Planning a Walt Disney World holiday vacation usually means preparing for some of the year's highest expenses. Seasonal experiences can add even more to the total, especially for families paying for several people.
This year, however, EPCOT guests are getting an unexpected break.
Disney has released 2026 pricing for the holidays, and two participating locations will cost considerably less than they did last holiday season. One option includes a price reduction of more than 30%, while a family of four could save $82 compared with 2025.
Those numbers stand out on their own. But they become even more interesting when viewed alongside recent crowd and attendance trends at Walt Disney World.
A Popular Event Creates a Tough Holiday Decision
Candlelight Processional returns to EPCOT as part of the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays. The seasonal show combines a celebrity narrator with a choir, an orchestra, and the Voices of Liberty to tell the Christmas story.
Popularity can make attending a performance tricky. Standby lines can grow long, particularly when the scheduled narrator attracts plenty of attention.
Disney’s dining packages give guests another option.
A package combines a meal at a participating EPCOT restaurant with guaranteed seating for a Candlelight Processional performance later that day. Specific meal inclusions depend on which restaurant guests choose.
For 2026, Disney has confirmed 16 participating restaurants. Adult packages range from $43 at Regal Eagle Smokehouse to $109 at Le Cellier Steakhouse.
Among all those choices, two locations in EPCOT’s Japan Pavilion have particularly notable prices.
Disney Takes Money Off Two Packages
Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya will charge adults $85 and children $40 for its 2026 Candlelight Processional Dining Package.
Last year, those prices stood at $99 for adults and $50 for children. Adults will therefore save $14 per package, while children will cost $10 less.
The difference grows at Teppan Edo.
Its adult package cost $110 in 2025 but has fallen to $89 this year, saving $21. Disney has made an even larger adjustment for children, reducing the package price from $60 to $40.
Rather than another annual increase, families choosing either restaurant will actually pay less for the 2026 version.
The Savings Grow Quickly for Families
The percentage differences show just how significant some of these reductions are.
Shiki-Sai’s adult price has decreased approximately 14.1%, while its children’s package is 20% cheaper. Teppan Edo’s adult price has fallen approximately 19.1%. Its children’s package drops by 33.3%, making it the largest percentage decrease among the four prices.
For families buying multiple packages, those percentages translate into bigger dollar savings.
Two adults and two children would have spent $298 at Shiki-Sai in 2025. This year, the same family would spend $250, saving $48.
At Teppan Edo, that family would have paid $340 last year. The 2026 total is $258, resulting in an $82 difference. Overall, that family pays roughly 24% less than it would have in 2025.
For guests already spending heavily on a holiday trip to Disney World, an extra $82 can make a noticeable difference.
Recent Crowd Trends Add Another Question
Disney hasn’t connected these price reductions to attendance, and there’s no confirmation that lower crowds played any role in the decision.
Still, Walt Disney World has seen periods of lighter crowd levels over the past year.
Disney reported domestic theme park attendance declining 1% during its second fiscal quarter of 2026. Weaker international visitation contributed partly to that performance.
Wait times also pointed toward lighter crowds during portions of the summer. Posted waits in June and July ran around 13% below the same months in 2025.
However, those figures don’t tell the entire story.
During Disney’s third fiscal quarter, domestic park attendance increased 3% compared with the previous year. Walt Disney World also had a strong quarter, helped by domestic tourists, annual passholders, promotions, and new experiences.
In other words, there isn’t enough evidence to say Disney lowered these dining prices because of attendance. Demand, package performance, or other considerations could have influenced the decision.
A Different Kind of Holiday Price Change
Guests interested in taking advantage of the 2026 Candlelight Processional Dining Packages can begin making reservations on October 14.
For families comparing this year’s prices with 2025, the reductions at Shiki-Sai and Teppan Edo are difficult to miss. Adults can save roughly 14% to 19%, while the biggest children’s reduction reaches one-third.
Disney hasn’t provided a specific explanation for why these two packages became cheaper.
Whatever prompted the reductions, guests planning an EPCOT holiday visit have a rare opportunity: returning seasonal experiences that could leave some families spending more than $80 less than they did last year.
