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AVP
12-01-2014, 09:13 AM
http://www.mouseplanet.info/gallery/d/152210-2/12-10-12%237+-+2012+Disneyland+Candlelight+Ceremony.jpg

The Candlelight Processional takes place this Saturday and Sunday, December 6 and 7 at Disneyland. Started by Walt Disney in 1958 as a community appreciation event, the show features a Candlelight choir made up of cast members and community choir members, who perform music provided by the Disneyland orchestra. Guest narrators are invited to read the Christmas story in between songs.

Disneyland has confirmed that Beau Bridges will narrate the 2014 ceremony both nights.

After trying a few times to make this a larger public offering, with dining packages and reserved viewing, Disney has returned to the practice of treating Candlelight as a private event that just happens to take place in the middle of an operating theme park. Invited guests include community and civic leaders, as well as media and Club 33 members. Run as a private function, official details about the event are hard to come by. We hope this unofficial guide will help you navigate the park during these events, whether you wish to attend or merely access the attractions in other lands.


Event schedule


There are two performances on each day. The following is the schedule for Saturday and Sunday:


4:45 p.m. – Invited guest seating begins for the first performance.
5:20 p.m. – The processional begins when the choir walks from the gate near the Mad Hatter shop to their performance location at the Main Street Train Station.
5:30 p.m. – The first ceremony begins at Town Square.
7:15 p.m. – Invited guest seating begins for the second performance.
7:50 p.m. – The second processional begins.
8:00 p.m. – The second ceremony begins at Town Square.


Standby viewing

You have some options if you want to view the ceremony. Standby viewing is very limited, and on a first-come, first-served basis. Bench seating is available near the Christmas tree on the west side of Town Square; standing-room-only locations are located near City Hall, the Opera House, and any open spaces behind the seating area in Town Square. Viewing for the 5:30 p.m. performance opens at park opening (8 a.m. each day, with Extra Magic Hour and Magic Morning at 7 a.m. on Saturday), but viewing on the east side of Main Street does not become available until after the 3:30 p.m. "A Christmas Fantasy" parade passes that location.


All guests must leave the viewing area after the first performance has concluded. The line for the 8:00 p.m. performance then forms at the south end of Main Street, as soon as the 5:20 p.m. Processional has passed.


Guests with disabilities may sit in any of these viewing areas. A special assistance viewing area will also be provided on the east side of the viewing area, outside of the Opera House.

Operational effects

The performances on Saturday and Sunday affect numerous stores and attractions in the Town Square area. Based on last year's schedule, expect these attraction, food, and store closures to be in effect both days:




Disneyland Railroad – 4:00 to 9:45 p.m. (all stations)
Horse-Drawn Streetcars – all day
Main Street Vehicles – 12:30 p.m. to midnight
Main Street Opera House – 3:00 to 10:00 p.m.
Magic Eye Theater / Big Hero 6 preview – 1:00 to 9:00 p.m.
The Mad Hatter on Main Street – 4:00 to 9:00 p.m.
The Disney Gallery – 4:45 to 9:00 p.m.
Guide Stands I and II – 5:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Town Square popcorn and churro carts – all day


Traffic flow


Expect this event to be the first real test of Disneyland's new backstage passageway along the east side of Main Street, U.S.A. If you don't need to be on Main Street between 5:00 to 9:00 p.m., take advantage of lighter crowds throughout the rest of the park.

Shortpix77
12-01-2014, 11:48 AM
For the closures listed, why would Magic Eye Theater/Big Hero 6 Preview be affected? I understand you're just posting what was affected last year, but I'm confused on that one just because it's so far away from the Candlelight show area...

Niwel
12-01-2014, 12:21 PM
For the closures listed, why would Magic Eye Theater/Big Hero 6 Preview be affected? I understand you're just posting what was affected last year, but I'm confused on that one just because it's so far away from the Candlelight show area...

Maybe a staging area for the processional?

AVP
12-01-2014, 12:36 PM
For the closures listed, why would Magic Eye Theater/Big Hero 6 Preview be affected? I understand you're just posting what was affected last year, but I'm confused on that one just because it's so far away from the Candlelight show area...This is updated for 2014. The Magic Eye Theater is the staging area for the choirs.

Chelsie
12-01-2014, 01:42 PM
When did they stop coming down Main Street? If I couldn't see the whole program in Town Square, it was still moving to watch/listen to the choirs as the processional moved from the back of the Park. Not much of a "processional" if they enter by the Hat Shop.

olegc
12-01-2014, 03:29 PM
When did they stop coming down Main Street? If I couldn't see the whole program in Town Square, it was still moving to watch/listen to the choirs as the processional moved from the back of the Park. Not much of a "processional" if they enter by the Hat Shop.

yeah - that bums me out too. that processional part was always such a great feeling of how I used to carol through homes as young boy scout rounding up donations while singing Ukrainian Christmas Carols. Maybe this allows more efficient time use for loading the choir and unloading - but it does take away from the previous versions.

