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Lani
11-14-2003, 01:35 PM
Press Release

A Holiday Tradition - Disneyland(R) 'Candlelight' Procession Returns to Main Street, U.S.A., December 6 and 7; Louis Gossett Jr. to Narrate

Friday November 14, 3:25 pm ET

Reserved Seating Available to Guests Dining at Selected Resort Restaurants


ANAHEIM, Calif., Nov. 14 -- The Disneyland "Candlelight" Procession and Ceremony, a holiday tradition for more than 40 years, will return to its historic setting on Main Street, U.S.A., Saturday and Sunday, December 6 and 7. The move follows several years of "Candlelight" presentations in the Fantasyland Theatre.

The return to the Main Street setting will make "Candlelight" viewing available to more Disneyland guests. The experience includes narration of the traditional Christmas story with a full orchestra and the candlelit procession through Disneyland by a choral ensemble. The ensemble is composed of more than 700 singers including Disneyland cast members and more than 30 different choirs from the greater Southern California area and from communities as far away as Las Vegas, Modesto, and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Oscar- and Emmy-winning actor Louis Gossett Jr. (An Officer and a Gentleman, Roots) will appear as "Candlelight" narrator this year. Performances will be 5:30 and 8 p.m. each day, December 6 and 7.

Interested guests can get reserved seating for "Candlelight" (park admission not included) by dining at selected Disneyland Resort restaurants on the day of the presentation. Participating restaurants include Hook's Pointe at the Disneyland Hotel, Storytellers Cafe at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel® (minimum spending of $40 per adult, $15 per child age 3-9); Granville's Steak House at the Disneyland Hotel, Yamabuki at Disney's Paradise Pier® Hotel (minimum spending of $50 per adult, $15 per child); Napa Rose at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel or The Vineyard Room in the Golden Vine Winery at Disney's California Adventure(TM) (minimum spending of $75 per adult, $20 per child).

"Candlelight" has been presented at Disneyland every holiday season since 1958. Past celebrity narrators have included, among many others, Cary Grant, James Earl Jones, Gregory Peck, Olympia Dukakis, Charlton Heston, Henry Fonda, John Wayne and James Stewart.

It's a whole new world of magic at the Disneyland Resort, featuring two theme parks, an entertainment district and three hotels. All within walking distance are: Walt Disney's original theme park, Disneyland, "The Happiest Place on Earth"; Disney's California Adventure, Disney fun with a whole new attitude; Downtown Disney® District, a public esplanade of dining, family entertainment and shopping; the luxurious 745-room Disney's Grand Californian Hotel; the 502-room Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel; and the 990-room Disneyland Hotel. For general information call (714) 781-4565 or visit www.disneyland.com . For additional information on "Candlelight" dining packages, call Disney Dining at (714) 781-DINE (781-3463).




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Source: Disneyland Resort

lisap
11-14-2003, 02:19 PM
*sigh*
Dining packages again.
Can someone tell me how to spend forty bucks per person at Storytellers? :rolleyes:

Morrigoon
11-14-2003, 02:22 PM
Pass over Storyteller's and go to Hook's Pointe. Get the steak, save room for soufflé (yum!)

You know, it does beat the stampede thing. There's a limited number of seats for this, and it's not like they're asking for that much. Pay for a dinner that costs the same as it does any other night, get a ticket on top of it all. After seeing how well it went over last year, I'm much less offended by it.

sgtdilbert
11-14-2003, 02:28 PM
Yea! I just made my reservations! :)

s.

dsnyredhead
11-14-2003, 02:32 PM
I won't be able to go this year, but have they changed the dinner package deal at all?

It seemed like last year it wasn't a flat rate. Each person had to actually look at the menu and come up with items that came to the $$ amount instead of just offering a flat rate deal for dinner. Seems like it would make more sense. It isn't that hard at the higher end restaurants but certainly at Storytellers you have to order the most expensive items on the menu.

It certainly is better than the stampede thing, but it does need a little work.

lisap
11-14-2003, 02:44 PM
Originally posted by Morrigoon
Pass over Storyteller's and go to Hook's Pointe. Get the steak, save room for soufflé (yum!)


