Photo Credit: Nastassia Alvarez
Walt Disney World hosts some incredible events to get you in the Christmas spirit, including the International Festival of the Holidays (formally Holidays Around The World). One of the main focuses is the Candlelight Processional, a free event that is part of your paid admission into Epcot. The Candlelight Processional features a celebrity narrators and a 50 piece orchestra and huge choir telling the story of Christmas. It is simply beautiful!
The Candlelight Processional takes place every night between the end of November and the end of December. Celebrity narrators tell the story of Jesus’s birth. Past narrators include Ashley Judd, Whoppi Goldberg, Edward James Olmos, Amy Grant and Neil Patrick Harris.
To add more magic to this experience, you can even book the Candlelight Dinner Package. For this package, you dine at one of the popular Epcot restaurants and then receive a voucher for a guaranteed seat for the Candlelight Processional and VIP seating for the fireworks. It is a nice perk for eating dinner!
Restaurants include:
- Biergarten
- Chef de France
- Coral Reef
- The Garden Grill
- La Hacienda de San Angel
- Nine Dragons
- Restaurant Marrakesh
- Rose & Crown
- San Angel Inn
- Teppan Edo
- Tokyo Dining
- Tutto Italia
- Via Napoli
These Candlelight Processional Packages book up quickly. If you are visiting during Disney World during these dates, contact your travel agent or call 407-WDW-DINE to book today.
Credit: Jeff Dierking
Epcot’s International Festival of the Holidays also features performances by Holiday Storytellers in each of the 11 countries. Check your Times Guide for performance times on the day of your visit. Performances last around 15 minutes.
- Mexico – Los Tres Reyes will tell you how Mexico celebrates La Navidad
- Norway – Sigrid tells you about the Christmas Gnome, Julenissen
- China – The Monkey King will tell you how he learned to do good
- Germany – Helga tells you about the first Christmas tree and the tale of the nutcracker
- Italy – La Befana talks about her first Christmas 2000 years ago
- America – Visit Santa’s Village with Santa and Mrs. Claus plus learn about Hanukkah and Kwanzaa
- Japan – A doll merchant appears and explains the history of the Daruma doll and the Japanese New Year customs
- Morocco – A female storyteller shares the customs around Ramadan and Ashura
- France – Pere Noel reminds us about the magic of Christmas through the eyes of a child
- United Kingdom – Father Christmas talks about traditions in the U.K.
- Canada – Canadian Holiday Voyageurs take you on a musical tour of the country’s holiday customs.
Throughout the park, you will also find incredible Christmas topiaries, decorations and in the evening Illuminations includes a special “Peace of Earth” ending. During the day, Joyful will perform at the Fountain of Nations.
The International Festival of the Holidays event will add even more magic to your already incredible vacation.
Learn more about planning your Walt Disney World vacation. Plus overwhelmed with all the planning? Destinations in Florida can help you plan your perfect trip.
