Walt Disney World has announced the celebrity narrator lineup for the 2026 Candlelight Processional at EPCOT. The list mixes returning favorites with several first-timers, and this year’s show marks its 55th year at Walt Disney World and 32nd at EPCOT. Here’s the full breakdown.
2026 Candlelight Processional Celebrity Narrator Schedule
IN THIS ARTICLE:
- The full narrator schedule, including three names making their Candlelight Processional debut
- Showtimes and how Candlelight Processional Dining Packages guarantee a seat
- What’s still to be announced for two performance dates
Candlelight Processional Narrator Lineup
Disney confirmed the narrator schedule for the 2026 EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays. Each night, a celebrity narrator takes the America Gardens Theatre stage alongside a 51-piece orchestra, the Voices of Liberty, and a choir of more than 150 Disney cast members and community singers to retell the Christmas story. Three names are making their first appearance in the role this year. Robin Roberts, Jason Kelce, and Lacey Chabert join returning narrators like Auli’i Cravalho, Gary Sinise, Whoopi Goldberg, and Neil Patrick Harris.
Here’s the full 2026 Candlelight Processional narrator schedule, with a couple of placeholders:
- Nov. 27 & 28 – Auli’i Cravalho
- Nov. 29 – Dec. 1 – Gary Sinise
- Dec. 2 & 3 – To Be Announced
- Dec. 4 & 5 – Whoopi Goldberg
- Dec. 6 & 7 – Robin Roberts (NEW)
- Dec. 8 & 9 – Jason Kelce (NEW)
- Dec. 10 – 12 – Neil Patrick Harris
- Dec. 13 & 14 – To Be Announced
- Dec. 15 & 16 – Lauren Daigle
- Dec. 17 – 19 – Ralph Macchio
- Dec. 20 & 21 – Henry Winkler
- Dec. 22 & 23 – Lacey Chabert (NEW)
- Dec. 24 & 25 – Jodi Benson
- Dec. 26 & 27 – Simu Liu
- Dec. 28 – 30 – Eva Longoria
Disney has not yet announced narrators for two performance windows, Dec. 2 and 3 and Dec. 13 and 14. Jodi Benson and Ralph Macchio both return after narrating in past seasons. Simu Liu is also back on the list.
Showtimes and Dining Packages
Candlelight Processional runs three times nightly at the America Gardens Theatre, with showtimes at 4:45pm, 6:30pm, and 8:00pm. Seating is first come, first served and fills up fast on popular narrator nights. Anyone hoping to catch a specific name should plan around the schedule above.
Guests who want a guaranteed seat can book a Candlelight Processional Dining Package. The package pairs a meal at a participating EPCOT restaurant with reserved seating at one of the three nightly shows. Options include breakfast, lunch, or dinner depending on the restaurant, plus an entree and dessert or a buffet, and a nonalcoholic or alcoholic beverage for guests 21 and older. Guests receive a reserved seating badge after the meal, though Disney still recommends arriving early for the best view within the reserved section. Candlelight Processional Dining Packages open for booking on October 14th.
The EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays presented by AdventHealth runs November 27th through December 30th.
Story So Far
- Disney confirmed the dates and full lineup for the 2026 EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays in June, noting at the time that celebrity narrators and dining package details were still unannounced.
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