Category: D23

Today, D23 announced 3 new member events, 2 of which are taking place in California. The first event is D23’s Candlelight Spectacular at Disneyland:

For more than 50 years, Disneyland’s Candlelight Processional and Ceremony has heralded in the Christmas season at “The Merriest Place on Earth.” This year, Candlelight serves as the centerpiece of D23’s first holiday season celebration during a magical day of festivities created exclusively for our members and their guests.

The day begins at 10 a.m. when guests can begin checking in. Theme park admission is included so you can enjoy all the holiday splendor and merriment of Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure at your own pace. You’ll enjoy reserved seating at Disneyland’s perennial favorite, A Christmas Fantasy Parade, and expect a few more surprises as well!

As night falls, you’ll gather inside Stage 17 at Disney’s California Adventure where a winter wonderland awaits. Make sure you don’t eat too many holiday treats during the day, because Disneyland’s Executive Chef has prepared a dazzling, sumptuous holiday feast for you to enjoy with your fellow D23 members. As you dine, Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, Pluto and their pals — all decked out in their holiday finery — will keep you in the highest of holiday spirits with special entertainment that will have you humming and singing along!

Following dinner, you’ll be escorted to your reserved seats for the Candlelight Processional and Ceremony, where you’ll experience the breathtaking majesty of this retelling of the Christmas story. Hosted by a celebrity narrator and performed by the Disneyland Orchestra, the Disney Employee Choir (which makes up the ceremony’s iconic living Christmas tree), bell choirs, trumpeters and a chorus of hundreds, the ceremony’s powerful music, traditional carols and poignant words will leave you with an even greater appreciation for the true meaning of Christmas.

At the conclusion of Candlelight, the evening continues as you are escorted back at Stage 17 for more holiday merriment. As you enjoy a sweet treat and some warm cocoa, the magic-makers at Disneyland will offer our guests a very special “behind-the-candles” look at the history of holiday traditions at Disneyland, as well as the special care and work that goes into making the parks look their best for the season. The team responsible for producing the Candlelight Ceremony will also join us to share their experiences and a surprise or two, and the Disney Employee Choir will entertain you with a rousing sing-along of your favorite carols in a toe-tapping medley that will close the evening on the right note. As you depart from this truly wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime experience, remember that D23 members never go home empty-handed, especially during the holidays! ‘Tis better to give!

EVENT DETAILS
Date: Sunday, December 6, 2009
Time: Check in begins at 10 a.m.
Location: Disneyland, Anaheim, Calif.
Tickets: Tickets will be available Thursday, October 15 at 10 a.m. PST. Members may bring up to three guests.
Cost: $275 per person

Included with the cost of your ticket:

• A one-day Disneyland park hopper ticket. (Ticket is good only for use on December 6, 2009 and must be used by ticket purchaser.)
• Private dinner and dessert inside Stage 17
• Exclusive holiday show featuring your favorite Disney characters
• Reserved seating for Candlelight Processional and Ceremony
• Behind-the-scenes presentation about Candlelight and Disneyland at the holidays — with a “sweet treat”
• Special gift for all guests from your friends at D23!

The second event, Disney and Dickens, will be held at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood:

Join Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim and your fellow D23 members for an evening of Dickensian delights as you meet at the historic El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood to experience the new Robert Zemeckis film Disney’s A Christmas Carol, starring Jim Carey, Bob Hoskins and an all-star cast in this new retelling of Charles Dickens’ timeless holiday favorite. As you settle into your reserved VIP seat, enjoying tunes from the mighty Wurlitzer, the festive holiday pre-show and the film itself, make sure you don’t get too full from the complimentary popcorn and soda because following the movie, you’ll re-join the group for a holiday feast at the classic Los Angeles eatery, the Tam O’Shanter in the city’s Los Feliz area.

The Tam O’Shanter was a favorite restaurant for Walt Disney and his animators, and was often referred to as the Studio Commissary when Walt’s fledgling company was located in the neighborhood. From the moment you pull up to this quaint, cottage-like Scottish establishment, you will be transported to another time and place. Decked out in its holiday finest, the Tam is a cozy, traditional Scottish restaurant where Christmas goose and succulent prime rib await. As you dine with your fellow D23 members and their guests, you’ll have the opportunity to see Walt’s table, take a look at the wonderful artwork created by Disney animators for the Tam, and be entertained by Dickens Carolers, as well as an ensemble from the Disney Employee Choir, who will sing their favorite Disney Christmas songs.

So come with your appetite and warm up your vocal chords, because this will be anything but a silent night. Oh, and don’t forget that Christmas is a time of giving and your friends at D23 would never let you leave without a special holiday gift to commemorate the evening!

EVENT DETAILS:
Date: Thursday, December 10, 2009
Location: El Capitan Theatre and Tam O’Shanter Restaurant
Time: Check-in begins at the El Capitan at 6 p.m.; Screening begins at 7 p.m.
Tickets: Tickets will be available Thursday, October 15 at 10 a.m. PST. Members may bring up to three guests.
Cost: $95 per person

Included with the cost of your ticket:

• VIP seating for the 7 p.m. showing of Disney’s A Christmas Carol
• Popcorn bucket and soda
• Three-course dinner at the Tam O’Shanter (includes soft drinks, coffee, and tea)
• Valet parking at the Tam O’Shanter
• Special presentation including a performance by the restaurant’s Dickens Carolers
• Surprise gift for all guests from your friends at D23!

The final new event announced isn’t for California, so I’m not going to put it up here, but here’s the link to it just in case you’re interested. Be sure to keep an eye on the D23 Expo and Events page for when tickets go on sale October 15th.