Disney Updates 2025 EPCOT Candlelight Processional: Susan Egan Replaces Jennifer Garner

Disney revises 2025 Candlelight Processional lineup at EPCOT, replacing Jennifer Garner with Susan Egan

Disney has updated the narrator lineup for the 2025 Candlelight Processional event at EPCOT, announcing that Susan Egan will replace Jennifer Garner for the December 3-4 performances. The popular holiday tradition features celebrity narrators retelling the Christmas story alongside live orchestras and choirs. Meanwhile, Jennifer Garner has recently made headlines with a new hairstyle and philanthropic activities, while Ben Affleck is reportedly navigating family tensions between Garner and Jennifer Lopez during the Thanksgiving holiday season.

• Susan Egan, original Broadway Belle and voice of Meg in Hercules, replaces Jennifer Garner as narrator for December 3-4.
• The 2025 Candlelight Processional runs nightly from November 28 through December 30 at EPCOT’s America Gardens Theatre.
• New narrators for 2025 include Constance Wu, Henry Winkler, Brie Larson, and Sheryl Lee Ralph.
• Jennifer Garner debuted a lighter “bronde” hair color during a recent red carpet event and honored Judy Greer with a humanitarian award.
• Reports indicate Ben Affleck faces family tension over holiday plans between Jennifer Garner and Jennifer Lopez, with disagreements on how to share time with their children.

Disney changes 2025 Candlelight Processional narrator lineup

Disney has announced a revision to the 2025 Candlelight Processional celebrity narrator lineup at EPCOT’s America Gardens Theatre. Susan Egan, renowned for originating the role of Belle on Broadway’s “Beauty and the Beast” and providing the voice for Meg in Disney’s “Hercules,” will now narrate the holiday storytelling for performances on December 3 and 4. Egan replaces Jennifer Garner, who will no longer take part in the event this season.

The Candlelight Processional is a signature holiday tradition at EPCOT, featuring a full 50-piece orchestra, a mass choir of cast members and community singers, herald trumpets, and the Voices of Liberty ensemble. Guests gather nightly to experience the retelling of the Christmas story by celebrity narrators.

Updated narrator schedule

The schedule for 2025 performances, occurring nightly at 5:00 p.m., 6:45 p.m., and 8:15 p.m. EST, includes several special guests, with the recent change reflecting Susan Egan’s addition on December 3-4:

• Nov. 28-29: Constance Wu (new)
• Nov. 30-Dec. 2: Jordan Fisher
• Dec. 3-4: Susan Egan (new, updated)
• Dec. 5-6: Ashley Eckstein
• Dec. 7-8: Ralph Macchio
• Dec. 9-10: Leslie Uggams (new)
• Dec. 11-13: Marlee Matlin
• Dec. 14-15: Henry Winkler (new)
• Dec. 16-17: Lauren Daigle (new)
• Dec. 18-19: Gary Sinise
• Dec. 20-22: Brendan Fraser
• Dec. 23-24: Luis Fonsi
• Dec. 25-26: Joel Smallbone (new)
• Dec. 27-28: Brie Larson (new)
• Dec. 29-30: Sheryl Lee Ralph (new)

Seating for the event is available on a first-come, first-served basis, although guests who purchase the Candlelight Processional Dining Package receive guaranteed seats. This event is a key component of the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays, which runs from November 28 to December 30 each year.

Significance of Susan Egan’s addition

Susan Egan’s return to the Disney holiday stage is significant due to her longstanding association with the company. As the original Belle on Broadway and the voice of a beloved Disney heroine, fans have welcomed her as a perfect fit for the narrating role, bringing an authentic Disney connection to the cherished holiday tradition.

Jennifer Garner's recent public appearances and honors

Though Jennifer Garner will not participate in the 2025 Candlelight Processional, she remains in the public eye. Garner recently debuted a new lighter shade of brown hair — described as “bronde” — during a red carpet appearance at the 2025 International Medical Corps Annual Awards Celebration held in Beverly Hills on November 13.

Philanthropy and friendship

At the event, Garner honored her longtime friend and “13 Going on 30” co-star Judy Greer with the Global Champion Award in recognition of Greer’s advocacy and humanitarian work. Garner praised Greer for her wholehearted dedication to supporting the International Medical Corps and expressed pride in her friend’s humanitarian efforts.

Their friendship has spanned over two decades, strengthened by their shared experience starring as Jenna Rink (Garner) and Lucy Wyman (Greer) in the early 2000s film.

Ben Affleck faces reported family tensions ahead of Thanksgiving

As Thanksgiving approaches, reports have emerged detailing tensions between actor Ben Affleck’s ex-wife Jennifer Garner and his estranged wife Jennifer Lopez regarding holiday plans. According to insiders cited by Star Magazine and RadarOnline, Affleck’s proposal to split his time between both women and all five children has been met with resistance.

Disagreements over holiday arrangements

Ben Affleck, 53, reportedly intended to divide the holiday to be with his children Violet, Fin, and Samuel (with Garner) and Lopez’s twins Max and Emme. However, both women have allegedly rejected the arrangement.

Jennifer Lopez has proposed a tropical family getaway, aiming for a unified holiday experience to ease tensions. Nonetheless, Garner is said to be uncomfortable with allowing Lopez to take the children away, urging Affleck to find alternative solutions.

Complex relationship dynamics

Sources suggest Lopez continues to harbor strong feelings for Affleck, viewing him as “the love of her life” even after their separation. Affleck reportedly finds Lopez still very attractive, but friends caution him against rekindling a relationship characterized by emotional intensity.

Neither Affleck, Garner, nor Lopez have publicly addressed the conflicting reports. With the Thanksgiving holiday imminent, speculation about their family dynamics continues to generate headlines, hinting at a potentially challenging season for the actor and his blended family.

Conclusion

Disney’s update to the 2025 EPCOT Candlelight Processional lineup highlights Susan Egan’s new role as narrator, replacing Jennifer Garner for early December shows. As this festive event draws near, Garner’s recent public appearances demonstrate her ongoing engagement with philanthropy and personal style evolution. Meanwhile, offstage, Ben Affleck navigates complicated family holiday arrangements amid reported tensions with both Garner and Jennifer Lopez, underscoring the challenges of modern blended families during the holiday season. The intertwined stories of entertainment, personal transformation, and family relations continue to captivate public attention heading into the end of the year.