Traditions – they are what make your holidays and events special. Adding Disney to those traditions can make your holidays even more magical. Even if you have a tradition that has been passed down for generations, it’s never too late to add a few new fun ones! This month, we will highlight some of our personal family traditions that show off our Disney side. Want to share yours as well? Read December – Holiday Traditions or email NDM130 for more information today!
I think there is nothing more magical than Walt Disney World during the holidays. From the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, I think we can all agree that Disney knows who to make the most of the holiday season. Out of all of the things that Disney offers during the holidays, the Epcot Candlelight Processional is by far my favorite. It is something that I have been lucky enough to take part in twice when I was in high school and those performances remain some of my favorite Disney memories.
photo courtesy of WDW News
For those of you who do not know what the Candlelight Processional is, all throughout the holiday season, Disney brings in choirs from all over the country to perform in a mass choir, led by the Voices of Liberty, to sing while a celebrity speaker tells the Nativity story. Guest speakers have included Neil Patrick Harris, Whoopi Goldberg, Steven Curtis Chapman, and so many other amazing people. Like I said before, I was fortunate enough to perform with the mass choir twice. During my freshman and sophomore years of high school, I attended school in South Florida, which was a mere 3 hours from WDW. My choir teacher was a fellow Disneyphile and participating in the Candlelight Processional had become a huge tradition in his program. Every year, we would rehearse the Candlelight program of about 12 songs, a great mixture of traditional carols and modern Christmas songs, and travel by bus to Orlando to sing our hearts out.
One of the coolest parts of those trips was being able to see how Disney is run behind-the-scenes. It is incredible to see how a production like that is put together. Being able to herd 200 high schoolers, rehearse with all of them, get them dressed for the performance and onstage all in a matter of 4 or so hours is no small task and those Disney Cast Members run it like clockwork. The performances themselves are some of the most beautiful things I have ever been a part of. The two years that I performed, 2008 and 2009, the guest speakers were actress Virginia Madsen and Broadway legend Chita Rivera. The energy between the singers was infectious. The Voices of Liberty sounded absolutely glorious and the speakers delivered the story of the birth of Christ with such passion. Being able to meet these amazing performers and sing this inspiring music with Walt Disney World as the backdrop was nothing short of magical and is an experience that I will cherish for as long as I live.
Disney has been a huge part of Rebecca’s life since she was a little girl. She went to Walt Disney World for the first time in 2000 and has been over 70 times since! Few things give her greater joy than passing under the WDW welcome arch. Currently, Rebecca is a full time student at Middle Tennessee State University and is working toward two degrees, one in Vocal Performance and one in Leisure, Sport, and Tourism Studies. She has two main goals in life: to become a professional opera singer and to work for the Walt Disney Company. Her favorite Disney film is Lilo & Stitch, her favorite Disney character is Stitch, and her favorite Disney princess is Mulan. She is so thrilled about being a DDL Contributor and cannot wait to share her Disney experiences with you!
