Disney shares the story of the nativity of Jesus at Disneyland and Walt Disney World as part of a tradition that dates back to 1958. The celebration takes over almost all of Disneyland Park for a few hours over two days in December. The tradition also continues at Walt Disney World over many days.
Keep reading to see how the traditional story of Jesus is incorporated into their seasonal theme park entertainment and the one key special event that is still going strong. At Mickey Visit, we report on recent Disney news, like changes to ride reopening dates and our review of the holiday EPCOT foods.
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Disney’s Candlelight Processional Tradition
Some guests may be caught off guard when visiting Disneyland during the first weekend of December. Around 5 pm, a massive processional of choir singers carrying electric candles processes down the entire parade route from “it’s a small world” to Main Street. Lights along the route are dimmed.
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The procession is the beginning of the Candlelight Processional event that takes over the front of Disneyland Park for two days of performances. The show, which takes place in Town Square in front of the Main Street Train Station, features the story of the birth of Jesus as told by a celebrity narrator and supported by a massive choir and live orchestra.
The experience is about 40 minutes and features narration of all the aspects of the nativity story and songs, including “What Child is This,” “Silent Night,” “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” “Do You Hear What I Hear,” and more. The celebrity then has a moment for heartfelt thanks to the audience for the experience and a place where they can share a “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays,” depending on the celebrity, with the audience.
The Candlelight Processional has been a part of Disneyland tradition since the days of Walt Disney and remains one of the most unique traditions that can be somewhat hard to believe still happens every year.
The Candlelight Processional is one of Disneyland’s oldest and most meaningful holiday traditions, with roots that go all the way back to the park’s early years. During Disneyland’s very first Christmas season in 1955, carolers and guest choirs performed along Main Street, U.S.A., setting the stage for what would eventually become a signature holiday event. Just a few years later, on December 20, 1958, the first official Candlelight Processional debuted with a massed choir led by Dr. Charles C. Hirt from the University of Southern California.
Dr. Hirt shaped much of what we still see today. In 1960, the ceremony introduced its first celebrity narrator, actor Dennis Morgan, who read passages from the Christmas story between musical performances. This format, narration paired with a full orchestra and hundreds of singers, became the blueprint for the modern Processional and remains largely unchanged decades later.
The scale of the show has grown over the years, now featuring fanfare trumpeters, a full symphony orchestra, choirs from across Southern California, and the iconic “Living Christmas Tree” formation that guests look forward to every year.
The Candlelight Processional later expanded to Walt Disney World in 1971, initially held at Magic Kingdom before moving to EPCOT in 1994, where it remains a holiday tradition as part of the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays. Now it takes place at both Disneyland Resort and EPCOT each year.
Disneyland’s Candlelight Processional is Mainly Reserved for VIPs
The Disneyland Candlelight Processional takes place each year during the first week of December, seating is reserved for VIPs, Club 33 members, and invited media, but many guests manage to take in the performance from other standing areas on Main Street. The most recent event took place on December 6 and 7, 2025, at Disneyland.
This event is not easy to experience for regular guests, as the reserved viewing is so limited, and Main Street traffic is kept moving throughout the event, except for limited viewing areas. Not many guests get the experience of an unobstructed view of the Disneyland Candlelight Processional. This part of the park is impacted by the choir procession and the crowds on Main Street.
The celebrity narrator is typically kept a surprise for Disneyland’s performance and usually isn’t revealed until rehearsal. The narrator is often someone connected to a major Disney blockbuster, though it can also be a well-known or highly respected Disney Legend. Over the years, narrators have included Chris Hemsworth, Ginnifer Goodwin, Sterling K. Brown, Kurt Russell, Chris Pratt, John Stamos, Dick Van Dyke, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. You can read more about the 2025 surprise celebrity narrator for Disneyland’s performance here.
Overall, Disneyland’s Candlelight Processional event is largely reserved for VIPs and is not even openly advertised to guests due to how difficult it is to get close to the performance.
Disney World Offers Guests an Easier Candlelight Processional Experience
The EPCOT Candlelight Processional is promoted to all guest at Walt Disney World. Guests can walk up and wait for general admission or purchase a dining package for reserved seats. The event is part of the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays. The Candlelight Processional at EPCOT takes place at the America Gardens Theatre, featuring the Voices of Liberty and a choir of Disney cast members, a live orchestra, and a celebrity narrator retelling the traditional Christmas story. The choir also makes a procession to the theater as they do at Disneyland, but they are only walking a short distance from the pavilion near the theater, not across EPCOT.
At Walt Disney World, there is a long list of celebrity narrators since there are far more performances to experience. There are 15 narrators at Walt Disney World for 2025, with almost all of them performing for multiple nights with three shows each night. You can see all the Disney World Candlelight narrators here, including a recent change.
Candlelight at EPCOT does not take over the entire park. The nature of the event, lasting throughout the entire month, means that more people can see the show, and less emphasis is put on each individual performance. This slightly more casual nature extends from the layout of the theater to the way that the celebrity conducts themself. The celebrity has more room for comments and connecting with the crowd during this show.
This is one of the most popular events at EPCOT, and it brings large crowds, especially when a popular celebrity is narrating the performance. The dining packages offered for the event make the process seamless for securing spots for popular narrators. It is far easier to enjoy the Candlelight Processional at EPCOT than it is at Disneyland.
Disney Celebrates All Winter Holidays
Disney strives to include all religions in their holiday celebrations, which is why they typically call the events “Holidays at Disney Parks” because the event celebrates all the holidays that take place throughout November, December, and January. While Disneyland Park and Magic Kingdom Park primarily highlight Christmas traditions, guests will find nods to other winter holidays throughout the additional parks and seasonal offerings.
At Disneyland, the Festival of Holidays celebrates Christmas/Navidad, Diwali, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Three Kings Day through entertainment, food and beverage, and merchandise.
At Walt Disney World, a variety of global holiday traditions are celebrated during EPCOT’s International Festival of the Holidays, communicated through Holiday Kitchens and the World Showcase storytellers. These include some Hanukkah recognition, primarily through the L’Chaim! Holiday Kitchen and the Hanukkah Storyteller, which are both located between Morocco and France. Three Kings Day is also featured in the Mexico pavilion storytelling.
And of course, the EPCOT Candlelight Processional happens on a grander scale at Disney World, taking place multiple times a week throughout the duration of the festival.
Is the Candlelight Processional Only for Religious Guests?
The holidays at Disney highlight many different cultural traditions, not just the Biblical story of Jesus. You don’t need to be religious to enjoy the Candlelight Processional! If you enjoy theater, choir music, and hearing a full orchestra play classic Christmas songs, it really doesn’t matter whether you identify as Christian.
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The Candlelight Processional is a gorgeous performance, and people of all belief systems generally feel completely comfortable there. The only guests who might have a harder time are those who just aren’t into orchestras or choir singing. But honestly, even if that’s you, I’d still recommend giving it a try. The talent and atmosphere make it something truly special.
We have enjoyed the show on both coasts. This is a Disney offering that is unlike anything else they put on throughout the year and is something I would recommend anyone to enjoy.
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