Do you hear those sleigh bells? Disney recently announced the full lineup for the Candlelight Processional at EPCOT, and we’re so excited! It’s not every day you get to hear a celebrity narrate the story of Christmas with a 50-piece orchestra, herald trumpets, and the Voices of Liberty.
Just like every year, the celebrity narrator lineup is filled with star power. However, we noticed someone was missing. Not just any celebrity, but a BIG one who has been narrating the Candlelight Processional for years!
As we said, the narrator lineup for this year is star-studded. It includes Constance Wu, Jordan Fisher, Jennifer Garner, Ashley Eckstein, Ralph Macchio, Leslie Uggams, Marlee Matlin, Henry Winkler, Lauren Daigle, Gary Sinise, Brendan Fraser (!!!), Luis Fonsi, Joel Smallbone, Brie Larson, and Sheryl Lee Ralph. However, we’re asking one question…
…where’s Neil Patrick Harris? Don’t get us wrong, we’re excited for all the stars coming, but Neil Patrick Harris has been a long-standing favorite, and he won’t be present in 2025. If you’re wondering why this is odd, it’s because he’s been a narrator for 15 Candlelight shows — including 2006-2008, 2011-2019, and 2022-2024. Disney even honored him with a recognition at EPCOT in 2022.
If you’re thinking, “There’s no way he’d miss this for no reason,” you’d probably be correct. Neil Patrick Harris will instead perform on Broadway in a show called ART by Yasmina Reza. It’s directed by Scott Ellis and translated by Christopher Hampton. It will be running at the Music Box Theatre through December 21st, 2025. Alright, we guess we’ll let it slide that he won’t be at EPCOT, even though we’re secretly crossing our fingers he randomly shows up (yep, that’s probably not happening…but we can dream).
At least a part of Neil Patrick Harris will be at EPCOT this holiday season, after all, a part of him is at EPCOT year-round. Neil Patrick Harris loves La Cava del Tequila in EPCOT’s Mexico Pavilion; he actually has his very own table there… oh yeah, and his very own drink! It’s called the Black Magic Margarita, and we 100% recommend trying it out.
We seriously can’t wait for EPCOT’s Festival of the Holidays, as it’s one of EPCOT’s most beautiful festivals. Cherished holiday traditions from all around the world come to life at World Showcase. It’s filled with all kinds of food, beverages, holiday stories, and of course, the Candlelight Processional!
Showtimes for the Candlelight Processional will be at 5 PM, 6:45 PM, and 8:15 PM nightly at the America Gardens Theatre at the American Pavilion. The Candlelight Processional Dining Package will also be available. This includes a delicious meal and guaranteed seating for one of the three nightly performances. You can choose from breakfast to dinner at participating restaurants.
If you’re looking for a travel agent to help with your vacation, we recommend our friends at Mouse Fan Travel. They’re experts in the field with over 20 years of vacation planning experience, and they can help take a bunch of the stress out of the entire booking process for you!
It feels weird saying we’re so excited for the Festival of the Holidays when Food and Wine just started, but hey, we can be excited for both! For more Disney news and updates, be sure to follow us at AllEars.
Disney Confirms 3 Changes for the Festival of the Holidays in EPCOT
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Will you be missing Neil Patrick Harris this year? Let us know in the comments!
Sorry to burst your bubble but Neil Patrick Harris and Whoopie Goldberg are two of the narrators that my wife and I refused to watch at the Candlelight Processional! So Harris’ absence this year gives another celebrity that we probably would enjoy the opportunity to participate. Looking forward to enjoying the processional at least a couple of times this year.
You haven’t burst anyone’s bubble. You’ve merely broadcast your political views in a cringingly obvious way. It’s a shame that you can’t enjoy the spirit of the event without letting politics creep into it, since Harris and Goldberg have always used the privilege of their Epcot platform professionally and never let politics creep into their narrator duties.
Well, that explains 1 missing narrator. What do you know about Whoopi Goldberg or Josh Gaad?