Credit: Jeff Kern, FlickrThe festive celebration is missing one fan-favorite–here’s why.
The EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays will once again take center stage in 2025 as Disney officially confirms the return of its beloved Candlelight Processional. The seasonal offering, which combines a full orchestra, mass choir, and celebrity narrators retelling the story of Christmas, will remain a centerpiece tradition for many parkgoers at Walt Disney World.
This year’s lineup will include familiar faces and brand-new voices on the iconic stage at America Gardens Theatre. Returning narrators such as Ashley Eckstein, Jordan Fisher, Ralph Macchio, Gary Sinise, Luis Fonsi, and Marlee Matlin will continue their long-standing connection to the event. In contrast, several first-time narrators are set to join the roster.
Newcomers in 2025 will include Constance Wu, Jennifer Garner, Leslie Uggams, Henry Winkler, Lauren Daigle, Joel David Smallbone, Brie Larson, and Sheryl Lee Ralph, each expected to add star power to the festival. Brendan Fraser also stands out as one of the most anticipated names on the list.
Performances will be scheduled nightly at 5:00 p.m., 6:45 p.m., and 8:15 p.m. EST, giving guests multiple chances to catch the holiday spectacle throughout the season. To guarantee seating for one of the performances,
Disney has confirmed the return of Candlelight Processional Dining Packages, which pair a meal at select EPCOT restaurants with reserved entry to a show. Reservations for the packages will open on October 14, offering guests an early opportunity to secure a holiday experience.
The Candlelight Processional has long been a highlight of the EPCOT holiday season, and the 2025 announcement makes it clear that Disney intends to keep the tradition as grand as ever.
However, one notable missing name is How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris. The actor has narrated the Candlelight Processional on 15 occasions (2006-2008, 2011-2019, 2022, 2023, and 2024, per Sparkcatcher), missing only 2020—which no one narrated due to pandemic restrictions—and the following year, 2021, since 2011.
Harris will once again interrupt his latest streak by being absent from this year’s festive event. The Tony and Emmy winner is currently starring on Broadway in Yasmina Reza’s ART, directed by Scott Ellis and translated by Christopher Hampton, alongside Bobby Cannavale and James Corden. Performances at the Music Box Theater in New York City will run through December 21, 2025.
Neil Patrick Harris and his 2022 Roast of Disney CEO
In December 2022, Neil Patrick Harris served as a celebrity narrator at the Candlelight Processional during the EPCOT Festival of the Holidays at Walt Disney World. He opened his narration with a joke aimed at former Disney CEO Bob Chapek: Harris quipped that “EPCOT — an acronym. And I’m pretty sure the C doesn’t stand for ‘Chapek’.”
Following his performance, Harris and his husband, David Burtka, accompanied by their children, explored the Disney World theme parks. They were joined by Mariska Hargitay and her family. He expressed gratitude to the park for creating holiday memories and welcoming first-time guests.
During that visit, Disney also gave Harris a special recognition at an EPCOT location. At that time, Bob Chapek had been recently removed as CEO, and Bob Iger had recently returned to lead The Walt Disney Company.
Will you be heading out to EPCOT this year to catch the show? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!