Good point, thanks. :)

cstephens
11-14-2003, 02:49 PM
Originally posted by dsnyredhead
It seemed like last year it wasn't a flat rate. Each person had to actually look at the menu and come up with items that came to the $$ amount instead of just offering a flat rate deal for dinner.

It doesn't look any different than last year's deal mentioned here (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12096). It's not a flat rate but just a minimum amount you have to spend, like last year, with the minimum being different depending on which restaurant you chose.


Originally posted by dsnyredhead
I won't be able to go this year

Why can't you go? The baby will be almost 2 weeks old by then! :p

(running away very quickly before dsnyredhead can throw something at me)

Mommy2NicknMax
11-14-2003, 03:35 PM
Can you still see it if you don't have reserved seating? I'll be there during those dates but since I'm traveling alone, I'm not wanting to eat at a nice restaurant by myself.

lisap
11-14-2003, 03:40 PM
Originally posted by Mommy2NicknMax
Can you still see it if you don't have reserved seating? I'll be there during those dates but since I'm traveling alone, I'm not wanting to eat at a nice restaurant by myself.

I have not seen it on Main St., but according to resident experts, guests who are willing to wait (for quite a spell) can see it as well.

Mommy2NicknMax
11-14-2003, 03:43 PM
Lisap - thank you. That's good to know.

EandCDad
11-14-2003, 04:43 PM
lisap gave me the option of sitting on Main Street for 4 hours or buying her an expensive dinner and getting a ticket. I opted for the one that lets me eat steak.

jiminycesq
11-14-2003, 05:20 PM
I made reservations for 2 at the Storytellers. Honestly, how can you spend $40/person there for a meal? Even the most expensive items dont add up to that; can you add take out? I think last year Adrienne or someone posted that they had to buy a cheesecake to make the minimum! Regardless, it is very nice of the Park to offer this deal and it makes the entire experience much more enjoyable.

Heres a tip - To my knowledge, the processional is only before the first (530) show. Rather than wait for hours, if you arent doing the dinner package, watch the processional from up around the hub for the 530 show, then after the program ends, move up into Town square to wait for the 800 program. Of course some folks might stay for both programs, reducing available space, but it is an option. A friend also told me they used to just follow the choir down Main ST. and then when the choir entered town square they could view the program from the area behind the audience, where no one had been allowed to wait. There is of course no guarantee that things will work out that way this year ... but, its worth passing along.

Thanks Disneyland for maintaining this wonderful tradition!

LSPoorEeyorick
12-05-2003, 07:32 AM
I've never been to one, and I'm a little confused. I'll be in the park on Saturday, but I haven't made reservations for dinner. Is there standing room, or any sort of room, for guests who haven't purchased the priority seating?

MickeyLumbo
12-05-2003, 01:46 PM
Originally posted by LSPoorEeyorick
Is there standing room, or any sort of room, for guests who haven't purchased the priority seating?

you can view the procession from anywhere along the "parade route"...but, if it's the ceremony you wish to see (in front of the Main Street Train Station), expect to wait awhile. i'd recommend at least 3 hours before the ceremony, maybe 4, since there is very limited standing room... basicly, the standing room is in front of City Hall and the opposite side of Town Square in front of the Opera House... also, a little bit, from in front of Emporium and across the street, but, the sight lines are not as great with Town Square trees and the Christmas Tree.

The Ceremony is definitely WORTH the wait... but, it is a long and cold wait. dress warm. rain is possible sunday, so the crowds may be even bigger saturday.

i hope this helps.

Merry Christmas

Sorcerer Mickey
12-05-2003, 11:31 PM
I had no idea they made such a production out of it! I was at the park today and was surprised to see the tons of lighting and sound gear that was setup around Town Square. Must be a pretty awesome event!

Don
12-06-2003, 07:14 AM
Well, I'm still confused. Not being at all familiar with this, what does getting a dinner reservation do for you? Better seating at the ceremony in Town Square?

EandCDad
12-06-2003, 07:48 AM
Originally posted by Don
Well, I'm still confused. Not being at all familiar with this, what does getting a dinner reservation do for you? Better seating at the ceremony in Town Square?

