 1800 "winners". I know you are disappointed, but so will a lot of others. Did you ever participate in the Candlelight Dinner melee of the past? When the online sign ups opened at 10am, and by 1005am the lines had crashed and the event was full. BTDT. I think a lot more people were disappointed then.

You and your husband can still attend Candlelight. You just may not have a seat to watch, but there are a LOT of standing areas. You live relatively close. You should be able to find a day you can make work, even if you don't win the sweepstakes.

cstephens
11-05-2012, 05:40 PM
I agree - I hope people remember that you don't need a ticket to see Candlelight. It's just to get one of the reserved seats. Lots of people have watched Candlelight in previous years without purchasing any dining packages. Of course, it's more of a commitment if you want to stake out one of the available public benches. Otherwise, there's standing room.

Candlelight isn't normally my thing, but I'm interested in trying it out this year. I'm interested in hearing Dennis Haysbert, so I might try to go on one of the nights he's there, and I don't even need to see everything - I really just want to be able to listen to him.

I've also sat near small world mall before to watch the choir do their procession, and that was really nice.

Shortpix77
11-05-2012, 05:59 PM
Hmmm. A bit sad that they aren't going to offer the dining packages, but only because I'd never done one before. I'm with cstephens, Candlelight isn't normally my thing. I think it's beautiful, but I've only ever stood by to watch pieces of it.

Hopefully the AP lottery will allow you to pick dates/times that you could make it, like the previous ride previews have done? (I remember picking day/time slots with check boxes or something similar for Star Tours previews, but can't remember the other signups.) Seems like that could ensure people are only entering the lottery for days they want. I'm sure they'd get way too many no-shows if they assigned people random days.

Escape2Disney
11-05-2012, 06:01 PM
We were really hoping for either a dining or tour package for this. I won't have an AP until we arrive in Anaheim for our trip (upgrading from our tickets). I called to confirm that only the 1st and 2nd of December will have the tour package option for non-AP visitors. The CM sounded frustrated - I'm sure she had a ton of calls today on this very subject. She encouraged us to do what MamaSilva suggested; camp out and see it in the standing room only space. I am a short person who's in a wheelchair or scooter. These sorts of arrangements rarely work for me. The CM and I laughed about how standing room only usually equates to me viewing a bunch of tushies. That's why I spend extra for Fantasmic packages, and will book a holiday tour to see the parade.

I'm sad, but I get that this just is the result of logistics. Unless they close all of main street and set up chairs and projection screens, there will be people who are unable to watch. Maybe next year when I have an AP in hand, we'll try again.

Malcon10t
11-05-2012, 06:08 PM
Just a side note, there is a Premium Holiday Tour ($150, no discounts) that is offering seats.

ETA - The Premium tour is only on the 1st adn 2nd?? AVP, can you confirm this?

adriennek
11-05-2012, 06:10 PM
As always you can go on any night that is open but it's the seats that may or may not be available to a passholder on the night they would wish for. For me, I don't care if I had to camp from open til the performance, it would be that important to me to listen to Mr. Van Dyke read. My second choice would be Kurt Russell...then Edward James Olmos. I agree that the sweepstakes kind of smells like the Carsland opening. I hope a lot of padders get the nights they want most.

You had me until you said Edward James Olmos. Among other reasons, I actually was at Candlelight a few years ago when he narrated. And it was ok until the end until he started ad-libbing. And when he got to the part where he was saying that Christmas is for everyone... and then he started listing who it was for... like "The Muslims."

Now, don't get me wrong. This is NOT an anti-Muslim sentiment on my part. Muslims do not celebrate Christmas. It is not a Muslim holiday. I wish them happiness and peace and all sorts of warm fuzzy things - but I wouldn't wish a Muslim Merry Christmas and tell him how much of Christmas is for him any more than I would any of my Jewish friends. I can't remember if he said that Christmas was for Jews, too, but I remember hearing him say it was for the Muslims and my eyes hurt so much from rolling around in my head that I sort of lost my focus on what all he said. It was just odd.

Dick, then Kurt, maybe Patricia Heaton and Molly Ringwald. But mostly Dick & Kurt.

Even if I had to sit on the ground and eat a corn dog.

Escape2Disney
11-05-2012, 06:52 PM
Just a side note, there is a Premium Holiday Tour ($150, no discounts) that is offering seats.

ETA - The Premium tour is only on the 1st adn 2nd?? AVP, can you confirm this?

I was told today only the 1st and 2nd. If anyone is told otherwise, let me know and I'll try again! I've got the tour dept. on speed dial :-)

tea4two
11-05-2012, 07:51 PM
You had me until you said Edward James Olmos. Among other reasons, I actually was at Candlelight a few years ago when he narrated. And it was ok until the end until he started ad-libbing. And when he got to the part where he was saying that Christmas is for everyone... and then he started listing who it was for... like "The Muslims." ...

I think we were there that night, too! We weren't sure we were hearing what we thought he said. Yes, my eyes rolling gave me a headache.

GrumpyGoofyGuy
11-05-2012, 08:32 PM
Bummer! We have AP vouchers, however we won't be activating them until we arrive 12-15-2012 for our trip. I was hoping to get in on a dining package so we could get a seat to see this show for the first time.

Pirate Girl
11-05-2012, 08:34 PM
Huge letdown! Since DH is a CM, he isn't eligible for the AP drawings, and they don't provide any way for CM's to get tickets... I guess this means I'm sitting on main street for the day if we want to watch it together. I was ready to pony up some cash for a dining option too! :(

tamagaal
11-05-2012, 10:49 PM
I would hope you aren't an Annual Passholder simply for Candlelight. The "sweepstakes" are the only way to make "free" events fair. There are over a million annual passholders. There will only be close to 1800 "winners". I know you are disappointed, but so will a lot of others. Did you ever participate in the Candlelight Dinner melee of the past? When the online sign ups opened at 10am, and by 1005am the lines had crashed and the event was full. BTDT. I think a lot more people were disappointed then.

Of course that is not the only reason why we are passholders, what a interesting thing to suggest. Especially when there have been numerous posts/threads on Mousepad about all of the negative changes to the AP program over the past few years...especially the enormous rate increase as of late. I was just saying that, IMO only, this is just another disheartening example.


You and your husband can still attend Candlelight. You just may not have a seat to watch, but there are a LOT of standing areas. You live relatively close. You should be able to find a day you can make work, even if you don't win the sweepstakes.

Yes, we are aware that there are other ways to view the show. It's just that when the announcement was made that they were adding so many shows, specifically for APholders, we, like many others who've always wanted to be able to sit and watch but couldn't afford a dining package, were very excited. The thought that we could actually plan ahead and reserve a spot was very appealing. So excuse me if I am expressing my disappointment on this matter.

And I'm sure you didn't mean to irk me, but don't comment on our ability to do anything based solely on our location. You don't know me. You don't know my life. That is just presumptuous and uncalled for. Yes, we live close. But that doesn't mean we have the option to go to the park on the off chance that we might get a "standing spot" to see the show. We did that last year. My husband took the evening off(a very rare thing), we headed to the park early, and the performance was cancelled. I was just hoping, after the announcement of additional shows, that we wouldn't have to do that again.