I know, I know…..Disney is for kids.
It is.
It IS…but hear me out. There are Disney World parks that are more geared toward littles – duh-Disney, and there are SOME Disney World parks – like Epcot – that have a wonderful grown-up vibe, where littles can find things too, but adults, looking for some buzzy-fun, can thrive here. It is not COMPLETELY Adults Only, but man, oh man….Epcot is wonderful fun for adults.
The park has great rides, and the World Showcase has different countries that are soooo fun and exciting to explore, plus grown-up drink, after grown-up drink, after grown-up drink.
We live in Orlando, so we are Annual Passholders, and frequently, this is a great way to have a fun, different date night, which is exactly what we did this Christmas.
Each country in Epcot celebrates Christmas, per that specific country, and we visited America, in Epcot for the Candlelight Processional. This happens multiple times every year, there is a schedule, and it is a very traditional-America show with a special-guest orator. The one we attended was orated by Ralph Machio. You know? Karate Kid? Ya’ll! YA’LL!!! It was soooo goooood!
So let me explain our Christmas date day, so that you can duplicate it, if you so choose.
On the Disney World app, they post the Candlelight Processional schedule. There is never clearly defined, schedule-release dates, I usually start looking around October. We usually view the scheduled speakers – with our time off availability, and make our date choice.
Travel Tipsy: You will need an Epcot park reservation to attend this event.
There are two ways to attend the Candlelight Processional: 1. General Admission – you line up early for the event and HOPE that you get in, or 2. You reserve a Dining Experience for the Candlelight Processional, which comes with Confirmed Seat Tickets. We went with the dining experience. There is no way I could get Tom to stand in line that long, for a ‘maybe’. Ha ha!
Travel Tipsy: If choosing the Dining Experience, make sure you book the Candlelight Processional dining package options. Regular dining will not get you a ticket for confirmed seats.
We chose Garden Grill Restaurant and our lunch reservation was at 1:30PM which got us tickets for the 5PM Candlelight Processional.
Garden Grill is a country, family-style restaurant, meaning that you all get the same food, served family-style, but you can eat as much as you want. We ordered extra portions of a few items. This restaurant is located in the Land Pavilion and you can either pick a traditional meal or one with plant-based foods, which includes sausage and pork.
Restaurant: Unassuming and almost invisible. Honestly, I have been to Epcot, in the Land Pavilion, MULTIPLE times and completely ignored this restaurant (even though it is right friggin there!), due to its unassuming nature.
Food and Drinks: This is a mix of pros and cons. Some of the food was OUTSTANDING! Seriously amazing steak chimichurri, turkey and the best cornbread that I have ever tasted in my life! The vegetables were just okay, the macaroni seemed out of a box, with goldfish thrown on top, and the pie at the end was good. We wound up getting extra portions of steak and potatoes.
One nice unexpected benefit was that one alcoholic beverage was included, per-person, in our Candlelight processional package (I usually run up the bill here). I wound up drinking both of those, YAY! As you know, Tom prefers….erm…other adult things for his fun buzzy.
Service: Service here was not as great as other Disney locations. Tonys in Magic Kingdom and Tiffins in Animal Kingdom is really friggin hard to beat for service. BUT, for the special price point of $80 per person, I expected to, at the very least, have water on the table and be greeted within the first 10 minutes. Once the server came, it was just okay. It wasn’t terrible, but it certainly wasn’t stand-out, Disney-great, memorable.
Adults Only: There are kids here, HOWEVER, due to the price point, it is low to moderate. On this trip, there were not a lot of kids here. I couldn’t imagine paying a huge price-point for my grands, and then trying to get them to sit down and FRIGGIN EAT THIS EXPENSIVE MEAL! LOL. I imagine most have this same mindset, which makes it a good escape from families with littles.
Standouts: Characters! And with a low kid crowd, they will come and interact with you multiple times! Super fun! ALSO, this restaurant spins. REALLY…..I had NO idea! Granted, it spins R-E-A-L-L-Y S-L-O-W, and you get a view, while you are eating of the ride Living With The Land, which is slow-spins you right in to. You will see the rainforest, the desert and pass the house with the barking dog. Super cool. It took about one hour, which is about how long it took to eat here, to complete a full circle.
Would we return? Probably not. It was very enjoyable, but the overall experience didn’t make it into our “We must do this again!” list.
After dinner we rode a few rides and headed over to stand in line for the Candlelight Processional.
Travel Tipsy: We jumped in line 30 minutes early and immediately got in – doors were already open.
When you get into America (which is where the Processional is located) you MUST get a Moonshine Sour! Don’t worry, you will see the line for it. They are wonderful and I get one every time.
After I grabbed my moonshine, we were ready to go.
The Candlelight Processional is a traditional, American-telling of the birth of Christ, mixed in with religious songs, that any Christmas person knows well, by a full choir with a full, conducted orchestra. Being a country-girl, from the hills of Tennessee this hits me in my little, ole, country-Christmas heart, ya’ll!!! I loved it soooooo stinking, stonking much!!! This is a no frills (no fireworks, animatronics, circus acts, etc) Christmas event. And there is nothing that brings me closer to my down-home roots. The show is 40 minutes in length, I ADORE this event, and will make it a point to go every year.
Afterwards, we went BACK to the Land Pavilion, because Living the Land (the ride) is decked out and soooo sparkly at Christmas time! You have to go AT NIGHT, for the full effect though. What a super, fun, get-in-the-Christmas-spirit, kind of date-night. Travel Tipsy: Do something else for about 1 hour after the show. The ride time line backs us hard, right after the Processional, but balances out about an hour later.
This is such a fun, get-in-the-Christmas-spirit, date night (or day). Highly recommend it! (expect for the restaurant, there are way better options for the Candlelight Processional Dining Package)
If you are from out of town visiting and are looking for someplace non-Disney to stay (I am sorry Disney, I am a fan, but your stuff is EXPANSIVE!) try one of these options
Walt Disney World Swan or Walt Disney World Dolphin – super, super bougie! OMG! Talk about feeling like a total powerhouse! This place has it all! Best views, restaurants, a lobby that will make you drop your jaw, and easy park access.
Signia by Hilton Orlando – Not as bougie as The Swan, but still soooo super nice! The big hit here is that lazy river! OMG! We have floated for hours in this thing. The drinks are amazing too.
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel at the Entrance to Universal Orlando – I have stayed here more than any other hotel in Orlando. For the price point it is remarkable. The large hotel is very nice (shockingly nice, for this price) with a gift shop, a courtyard with a large fire pit and a Starbucks. It is across the street from Universal Studios and a 15 minute Uber to Disney. Parking is an additional fee.
Have you done the candlelight processional or the Garden Grill? What were your thoughts?
