EVENT: D23's Candlelight Spectacular at Disneyland - Dec 6, 2009

[ryanvalle]

I definitely think at $275, it's way too expensive and not until Disneyland posts up their normal prices, we won't be able to compare if this would be a deal or no deal.

Personally, I feel that I am being cheated since WDW's event is only $200 and offers so much more. If the Disneyland event could be dropped to $200 and be 2 days instead of one, throw in a "D23 lounge" somewhere (if possible since I can't think of a good place to put it for now), reserved seats for a parade (or better yet, fireworks or fantasmic), and a tour of the Dream Suite (or call me crazy, but a Club 33 tour would also be fun). If that can be pulled off for $200, then I'd start considering it. Also the WDW tickets don't need to be used the day of, which is a nice thing to do.

Just my thoughts.

[James90241]

I really wish I could do this, but that's the cost of my Deluxe AP, which I have to renew in December! I can't wait to see what the gift is!

[ryanvalle]

Originally Posted by James90241

I really wish I could do this, but that's the cost of my Deluxe AP, which I have to renew in December! I can't wait to see what the gift is!

I wonder if one can use the tickets included to be put towards an upgrade for an AP...

And if so, are they park hoppers or single park.

[Mac Daddy]

If you already own an annual pass, it's tough to justify nearly 300 bucks for dinner and a show, even when you throw in the characters, guides, etc, etc. It seems that this event is tailored to those who probably wouldn't think twice about dropping three bills on a nice dinner and a holiday concert.

Then there's folks like me.

[penguinsoda]

Originally Posted by Mac Daddy

If you already own an annual pass, it's tough to justify nearly 300 bucks for dinner and a show, even when you throw in the characters, guides, etc, etc. It seems that this event is tailored to those who probably wouldn't think twice about dropping three bills on a nice dinner and a holiday concert.

Then there's folks like me.

And me. Who is collecting recycling to put into a jar for my "Mouse Fund" for Disneyland trips. Even if they took off the price of the ticket, I'd still be hard pressed to have the money to fork over for this.

But at least they are trying to do something special for the members. Its just this is something for a different class of member than I belong in. But like ryanvalle said... even if I had the money I'd be more inclined to fork it over if there was more to it than just dinner and a show and some little gift of some kind.

[gpiltz]

Sigh. While I will be unable to attend this event, much like all the rest offered by D23, I will be at the event. In fact, this will be my ninth year singing in the choir! Wonderfully fun, but as an adult, I’ll never get used to spending a whole day surrounded by high school choir students. I wonder if they’ll let me into the D23 party after my long day of hard work?

I said it before, and I’ll say it again: I still challenge D23 to use the resources of this amazing company to bring Disney magic to all of us, where we live, play, and work.

Suspend your Disbelief,

Geren

[MAH4546]

This really is not that expensive. Most event dinners at galas, balls, etc. cost $150 to $500 a head, and it is just dinner and dancing.

[ryanvalle]

Originally Posted by gpiltz

Sigh. While I will be unable to attend this event, much like all the rest offered by D23, I will be at the event. In fact, this will be my ninth year singing in the choir! Wonderfully fun, but as an adult, I’ll never get used to spending a whole day surrounded by high school choir students. I wonder if they’ll let me into the D23 party after my long day of hard work?

I said it before, and I’ll say it again: I still challenge D23 to use the resources of this amazing company to bring Disney magic to all of us, where we live, play, and work.

Suspend your Disbelief,

Geren

How does one get ot be able to sing in the choir?

[IzzyInWonderland]

That is a ridiculous amount of money for four people!!

[I Heart Disneyland]

I've watched Candlelight by standing in a roped off area just beyond the seating and it was beautiful to see and hear from there for FREE! I highly recommend this, unless you really want dinner and to sit. We didn't care about sitting and enjoyed it as much from our standing spot!

[disneylandtour]

As I've said in other D23 threads, I won't be renewing. The $275 price of dinner and reserved seating is just yet another reason to let my membership lapse.

[WDWDN]

I commented in the other post, but to me while a very cool and exclusive thing, I think most people in this economy will pass and wait for more D23 Events that are "free" so to speak, or at least cheaper.

Now if $ is no object, this is a must do. I cant say I am in that gorup though

[The Red Head]

Obviously this dinner is not for everyone. I am not going for it. But there are the people that spend the money for the Napa Rose dinner every year to get the reserved seating for CP. And there are some people that cannot afford that and try to get the Storytellers reservations. There will be some people that instead of buying presents for each other will look at this as a wonderful experience and spend their money on this. CP is a tradition for a lot of people, and knowing you have reserved seats so you don't have to sit there for hours is why people do the dinner reservations. I don’t know if it will sell out, but they will get some people interested.

