Halloween isn’t even here yet, but we’re already getting all kinds of Christmas news.
Candlelight Processional ©Disney
Just this week, we shared with you that Disney has canceled the Candlelight Processional at EPCOT and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party in Magic Kingdom. Now, we’ve got news about the cancellation of a Christmas event over in Disneyland.
According to the Orange County Register, Disneyland is canceling its Candlelight Processional.
© The Orange County Register
This event is similar to EPCOT’s Candlelight Processional, but is on a whole other level. In Disneyland’s version of this event, hundreds of members of the local community, as well as the Disneyland Cast Member Choir, the Disneyland Orchestra, and more celebrate Christmas in a grand display.
Neil Patrick Harris at The Candlelight Processional in Disney World ©Disney
The event takes place in front of the Disneyland Main Street Train Station and typically features an A-list celebrity narrator. It is also offered on a much more limited basis than the version in EPCOT — last year it only took place on two nights.
Candlelight Processional at EPCOT
The OCR notes that Disneyland officials stated Disneyland was simply “unable to commit to the monthslong planning process for the Candlelight Processional without a clear understanding of when theme parks can reopen from the State of California.”
Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle
According to the OCR, the special event is typically crowded and busy and tends to jam foot traffic near the park’s entrance. Typically backstage passageways are opened during this time to ease congestion. The OCR notes that “Holding a private event in the middle of a theme park during operating hours presents a number of challenges for Disneyland — from attraction operations to show scheduling to crowd management.”
Disneyland Train Station
When Disney canceled EPCOT’s Candlelight Processional, it noted that it was canceling “holiday experiences that draw big crowds” like EPCOT’s Candlelight Processional and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. So, it makes sense that this ex perience at Disneyland would be canceled due to the potential crowd levels it could draw, as well as the fact that an opening date for Disneyland has yet to be firmly established. We’ll keep an eye out for more Disneyland news and let you know what we find!
Click here to read about the return of indoor dining to certain Downtown Disney restaurants at Disneyland Resort.
Have you ever had the chance to see Disneyland’s Candlelight Processional? Tell us all about it in the comments!