Then again, I bet a lot of guests who just as well not bother with Candlelight (like my son and his marching band buddies this Saturday) don't want the entire park areas disrupted by the long processional. Though I have NO idea when they are marching down the parade route on Saturday given that seating starts at 445pm. I guess just before one of the CF parades (1pm or 3:30pm). Should be a fun Chaparone day...

Shortpix77
12-01-2014, 04:02 PM
This is updated for 2014. The Magic Eye Theater is the staging area for the choirs.

That makes sense -- thanks!

Malcon10t
12-01-2014, 07:49 PM
5:20 p.m. – The processional begins when the choir walks from the gate near the Mad Hatter shop to their performance location at the Main Street Train Station.The staging is the Magic Eye, but the carolers start from between Plaza Inn and the Photo Supply and come down Main St from there. I think this was the route for 2012 also, 2010 it was from Fantasyland theater.

Toocherie
12-02-2014, 02:02 PM
The staging is the Magic Eye, but the carolers start from between Plaza Inn and the Photo Supply and come down Main St from there. I think this was the route for 2012 also, 2010 it was from Fantasyland theater.

Am I losing it (don't answer that!) but didn't they many years ago have the Candlelight at the Fantasyland Theatre? Now that it's been revived for Mickey & the Magical Map wouldn't it make sense to move it back there rather than disrupting a good part of the park? Plus, there would be lots more seating for people. I know there was talk of moving it to Hyperion Theatre in DCA and a lot of people didn't like that idea . . . . . .but if it was previously in Fantasyland Theatre maybe that would be an easier "sell"?

cstephens
12-02-2014, 02:05 PM
Am I losing it (don't answer that!) but didn't they many years ago have the Candlelight at the Fantasyland Theatre?

They had it there for a year, I think, two at the most, and there was a lot of general discontent about it being moved there, which is why the move didn't last, I presume.

Toocherie
12-02-2014, 02:08 PM
They had it there for a year, I think, two at the most, and there was a lot of general discontent about it being moved there, which is why the move didn't last, I presume.

But that was a long time ago--before the theater was remodeled, right?

tea4two
12-02-2014, 03:20 PM
There also were problems with the line backing up into Toon Town and people cutting like crazy. We attended CP twice (I think) when it was at that location, and the line problems made the lines and waiting at Town Square look so much better by comparison.

cstephens
12-02-2014, 03:49 PM
But that was a long time ago--before the theater was remodeled, right?

I forget the exact year, but it would have been around the late 90s. With the current set for Mickey and the Magical Map, though, I'm not sure they'd have the room to move everything and still have room to put the choir on stage. I didn't attend, but I have friends who did, and the way they were giving out tickets at the time, I recall hearing that it was quite a mess, with people running to the back of the park to get tickets.

dsnyredhead
12-02-2014, 08:34 PM
Everyone used to line up before the gate opened and then it was a mad dash to get to the lineup in Fantasyland for tickets. The first year I tried this (1998) I got way back in the line and the tickets were out before I could get to the front of the line. Two guys from the Disney group each gave me a ticket when one of them recognized me. The second guy who I met that morning that gave me a ticket, I married two years later. :) I think we will be skipping the event this year though.

Toocherie
12-03-2014, 09:17 AM
I'm just thinking at some point they are not going to want to incur the expense of rehearsals, coordination and setting up for a two-night event that relatively few people get to experience. Add to that the congestion caused during an already busy time of the year. WDW has been able to morph their event into a well-executed multi-night (almost a month?) situation. At some point I would think they would need to consider alternatives to the current set-up.

olegc
12-03-2014, 09:36 AM
I'm just thinking at some point they are not going to want to incur the expense of rehearsals, coordination and setting up for a two-night event that relatively few people get to experience. Add to that the congestion caused during an already busy time of the year. WDW has been able to morph their event into a well-executed multi-night (almost a month?) situation. At some point I would think they would need to consider alternatives to the current set-up.

well, remember. The event, in essence, is a thank you to the corp sponsors and other "friends" of Disneyland Resort, including Club 33 members. Its not necessarily intended for all the park guests - they just get a "bonus" if you will. And - since its schedule during one of the slower holiday weeks it won't have as much impact as say running it on Dec 20th and 21st.

To me - it has been evident over the last 14 years or so that I've had a pass that Disney Execs tend to do the corp events and sponsor promotions regardless of how it may impact day guests. they don't have events every single day but when they do its not a negotiable issue. I know that in the recent past they cancelled the employee Christmas parties but remember those were intended for all the CMs - not simply execs and their sponsor reps. I am trying to avoid the 1%er discussion but its hard. Its just the way it is - if you have the resources you go ahead and have the event.

