The 2026 Candlelight Processional at EPCOT runs nightly from November 27 through December 30, with shows at 4:45, 6:30 and 8:00 p.m. at the America Gardens Theatre, and a different celebrity narrator telling the Christmas story every few nights (Walt Disney World). Below you'll find the full 2026 narrator schedule by date, how the dining package works, how to get in through standby, and how to fit it all into a family Disney trip.
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The Candlelight Processional is a holiday concert where a guest narrator reads the story of Christmas while a massed choir, a full orchestra and EPCOT's Voices of Liberty perform carols and holiday music. Disney describes it as a 51-piece orchestra with a choir of more than 150 Disney cast members and community singers, and 2026 marks its 55th year at Walt Disney World and its 32nd at EPCOT (Disney Parks Blog).
It's part of the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays, which runs November 27 to December 30, 2026 (Walt Disney World). For everything else happening across the parks this season, see our Disney World Christmas 2026 guide.
Disney posted the current 2026 lineup on the Disney Parks Blog on October 6, 2026, and the same list appears on Walt Disney World's official festival page. Here is the schedule by date (Disney Parks Blog; Walt Disney World):
As of October 23, 2026, Disney still lists the opening nights, November 27 and 28, as "To Be Announced." Disney also says all entertainment and artist appearances are subject to change or cancellation without notice, so check the official schedule again before your trip (Walt Disney World).
Expert tip — Alan Eskelsen, Fun Park Go: "If one narrator is the whole reason you're going, build your EPCOT day around their dates first, then plan the rest of the trip around it. If you just want the experience, any night is a good night, because the music and the choir are the real stars."
There are three shows every night of the festival, at 4:45 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., all at the America Gardens Theatre in the American Adventure pavilion in World Showcase (Walt Disney World). Families with younger kids often find the 4:45 p.m. show the easiest to fit in before bedtime.
There's no separate Candlelight ticket. The show is part of the festival, so you need valid EPCOT theme park admission to get in, and Disney notes that a theme park reservation may also be required for park entry (Walt Disney World). If you're still pricing tickets for your trip, our breakdown of Disney World 2027 ticket prices explains how date-based pricing works.
Prefer to buy tickets yourself? You can compare discounted Walt Disney World tickets from Undercover Tourist.
The dining package is the only way to guarantee a seat. It pairs a meal at a participating EPCOT restaurant with one guaranteed seat per person at a Candlelight Processional show the same day (Walt Disney World). Here's how it works, according to Disney:
Sixteen EPCOT restaurants take part in 2026. Prices before tax and gratuity range from $43 per adult (ages 10 and up) at Regal Eagle Smokehouse, which offers same-day packages only, to $109 per adult at Le Cellier Steakhouse. Child prices (ages 3 to 9) range from $26 to $59 (Walt Disney World). A few examples from Disney's list:
Expert tip — Alan Eskelsen, Fun Park Go: "With kids, pick the restaurant your family will actually enjoy, not just the cheapest package. The meal is a big part of what you're paying for, and a happy, well-fed crew makes the show a lot more magical."
Yes. Guests without a dining package are seated first come, first served, and Disney says that seating is based on availability because capacity is limited (Walt Disney World). In other words, waiting in the standby line doesn't guarantee you a seat.
A few ways to improve your odds:
Expert tip — Alan Eskelsen, Fun Park Go: "If you're going standby with little ones, do a snack and restroom stop before you get in line, and bring something quiet for them to do. A long wait is a lot easier when everyone's comfortable."
For many families, it's one of the most memorable parts of a holiday trip to Disney World. It's included with your EPCOT admission, it's a heartfelt retelling of the Christmas story with live music, and it's a calm, sit-down break in the middle of a busy park day. It may not hold the attention of very young kids for the whole show, so think about your family's needs when choosing a showtime.
If seeing a specific narrator is a must, the dining package takes the guesswork out of it. If you're flexible, standby can work, especially on a weeknight or at the last show.
Holiday dates are some of the busiest of the year, so plan early. We recommend staying at a Disney resort for a December trip, since being on property makes it easier to head back for a rest and return to EPCOT for an evening show.
With Fun Park Go, vacation packages (hotel plus tickets) can be paid over time with a payment plan, so the trip can be paid off before the holidays arrive. Park tickets bought on their own must be paid in full when you book. Here's more on how Disney payment plans work.
Expert tip — Alan Eskelsen, Fun Park Go: "December fills up fast. Lock in your Disney resort and tickets as early as you can, then put the trip on a payment plan so the holidays aren't stressful on your budget."
Nightly from November 27 to December 30, 2026, at 4:45 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. at EPCOT's America Gardens Theatre (Walt Disney World).
As of October 23, 2026, Disney lists November 27 and 28 as "To Be Announced." Gary Sinise is scheduled to narrate starting November 29 (Disney Parks Blog).
It's included with valid EPCOT admission, so there's no extra charge to watch from standby seating. The dining package, which guarantees a seat, costs extra and doesn't include park admission (Walt Disney World).
Yes. The narrator tells the story of Christmas, accompanied by a choir, orchestra and the Voices of Liberty (Walt Disney World).
Yes, at one restaurant. Regal Eagle Smokehouse in the American Adventure pavilion offers same-day dining packages, subject to availability, with guaranteed seating at a show later that day (Walt Disney World).
Fun Park Go plans Disney World vacations at no cost to you, because we're paid by the travel suppliers, not by our clients. We'll help you pick your dates around the Candlelight Processional, choose a Disney resort and the right tickets, and set up a payment plan on your vacation package so it's paid off before you go. (Park tickets alone are paid in full.) Request your free planning consult.
Prefer to book yourself? You can book a theme park vacation package online with Funjet.
Fun Park Go is an independent travel agency in Idaho Falls, Idaho, affiliated with Travel Leaders, planning vacations since 2010. Not affiliated with or endorsed by The Walt Disney Company.
