Walt Disney World Candlelight Processional
Celebrity Narrators

Candlelight Processional at Epcot is one of the most popular holiday shows for Walt Disney World visitors.  The holiday tradition actually began in 1958 as a special event for California VIPs at Disneyland.  It continued in 1971 when the popular Christmas tradition was first held at Florida's Magic Kingdom.  Still a VIP event, it was attended by the "who's who" of Orange and Osceola counties, and other Central Florida communities.  Local residents who didn't receive a ticket to be seated quickly caught on, and flocked to the theme park to catch a glimpse of the show's celebrity narrator while listening to the amazing spectacle that filled Town Square.

It is rare to see a exhaustive list of celebrity narrators who have performed during the show in Florida.  According to the research we have done at ChristmasInOrlando.com, here is what we have found:

1971
Rock Hudson

1972
Cary Grant

1973
Rock Hudson

1974
Rock Hudson

1975
Dean Jones

1976
Joseph Campanella

1977
Rock Hudson

1978
Ross Martin

1979
Perry Como

1980
Rock Hudson

1982
Pat and Shirley Boone

1983
Joseph Campanella

1985
Howard Keel

1987
Dean Jones

1989
McLean Stevenson

1990
Joseph Campanella

In 1994, the show was moved to Epcot's America Gardens Theatre, as part of the park's new "Holidays Around the World" program.  For the first time, the show was open to the general public (as opposed to invited VIPs) and it was offered on multiple nights.

1994
Phylicia Rashad, Robert Guillaume and Robert Urich

1995
E.G. Marshall, Peter Graves and Phylicia Rashad

1996
Buzz Aldrin, Barbara Eden, Ed Asner, Louis Gossett Jr., Miss America Tara Dawn Holland and Sandi Patty

1998
Phylicia Rashad, Charles Kimbrough, Brian Dennehy, George Hamilton, James McDaniel, Joseph Marcell, Louis Gossett Jr., Deidre Hall, George Kennedy, Miss America Nicole Johnson, Art Garfunkel.

1999
Alfre Woodward, Charles Kimbrough, Angela Bassett, Brian Dennehy, Robby Benson, James Avery, Edward James Olmos, James McDaniel, Andy Garcia, Sandi Patty, David Ogden Stiers, LeVar Burton

2000
Jodi Benson, Angela Bassett, Ben Vereen, Robert Urich, Phylicia Rashad, Robby Benson and Gary Sinise

2001
James Avery, Marlee Matlin, Robby Benson, Wayne Brady, Phylicia Rashad, Story Musgrave, Alfre Woodard, Blair Underwood, Gary Sinise, LeVar Burton

2002
Edward James Olmos, John Tesh, Marlee Matlin, James Avery, Yolanda Adams, David Hartman, Collin Raye, Blair Underwood, Gary Sinise, Jodi Benson

2003
Gary Sinise, Miss America Ericka Dunlap, Sandi Patti, Ben Vereen, Andy Garcia, Rita Moreno, David Ogden Stiers, Steven Curtis Chapman, Edward James Olmos, Robby Benson

2004
Rita Moreno, Heather Headley, Kirk Franklin, Jim Caviezel, Marlee Matlin, Joshua Morrow, Eartha Kitt, Steven Curtis Chapman, Edward James Olmos, Gary Sinise, Levar Burton

2005
Rita Moreno, Phil Donahue, Haley Joel Osment, Cicely Tyson, Jaci Velasquez, Eartha Kitt, Lou Diamond Phillips, Harry Hamlin, Marlee Matlin, Jim Caviezel, John Stamos, Stephen Curtis Chapman

2006
David Robinson, John O Hurley, Rita Moreno, Marie Osmond, Mario Lopez, Brian Dennehy, Stephen Curtis Chapman, Maureen McGovern, Kirk Cameron, Neil Patrick Harris, Edward James Olmos, Gary Sinise, Marlee Matlin

2007
David Robinson, John O'Hurley, Neil Patrick Harris, Dennis Franz, Monique Coleman, Steven Curtis Chapman, Chita Rivera, Andie McDowell, Kirk Cameron, Edward James Olmos, Gary Sinise, Rita Moreno, Marlee Matlin

2008
John O'Hurley, Neil Patrick Harris, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Virginia Madsen, Marlee Matlin, Monique Coleman, Chita Rivera, Abigail Breslin, Steven Curtis Chapman, Edward James Olmos, Angela Bassett & Courtney Vance (together).

2009
Isabella Rossellini, John O'Hurley, Steven Curtis Chapman, Anika Noni Rose, Andy Garcia, Vanessa Williams, Abigail Breslin, Whoopi Goldberg, Brian Dennehy, Edward James Olmos, Angela Bassett & Courtney Vance (together).

 As you can see, we are missing a few years (1981, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, and 1993)  If you happen to have a program for any of these years, please email Keith Salwoski at ksalwoski@gaylordhotels.com.