[lurkyloo]

The only thing about this event that appeals to me is not having to deal with Disneyland's insane ticketing system to try to get a Candlelight Processional dinner package. But it's totally not worth the money to me - I wouldn't pay that much for some non-Disney gala ball either!

[gpiltz]

Originally Posted by ryanvalle

How does one get ot be able to sing in the choir?

Hey Ryan,

The majority of participants are members of local high school and church choirs in Southern California. I sing four-part barbershop harmony with a local chorus, and was actually invited in 1998 to sing with a Santa Barbara area (not mine) high school alumni choir. In September of each year, we record an audition tape with one song chosen by Disneyland, and one of our choice. We always sing the Navy Hymn, and the Disney tune tends to be Silver Bells or, as with this year, What Child is This. It is always a simplified arrangement, and is not the final event version. I actually just found out on Wednesday that we were accepted, which I still feel lucky about even though out choir (Dos Pueblos High School Alumni Choir) has participated for 26 consecutive years. This year we’ll be singing on December 6th, and I’ll be wearing my D23 logo collar pin, and my personalized classic Mickey “ta-da” oval nametag with the red border. We learn the music on our own, or with our choir, and have one regional rehearsal, usually the last week in November at a high school in Thousand Oaks, CA, about 1 hour north of Disneyland. Usually, it’s just conductor Nancy Sulahian and an accompanist, but sometimes Disneyland Music Legend Bruce Healy is on hand, as well. Funny enough, Nancy is Muslim and I’m Jewish, so she always reminds us to envision something we believe when singing about the story of Christmas. On the day of the event, we all park in the main Mickey and Friends parking structure (free parking pass!!!), take the south east stairway, then enter the West Cast Gate. Around 12 noon, they send us, unescorted to “follow the line” to the parade building behind Toontown, passing the stables, vehicle maintenance, the greens dept., general shops, and the under crossing (I can’t call it a tunnel, sorry). Cast member “stage managers” are pretty strict about taking photos or using camera phones. The next 6 hours we all sit on flimsy plastic chairs, first running through the music with the accompanist, then adding the orchestra, herald trumpets, hand bell choir, and narrator. Its fun to see the parade floats move in and out of the building during the day. We take an hour lunch, some folks buying expensive Disney theme park sandwiches, apples, sodas, and cookies. I use this time to eat and hang out outside and watch them test the air-launch fireworks array, or wander over to the recording studios further east. Cool stuff. After we return, we start to line up inside, then outside, which is a huge, somewhat disorderly task, and apparently very difficulty for everyone involved. We put on our choir robes and receive an LED candle (good for sticking up your nose), which we have to bring ourselves, and a white collar provided by the production team. When I first started Candlelight, we would process from Town Square, around the Matterhorn to the Fantasyland Theatre, which I actually preferred from a production standpoint. They’d shuttle us in parking lot trams to the West Main Street gate. Now, we walk, in formation, through the under crossing (Chanting Oh-eee-Oh and waving our fake candles) next to the Fantasyland Theatre, and enter through the gate behind Storybook Land (Never Never Land - because you can never, never go there), moving around the west side of the Matterhorn, the west side of the hub, down Main Street to the risers at the back of the train station. At this point, we’re all pretty tired for already singing all day, but stepping onstage is reenergizing. Standing on the risers, gazing toward the castle with all of the holiday decorations is truly an awesome sight. It takes your breath away. I’ve also been lucky enough to always get an outside spot during the processional, so I get to see the faces of the crowd. (I wonder if I’m on YouTube?!) Standing in the cold while singing is not ideal, and hopefully the narrators does not improvise (I’m looking at you Edward James Olmos) or repeat themselves (Hi Olympia Dukakis) or geek out (Stamos? Seriously?) the show goes fine. We used to head into the Opera House for Capri-Sun and Grandma’s Cookies, so I am not sure where we’ll end up this year. After about 1 hour, we line up back behind Space Mountain, watching cast members eat at the Inn Between. Then, when the time is right, we enter the Plaza Inn gate, do a brief processional and a second show. We file out toward the main gate, they collect our candles and collars and escort us out the gate, stamping our hands and giving us re-entry to the park. Those of us who are clever stash our robes, and get four hours of park time. Later, we receive two one-day park hopper passes for our participation, good for use from January until September of the next year. Since my wife and family is not big on Disney or the parks, this is my chance to pack it all in quick once a year. There are so many amazingly talented people involved, and I am especially fond of Disneyland Show Director John Addis. To me, he has that charisma that Walt possessed. Bruce Healy is also on hand, as many of the pieces are his own arrangement. What a guy! Sorry for the long answer, and let me know if I missed anything of interest. It means a lot to me to get to share. I’m honored to be able to do this again, and have made many great friends, cast members and non-employees alike.

(Learn how it works and then) Suspend Your Disbelief,

Geren