Lacey Chabert to Narrate EPCOT Candlelight Processional in December

Lacey Chabert is about to become one of the defining faces of Walt Disney World holiday entertainment in 2026. The beloved Hallmark star has joined the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays Candlelight Processional lineup, where she’ll make her debut as narrator on December 22 and 23.

The announcement comes just weeks after the premiere of her Disney World-set Hallmark movie. For fans who can’t get enough festive romance, Disney nostalgia, and Christmas magic, this is a pretty major one-two holiday punch.

Lacey Chabert Is Taking Center Stage at EPCOT

For decades, the Candlelight Processional has been one of Walt Disney World’s most moving and treasured traditions. The EPCOT production brings together a celebrity narrator, the Voices of Liberty, a large choir of Disney cast members and community singers, and a 51-piece orchestra for a stirring retelling of the Christmas story.

Now, Chabert is stepping into that spotlight for the first time. She’ll narrate performances on December 22 and December 23, right in the middle of one of the busiest and most emotional stretches of the holiday season.

For many vacationing families, those final days before Christmas are when Disney World feels most magical. Chabert will be a major part of that atmosphere.

Her Dates Could Not Be More Perfect

Chabert’s two-night engagement lands immediately before Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, when Jodi Benson will take over the narrator role. That makes Chabert’s appearances especially appealing to visitors hoping to enjoy a memorable pre-Christmas night at EPCOT before the holiday rush reaches its peak.

The shows will take place at the America Gardens Theatre, with nightly performances scheduled for 4:45 p.m., 6:30 p.m., and 8:00 p.m. EST. Since the Candlelight Processional is one of EPCOT’s most in-demand seasonal offerings, fans planning to see Chabert should expect heavy crowds and prepare well in advance.

A Hallmark Star Meets Disney World Christmas Magic

The timing of this announcement is no accident. Chabert is already a familiar and beloved fixture of television holiday programming, having become one of Hallmark Channel’s most recognizable stars through years of Christmas movies.

This season, though, her holiday connection is getting a Disney-sized upgrade.

She stars as Lindsey in Holiday Ever After: A Disney World Wish Come True, Hallmark Channel’s first movie collaboration with Walt Disney World. The film premieres on November 28, with streaming availability arriving the following day on Hallmark+.

The Disney World Movie Connection Makes This Even Bigger

In the film, Lindsey heads to Walt Disney World with her family for a Christmas getaway. The trip takes an unexpected turn when she realizes that the man staying nearby is Philip, played by Travis Van Winkle, who also happens to be responsible for her worst first date ever.

It’s the kind of festive romantic complication Hallmark viewers love, now surrounded by some of Disney World’s most recognizable locations.

The movie was filmed at Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. Its cast also includes Richard Kind, Christy Carlson Romano, Bryce Durfee, Taegen Burns, and Asher Alexander, with Patrick Renna appearing in a cameo role.

That means Chabert will be associated with Disney World holiday storytelling in two entirely different ways this year. First, audiences can watch her navigate romance and Christmas chaos in a Hallmark movie filmed across the resort.

Then, just before Christmas, guests can see her in person at EPCOT as she leads one of Disney’s most beloved live holiday presentations.

The 2026 Candlelight Processional Lineup Is Packed With Familiar Faces

Chabert joins a narrator roster filled with actors, musicians, broadcasters, and fan-favorite Disney figures. The Candlelight Processional has always balanced returning favorites with first-time narrators, and the 2026 schedule gives guests plenty of reasons to plan their Festival of the Holidays visits around a specific performer.

Among the biggest names returning to the America Gardens Theatre are Neil Patrick Harris, Whoopi Goldberg, Gary Sinise, Henry Winkler, Ralph Macchio, Jodi Benson, Simu Liu, and Eva Longoria. New additions, including Robin Roberts, Jason Kelce, and Chabert, bring fresh energy to the holiday tradition.

The Full Narrator Schedule So Far

• November 27 and 28: Auli’i Cravalho
• November 29 through December 1: Gary Sinise
• December 2 and 3: To be announced
• December 4 and 5: Whoopi Goldberg
• December 6 and 7: Robin Roberts
• December 8 and 9: Jason Kelce
• December 10 through 12: Neil Patrick Harris
• December 13 and 14: To be announced
• December 15 and 16: Lauren Daigle
• December 17 through 19: Ralph Macchio
• December 20 and 21: Henry Winkler
• December 22 and 23: Lacey Chabert
• December 24 and 25: Jodi Benson
• December 26 and 27: Simu Liu
• December 28 through 30: Eva Longoria

Two narrator slots remain unannounced, so Disney fans could still have surprises ahead before the festival begins. Even so, the lineup already feels like one of the strongest holiday celebrity schedules EPCOT has assembled in years.

How to See Lacey Chabert at the Candlelight Processional

Guests can line up for standby seating, which is available on a first-come, first-served basis. However, anyone who has experienced EPCOT during the week of Christmas knows that waiting until the day of the show can be risky, especially when a highly recognizable performer is scheduled.

The most reliable option is a Candlelight Processional Dining Package. These packages pair a meal at a participating EPCOT restaurant with guaranteed seating for one of that evening’s Candlelight Processional performances.

Dining package reservations are set to open on October 14.

Why Dining Packages May Be the Smart Move

Chabert has an enormous built-in audience from Hallmark, family films, holiday television, and longtime Disney fandom. Her December 22 and 23 dates also fall during a busy stretch, when EPCOT will be packed with guests celebrating school breaks, family vacations, and Christmas week traditions.

For visitors determined to see her narrate, booking a dining package could be the difference between a smooth holiday evening and hours spent worrying about standby availability. Guests should also remember that a dining package guarantees a seat for a selected show, but it doesn’t necessarily mean front-row placement.

With a Hallmark Disney World movie arriving in late November and a Candlelight Processional debut set just before Christmas, Chabert is having the kind of holiday season that feels made for cozy, nostalgic excitement. For Disney and Hallmark fans alike, December 22 and 23 may be two of the hottest dates on the entire EPCOT calendar.