The Candlelight Processional at EPCOT

The Candlelight Processional is a long-standing tradition during Epcot’s International Festival of the Holidays. Guests can witness a retelling of the birth of Jesus Christ at the America Gardens Theatre in Epcot’s American Pavilion.

A celebrity narrator steps in to deliver the story of Christmas. He or she is accompanied by a live choir, a 50-piece orchestra, herald trumpets, and the Voices of Liberty. The performance is offered three times each evening of the festival. Showtimes are nightly at 5:00 p.m., 6:45 p.m., and 8:15 p.m. The runtime is approximately 50 minutes long.

How Disney Describes it:

Hear the stirring story of Christmas retold by a celebrity narrator and massed choir—accompanied by a 50-piece orchestra, herald trumpets and the Voices of Liberty.

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The list of celebrity narrators is published ahead of the festival, typically in the Fall. The 2025 Festival of the Holidays runs from November 28th through December 30th.

Seating is first-come, first-served, and guests can expect significantly long lines for popular narrators. Guests who would like to secure guaranteed seating might elect to purchase a dining package. For more details on how the dining package works, see our page dedicated to Candlelight Processional Dining Packages.

More on the Candlelight Processional:

The following information has yet to be announced for 2025. You can refer to last year’s package information below for an idea of what to expect. We’ll provide an updated list when they are announced.

  • 2025 Candlelight Processional Narrators List
  • 2025 Candlelight Processional Dining Packages

Previous Year’s Information

The American Gardens Theater hosts unique events at each of the four festivals throughout the year:

  • Disney on Broadway Concert Series (Epcot Festival of the Arts)
  • Garden Rocks Concert Series (Epcot Flower and Garden Festival)
  • Eat to the Beat Concert Series (Epcot Food and Wine Festival)
  • The Candlelight Processional (Epcot Festival of the Holidays)

These events are exceptional offerings and are included with the price of admission to Epcot. We highly recommend taking advantage of a dining package if any of the performers are of interest to your travel party.

Christmas at Disney World

Each year, we cover the Christmas season across Walt Disney World from the theme parks to the resorts. You can use the links below to explore more of our coverage:

More Planning

Resorts Gal specializes in Disney World Resorts, Characters, and Dining. Explore our resources, including our Disney World Resorts Guide. It provides an overview of everything you need to know about the Disney Resort Hotels. For dining, our Disney World Dining Guide is an excellent place to start. Our Disney World Transportation Guide is a wonderful resource for planning your routes. It’s one of our most popular resources. If you plan to meet characters in the parks, we have an updated list of Disney World Characters. It includes every available character meet-and-greet in the parks and where to find rare characters throughout the year. Lastly, our Disney Parks Guide provides a complete overview of all four theme parks and water parks.

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