…and Disney just revealed the celebrities who will help tell one of Walt Disney World’s most beloved holiday stories this year.
Disney has officially announced the 2026 Candlelight Processional celebrity narrator lineup, bringing back several fan-favorite narrators while adding some very recognizable new faces — including Robin Roberts, Jason Kelce, and Lacey Chabert.
The Candlelight Processional returns to the America Gardens Theatre as part of the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays presented by AdventHealth, which runs from November 27 through December 30, 2026.
And if seeing a particular narrator is high on your Christmas vacation wish list, you’ll want to start planning now.
The FULL 2026 Candlelight Processional Narrator Schedule
Disney has announced the following celebrity narrator schedule:
November 27 & 28 — Auli‘i Cravalho
The voice of Moana kicks off the 2026 Candlelight Processional season.
November 29–December 1 — Gary Sinise
The actor and longtime supporter of military members, veterans, first responders, and their families returns to the Candlelight Processional.
December 2 & 3 — To Be Announced
Disney hasn’t revealed the narrator for these two performances yet.
December 4 & 5 — Whoopi Goldberg
The EGOT-winning actress, comedian, and television host returns for another year.
December 6 & 7 — Robin Roberts — NEW
The Good Morning America co-anchor makes her Candlelight Processional narrator debut in 2026.
December 8 & 9 — Jason Kelce — NEW
Former Philadelphia Eagles center and current broadcaster and podcaster Jason Kelce joins the Candlelight Processional for the first time.
December 10–12 — Neil Patrick Harris
One of the event’s most popular returning narrators, Neil Patrick Harris is back for three nights this year.
December 13 & 14 — To Be Announced
Another narrator has yet to be revealed for these dates.
December 15 & 16 — Lauren Daigle
The Grammy-winning Christian music artist returns to EPCOT.
December 17–19 — Ralph Macchio
The Karate Kid and Cobra Kai star returns for three nights.
December 20 & 21 — Henry Winkler
The Emmy-winning actor and Happy Days icon is back for two performances.
December 22 & 23 — Lacey Chabert — NEW
The actress known for Mean Girls, Party of Five, and her extensive lineup of Hallmark Christmas movies makes a particularly fitting Candlelight Processional debut just before Christmas.
December 24 & 25 — Jodi Benson
The original voice of Ariel in Disney’s The Little Mermaid will narrate the Christmas story on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
December 26 & 27 — Simu Liu
The Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star returns after Christmas.
December 28–30 — Eva Longoria
The actress, producer, and director closes out the 2026 Candlelight Processional season.
That gives us most of the 2026 schedule, but Disney isn’t finished yet.
The narrators for December 2–3 and December 13–14 remain unannounced, so there are still four dates waiting to be filled.
What Is the EPCOT Candlelight Processional?
If you’ve never experienced Candlelight Processional, this is much more elaborate than simply having a celebrity read a Christmas story on stage.
The production combines a celebrity narrator with a 51-piece orchestra, the Voices of Liberty, and a choir of more than 150 Disney Cast Members and community singers to present a musical retelling of the traditional Christmas story. And 2026 marks two milestones for the show.
This year will mark the 55th year of Candlelight Processional at Walt Disney World Resort and its 32nd year at EPCOT. Performances take place every night during EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays at the America Gardens Theatre in World Showcase. There are three performances each evening: 4:45 PM, 6:30 PM, and 8:00 PM
The Candlelight Processional itself is included with regular EPCOT admission, so you don’t need to purchase a separate event ticket to see it. Getting a seat, however, is another matter.
General seating is first-come, first-served, and Disney specifically warns that performances can fill quickly. That’s where the Candlelight Processional Dining Package comes in.
Candlelight Processional Dining Packages Open October 14
Disney has confirmed that 2026 Candlelight Processional Dining Packages become available to book beginning October 14. A dining package combines a meal at a participating EPCOT restaurant with guaranteed seating for a Candlelight Processional performance later that same day.
Depending on the restaurant, packages can include breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The meal includes an entrée and dessert or a buffet, along with a nonalcoholic beverage or an alcoholic beverage for guests ages 21 and older. After dining, guests receive a reserved seating badge corresponding to their Candlelight Processional performance.
Importantly, the package guarantees admission to the reserved seating section — it does not guarantee a particular seat within that section. Disney still recommends arriving early if you want the best choice of seats. Disney’s official dining package page has not yet released the complete 2026 participating restaurant lineup or pricing, instead telling guests to check back for additional details. So if you’re planning around one of the most popular narrators, October 14 is the date to remember.
Which Narrator Dates Could Be the Hardest To Get?
Disney doesn’t publish narrator-by-narrator demand forecasts, but there are a few dates we’d watch especially closely.
Neil Patrick Harris has long been one of the Candlelight Processional’s most recognizable returning narrators, and his December 10–12 run falls across three nights during the heart of the holiday season.
Then there’s Jason Kelce. His December 8–9 appearances are his first Candlelight Processional performances, and his enormous following outside the traditional Disney audience could make those dates particularly interesting this year.
Lacey Chabert also feels almost tailor-made for this event. Her December 22–23 appearances combine a first-time narrator with the final days leading directly into Christmas.
And then there are December 24 and 25 with Jodi Benson. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at Walt Disney World are already extremely popular dates before you add the original voice of Ariel narrating Candlelight Processional.
None of that guarantees which performances will be the most difficult to see, but if one of those narrators is the reason you’re visiting EPCOT, a dining package may be worth considering rather than relying entirely on standby seating.
Candlelight Processional is only one part of the 2026 EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays, which runs November 27 through December 30. Unlike Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party or Disney Jollywood Nights, Festival of the Holidays is included with regular EPCOT admission.
Disney has already confirmed that guests can once again experience holiday traditions from around the world, seasonal entertainment, festive food and beverages, and the return of Living with the Land — Glimmering Greenhouses.
The broader Walt Disney World holiday season begins November 13 and runs through January 6, 2027, but EPCOT’s festival has the shorter November 27–December 30 run. That makes your narrator’s dates particularly important if Candlelight Processional is a must-do.
With Robin Roberts, Jason Kelce, and Lacey Chabert joining longtime favorites like Neil Patrick Harris, Whoopi Goldberg, Gary Sinise, Jodi Benson, and Simu Liu, Disney has put together a pretty impressive group for 2026. And we’re still waiting to find out who’s filling those final four dates.
Keep checking back with Theme Park Scope for the remaining Candlelight Processional narrator announcements, Festival of the Holidays menus, dining package details, and everything you need to know about Christmas at Walt Disney World in 2026.
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