Should they move it? yeah, maybe - but someone in the TDA building insists on keeping it on Main St. I, for one, appreciate that even though I'm just a passholder and not a corp exec.

Drince88
12-03-2014, 03:12 PM
Didn't they run it almost nightly a couple years back? That obviously didn't go over well...

Malcon10t
12-03-2014, 05:16 PM
Didn't they run it almost nightly a couple years back? That obviously didn't go over well...2012. 20 nights, I think Toocherie and I went together (with her mom too...). Nope, shops lost sales is what I heard.

tea4two
12-03-2014, 06:00 PM
...Should they move it? yeah, maybe - but someone in the TDA building insists on keeping it on Main St. I, for one, appreciate that even though I'm just a passholder and not a corp exec.

We appreciate it, too. CP is a tradition for us and a highlight of our holiday season. We love it being in front of the train station with the tree in Town Square and imagining Walt looking down from his apartment window.

candles71
12-04-2014, 11:36 AM
2012. 20 nights, I think Toocherie and I went together (with her mom too...). Nope, shops lost sales is what I heard.
I didn't like having to "climb over" all the stuff needed for it, our whole trip. You could access the Main street train station, but it was blocked off pretty well with sound towers and such, not a pretty sight. If it had been just one or two of our days, I probably wouldn't have been as irritated by it.

Toocherie
12-04-2014, 12:11 PM
I can definitely see it having an effect on sales in the shops . . . . . I guess they don't care as much when it's only 2 nights but 20 added up to a lot of $$$. I can't remember--is the Main Street train station closed all day the day of the performances? Just seems like WDW has been able to work it out to be a multi night/week production and DLR can't. And now that both WoC and Fantasmic have dining packages attached to them, would be unlikely that that concept would ever come back with respect to the CP--not enough restaurant space to cover all the events?

candles71
12-04-2014, 12:44 PM
Not all day. It was something like 4PM that they stopped RR for the day.

olegc
12-04-2014, 01:03 PM
I can definitely see it having an effect on sales in the shops . . . . . I guess they don't care as much when it's only 2 nights but 20 added up to a lot of $$$. I can't remember--is the Main Street train station closed all day the day of the performances? Just seems like WDW has been able to work it out to be a multi night/week production and DLR can't. And now that both WoC and Fantasmic have dining packages attached to them, would be unlikely that that concept would ever come back with respect to the CP--not enough restaurant space to cover all the events?

closures listed in 1st post by AVP. Remember - WoC and F! are all LATE shows (i.e. start well after the dinner hour). One of the primary complaints from guests for the CP dining was you had to do WAY EARLY to get any meals and yes there were not enough locations. I think also having to ramp up PSAs for dining for one weekend was a big hassle for most. Same issue as the tickets for shows in the FLand theater.

Its tough to compare the two locations for CP - mainly because CP at WDW is in Epcot - right? I think their attendance patterns and distances between parks (and the fact that maybe so few tourists come until closer to christmas) that is justifies them having this at Epcot. Is the Epcot choir the same size and made up of cast members like Disneyland's? or is it performance groups? And the history of the event here on Main St. makes it a bigger deal than maybe at WDW. I guess I'll go back to what I was saying before - the event is for invited guests - you just happen to be there watching from the sidelines because its in the park. If they held it in DCA they may not have had so many guests (if any) see the shows, depending on seating availability. and i bet the stage at Hyperion might not be wide AND tall enough (you need both at the same time) to replicate the spectacle that it is on Main St.

Drince88
12-04-2014, 01:47 PM
WDW is in Epcot - at the farthest point from the main entrance you could be and still be on stage. They have a smaller cast member choir and the Voices of Liberty as well as community and school choirs filling it out. One person who used to post here was in the CM choir at Epcot - and basically (I'm assuming after attending rehersals) you showed up the nights you could, and if they had the right length robe for you, then you participated that day.

It's basically in a permanent theater, so there's no 'unusual' set up for it. It's the same theater they use for Flower Power and Eat to the Beat Concerts during the Flower & Garden and Food & Wine Festivals. The fact that they do it from Thanksgiving until December 30 is partly made possible again due to the extra real estate in Florida over California.

Malcon10t
12-04-2014, 04:22 PM
I can definitely see it having an effect on sales in the shops . . . . . I guess they don't care as much when it's only 2 nights but 20 added up to a lot of $$$. I can't remember--is the Main Street train station closed all day the day of the performances? Just seems like WDW has been able to work it out to be a multi night/week production and DLR can't. And now that both WoC and Fantasmic have dining packages attached to them, would be unlikely that that concept would ever come back with respect to the CP--not enough restaurant space to cover all the events?
I remember trying to get seats for dining for CP years ago. The computers crashed, and it was sold out in under 10 mins. Makes getting into Rebel Challenge a cinch!