You get an actual reserved seat. A chair, I think, although it could be a riser. You can show up right before the show starts and you will have an actual seat waiting for you. If you don't do the dinner package, you have to "camp out" probably on the ground, for several hours beforehand. That's the main difference. I also think the sight lines will be better for the reserved seats than the other areas which don't require the dinner.

Don
12-06-2003, 07:57 AM
Originally posted by EandCDad
You get an actual reserved seat. A chair, I think, although it could be a riser. You can show up right before the show starts and you will have an actual seat waiting for you. If you don't do the dinner package, you have to "camp out" probably on the ground, for several hours beforehand. That's the main difference. I also think the sight lines will be better for the reserved seats than the other areas which don't require the dinner.

Ah. I thought that was the case, but with these things you never know. Thanks, Dad.

AVP
12-06-2003, 10:00 AM
I was there this morning, and here is the story I was able to piece together from the 10 different CMs who weren't really told much of anything about how this is going to work tonight.

1) There are rows of white chairs already set up in Town Square. There is a large rectangle of them front and center, on the sidewalk in front of the flagpole, and two smaller "wings" that wrap around the sidewalk towards the Christmas tree. Behind the wings are a few rows of the green park benches.

2) After the last parade this afternoon, additional chairs will be placed in the street in front of City Hall, and in front of the Main Street Opera House.

3) The center section is reserved for VIPs and C33 members. The wings are reserved for those with dining packages. Seating in the wings is first-come, first-served. There is already a queue formed under the east entrance tunnel (stroller side). There wasn't anyone IN the queue when I left the park, but you can start waiting now if you want.

4) NOBODY is being allowed to camp out for standing-room-only space for Candlelight until AFTER the last parade. Once they put the ropes up across the back of the seating area, people will be allowed to stake out their spots.

Of course, none of this will happen as I have described, but that's Plan A.

AVP

MickeyLumbo
12-06-2003, 10:11 AM
awesome info! sounds like it is back to the good ol' days!

thanks for the info;)

millionairegirl
12-06-2003, 11:16 AM
What happens if it rains tonight?!

AVP
12-06-2003, 11:29 AM
Originally posted by millionairegirl
What happens if it rains tonight?! I was told that the show will be cancelled if it rains, but they might still do the processional.

It's almost sunny in Anaheim, so keep your fingers crossed. I'm more worried about Sunday night.

Also, there are Sunday reservations still available at Yamabuki and the earliest seating at Granvilles, if you want to try for the dining package.

AVP

tikiboy
12-06-2003, 07:14 PM
Tonight was AMAZING!!

First of all, we stuffed ourselves silly at StoryTeller's trying to get above $40.(Those BBQ Shrimp are excellent BTW)

We then went over to Disneyland at around 4:00 to get in line. Ended up waiting behind Alice Davis' sister and brother in law, and right in front of X. Atencio. Had a very nice conversation for about an hour.

Here's one of the great parts. Dining package seating is front row center! If you get there early. It appears that a lot of the seats fill up fast. We ended up sitting in the very front row in front of the first chair violin.

The show was very nice. Worth every penny of the $40.

Edit: After reading this after I posted, I noticed that I sounded off-hand about talking to such legends of Disney. Believe me, I was star struck!!!

MickeyLumbo
12-06-2003, 08:43 PM
sounds wonderful, tiki... any pictures?

Don
12-06-2003, 09:00 PM
We were lucky enough to stake out curb seats in front of the Magic Shop. Got there about 45 minutes before the start. Then the confusion started. As you could see the Processional rounding the Hub, the accompanying music started. However, they were still playing the regular Christmas music, LOUDLY, over the loudspeaker system too. So we got to hear both at the same time for several straight minutes. There were many confused looks on the singers' faces as they made their way to Town Square. Then, the Cast Members who were assigned had many problems with crowd control. They also readily admitted no one told them much about what to do. After the Processional passed, they started to rope out lanes. When someone asked what they were for, people were told, in order: for viewing, for traffic, and for lining up for the next show. Depending on who was asked, the same lane meant something different. Anyway, besides all that, it did seem rather nice. They announced that due to "unforeseen circumstances" Lou Gossett, Jr. would not be there and that the narrator would be Marie Osmond. She did an okay job, not great, but okay, considering it sounded like she was doing it on the fly.

I should add this was for the 5:30 p.m. performance.