More Festival of the Holidays Details & Full Narrator Lineup for Candlelight Processional Released

While the holiday season is gearing up at Walt Disney World, at EPCOT, we still have a few weeks until the beginning of the 2021 EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays! With the start just around the corner, Disney has announced the full celebrity lineup for the Candlelight processional and released a few more details on the upcoming event.

From a Disney Cast Member;

The calendar says November, so it’s almost time for the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays presented by AdventHealth, happening during The World’s Most Magical Celebration! This is one of my family’s favorite events of the year, with so many wonderful things to see and do. When we stroll through the park and reach the magnificent Christmas tree in World Showcase Plaza, the biggest question becomes: Do we start on the left toward Mexico or go right toward Canada?

This year, we’ll probably start right in the middle and kick things off with the return of “JOYFUL! A Celebration of the Season” on the Showcase Plaza Stage. This stirring and uplifting performance of music celebrating Christmas and Kwanzaa never fails to fill us with energy!

Venturing into World Showcase, there’s a wealth of holiday storytellers, musical acts, and other performers to discover, from the Canadian Holiday Voyageurs and their musical memories across the Great White North to the Chinese Lion Dance, Italy’s La Befana, France’s Père Noël and more. And from Nov. 26 – Dec. 24, Santa Claus pays a visit to The American Adventure, where you can step right up and let him know your fondest wish for Christmas.

Of course, we love to cap off a day of holiday fun at EPCOT with a performance of the “Candlelight Processional” at America Gardens Theatre. This year, the incomparable Voices of Liberty will form a living Christmas tree at center stage, flanked on either side by a choir of Disney cast members pouring their hearts into every song. And there’s nothing quite like having those songs played by a full orchestra and hearing the traditional Christmas story told by a celebrity narrator. The lineup of narrators for 2021 includes award-winning actors, singers, and television hosts … and two Disney princesses! Here’s who is scheduled to appear:

    • 11/26 – 11/28: Auli’i Cravalho
    • 11/29 – 12/1: Chita Rivera
    • 12/2 – 12/4: Jodi Benson
    • 12/5 – 12/7: Alton Fitzgerald White
    • 12/8 – 12/10: Bart Millard
    • 12/11 – 12/13: Lisa Ling
    • 12/14 – 12/16: Andy Garcia
    • 12/17 – 12/19: Ana Gasteyer
    • 12/20 – 12/22: Courtney B. Vance
    • 12/23 – 12/25: Steven Curtis Chapman
    • 12/26 – 12/28: Blair Underwood
    • 12/29 – 12/30: Pat Sajak

The EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays starts Nov. 26 and continues through Dec. 30. 

a look at the celebrity narrators slated to appear during EPCOT’s Candlelight Processional

Previously, DisneyDining brought you the exciting news that the Candlelight Processional will be back again this year at EPCOT during the 2021 International Festival of the Holidays! It’s probably some of the best news we’ve heard in a while!

And to add to the excitement, Disney has just announced the names of some of the celebrities who will be on hand as celebrity narrators during the Processional. A few are new, and some are Candlelight Processional “regulars.” So far, we’ve learned that the following celebs will join Guests at EPCOT this holiday season:

  • Chita Rivera – November 29 through December 1
  • Jodi Benson – December 2 through December 4
  • Alton Fitzgerald White – December 5 through December 7
  • Lisa Ling – December 11 through December 13
  • Steven Curtis Chapman – December 23 through December 25
  • Blair Underwood – December 26 through December 28
  • Pat Sajak – December 29 through December 30

You can see from the list that there are gaps in the dates, meaning those spots more than likely have not yet been confirmed, and more names will be added to the list as we approach the opening date for this year’s festival, which is November 26. This year’s amazing festival will run through December 30, 2021.

On October 26, Disney will begin to accept reservations for all of its Candlelight Processional Dining Packages. These exciting dining experiences include a prix fixe meal at select EPCOT restaurants and reserved seating during a Candlelight Processional performance.

This year, the available dining locations include the following four choices:

  • Biergarten Restaurant – $62 for adults, $35 for children
  • Coral Reef Restaurant – $74 for adults, $25 for children
  • Garden Grill Restaurant – $71 for adults, $46 for children
  • Rose & Crown Dining Room – $63 for adults, $25 for children