Front of Disneyland Will Basically Shut Down For Chunk of This Weekend, Why That’s Actually Great For Guests Going

There are a number of seasonal offerings during the Christmas celebration at Disneyland that all park guests can enjoy, but there is one special event not open to the public that may impact your visit.

This event is not openly advertised by Disneyland as viewing opportunities are limited, but you'll want to be aware of it if you have a trip coming up this weekend. For a chunk of the day, traffic in and out of Disneyland will be heavily impacted as the front of the park is blocked off.

Keep reading for more details and what to expect, as well as some of the history behind this Disneyland tradition! If you know how to handle this event it can actually be great for park goers.

Disneyland Special Event Impact on Park

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Each year in early December, Disneyland holds a time-honored tradition of the Disneyland Candlelight Processional, which is a 45-minute retelling of “The First Christmas” featuring music and a celebrity narrator. This year, the event will happen on December 7 and 8 with performances held at 5:30pm and 7:45pm each night.

The performance happens in Town Square at Disneyland Park, and this section of the park is blocked off with traffic rerouted around this area to the rest of the theme park. During the show, it will be difficult to navigate this area due to the restricted space at the front of the park.

Some other happenings in Disneyland Park that day will also be impacted. One of the biggest changes is that the times of the Christmas Fantasy Parade will be moved to 12:45 pm and 3:15 pm. In the past, the Main Street vehicles have stopped running at 12pm, stores in the area have limited access, and popcorn and churro carts are not open in the area due to the performances. The Disneyland Railroad will not run during the performances (hours will be 8:00 am to 3:00 pm and 10:00 pm to 12:00 am), and in previous years, Jungle Cruise has not run during the performances though its times are currently showing as normal on the Disneyland website.

If you want to avoid the Candlelight Processional crowds, we recommend avoiding the front of Disneyland Park between 4 and 9 pm so you can enjoy the other offerings further into the park during this time. Or, you can take this time to spend at Disney California Adventure enjoying the Disney Festival of Holidays and the great new holiday shows that debuted this year!

All of that being said, note that this event only impacts the front of the park and this actually improves the guest experience for those with park reservations. Throughout the rest of the park, the crowds are actually lower because park reservations are capped at a lower amount for these dates. The happenings surrounding the Candlelight Processional take up park capacity, so there are fewer people focused on enjoying rides and the other standard offerings of the park. You can see our trip report of visiting during this weekend from last year here! We call it the best weekend of the year to visit because you get all of the festive holiday decorations, plus low crowds.

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The history of the Disneyland Candlelight Processional dates back to the park's opening in 1955 with twelve carolers singing throughout the park during its first Christmas season under the direction of Dr. Charles Hirt. In 1958, the Candlelight Processional debuted with a 300-person choir. In the 1960s, Dennis Morgan read portions of the Biblical story of Christmas between the hymns, which started a tradition of celebrity narrators who would participate in the performance each year.

Over the years that the Candlelight Processional has taken place, its essence has remained intact, and much of the music and narration stays the same from year to year outside of minor changes. Much of this continuity over the decades can be credited to Dr. Charles Hirt, who directed the ceremony for 25 years.

If you're interested in securing standby viewing for a performance, you can see our tips in our Disneyland Candlelight Processional guide here. This will take up a significant part of your day and a willingness to brave the crowds if you have your heart set on seeing the performance!

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