The Candlelight Processional is a tradition at both Disneyland Park and Epcot during the holiday season, but the experience on each coast is considerably different.

In 1958, Walt Disney began a tradition at Disneyland that still lives on today. Although the Candlelight Processional has seen many changes through the years and expanded to the east coast, its intention is still the same as what Walt first presented. It’s the story of Christmas read aloud and interspersed with live Christmas music performed by a choir and orchestra.

I’ve had the honor of attending the ceremony at Disneyland a few times, and this year was my first time experiencing it at Epcot. I expected Epcot’s version to be a different experience, but even with that expectation, I was surprised at just how different it was. The story and music are similar, although not exactly the same. But the presentation felt very different based on several factors.

One of the most obvious differences is the number of chances to see Candlelight Processional. Epcot runs the show for over a month with multiple performances each night. There is a full schedule listed in advance with the celebrity narrators announced. If any guest wants to experience Candlelight Processional, they can do so by purchasing a dinner package or waiting in a standby line for one of the many performances.

In the case of Disneyland, Candlelight Processional is a sort of secret. Although it’s well known by Disney fans that this special presentation typically occurs the first Saturday and Sunday in December, it is not something widely advertised by The Walt Disney Company. And for a good reason: Disneyland’s Candlelight Processional isn’t as easily available to the general public.

To attend Candlelight Processional at Disneyland, you must be an invited guest to have a seated view. This is typically reserved for Club 33 members, distinguished Disney employees from across the company, and more. Essentially, you need to know someone.

With the Candlelight Processional show taking place in Disneyland’s Town Square right at the park’s entrance, technically any park guest can watch it if they’re willing to wait for many hours and stand throughout the presentation. But you’ll only have four chances, as it’s performed twice nightly for just two days.

Unlike at Epcot, Disneyland guests don’t know who the celebrity narrator will be until the first performance. It is kept secret from the public (although guesses are usually posted online in advance based on which celebrity is seen being escorted throughout the resort before the first performance).

One major difference between the two productions comes down to the word “procession” in Candlelight Processional. At Epcot, the choir simply processes from behind The American Adventure pavilion and onto the American Gardens Theater stage not far from it. The procession feels like a necessity to get the choir onstage.

In Disneyland’s case, the large choir truly processes through the park along the full parade route, making it part of the experience. If you’re unable to see the actual show, standing along the parade route and watching as they process into Town Square is also enjoyable and moving. It’s not often that crowds get quiet in Disneyland. But when the approximately 600-person choir strolls through singing Christmas hymns with their candlelight lighting the way, the park calms down and there is an eerily respectful silence along the parade route.

Although both productions feature Disney cast members along with local choir groups to make up the singers, Disneyland’s choir appears to be much larger than Epcot’s. This isn’t surprising considering there are only four performances in Disneyland over the course of two nights versus needing to schedule singers for over a month long. Epcot utilizes its daily park performers, the Voices of Liberty, to sing as part of their choir as well. On both coasts, exquisite live orchestras are made up of professional musicians and appear to be of similar sizes.

Another big difference of particular interest to me is the performance spaces. The America Gardens Theater in Epcot is an outdoor performance stage used throughout the year for live shows. At Disneyland, a temporary stage is set up at the train station, and even on the roof, in Town Square. Town Square is completely transformed into an outdoor cathedral.

It’s obviously easier for Epcot to put on a production at the America Gardens Theater, as there is already a stage and seats in place. But although it may be more of a hassle to set up at Disneyland, the payoff is well worth it. The Candlelight Processional is clearly a disruption to regular park operations at Disneyland, but I have a fascination with temporary entertainment here today and gone tomorrow like a circus tent being set up in an empty lot with no trace of it after. This may just be a personal choice, but I’ll put up with the disruption at Disneyland any day if the result is something as grandiose as Candlelight Processional.

Although both productions are deeply religious, I don’t feel you need to be a religious person to appreciate Candlelight Processional. You can still be wowed by its spectacle and walk away with some positive takeaways. But one of them definitely fills me with more awe than the other.

Disneyland’s Candlelight Processional truly feels like a special gift whereas Epcot’s feels like a theme park production that now exists to sell dinner packages. If Disneyland wanted, they could make a lot of money by selling some seats or even creating exclusive merchandise. But this somewhat shockingly doesn’t exist.

The nice thing about Epcot’s system is that it’s widely available to anyone who would like to attend. But between the performance location, unfortunate exclusivity, limited performance options, massive choir parade route procession, and more, Disneyland’s Candlelight Processional leaves me in awe in a way that Epcot’s lacks.

If you have a chance to attend either, you should do it. Both are lovely. But Disneyland’s is truly something unique and special and if you’re someone who cares about Disney history, it’s wild to experience it in the park where Walt first produced it.