Disneyland’s Candlelight Procession and Ceremony event has
become a holiday tradition for Southern California families, including
my husband and myself. We would join our friends at Disneyland early
in the day to claim spaces along Main Street, U.S.A., where we could watch
the processional and hear the ceremony presented from Town Square.
The conditions were not ideal and the sight lines poor for most of the
audience, but the regulars knew what to expect from the event that had
been delighting park guests since 1958.
When the event moved to the Fantasyland Theater in 1998, fans had to
learn new strategies for getting a spot to see the show. We were there
before park opening that first year, waiting in the early morning cold
for tickets to the show. The next year, we found that it was possible
to simply walk into the Sunday night shows with no tickets and no waits.
Last year, Disneyland added a Candlelight dining package, adding
another twist for visitors to adjust to. Since we were Candlelight
veterans by this time, we decided to skip the package and wait for stand-by
seats. Those visitors who did book the dinner package reported hassles
with their meal and crowd control challenges at the theater. Despite these
issues, it looked like Disneyland had the foundation for a successful
Candlelight program. With a few tweaks, everyone would know what
to expect, and the event should run smoothly.
The Disneyland Railroad’s Main Street Station provides the backdrop for
the stage, which is set for the performers to take their places. Photo
by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Then this year, Disneyland announced that the ceremony would return to
Main Street so that crews could prepare the Fantasyland Theater for the
Snow White musical, set to debut in 2004. The resort would also
offer a Candlelight dining package; something never offered during
the years the event had been on Main Street.
Suddenly, all the Candlelight experience from years past was out the window.
To avoid any hassle and confusion, we decided to book the Candlelight
dinner package this year to ensure that we had a seat for the show. We
made our reservations for Hook’s Pointe at the Disneyland Hotel for Sunday
night, and requested seats for the second performance of the night.
When we arrived at Hook’s Pointe, the hostess seated us quickly—
then warned us that Candlelight might be cancelled because of rain,
and that our meal package was nonrefundable. On that friendly note, we
perused the menu, looking for a combination of appetizer, entrée
and dessert that would meet the $40-per-person purchase requirement of
the dinner package.
The meal went smoothly, but the restaurant was busy and the service was
slow. We left our dessert half-eaten so we could get over to Disneyland
in time for the performance. As we paid the check, the server gave us
our Candlelight tickets in a nice little folder.
We arrived at Disneyland and found two lines of visitors waiting for
Candlelight. We showed our tickets to a cast member, who directed
us to our designated line. We chatted with other visitors as we waited,
and heard similar stories of slow service at other resort restaurants.
We cast a wary eye at the clouds gathered in the sky, hoping that the
storm would wait until after the show to let loose.
Cast members let us into the seating area about 15 minutes before the
scheduled start time, and we could not have been more pleased with the
seating arrangements: Rows of white chairs placed directly in front of
the stage—we had our pick of seats. We bypassed front-row seats to
claim spots in the back row, where we could get better photos. To the
left and right of the stage were additional rows of chairs, reserved for
those waiting in the second line.
A few minutes before showtime, empty seats in the reserved section are
opened to waiting crowds. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Dozens of chairs were still empty after everyone was seated, so cast
members took down the ropes behind the reserved seating area to allow
those waiting in the standing-room-only area to claim them. Green park
benches accommodated even more of the crowd, and spectators filled the
open areas in front of the Emporium and Showcase stores.
The stage was set with risers for the choirs, a tree-shaped riser for
the cast member choir, tables for the handbell choir, and seats for the
orchestra. At stage right stood the lectern for the narrator, and located
below it at street level, a riser for the sign language interpreter. As
the members of the orchestra took their seats and began to warm up, a
light drizzle began to fall from the sky. We looked around nervously but
it appeared that the show would go on.
Conductor Nancy Sulahian (left) directs the Disneyland Orchestra to perform
during the Processional. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Conductor Nancy Sulahian took the stage and began the processional. To
the strains of “Oh Little Town of Bethlehem,” the choir members
entered Town Square and began to fill in the risers.
Soloist Ann Winkowski sings “What Child is This?” Photo by Adrienne
Vincent-Phoenix.
Once the entire choir had taken its place, the evening’s narrator was
introduced. Oscar- and Emmy-winning actor Louis Gossett, Jr. was scheduled
to narrate all four performances, but fell ill on Saturday. Fortunately
for Disneyland, entertainer Marie Osmond was in the park on Saturday for
the release of her Enchanted Tiki Room doll, and agreed to narrate that
evening’s shows. Gossett was well enough to narrate Sunday’s performances.
Louis Gossett, Jr. welcomes the crowd. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix
The Candlelight show is the same year to year—the narrator
reads a prepared script, pausing for the choir and orchestra to perform
traditional holiday songs. Gossett was a powerful, engaging narrator,
and a true pleasure to listen to.
Conductor Nancy Sulahian, the Director of Music Ministries at the First
United Methodist Church of Glendale, leads the audience in singing “Silent
Night.” Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
As the show progressed, I was struck by the sheer beauty of the Main
Street setting. Candlelight is a beautiful show in any venue, but
Main Street provides a unique backdrop. The Disneyland Fanfare Trumpets
belong on the roof of the Main Street train station, where their sudden
appearance is a delightful surprise for first-time viewers.
The Disneyland Fanfare Trumpets return to the roof of the Main Street
Station. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
The Main Street station makes a fantastic stage, already trimmed with
lights and garland. While the choir tree is highlighted only by stage
lighting and the green gowns of the performers when Candlelight
is held in the Fantasyland Theater, the three-dimensional cast member
choir tree, built upon the upper platform at the Main Street station,
stands out against the night.
Lou Gossett, Jr. watches as the choirs sing. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Most of all, Main Street provides an open-air setting for the show; quite
a contrast from the covered seating area in Fantasyland. The clouds cleared
during our performance, leaving a starry sky as a canopy over the show.
The Main Street music loop is silenced, and crowds are routed around the
stage, leaving Main Street strangely quiet.
The cast member choir forms a living Christmas tree. Photo by Adrienne
Vincent-Phoenix.
Every so often, the wind carried in the sounds of the “native attack”
from the Jungle Cruise or the delighted screams of a passenger on the
Matterhorn Bobsleds, creating an altogether surreal experience that is
so different from the enclosed Fantasyland Theater.
School and church choirs from around Southern California lend their voices
to the performance each year. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
After Candlelight‘s return to Main Street, it’s hard to imagine
the show moving back to the Fantasyland Theater. The show is so much more
powerful, so much more special, in its original home. Fortunately, cast
choir members have been told that the show will remain on Main Street
throughout Snow White‘s run.
Sign me up for another year on Main Street.
